Hello,
I and other Fairlington residents were dismayed by County Board Chairman Zimmerman's mis-characterization of Shirlington redevelopment at the County Board's ceremony yesterday honoring Fairlington resident Nancy Hunt on her retirement from the Planning Commission. Ms. Hunt is also retiring from FDIC and moving from the cul de sac where she lives in Fairlington "to the country" near Charlottesville. Another prime mover in Shirlington redevelopment was former County Member Paul Ferguson, who moved on to become Clerk of the Arlington County Circuit Court. According to several Fairlington residents Mr. Ferguson "avoids visiting Shirlington".
Shirlington is a prime "dumb growth" example of how commercial areas should NOT be re-developed, according to many in the planning community, including several planning consultants who are responsible for "smarter growth" revitalization planning. There is no affordable housing in redeveloped Shirlington, there is massive parking, massive commuting by drivers of single-occupant vehicles (SOVs), no public sports, recreation, or community infrastructure, and "public space" consists of a public plaza next to restaurants and retail. The only "traffic mitigation" concomitant with Shirlington re-development was the installation of asphalt speed tables on South 31st Street between Shirlington and Fairlington, which are crumbling because of increased SOV traffic.
As has been mentioned before, in this blog and elsewhere, Chris Zimmerman is all for massive "dumb growth" redevelopment, as long as that doesn't include the wilderness area across the street from his home in Douglas Park.
Susan, Fairlington
22 comments:
Susan, don't forget the influence of Fairlington's so-called 'civic association' which has become a rubber stamp for developers, when it isn't featuring Democratic incumbents who are running for re-election at almost every meeting.
How about retired Planning Commissioner Carrie Johnson? Talk about planning 'dumb growth' and then moving on.
Shirlington 'planning' was of, by and for Federal Realty.
Paul Ferguson and Nanny Nancy Hunt jerked us around for 8 years over the Shirlington Library. Good riddance.
Fairlington "Citizens" Association is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.
Where do you think Barbara Favola will hang out once she leaves the County Board? In the dumb growth mess she voted to create in her own neighborhood? Or in the classic 50's shopping plazas in McLean where the Elite meet?
What we wanted when Shirlington was redeveloped was real traffic mitigation, like an ART bus route through Fairlington to Shirlington. What we got were speed tables and street narrowing. Thank you Paul Ferguson and Nancy Hunt.
Another mess that we deserve for voting to keep a corrupt regime in power.
Don't ask the Fairlington 'Citizens' Association about its finances. They get mad and put you on an 'enemies list'. Then you get awakened by strangers exercising their dogs in fron of your home 6 AM Sunday morning.
I asked the FCA repeatedly for a copy of its most recent IRS Form 990. I was told I was no longer welcome at the FCA's monthly meetings.
Several Fairlington residents told me that this behavior started when Nancy Hunt became the FCA's President.
All part and parcel of one political party that's been in power way too long running everything.
Behavior is to be expected from an arrogant megalomaniac like Zimmerman.
What's the difference between Smart Growth and Dumb Growth?
Smart Growth is where nanny government Elitists, like Chris Zimmerman, Paul Ferguson, Carrie Johnson, and Nancy Hunt, decide how you should live.
Dumb Growth is where the Developers ask you how you want to live and provide you a living environment you are comfortable in.
What the hell is 'wrong' about a family with with one kid living in a 3-bedroom, 2 1/2 bath home on an 8000 square foot lot, 1/4 mile from a school and 1/2 mile from a shopping plaza?
You will notice that the County Board Elitists and their Fairfax County-resident Economic Development and Planning employees (Terry Holzheimer and Bob Brosnan) don't disparage McLean residents living in 'dumb growth' single family home neighborhoods, 1/4 mile from schools and 1/2 mile from a shopping plaza.
No more Smith College elitist nanny government social workers on the Planning Commission !!!
You should not confuse the term dumb growth (another name for smart growth) with classic suburbanization.
Shirlington is a tourist trap. Shirlington Village residents have to drive to Fairlington (usually one per vehicle) for recreation activities.
Zimmerman and the Arlington County Democratic Committee are in the process of taking over ALL of Arlington's active civic associations.
I wonder if Nancy Hunt will inflict herself on the innocent residents of Albermarle County?
Dumb Growth? Get ready for Zimmy's favorite ward heeler - Melissa Bondi - on the County Board.
I thought Inta is Zimmy's favorite ward heeler.
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