County Board | ARLnow.com

County Board Approves New Retail Action Plan, Despite Some Concerns

Published July 20, 2015 at 5:00PM | Updated July 20, 2015 at 5:30PM

The County Board voted 4-1 on Saturday to approve the plan, which has been years in the making and will replace an outdated retail plan originally passed in 2001. The new plan moves Arlington from a “retail everywhere” approach — policies designed to put ground floor retail in most commercial buildings, regardless of whether a business could actually survive in a given location — to what’s billed as a flexible but “curated” approach.

Color-coded maps will now define where the county would like certain types of retail businesses to set up shop. The owners of buildings in high foot traffic areas will be encouraged to adopt certain building standards that are conducive to ground floor retailers, from higher ceilings to smaller building lobbies.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 20, 2015 at 10:15AM

ARLnow Server Updates — For the security of our visitors, ARLnow.com is now being served exclusively via secure HTTPS. We’re still working out some kinks, so you might notice some bugs over the next week or two. For instance, despite hours of work over the weekend to try to fix it, photo galleries do not appear to be working on iOS devices like iPhones. Also, Disqus is still being served via HTTP. We appreciate your patience while we work to improve your user experience.

Hearings for Courthouse Plan — The Arlington County Board voted unanimously on Saturday to hold public hearings on a new sector plan for Courthouse. “This proposed update advances our vision for the Courthouse area, creating a people-oriented civic and cultural heart for Arlington,” County Board Chair Mary Hynes said in a statement. The hearings have been scheduled for September. [Arlington County]

News

County Board to Vote on Retail Action Plan

By ARLnow.com

Published July 16, 2015 at 10:30AM | Updated July 16, 2015 at 11:59AM

The new Arlington County Retail Plan would move away from the county’s current “retail everywhere” policy, which was an attempt to provide more lively street life around Arlington by requiring retail spaces in most new commercial buildings.

While successful by some measures, “retail everywhere” — a policy last updated in 2001 — has hit snags, with the owners of buildings in low-foot-traffic areas struggling to find viable retail tenants.

News

County Board to Start County Auditor Hiring Process

By Heather Mongilio

Published July 15, 2015 at 11:30AM

The Board is expected to charge Acting County Manager Mark Schwartz with the creation of an independent county auditor position during its recessed meeting next Tuesday.

Once the Board approves guidance to the manager, Schwartz and officials from the Department of Management and Finance will begin recruiting and screening candidates, with the final hiring t0 be done by the County Board.

News

County Board to Decide on $215,810 in Art Grants

By Eleanor Greene

Published July 15, 2015 at 10:00AM

The Arlington Commission for the Arts recommended approval for $215,810 worth of grants that are to be allocated among 17 organizations and three individual artists. These grants, specified in a County Board agenda item, are a part of county funding set aside for Arlington’s support of the arts in the county’s Fiscal Year 2016.

The total amount of the grants is $16,710 more than was allocated to the arts in fiscal year 2015.

Opinion

Morning Poll: Rename Jefferson Davis Highway?

By ARLnow.com

Published July 13, 2015 at 10:55AM

Arlington County plans to ask its state legislative delegation to sponsor a bill that would rename Jefferson Davis Highway, the Washington Post reports.

While the likelihood of such a bill passing is slim, County Board Chair Mary Hynes said the county has received “a flurry of letters from residents” asking that the Confederate leader’s name be removed from the highway, also known as Route 1.

Around Town

Arlington Native Named National Ultimate Frisbee MVP

By Mariah Joyce

Published June 29, 2015 at 1:50PM | Updated June 29, 2015 at 2:17PM

Last month the newly-minted University of Virginia graduate and long-time ultimate frisbee player was presented with the Callahan Award, issued annually to the most valuable collegiate men’s and women’s players in the sport.

In recognition of her award and her engagement with the local ultimate community, the Arlington County Board issued a proclamation praising Johnston at a meeting earlier this month.

Around Town

Fire Station 8 Relocation to Be Discussed at Community Meetings

By Mariah Joyce

Published June 24, 2015 at 2:15PM

Last May, the county proposed a plan to move the fire station from Lee Highway to a county-owned green space near Marymount University on Old Dominion Drive. The Old Dominion Civic Association said it was “blind-sided” by the plan, and raised an outcry that prompted the county to reevaluate.

The Arlington County Fire Department wants to relocate Fire Station 8 further north in order to achieve their goal of four to six minute response times throughout the county. Arlington County studies conducted in 2000 and 2012 both indicated that while response times in most of the county met this goal, the northern part of the county was underserved and would benefit from having a fire station closer by.

Around Town

Photos: Envision Courthouse Plans for Open Spaces, New Buildings

By Heather Mongilio

Published June 18, 2015 at 6:45PM | Updated June 18, 2015 at 7:36PM

A rendering of a bird's-eye view of Courthouse Square, from 2015. (Courtesy of Arlington County)

Open spaces, new buildings and wider sidewalks are all part of Envision Courthouse Square, Arlington’s draft plan to create a lively square around the county courthouse.

Arlington residents were invited to the neighborhood Wednesday to see the plans for the area as well as to take a walking tour that highlighted several large changes that could come as a result of the plan.

News

County to Hold Hearings on Western Rosslyn Plan as Residents Protest Loss of Park

By Heather Mongilio

Published June 17, 2015 at 7:05PM

The county is considering trading part of the tiny park to a developer in exchange for a new fire station as part of its Western Rosslyn Area Plan Study (WRAPS). Board members unanimously approved the advertisement of public hearings on the plan during the meeting.

“Once this land is gone, it’s gone. The land will always be worth more than the fire station. So let’s hold onto the land and do what is right for the community,” said Michael McMenamin, an independent candidate for County Board. Independent candidate Audrey Clement also spoke out against the plan.

News

County Board Denies W&OD Trail Connector

By Heather Mongilio

Published June 17, 2015 at 3:10PM

County Manager Barbara Donnellan and her staff had recommended the Board approve the connection, which would link N. Carlin Springs Road with the W&OD rail trail.

The proposed connector would have been an eight-foot-wide, 220-foot-long trail that could be used by pedestrians and cyclists to reach the W&OD from N. Carlin Springs Road. The county was seeking the permit as part of a partnership with Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority.

News

County to Hold Public Hearings on Affordable Housing Plan

By ARLnow.com

Published June 17, 2015 at 10:00AM

Arlington County will hold the hearings on Sept. 8 with the Planning Commission and Sept. 19 with the County Board.

“Ensuring that Arlington has housing affordable to folks at all incomes in all stages of life is one of the most important challenges facing our community,” County Board Chair Mary Hynes said. “Whether we are seeking to attract businesses, helping Arlingtonians age in place or ensuring that residents who rent have the opportunity to grow roots, the preservation and creation of affordable housing is a necessary component of our long-term sustainability and vibrancy.”