The vice chair of the Arlington County Board is seeking a new community center somewhere along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
Vice-Chair Maureen Coffey noted at the Board’s July 21 meeting that the corridor is now home to 65,000 residents — more than one in four Arlingtonians — but lacks a dedicated government community center.
Following resistance in the General Assembly this year, a new working group has been appointed to study possible changes to Arlington’s Affordable Housing Ordinance.
County Board members on Tuesday chartered the eight-member, limited-term working group, which will spend the next four months developing proposed revisions. The current Affordable Housing Ordinance outlines ways for developers to gain additional density for projects by building affordable units or contributing to the Affordable Housing Investment Fund.
County Board members have directed staff to move more quickly in considering future uses of the Central Library and Lee Community Center parcels.
In a change from the plan as proposed by County Manager Mark Schwartz, Board members said on Tuesday that staff should hire a consultant in fiscal year 2029 to develop a plan for potential uses of the Central Library site in Virginia Square. That timeline will allow planning to advance on roughly the same timetable as consideration of future uses at the adjacent Quincy Park.
County Board members went into their two-month summer break after 15 minutes of verbal fireworks over Missing Middle housing policies currently tied up in litigation.
Three Board members — Maureen Coffey, Julius “JD” Spain, Sr., and Takis Karantonis — castigated colleague Susan Cunningham for a proposal made without much advance notice at the tail end of the Board’s July 21 meeting.
County Board candidates have varied takes on how the local government should address gaps in neighborhood sidewalks.
Although the local government has a plan to address missing sidewalk links, it “will take years and years” to implement, County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said at the July 20 forum sponsored by the Douglas Park Civic Association.
Arlington’s county attorney is warning leaders to think carefully about the pros and cons of any potential governance changes.
Also, to become a city — an option sought by some advocates of changing the local governance structure — Arlington would have to wait until at least 2032, County Attorney Ryan Samuel told County Board members on Tuesday.
A large-scale redevelopment project at the site of a Rosslyn parking garage that featured in the Watergate scandal was approved with robust support from Arlington officials.
The County Board unanimously voted in favor of the 831-unit project at 1401 Wilson Blvd and 1400 Key Blvd, which will feature two 27-story residential towers, 602 parking spaces and 29,000 square feet of retail, including a grocery store.
All five candidates running for County Board say they will protect the Barcroft Sports & Fitness Center and its gymnastics programming from elimination.
Candidate James DeVita said that, if elected, he “absolutely” would support both.
County Board members say further steps to protect students along S. Carlin Springs Road will be in place before classes resume in late August.
“We want to be responsive — all of us care and have been engaged,” Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said in response to concerns raised at the Board’s Saturday (July 18) meeting.
County Board members approved over $3 million in funding for several infrastructure projects on Saturday.
They approved $2.57 million in funding for four new “Neighborhood Complete Streets” projects, in addition to a $925,000 purchase of a Westover home to support stormwater management.
It’s official: gas-powered leaf blowers are getting banned in Arlington.
County Board members on Saturday adopted a 29-month phase-out period for gas-powered leaf blowers countywide, a timeframe officials said would help to make sure the transition goes smoothly.
County Board members are asking for residents’ patience as authorities continue an investigation into a fatal police shooting on Columbia Pike in May.
Board Chair Matt de Ferranti responded to a petition drive launched for information and dialogue around the death of 33-year-old Shawn Valn, who was shot and killed by Arlington officers after barricading himself in a 7-Eleven store at 3602 Columbia Pike.
