September 2022 Newsletter

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September 2022 NEWSLETTER

 

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Monthly Meeting Reminder
Wednesday, September 14, 7-9pm

** VIRTUAL EVENT **

AGENDA

7:00 pm – Capital Improvement Plan

7:30 pm – ACPD Update

Other Business

New Business

Adjourn    

The meeting will be virtual only. Please REGISTER NOW to receive a confirmation email with details about joining the meeting and the option to add a reminder to your calendar.

If you are unable to attend, but have questions you’d like raised for any agenda items, please email them to officers@aurorahighlands.org and we’ll do our best to address them during the meeting.

Note from the Vice President

Dear Neighbors,

Join us for our Virtual AHCA meeting on September at 14 pm. Our first guest is County Planning Staffer Matt Mattauszek to discuss, with approval of the county’s Capital Improvement Plan, what projects we can expect in our neighborhood over the next decade. We will also hear from Corporal Kenny Giles of the Arlington County Police Department, who will update us on recent trends in our area and how to stay safe.

I am continuing as acting president through September, and then we will be happy to welcome Cory back to the country. Please note that the October meeting will feature officer nominations. If you are in the mindset of serving your neighborhood, we always appreciate those willing to step up. Given the rate of change, it is no small task to keep up with things!

I also want to express my appreciation for Pam Van Hine. In addition to her work on the county’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Pam closely tracks county projects and is responsible for much of the content in this newsletter each month. Thank you Pam!

.-Ben D’Avanzo, Vice President, AHCA

Calendar

See aurorahighlands.org/events/

• September 14 – AHCA September meeting
• September 15 – SPRC for Crystal Plaza 5 (see Development update)
• September 16 – Spiderman No Way Home at VHP https://bit.ly/3KXtdYB
• September 23 – Music at Long Bridge Park https://bit.ly/3RKaQZu
• September 25 – Music at VHP https://bit.ly/3xe0Mjv
• October 1 – Missing Middle Engagement at Long Bridge https://bit.ly/3RydEJ0
• October 12 – October AHCA Meeting
• October 13 to Nov 6 – Dracula at Synetic Theatre https://bit.ly/3KZcK6d

55+ Programs @ Aurora Hills – If you are 55 or older, check out the 55+ Pass programs at Aurora Hills. https://bit.ly/arl-ah55plus

Neighborhood News

Aurora Highlands Parks Planning:

The good news is that the approved CIP includes master planning, design, and construction for the Virginia Highlands park, the S Ives St. Park, and former Dominion substation lot at the NE corner of S. Ives and 18th St. S. This ensures better integration of park planning with the planning for redevelopment of the RiverHouse property. The bad news is that no money is scheduled to be spent on planning for these parks until 2028! See p. C-37 of the CIP.

Amazon Goes Bananas!

Don’t forget that Amazon Banistas offer free bananas from their banana cart Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM – 3PM. In good weather, you can find the cart under the overhang of the Amazon building at 1770 Crystal Drive. When the weather turns bad, the Banistas roll their cart into the public corridor next door.

You’re invited to free National Landing BID programs – movie nights, live music, and more!

Join the National Landing BID for a month of outdoor movie nights at Virginia Highlands Park. Come anytime after 6 PM to grab a bite to eat at the food trucks (powered by Curbside Kitchen), or pack a picnic! Movies will begin at 7 PM. Check out all upcoming BID events through the BID calendar, including live music, wine tastings, exercise classes, and more! For a full lineup of movies, visit https://bit.ly/3KXtdYB

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County News

Missing Middle Study

Arlington County continues the 3rd phase of its Missing Middle Housing Study. Potential action by the Board to allow different housing types in areas zoned for single-family may come later this year. The county is hosting a series of community conversations, including one at Long Bridge Community Center and several virtually, though as of this writing all the sessions are full or have wait lists. See more information here: https://bit.ly/3RydEJ0

Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium Scheduled to Reopen This Fall!

APS has approved spending $147,871 to reopen the beloved David M. Brown Planetarium by October-November, 2022. Follow the Friends of Arlington’s Planetarium Twitter account and the APS Planetarium website for more details as they become available. https://bit.ly/3Br4jx7

Project PEACE Launches Askable Adult Initiative:

Arlington’s Project PEACE is launching the Askable Adult initiative to ensure every young person in Arlington County has at least one supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult—an “askable adult”—in their life. https://bit.ly/3xcQqQW

9-8-8 National Hotline Now Available for Arlington Residents

Dialing either 9-8-8 or the existing NSPL number, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), will connect you to behavioral health care and support 24 hours a day. Virginia continues to be invested in building capacity to enhance community-based crisis services. Further updates will be provided in the upcoming months.

