March 2020 Newsletter

[View the printed-format newsletter here]

MARCH NEWSLETTER

---

HOUSING, AFFORDABILITY
& MISSING MIDDLE

Finding and keeping affordable housing that matches each person’s unique lifestyle and requirements can be hard in our neighborhood. In our area, older, more affordable “starter” homes are being torn down and replaced with larger, more expensive houses. New multi-family buildings are invariably high-rise luxury rentals. Home prices, property taxes, and rents continue to eat up more of our incomes. It affects us all – young and old, rich and poor, owners and renters – and it is only expected to get worse as more jobs and people come to this very desirable region.

Last year, the County kicked off Housing Arlington to draw together planning and implementation tools such as housing policy, financial resources, and partnerships in an effort to address housing affordability challenges.

The “Missing Middle” Housing Study starting soon is one of those components. It will examine how, or whether, new housing types could be introduced to increase and diversify Arlington’s housing supply. This could include duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, courtyard apartments — that missing middle form between single family homes and mid-to high-rise multi-family buildings. The County’s current land use policy and Zoning Ordinance limit opportunities to build these housing types.

The results of this study have the potential to reshape our entire neighborhood. Come to this month’s meeting to find out more and ask questions directly to a County Board member. Whether you agree or not with some of the county’s planning and implementation tools, your voice is needed in these discussions.

Learn more about Housing Arlington and the Missing Middle Housing Study at https://housing.arlingtonva.us/missingmiddle/. The deadline for submitting your feedback on the county’s approach to the “Missing Middle” study has been extended until March 15th at https://housing.arlingtonva.us/missingmiddle/scope/

COMMUNITY NEWS

Want a Dog Park?

Join the growing group of dog owners and dog-less neighbors who support having a large community dog park to safely exercise their dogs and to provide a community space for our neighbors, including the four-legged ones. For more information visit PentagonCityDogs.org and sign up to be part of the effort.

20th & Ives St. Pocket Park

In 2018, Arlington County acquired the property on the NW corner of 20th and Ives Streets as “casual use” park land. Although the County has no resources to develop the park, a neighborhood working group has been meeting to determine what improvements the community might be able to undertake to make the space more usable and attractive.

A basic design has been proposed and can be viewed at http://bit.ly/ives-ppt. You can give feedback until March 9 at http://bit.ly/ives-survey

At the AHCA meeting on March 11th we will discuss the plan and vote on whether to support it (along with any minor tweaks that may arise from the discussion). If membership doesn’t vote in support, the working group will return in April with a revised plan.

VOLUNTEERS ARE WELCOME! Once we gain access to the property, we will be looking for help with planting and other work. For more details on the park and on volunteering time or resources, please visit aurorahighlands.org/ives-park-working-group/.

Open Space Workshop 

One of the workshops borne of the Livability 22202 initiative was an all-day session on Open Space in 22202. On February 22, about 70 people – including neighbors, natural history and landscape design experts, county staff, and representatives from JBG Smith and Amazon – divided into four working groups to discuss how to improve and connect public and private open spaces within 22202. The workshop was led by the urban design and architecture firm LAB, Inc. A final report and video will be available shortly.

Pentagon Centre Construction Update

Ongoing and upcoming impacts for the month of March:

• 15th Street – Road work and Utility work will continue. Approximate duration is five months. Started late February, going into late July.
• S. Hayes Street – Road work and Utility work will continue. Approximate duration is five months. Started late February, going into late July.
• Demolition of parking lot and curbs on the project site.
• Modified pedestrian and vehicular travel on 15th street and S. Hayes Street.

Please continue to watch for posted directional signage.

If you have any further questions, please call 301-220-0100. This number is also posted around the project site fence.

Met Park HQ2 Construction Update

Clark Construction will be hosting a community “Construction Conversation” about Met Park on Monday, March 30 at the Synetic theater from 6:30-8:00pm to discuss project plans and answer questions.

PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC: The sidewalk along 15th Street will remain open over the next two weeks with minor shifts in sidewalk access to accommodate utility-related work.

BIKE TRAFFIC: 15th Street and S Eads bike lanes will remain open over the next two weeks with a minor shift of lane travel to accommodate underground utility work.

VEHICLE TRAFFIC: Steel plates have been installed in the roadway along S Eads to cover ongoing utility work. Plates are expected to be installed along 15th Street in the coming weeks. Roadway operations are reviewed by the project team numerous times per week, as well as by appointed inspectors. Drivers should monitor speed when driving across these plates. 

ROAD CLOSURES: No closures in the next two weeks.

WORK HOURS: The project team is working in compliance with Arlington County’s noise ordinance and operates within the County’s permitted work hours of 7 AM to 9 PM (Mon-Fri). County-approved site conditions for the project permit work from 9 AM to 9 PM (Sat, Sun, and Holidays).

UPCOMING WORK: Existing warehouse structures have been demolished and material removal and recycling is ongoing. Construction crews are expected to begin utilizing generators on site in mid-March to support dewatering operations. Early foundations work, including pile driving on the new office buildings, is expected to begin the first week of April.

For questions or concerns about construction activities, contact metpark678@clarkconstruction.com.

31st St Water Treatment Plant Parking Area Plans

The County has rescheduled, and will now be coming to the April AHCA meeting to present the plan for the site.

County Seeking Feedback on Future of Residential Permit Parking (Again)

In late March and early April, the County will gather feedback on potential policy changes to Residential Permit Parking (RPP), engaging with residents about the potential trade-offs and impacts of various policy options for those who participate in the program and those who do not.

Staff will host a series of small community conversations, or “deliberative dialogues” during the week of March 30. These dialogues are highly structured with trained facilitators, and designed to allow participants to learn more about potential policy options and discuss them with fellow residents from a diverse array of backgrounds. Attendance for these discussions is limited by application, so sign up if interested.

Additionally, an online feedback form will be available on the RPP Review project website for two weeks beginning on April 6 to gather public feedback and there will be an open house on April 16 from 6pm-8pm in the cafeteria at Gunston Middle School. See http://projects.arlingtonva.us/rppreview/.

New Rules for Shared e-Scooters and e-Bikes

Effective Dec. 31, 2019 in Arlington County, e-bikes are allowed on all trails, while e-scooters are allowed on trails and sidewalks unless signed or marked otherwise.

However, when a protected bike lane (where people biking are separated from drivers with a parking lane or other physical barrier) is available in the same direction of travel, shared e-scooter and e-bike riders must use it instead of the sidewalk. Later this month, signage prohibiting sidewalk-riding will be installed next to these lanes. Signage will also be placed at the start of a sidewalk where riding is banned.

Initial enforcement will focus on education and warnings. Contact mobility@arlingtonva.us with questions or comments on the new signage. See https://transportation.arlingtonva.us/scooters-and-dockless-bikeshare/ for a list of common questions and answers.

Arlington’s new ordinance allows the County Manager to further restrict sidewalk-riding access in the interest of public safety and welfare, even where a protected bike lane is not available. County staff are developing criteria to evaluate potential future no-sidewalk-riding areas.

Crime & Safety 

A big “Thank you!” to several of Arlington County Police Department’s finest that attended the February AHCA meeting to update the community on recent incidents, including carjackings, thefts from autos, and an assault. The suspect in the assault, a homeless schizophrenic man, is in custody. The spate of carjackings have occurred in garages at Pentagon Row and the Pentagon City mall.

