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More Amendments to County Zoning Ordinance Proposed

The south edge of Lyon Village is in the Clarendon Revitalization District…

THE FOLLOWING CASE TO BE HEARD BY PLANNING COMMISSION AND COUNTY BOARD on January 25, 2020:
ZOA-2020-01: An ordinance to amend, reenact, and recodify ACZO Articles 7 & 12 to permit the establishment of assisted living facilities, independent care living facilities, nursing homes, and continuing care retirement communities in the C-3 zoning district to enable their establishment within the Clarendon Revitalization District as shown on the General Land Use Plan, and for other reasons required by public necessity, convenience, general welfare, and good zoning practice.

Map of Clarendon Revitalization District
Map of Clarendon Revitalization District

Map from Clarendon Sector Plan 2006 page 170

Related Posts:
Recent Amendments to County Zoning Ordinance

County Expands Areas for Elder Care Facilities

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Recent Amendments to County Zoning Ordinance

Recent Amendments to County Zoning Ordinance

● ZOA-2019-09: Allowing assisted living facilities in four new zoning districts and nursing homes in one new district
● ZOA-2019-10: Updating standards under which incentive zoning provisions can be used by development applicants to exceed maximum height and density requirements when the applicant makes commitments to affordable housing, community facilities, transportation infrastructure, or similar community priorities
● ZOA-2019-11: Allowing assisted living facilities and similar elder care uses in an additional 14 zoning districts, along with changes to zoning definitions and updates to parking requirements for elder care uses

See details at the Zoning Ordinance Amendments website

See plans for future zoning changes

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County Expands Areas for Elder Care Facilities

To to promote housing options for seniors and persons with disabilities., the County Board voted to amend the Zoning Ordinance. The change allows new assisted living and similar facilities in areas where multifamily development is already allowed. The change also lowers parking requirements at these facilities.

The amendment expands permissible areas to 18 zoning districts located near and along Arlington’s major planning corridors. Designated areas in Lyon Village are primarily along Lee Hwy and Wilson Blvd (shaded areas on map). Some of these areas currently include single-family houses.

LV Portion of Fuzzy Map Published by County (labels added by Tom)

News Release: Arlington to Allow Elder Care Facilities In More Areas

Staff Presentation to Board

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“Housing Arlington” Initiative Launched

County Board seeks ways to solve Arlington’s affordable housing shortage by leveraging existing county housing programs, zoning changes, and private-public partnerships.

Six initiatives fall within the overall Housing Arlington program:
1 Land Use Tools
 ● Accessory Dwelling Regulations Update
 ● Elder Care Zoning Study
 ● Bonus Density
 ● Plan Lee Highway
 ● Housing Conservation District
 ● Missing Middle Housing Study
2 Financial Tools
3 Institutional Partnerships
4 County Employee Housing
5 Condominium Initiative
6 Affordable Housing Master Plan Review

No mention of transit
Did failure to address Columbia Pike transit hamper development in the parts of Arlington and Fairfax counties most available for affordable housing?

Housing Arlington

Housing Arlington: Program News

Missing Middle Housing Study Framework

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Va House Bill 152 Would Ban Single-Family Residential Zoning

Introduced by:
Ibraheem S. Samirah
Delegate from east Loudoun & west Fairfax Cos

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Middle housing allowed on lots zoned for single-family use. Requires all localities to allow development or redevelopment of “middle housing” residential units upon each lot zoned for single-family residential use. Middle housing is defined as two-family residential units, including duplexes, townhouses, cottages, and any similar structure. Such structures shall not require a special use permit or be subjected to any other local requirements beyond those imposed upon other authorized residential uses. Localities may regulate the siting, design, and environmental standards of middle housing residential units, including setback requirements, provided that the regulations do not, individually or cumulatively, discourage the development of all two-family housing types permitted through unreasonable costs or delay.

Virginia Legislative Information System

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Before You Buy a New Car…

Before You Buy a New Car…
“The popularity of SUVs and light trucks are contributing to the increase in roadway fatalities… If you’re behind the wheel of one of those vehicles… you need to take extra caution. It has a lot more weight… poor visibility, it takes you longer to brake and it is harder to see around turns. Drivers of those vehicles need drive very carefully to compensate.” — NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg

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Thanks to Holiday Party Helpers

Thanks to all who made the 2019 LVCA Holiday Party a success. A good time was had by all, especially the kids at the craft tables. Parents grateful that glitter and plastic gems enticed our kids away from tables laden with appetizers and sweets.

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Lee Hwy & Glebe Rd Intersection Improvements

Dec 14, 2019: The County Board approved a project to widen North Glebe Road (Route 120) to add northbound and southbound full-width left turn lanes. The new turn lanes will improve traffic flow and give pedestrians more time to cross the street. Work to underground overhead utilities in the project area that began in January 2017 is near complete. Roadway construction is anticipated to start in spring 2020 and last for two years.

Arl Co Project Page

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Deer Strike Injures Driver on Spout Run Pkwy

Deer Strike Injures Driver on Spout Run Pkwy
Where: Spout Run Pkwy south of intersection with Lorcom La
When: Fri, Dec 13, aprox 5 PM

Driver’s injuries were not life threatening. The deer died. Deer-involved crashes are greatest during the mating season, Oct through Dec, particularly around dawn and dusk. Drive carefully!

