ordinance | ARLnow.com

Arlington May Deregulate Local Massage Businesses

Published September 16, 2011 at 11:19AM

The County Board is expected to vote in October on a request to advertise an ordinance change that would no longer require massage therapists to obtain a permit from the county’s health department. Instead, local massage therapists will only have to be certified by the state.

Arlington County’s massage regulation started decades ago, in response to a proliferation of prostitution operations masquerading as massage parlors. County officials say those days are largely past, and its time to look at massage therapists in a new light.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 12, 2011 at 9:13AM

Somber Anniversary at the Pentagon — A crowd of 1,600 people — including survivors and loved ones of victims — gathered at the Pentagon yesterday to mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11 attacks. Vice President Joe Biden, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Adm. Mike Mullen were among the speakers. President Obama arrived later in the afternoon and laid a wreath at the Pentagon Memorial. [Washington Post, New York Times]

‘Walmart’ Ordinance May Be Delayed — The County Board was supposed to vote this month on a new ordinance designed to give the board final approval on all ‘big-box’ development in Arlington, but county staff wants another month to write the ordinance. [Sun Gazette]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 6, 2011 at 8:06AM | Updated September 6, 2011 at 9:42AM

Rain streaks on a window overlooking the monuments in D.C. (Flickr pool photo by Brian Allen)

Businesses Encouraged By Action on Sign Ordinance — Business owners are hopeful that the new, proposed changes to the sign ordinance will dramatically “streamline” the time-consuming, costly process for getting signs approved in Arlington. [Washington Examiner]

DJO Student’s Dry-Cleaning Research Makes Headlines — It’s not everyday that a high school sophomore’s science project makes it into an peer-reviewed academic research journal, but that’s exactly what happened to Bishop O’Connell High School student Alexa Dantzler. The 15-year-old’s research on chemicals that remain on clothing after dry-cleaning, conducted with the help of the Georgetown University chemistry department, was formally published last week. [Washington Post]

News

Sandwich Board Signs, Sidewalk Cafe Umbrellas Making a Comeback?

By ARLnow.com

Published June 22, 2011 at 12:57PM

Zimmerman said that he expects to see an initial draft of a rewritten sign ordinance next month, with final Board approval by the end of the year.

Addressing the substance of the sign ordinance, Zimmerman said he wants an ordinance that “at a minimum, ends the prohibition on A-frame signs [and] relaxes restrictions on the umbrellas used for sidewalk seating.”

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 26, 2011 at 8:37AM | Updated April 26, 2011 at 9:57AM

The Salsa Room relaunched with a new food menu in 2011

The Salsa Room Starts Serving Mexican Cuisine — Best known as a dance club, The Salsa Room (2619 Columbia Pike) has relaunched with a new food menu. Gone is the Bolivian food from the location’s days as Cecilia’s Restaurant. In its place are Mexican dishes like fajitas, chimichangas and fish tacos. A Sunday brunch menu will launch on June 5. Yesterday the restaurant offered a 50 percent off Groupon (the deal has since ended).

New Library Hours — Starting July 1, the library will expand the hours at certain branches on certain days. Among the branches with new hours: Columbia Pike, Shirlington, Westover, Aurora Hills, Cherrydale, and Glencarlyn. Central Library hours will not change. [Library Hours]

News

Arlington Holds ‘Sign Workshop’ With Business Owners

By Katie Pyzyk

Published April 13, 2011 at 10:15AM

Many business owners believe the current rules are restrictive and confusing. County Board Chair Chris Zimmerman agrees. He says the ordinance is too stringent and focuses on the wrong things.

The board “can be little more liberal in our approach” to signs, Zimmerman said.

Around Town

Arlington’s Outdoor Cafe Guidelines

By ARLnow.com

Published April 7, 2011 at 12:46PM

What does it take to open an outdoor cafe in Arlington? With the arrival of spring, the county is reminding restaurant owners about the rules and regulations behind outdoor seating.

Below are a few of the guidelines for outdoor cafes, as outlined in this county-produced flyer which is being distributed to local businesses.

Around Town

Is Legal Sea Foods’ Sidewalk Seating Legal?

By ARLnow.com

Published April 5, 2011 at 2:58PM | Updated April 5, 2011 at 5:30PM

Legal Sea Foods’ sidewalk cafe in Crystal City seems a bit fishy to one local.

The outdoor seating area has “taken over almost the whole sidewalk on 23rd Street,” an anonymous reader tells ARLnow.com. “The pedestrian area is now down to a single file lane to get past the restaurant. The other restaurants on that part of 23rd have not pushed their outdoor seating out that far… what gives?”

News

Small Business Owners Decry Taxes, Sign Ordinance

By ARLnow.com

Published April 4, 2011 at 2:14PM

On Thursday night Arlington County held a small business ‘listening session’ at Clarendon Ballroom. More than 50 business owners showed up to tell county staff what they like and don’t like about how the county treats small businesses.

The event was part of County Board Chair Chris Zimmerman’s year-long push to make Arlington more small-business-friendly. Zimmerman gave the opening and closing remarks at the event, but it was county planning and economic development staff who led the group discussions that were the evening’s main substance.

News

Zimmerman Plans Small Business “Listening Session”

By ARLnow.com

Published March 15, 2011 at 11:30AM | Updated March 15, 2011 at 3:32PM

On New Year’s Day, County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman kicked off the year by declaring that the board wanted to be seen a “facilitator, a partner to small business” in 2011.

The subtext of his comment was that the county was looking to reverse course from 2010, when a series of mini-controversies over enforcement of county ordinances had some entrepreneurs questioning Arlington’s commitment to small business.

News

Towing Fee Increase in the Works

By ARLnow.com

Published March 10, 2011 at 2:20PM

The proposed changes would increase the amount towing companies can charge and would require more detailed signs at businesses where towing is enforced.

County staffers are recommending the board increase the base towing fee from $115 to $125, the maximum rate allowed by Virginia law. The rate would apply to vehicles under 7,500 lbs., according to Brian Stout, who handles towing issues for the county. Stout says the increase is consistent with the rates charged by neighboring communities.

News

UPDATED: Snow Complaints By The Numbers

By ARLnow.com

Published February 1, 2011 at 11:29AM | Updated February 1, 2011 at 12:04PM

Update at 12:05 p.m. — The county has informed us that the previous numbers we were given were wrong. The article now reflects the updated numbers.

Last week’s snow and ice storm has resulted in a total of 679 complaints to Arlington County through its new Report a Snow Issue form, according to the county’s Department of Environmental Services.