Police cautioned drivers to be vigilant, report suspicious activity, and not sit in their cars reading their phones while parked in such areas. The thefts from cars primarily happened from unlocked cars, or when valuables were left in sight. Police and the mall have added resources, including plain-clothed officers you may not see. An active carjacking was lost in pursuit, but several other auto theft arrests have been made in the last week. If you have an emergency, call 911. For non-emergencies, call 703-558-2222. Add that number to the contact list on your phone now so you have it handy in case you need it. See https://aurorahighlands.org/news/update-on-recent-crimes/

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the neighborhood

Did you know the first St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the United States was held in Boston in 1737 according to CNN? So put on your green and celebrate on Tuesday, March 17. Aurora Highlands has two Irish pubs at either side of the neighborhood: the newly opened McNamara’s at Fern & 23rd and Siné in the Pentagon Row courtyard.

23rd Street Festival

Head out to the first-ever 23rd Street Festival on Saturday, March 21st from 11 AM – 4 PM. Our store-lined “Main Street” of 23rd between Eads & Fern will convert into an open-air block party for you to experience some of Arlington’s oldest and most storied locally owned businesses and the DMV’s unique creators and innovators across food, style, art, & music. Discover new artists, feast on cuisine from around the world at authentic local restaurants, enjoy music, family-fun activities, and more. http://23rdstreetfestival.com/

New Gelato Store Opens

Amore Congelato has opened at the back of the Pentagon Row courtyard. It sells artisanal gelato and sorbet along with crêpes and hot chocolate, so whether it stays cold or warms up, there’s something delicious for you.

Dues Are Due

Please help support neighborhood programs, newsletters, and other outreach. If you haven’t already, go to aurorahighlands.org and submit your $20 per household via PayPal or find the instructions to mail in your check. You must be a member to cast a vote at a meeting.

Volunteers Needed 

If you’d like to get more involved in our neighborhood and meet others, we have many opportunities to do so. We are looking for volunteers to work on the newsletter, organize fun community events or socials, assist with advertising and membership just to name a few. Also consider learning more about topics you are interested in by simply attending county meetings on behalf of AHCA and reporting back to us. You’ll get to know many more of your neighbors by volunteering!

DATES TO PAY ATTENTION TO

March 19 – Community Forum on Capital Improvement

The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is Arlington County’s 10-year plan for building, maintaining, upgrading or replacing County facilities, equipment, and infrastructure. The plan is updated and adopted every two years. What do you think Arlington should be investing in? You can submit your comments at https://engage.arlingtonva.us/engagement-initiatives/early-input-capital-budget. To attend a forum with community leaders, register online by March 13 at  https://budget.arlingtonva.us/events/community-forum-how-should-we-prioritize-our-future-investments/.

March 28 – The Future of the Underground

One component of the Livability Action Plan developed by AHCA and our neighboring civic associations is workshops to engage the public on important issues. New development will bring more residents and workers and more retail to the street level. You can help shape the future of the Crystal City Underground network of shops, which opened in 1976. What would you like to see in that space? Visit livability22202.org for more information and to register. We also still need someone from Aurora Highlands to assist with the workshop planning.

March 30 – Airport Noise Comments

New flight procedures that took effect on Jan. 31 have created noise problems for some areas. The FAA has opened a public comment period to register complaints. Previous complaints are not being included, so even if you have responded before, submit your complaint again. Go to https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/community_involvement/dca_p56 to submit your comments and for more information. Arlington and Montgomery Counties have hired a consultant to work with the FAA to find ways to mitigate airplane noise. Thanks to County Board Member Libby Garvey and Congressman Don Beyer for keeping on top of this problem for the community.

Open Door Mondays

Have something you’d like to discuss with a County Board member one-on-one or in a small group? On March 23 you can raise your issue with a member at the Aurora Hills Library, 7-9 p.m. Open Door Mondays are held weekly throughout the year at various locations, at Aurora Hills the 4th Monday of every month. For the schedule elsewhere, visit http://countyboard.arlingtonva.us/open-door-mondays/.

---

Advertise here and reach over 1,000 of your neighbors!

Send inquiries to newsletter@aurorahighlands.org

---

Category: Uncategorized