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Arlington Public Schools Propose Big Changes

School staff recently announced potential big changes to the school boundaries that affect LV and other areas.

Community Survey on
APS Proposals to Move Key Immersion School
APS has proposed to move the Key program to either:
● Arlington Traditional School (west of Ballston)
● Carlin Spring Elementary (in the southwestern part of the County)
Participate in a survey about these changes: Key School Enrollment Survey (survey closes Dec 6)

Information from Arlington Public Schools
APS “What’s Happening” Home Page

Elementary School Planning for 2021

Meeting Recap (Nov 11, 2019)
School Board Member Reid Goldstein
Reid brought slides, but we didn’t have a projector.
Here are …
Reid’s Slides

Press Coverage
For NoVa Schools, A Question Of Where to Put All Those Students (WaPo)

“Arlington Public Schools may shuffle nearly a quarter of its elementary school students around to combat the county’s persistent overcrowding problems.”
APS Proposes Major Elementary School Swap (ARLnow)

Plans to Add/Drop Courses 2020-21 (InsideNOVA)

Opinion
Peter’s Take:
How The County Should Help APS Plan For New School Seats
  by Peter Rousselot

Progressive Voice:
“More Time” Doesn’t Make Change Easier
  by Colleen Pickford

Ed Talk:
Elementary School Moves/Boundaries
  by Abby Raphael

Letter to the Editor: APS Should Hire Outside Consultant for School Boundary Process

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County Budget Year Ends with $46M Unspent

What to do with unspent funds remains controversial. Should the year-end surplus be:
● Rolled over to the next FY, reducing the need for tax increases?
● Used to fund projects that failed to get funded in the previous FY?
● A bit of both?

County Seeks Citizen Input on 2021 Budget

Provide Your Early Input on the FY 2021 Budget

ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA GENERAL FUND
STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2019 (Unaudited)
Source: Arlington Co page 42
Revenues$1,296,927,881
Expenditures$1,250,707,290
Excess of revenues and other financing sources over expenditures and transfers out$46,220,591
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Skyrocketing Property Tax?

Skyrocketing Property Tax?
Arlington County has one of the highest median property taxes in the United States, ranked 40th of the 3143 counties in the USA. Arlington collects, on average, 0.8% of a property’s assessed fair market value, which amounts to about 3.6% of average resident’s yearly income.
Source: tax-rates.org

Home Values are expected to increase significantly. Average Arlington sold price went up by 12.35% between Sept 2018 ($628,412.) and Sept 2019 ($705,997)
Source: Bright MLS

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Arlington’s SMD (E-Scooter/E-Bike) Pilot Evaluation Report

Arlington’s SMD (E-Scooter/E-Bike) Pilot Evaluation Report
Arlington’s pilot kicked off in September 2018 with Bird and Lime and is expected to end in December 2019 with seven operators. This report provides the results of the evaluation of the nine-month Arlington County pilot program, including trends in deployment, utilization and feedback from the community to understand Shared Mobility Device (SMD) adoption and system performance. Click to Continue Reading…

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Vehicle Decals No Longer Needed

Vehicle Decals No Longer Needed
The Arlington County Board voted last year to eliminate the requirement to display a decal. You can remove your old decal and dispose of it. The Motor Vehicle License fee ($33 for cars), which is an annual registration fee, has not been eliminated.

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Armed Robbery on Highland St

Where: 1800 block of N. Highland St (near LV Park)
When: Approximately 3:36 a.m. on November 16, Saturday
ROBBERY, 2019-11160049, 1800 block of N. Highland Street. At approximately 3:36 a.m. on November 16, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery just occurred. Upon arrival, it was determined that the victim was walking in the area when he was approached by three unknown suspects, who each displayed a firearm and demanded the victim empty his pockets. The suspects stole the victim’s personal belongings and fled prior to police arrival. The suspects are all described as black males, 18-20 years old, 5’10”-6’0”, wearing dark colored hoodies, dark pants and dark masks. The investigation is ongoing.

ACPD Crime Report

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County Seeks Citizen Input on 2021 Budget

Key periods for citizen input:
November-December 2019: Provide online input to the County Manager as he begins developing his Proposed FY 2021 Budget to send to the County Board in February.
Provide Your Early Input on the FY 2021 Budget

January-February 2020: Provide input as the County Manager develops the Proposed FY 2021-2030 CIP to send to the County Board in May.
February-April 2020: Provide feedback to the County Board about the proposed budget.
May-July 2020: Provide feedback to the County Board about the proposed CIP.

Arlington real estate assessments are expected to rise by as much as 4% beginning in January which means property taxes could rise by 4% even without an increase in the tax rate.

Keep up with the latest budget and CIP news and information and opportunities to participate in the budget process at budget.arlingtonva.us.

Budger Season Timeline

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County Board Writes FAA to Oppose Flight Path Changes

County Board Writes FAA to Oppose Flight Path Changes
On Nov. 4, 2019, the Arlington County Board sent a letter of opposition to the FAA regarding proposed changes to flight procedures at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

The FAA and the United States Secret Service (USSS) presented the proposed changes to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) DCA Community Working Group on May 23, 2019.

Read the full letter

Online Noise Complaint Form (FAA)