Hey Yupette,
In the event you missed the announcement, Arlington Planning Commission meetings are now being recorded - audio only - and are available for review on the arlingtonva.us Web site. So I listened to the Planning Commission's January 11th organizational meeting and January 13th business meeting.
What's clear from both meetings is that the Planning Commission is no longer free to show independence, or even question Smart Growth redevelopment deals reached by the County Board and County Staff with developers.
It gets worse. Civic associations, like the four in and around Crystal City, were characterized by the Commission as constantly reacting to infill urbanization rather than appreciating the benefits of redevelopment like Pentagon Row.
Although the County has collected comprehensive transportation, traffic, transit, and multi-modal data for more than a decade the data are yet to be used in a comprehensive manner, in 22202 and elsewhere in the County. During the January 13th business meeting Planning Commissioners expressed their dismay at having to approve a GLUP change and site plan for the Washington Vista condo development before the plans were heard by the Housing Commission.
Everyone can draw his or her own conclusions from the last Planning Commission meetings. But it's obvious to me that the Planning Commission has become a rubber stamp for whatever plans County Staff and the County Board approve.
Mike 22201
11 comments:
Notice the 8-0 votes to approve whatever plans are put in front of Commission members.
Libby Garvey just announced that she wants to bring more Millennials into the Smart Growth rubber stamp charade.
Notice the unhappiness expressed by Planning Commission members about give away corporate welfare deals with developers, before they vote 8-0, 9-0, 10-0, etc. to approve the deals.
Leadership for Change? Nancy Iacomini is PC Chair in 2016 and Erik Gutshall is PC Vice-Chair.
Let's see if I have this right....County Board Chair Libby Garvey sends whatever done deals are made among developers, County Staff, and the County Board to the Planning Commission for rubber stamp approval and then the PC rubber stamps and sends the deals back to the County Board for final approval with a few comments. So why should I vote for Erik rather than Libby in a Democratic Primary?
They are ALL a bunch of Smart Growth Yuptards. Vote for Independents in November.
You left out a major player --- Smart Growth Urban Village Idiot Victor Hoskins.
County Board meetings are being accelerated because anyone who cares about governance realises that they're charade discussions about done deals.
If you help elect Erik he'll be on the County Board until 2029.
Then there are the unanimous votes by the Housing, Transportation, Economic Development, etc., Commissions
What do they care? They serve 2-4 years and resign or are not re-appointed.
Post a Comment