Hello Yupette,
What was the purpose of tonight's joint meeting of the Arlington County Board and the Planning Commission? Nothing less than a session of 'lessons learned' about how to and how not to 'facilitate' Arlington's citizens into accepting whatever development the County Board and the developers choose to inflict on neighborhoods and communities.
Of course, nothing was said in County Staff's recommendations (and most of County Planning Staff don't live in Arlington County) about the quality of their planning, and quality of the development and re-development they inflict on us.
If you want a copy of County 'Planning' Staff's 'lessons learned' call the County Board office at 703-228-3130 and ask for 'Review of Arlington's Planning Processes' dated December 3, 2010.
Lisa
Monday, December 6, 2010
County Board Set to Veto More Green Taxicabs, Promote More Traffic and More Bicycles
Hi Yupette,
Take a look at the County Board's agenda for the December 11th County Board Meeting. Two taxicab companies want to add 100 Green taxicabs to their fleets. The County Board is set to veto this proposal (which will cost taxpayers nothing). Instead, the County Board will add to Arlington's traffic, by, among other things, approving a new parking garage. The County Board's primary traffic mitigation strategy is to promote bicycles, a mode of transportation that is weather-dependent and unsuitable for most of Arlington's residents. The County Board's "traffic plan" is for more of the same, more traffic followed by more traffic calming. Don't want to drive? Buy a bicycle. Or, share a bicycle.
Arlington County refuses to promote, or even mention, shared vehicles as an important transportation option, then complains that demand for taxicabs is stagnant.
I'm 55 years old and I don't like bicycles. Enough of using millions of tax dollars to promote something I and most County residents won't use, while ignoring a mode of transportation almost everyone can use.
Peter - 22205
Take a look at the County Board's agenda for the December 11th County Board Meeting. Two taxicab companies want to add 100 Green taxicabs to their fleets. The County Board is set to veto this proposal (which will cost taxpayers nothing). Instead, the County Board will add to Arlington's traffic, by, among other things, approving a new parking garage. The County Board's primary traffic mitigation strategy is to promote bicycles, a mode of transportation that is weather-dependent and unsuitable for most of Arlington's residents. The County Board's "traffic plan" is for more of the same, more traffic followed by more traffic calming. Don't want to drive? Buy a bicycle. Or, share a bicycle.
Arlington County refuses to promote, or even mention, shared vehicles as an important transportation option, then complains that demand for taxicabs is stagnant.
I'm 55 years old and I don't like bicycles. Enough of using millions of tax dollars to promote something I and most County residents won't use, while ignoring a mode of transportation almost everyone can use.
Peter - 22205
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Merry Christmas in December - from the County Board
Hey, Yupette.
County Board's agenda for the next meetings is on the Net. Plenty of gifts for everyone - $33.2 million for the schools (works out to $33,200 per student for the projected 1,000 student increase next year) $31 million for Arlington Mill, $18.2 million for 'transit development' and so on. When will it end? Probably when the bond rating agencies stop being facilitated by the County Manager and drop the County's bond rating to AA.
Kevin L.
County Board's agenda for the next meetings is on the Net. Plenty of gifts for everyone - $33.2 million for the schools (works out to $33,200 per student for the projected 1,000 student increase next year) $31 million for Arlington Mill, $18.2 million for 'transit development' and so on. When will it end? Probably when the bond rating agencies stop being facilitated by the County Manager and drop the County's bond rating to AA.
Kevin L.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Donnellan - Show Will Go On
Hi Yupette,
Surprise - there were no surprises from Barbara Donnellan's budget presentation tonight. The show will go on in Arlington County during FY 2012. County will experience a $25 million to $35 million budget shortfall. The school population will grow by 1,000 students next year; and the school population will increase from 21,500 today to more than 26,000 within a few years. County Board's priorities and spending will essentially remained unchanged, except there may be more funds in next year's budget for more pet projects. Assuming Congress doesn't defund everything having to do with civilian federal agencies. Thanks for the blog.
Mark
Surprise - there were no surprises from Barbara Donnellan's budget presentation tonight. The show will go on in Arlington County during FY 2012. County will experience a $25 million to $35 million budget shortfall. The school population will grow by 1,000 students next year; and the school population will increase from 21,500 today to more than 26,000 within a few years. County Board's priorities and spending will essentially remained unchanged, except there may be more funds in next year's budget for more pet projects. Assuming Congress doesn't defund everything having to do with civilian federal agencies. Thanks for the blog.
Mark
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
How Much Solar in the B-R Corridor Will $87.3 Million Buy?
Hi Yupette,
In the event you missed Dominion Virginia Power's press release VEPCO is ensuring the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor will have an adequate supply of electrical power by constructing a new $87.3 million 3.7 mile underground power line from high voltage towers near Four Mile run to a new substation near N. Courthouse Road and Route 50.
So, the Green questions of the day are: how much solar and other alternative energy (wind turbines) could Virginia Power have installed on-site (building roofs and exteriors) in the R-B corridor for the $87.3 million and how much power would that on-site alternative energy have generated?
Ron
In the event you missed Dominion Virginia Power's press release VEPCO is ensuring the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor will have an adequate supply of electrical power by constructing a new $87.3 million 3.7 mile underground power line from high voltage towers near Four Mile run to a new substation near N. Courthouse Road and Route 50.
So, the Green questions of the day are: how much solar and other alternative energy (wind turbines) could Virginia Power have installed on-site (building roofs and exteriors) in the R-B corridor for the $87.3 million and how much power would that on-site alternative energy have generated?
Ron
County Board to Expand Solid Waste Recycling Regulations
Hello Yupete,
The Arlington County Board is going to significantly expand the scope of the County's solid waste recycling regulations to include many types of solid waste that are not recycled now. The new regulations will be posted on the County Board's Web site by 5 PM on December 3rd in preparation for the December 11th County Board meeting.
Sandi
The Arlington County Board is going to significantly expand the scope of the County's solid waste recycling regulations to include many types of solid waste that are not recycled now. The new regulations will be posted on the County Board's Web site by 5 PM on December 3rd in preparation for the December 11th County Board meeting.
Sandi
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