What You Need to Know about 9-8-8:

• You can call or text 9-8-8 or use the online chat at www.988lifeline.org.
• Services are for mental health and substance abuse support.
• 9-8-8 provides someone to talk to and referrals to other services as needed.
• Currently, 9-8-8 routes calls to local support centers based on the caller’s area code and not their location in the community. In the future, geolocator features will be added for more localized routing.
• 9-8-8 is not like 9-1-1 in that the dispatch function has not yet been built out. For a life-threatening emergency call 9-1-1.

Arlington, We Need Your Help With Bad Bugs!

The Spotted Lanternfly is a beautiful but invasive insect that is damaging Arlington’s trees and vines. We need your help to stop this pest! If you see a lanternfly, please use this form to report your sighting to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. [Then please kill it if you can!] https://bit.ly/3DfZZCj

AHCA dues are $20, due annually. All people living within AHCA’s borders (See map here https://bit.ly/AHCAMap) are welcome to join the civic association with payment. Please pay online at aurorahighlands.org by clicking the “Donate” button to pay by PayPal. Checks can also be mailed to AHCA, P.O. Box 25201, Arlington, VA 22202. Thank You!

2022 AHCA officers
President Cory Giacobbe
1st Vice President Ben D’Avanzo
2nd Vice President Jill Braun
Treasurer Ben Watts
Recording Secretary Patty Pile
Corresponding Secretary Natasha Atkins

Construction Updates

Construction and Detours:

The National Landing BID tracks and posts important information and links to many construction alerts for commercial developments and transportation projects in the National Landing area. The County’s Crystal City-Pentagon City Area Map also tracks development and construction. You can also report transportation problems around construction sites through the County’s Report a Problem system.https://bit.ly/3TWSoyE

Bridge and Trail Construction:

• West Glebe Road Bridge Reconstruction Project: This bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic. There is a vehicle detour map (https://bit.ly/3DfEtO2) and a bike-ped access map (https://bit.ly/3B1Dnmu), The bike-ped temporary bridge is now open, even though the 4MRT under the bridge is closed. Starting on Sept 6 a portion of the eastbound lane of South Glebe Road will close to allow for removal of the north end of the bridge during weekday, daytime, off-peak traffic hours for about three weeks

• Arlington Ridge Road/Mount Vernon Avenue Bridge Reconstruction Project, a project with Alexandria still in the design phase. The sidewalk is only open on the east side because of deteriorating bridge conditions. (https://bit.ly/3Bth9eD)

• Dominion Energy Glebe Electric Transmission Project Four Mile Run Trail Detour: Dominion Energy has closed the section of Four Mile Run Trail in front of the substation at 3225 S Eads Street while they build a temporary trail boardwalk detour for the four-year project. Doing so will take four months, during which cyclists and pedestrians are routed around the site. The project temporarily closed a travel lane along S. Glebe for the protected bike lane. https://bit.ly/3RCI6SM

• Potomac Yard-Four Mile Run Connector: Short Bridge Park, between Potomac Avenue and Route 1, just north of Four Mile Run, will include the development of a new bike-ped connector trail between Potomac Avenue, Route 1, and the Four Mile Run Trail. The website describes the new trail and detailed construction plans. https://bit.ly/3Qtj6vF

• Alexandria Four Mile Run Bridge Project: Alexandria is repairing a major bridge on the Alexandria side of Four Mile Run, with bike-ped detours. As you travel east on the 4MRT, you can see progress on the new trail construction – and the route of the trail down this very steep hillside. The Route 1 multiuse trail on the east side of Route 1 is currently closed because of active construction. https://bit.ly/3qn6go6

I-395 and Boundary Channel Drive Interchange

At the north end of our area, construction has started at the interchange and bridge of 395 over Boundary Channel Drive, near the Long Bridge Aquatics center. This project will turn the north and south-bound interchanges into roundabouts, while also creating a new mixed-use path that connects into the Mount Vernon Trail network (shortening the ride into DC for many). https://bit.ly/3B2DhuH

Development Updates

Crystal Plaza 5

This two-building residential project at 2250 Crystal Drive and 223 23rd St. South with ground floor retail will also create limited open space, replace southern end of the Crystal City Underground with a new exit and create a new street and alleys. Please plan to attend the second SPRC meeting on Thursday, September 15, 7PM. Topics will include community benefits and transportation, including the realignment of this section of 23rd Street. Watch the project website for SPRC meeting materials. https://bit.ly/3eDGCsv

Preliminary Site Plans and Special GLUP Studies:

Americana: JBGS has submitted plans for demolishing the old Americana Hotel and replacing it with a long, narrow residential tower with ground floor retail and underground parking. The proposed building takes up most of the property, which slopes down towards Route 1. Next step will be online engagement.

