For voters, evaluating Arlington County Board candidate views of Missing Middle will look a lot like Goldilocks sampling porridge.
Three familiar names are vying for a seat on the County Board: incumbent Matt de Ferranti and his independent challengers Audrey Clement and Adam Theo, who have both ran for a seat on the Board before — Clement numerous times before.
Arlington Woman Turns 107 — “What’s the secret to living a long and healthy life? Just ask Vera Punke! Vera just turned 107-years-old and celebrated her big milestone with a birthday party Wednesday in Arlington, Virginia. ‘I tell you – I don’t feel any different than when I was 100!’ she told FOX 5.” [Fox 5]
Labor Day Weekend Closures — “Arlington residents will bid farewell to summer as the season unofficially ends with Labor Day weekend. As families hold backyard barbecues or head to the beach for some late summer fun, there will be various closures for the holiday. Labor Day falls on Monday, Sept. 5, when Arlington County government offices will be closed along with other services. Some other services like transit will be open with schedule changes.” [Patch, WMATA]
The new preliminary concept plan for Langston Blvd envisions the corridor’s transformation over several decades into a “Green Main Street.”
The extensive plan — which has been in the works for years — calls for land use changes along the former Lee Highway, with the aim of encouraging re-development over time, though the proposed zoning changes are not quite as drastic as what had been discussed last year.
This Wall Street Journal article telling the story of the steep price of single-family homes in Arlington has attracted lots of local attention this week.
The crux of the story: members of the Millennial generation, many of whom first came to the area as apartment-dwelling singles, are increasingly starting families and looking to trade up to single-family homes, but a lack of supply has made it difficult for them to find something affordable in Arlington.
New ‘Missing Middle’ Conversations — “Members of the Arlington County Board are hosting 11 community conversations on Missing Middle Housing. Participants will have the opportunity to learn, listen, reflect, and share perspectives with County Board members and neighbors. Sessions will be offered in person across the County, and virtually, with registration required. Community members are asked to register only to one session.” [Arlington County]
Murder Suspect Arrested in Arlington — “A Virginia man has been charged with second-degree murder and other crimes in the killing Wednesday of a female acquaintance who was found stabbed and “actively on fire” in her Fairfax County apartment, police said Thursday… [Arlington resident Richard Montano, 47] was arrested Wednesday night at an Arlington gas station. O’Carroll said Montano ‘has had very minimal contacts with law enforcement in the past.'” [Washington Post]
The new chair of the Arlington School Board has nixed the public comment section of board meetings for the remainder of the summer.
The Sun Gazette reported this week that Reid Goldstein is doing away with public comment until September to speed up meetings.
(Updated at noon) A new report supports Arlington County’s consideration of residential zoning changes as a way to counteract past discriminatory practices. But critics of the changes could harm, not help, the local Black community.
The NAACP Arlington Branch hosted an online discussion last Wednesday (July 20) about the McGuireWoods report in light of local debate around the Missing Middle Housing Study proposal, which would allow small-scale multifamily housing in areas currently zoned only for single-family homes.
This month’s highlighted cartoon by noted local satirist Mike Mount wades into the “missing middle” housing issue.
For all the talk on one side of the debate about parking, school capacity and neighborhood character, and on the other about welcoming new residents and providing more reasonably priced housing, there may be those with a more simplistic view, the cartoon suggests.
SFH Prices Up 11 Percent — “Something may have to give, eventually, but, for now, average single-family-home sales prices in Arlington continue to spike, according to new data. The average sales price of the 108 existing single-family homes that went to closing across the county in June stood at just over $1.35 million, up 11 percent from the already red-hot market of June 2021.” [Sun Gazette]
CAIR Backs Arlington House Bill — “The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed its support for legislation that would rename a memorial currently dedicated to Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Arlington, Va.” [Press Release]
Happy Friday Arlington!
We hope you find some things to do this weekend, but pack an umbrella as it looks like there’s a chance of thunderstorms each day.
Flyover This Morning — Updated at 9:15 a.m. — “The US Air Force reports 2 flyovers in the NCR consisting of 4 military aircrafts (in both flyovers) at Arlington National Cemetery today, July 14… at 9:55AM and 11:43AM.” [PoPville]
Arlington Again No. 1 ‘Digital County’ — “Arlington County continues to be a national leader in technology, once again being recognized as the No. 1 Digital County by the Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties. The 2022 award marks the fifth time that Arlington has received the top honor in the 150,000-249,999-population category.” [Arlington County]
(Updated at 4:35 p.m.) The Arlington County Board is eyeing December for a vote on residential zoning changes suggested by the county’s Missing Middle Housing Study.
But changes to the study’s draft framework — for allowing multi-family homes with up to 8 units on properties currently zoned only for single family homes — seem likely.