Crystal Towers 3 (1600 S. Eads)

Dweck is proposing adding two new buildings to this block: a tall residential tower and a short retail building. Preliminary plans have not been posted to the County website and no public engagement or planning meeting have been scheduled.

GLUP Studies

Both studies below have been approved to submit Tier 2 applications https://bit.ly/3x9htfM

750 23rd St. S. (Melwood)

Melwood submitted an application for their property on 23rd Street South between South Hayes Street and South Grant Street to change the GLUP designation from “Public” to “Low-Medium” Residential. Melwood proposes to replace their building with low-income housing, including for disabled populations. Because of other ongoing Special GLUP studies, the Melwood study is expected to start no sooner than late-2022.

South Eads Street Residential

The applicant submitted for the properties located on South Eads Street between 22nd St. S. and 24th St. S. in Crystal City to expand the Crystal City Sector Plan boundary on the GLUP to include the southern parcel of the site with an associated rezoning from C-2 and C-1-0 to C-O-Crystal City. A full study is unlikely to begin until after the Crystal City Building Heights Study, which is exploring greater building heights (not density) for areas within Crystal City Sector Plan, has concluded. There is currently no timeline for when that will happen.

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Transportation Updates

Free ART Bus Rides Coming for APS Students:

Beginning this school year, middle and high school students from Arlington Public Schools (APS) will be able to ride free anytime on Arlington Transit (ART), the County’s bus transit system, with an iRide SmarTrip card, https://bit.ly/3B3q84L

Get Onboard the Arlington APS Walking School Bus!

Are you an Arlington senior looking to get more exercise while helping your neighbors or a family with children in elementary school trying to simplify their morning commute? Make walking to school easier for families while maximizing the health benefits of walking and reducing congestion around schools. Andrea Walker, our Arlington Ridge pedestrian and aging advocate, was a key player in developing the County’s Walking School Bus, including the pilot program for Oak Ridge Elementary School students https://bit.ly/3RN5Raj .

Six Metro stations south of DCA closing temporarily – starting September 10

During the first phase, September 10 to October 22, the six Blue and Yellow line stations south of Reagan National Airport Station will be closed to connect the new Potomac Yard Station to the existing tracks. When these stations reopen, the Yellow Line tunnel and bridge will remain closed for additional repairs through May 2023. Free local and express bus shuttles to Smithsonian and L’Enfant Plaza will run during phase one, including stops in Crystal City and Pentagon City Shuttle does not stop at Pentagon Station. This is WMATA’s announcement for the upcoming closure of 6 Metro stations south of DCA starting September 10, with info on shuttle schedule. Concise Arlington-specific details are at this website. https://bit.ly/3TXmWQD

Other Transportation Projects in the Approved 10-Year CIP:

Check out all of the CIP-funded local transportation projects in the Crystal City-Pentagon City-Potomac Yards transportation section (pp. E-34-35). The Army Navy Club trail approved for an option with stairs (p. E-25). However, pressure from the community for a fully accessible and a bike-friend option encouraged the County to plan to rethink the design. Additional funds will be needed to build the revised design. https://bit.ly/3DbTDnv

CC2DCA Update

Among the CIP supported projects is the CC2DCA bike-ped passage to DCA from Crystal City The NEPA process for CC2DCA is almost finished, and the preferred alternative will be selected soon. Watch for announcement for this important upcoming CC2DCA online engagement later this fall. https://bit.ly/3d3GtOO

Long Bridge Bike-Ped Project received RAISE funds!:

One of the recipients (p. 151) of the new federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program is the Long Bridge bike-ped project which will create a new bike-ped connection from the northern end of Long Bridge Park to DC, with a new connection to the Mount Vernon Trail. https://bit.ly/3d3GtOO

VDOT Route 1 Multimodal Improvements Study Phase 2

The VDOT Route 1 study, now in Phase 2, continues to plan for at-grade intersections of Route 1 at 15th and at 18th. VDOT is holding four public Information meetings, the first of which reviewed Phase 1 recommendations, Phase 2 plans, and design ideas for 18th and for 23rd and the second proposed streetscape options for Route 1. The third will focus on speed reduction and transportation demand management. Watch for details on timing of this important PIM for sometime in November-December. Meanwhile, consider attending the WABA 2022 Washington Region Vision Zero Summit, on Tuesday, September 13. https://bit.ly/3KYUmdG

Newsletters & Social Media

We have heard from residents that really enjoy having a print newsletter. While we’ll do our best to continue it, that will depend on continued support from advertisers and volunteers to assemble it. Sign up for newsletters by email at aurorahighlands.org/join-ahca and follow us at @AuroraHighlands on Twitter, Facebook, or Insta to stay connected no matter what.

The 4D-A group list-serve is an alternative to Nextdoor for hyper-local information and to post queries to your neighbors: To subscribe, send a message to :

4DA-22202+subscribe@groups.io

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