Hello,
As A.Y. recently reported, we obtained copies of the desk calendars of County Board Members, and the County Manager, Economic Development Director, and Planning Division Director for October, November, and December 2015 via a FOIA request last month. After perusing 120 pages of appointments, we determined that County Board Democrats spent about 90% of their time inside and outside the County Board Offices on activities related to local politics, personal agendas, and Smart Growth deal making. We exclude Independent John Vishstadt, who works full-time and whose County Board activities can't be determined from his appointment calendar.
A substantial amount of County Board Democrats' time was spent in meetings with various Democratic facilitators appointed to the various advisory commissions, civic associations, and redevelopment committees. County Board Democrats also routinely meet with developers, and special interests with development-related agendas (e.g., housing non-profits). County Planning, Housing, Transportation, and other Staff are expected facilitate deals no matter what their objections (e.g., to million-dollar bus shelters). So are 'community leaders' ranging from advisory commission members to civic association presidents.
So-called 'Smart Growth' has become a pervasive ideology, to the extent that anyone who doen't at least condone New Urbanism is a 'nuisance', or worse. It's not suprising that County Governement is suprised by snow storms, because anything County Government might do that actually benefits everyone isn't on the decision makers' radar. Arlington's bloated Economic Development, Planning, Housing, Transportation, Zoning, etc., bureaucracies are only too happy to engage in neighborhood-by-neighborhood redevelopment.
Here are a few of the deals County Board Democrats approved last Fall:
HOT Lanes on I-395, in return for restoration of the tourism tax by the General Assembly,
A Convention Center in Potomac Yards,
Alternately, a Wegmans supermarket in Potomac Yards,
Smart Growth redevelopment of remaining large parcels that are mostly open space, (e.g., Knights of Columbus estate on Little Falls Road),
Begin mixed-use 'Clarendonization' of Lee Highway, to East Falls Church,
Fast-track mixed-use redevelopment of Westover,
Fast-track mixed-use redevelopment of Bluemont,
Fast-track luxury redevelopment of Rosslyn-Georgetown.
Stay tuned for a synopsis of the County Manager's, Economic Development Director's, and Planning Division Director's day-to-day activities.
Cindy
55 comments:
Planning Commission meets in closed session tonight, February 10th.
County Board meets in a closed session on February 20th to approve what the Planning Commission approved in a closed session on February 10th?
Update: Late last month County Board approved the deal to widen I-66 inside the Beltway.
It gets worse. Smart Growth shills at ArlNow ordered the County Board to report for a private meeting tonight at Mad Rose Tavern. There's an admission charge.
Gee, I wonder why there's so much support across America for Trump and Sanders?
Take it forward five years: County Board holds a closed meeting for Arlington Chamber members at the Washington Golf and Country Club before the Annual Chamber of Commerce Gala. Formal attire required, per Chief of Protocol Scott McCaffrey.
Allison Silberberg saw it was hopeless to expect the Justice Department to do anything about the rampant corruption in Alexandria's planning process and decided she would have to be elected Mayor before there could be any meaningful reform.
No Brainer -- Wash Post, Inside Nova, ArlNow are Smart Growth Shills.
Hi, Cindy. ArlNow is calling A.Y. a bunch of 'crybabies' for raising important issues.
ArlNow, Post, Inside Nova, etc. are a bunch of Smart Growth pimps and hoes.
No, Dorsey is a Smart Growth Big Pimp, Cristol is a Smart Growth Big Hoe, and Brodbeck is a Smart Growth Big Shill.
First 'Pay to Play' County Board Meeting?
Does Arlington get a Convention Center or a Wegmans Supermarket? I vote for Wegmans.
Scott McCaffrey and Inside Nova must be pissed that ArlNow got to host the first 'pay-to-play' County Board Meeting.
ArlNow is all about 50% Yuptard a-holes and 50% County Staff, Developer, REIT, and Special Interest, a-holes boosting their pet agendas and trashing everyone who opposes their pet agendas.
Next big deal with VDOT is about narrowing Lee Highway to 2 lanes through Clarendon II.
Arlington Planning and Transportation have been working with VDOT for at least a year on "repurposing" Lee Highway.
Every Wegmans in this region is a zoo. I vote for a convention center.
We don't get to vote for anything, whether or not we want 75,000 more people living in this County in 25 years, whether or not we want Lee Highway to be another Clarendon, and so on. We only get to vote for more Smart Growth.
If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Bob McDonnell's convictions the County Board will hold its closed meetings in the REITs' executive offices. Then recess to 2100 Clarendon Blvd so it can hold a 5 minute open meeting to approve what was decided during the 6 hour closed meeting. Then go home.
This is terrible! They're acting like local politicians. I say return Arlington to farmland, like the good ole days.
They WERE acting like local pols. They're now acting like good ol boys and ol girls to their corporate crony best buds.
Farmland? Did someone say farmland? Quick, bulldoze it for McMansions.
Wegmans in the Crystal City portion of Potomac Yards? Or Alexandria area? Area can't handle the additional traffic. Also, what happens to the Harris Teeter already there?
It's true, Democrats on the County Board only want to make secret deals with developers and then play politics with the sheeple.
Last I heard, Land Bay C in Potomac Yards.
Land Bay C
Latest deal with McAuliffe is narrowing Lee Highway to two lanes.
Yes, the Plutocrats are all hoping U.S. Supreme Court votes 5-4 to overturn McDonnell's convictions.
I vote for a Wegmans in Land Bay C. Arlington is already a zoo. How much worse can we get?
Cindy, where are they planning to put a convention center or a Wegmans?
Land Bay C in Arlington Potomac Yards.
We don't get to vote. People who make all the Smart Growth decisions for us either don't live in Arlington or live in luxury enclaves in the County like Ashton Heights.
County Board Dems only listen to fellow Dems. It's been the Arlington Way for decades.
Cindy, keep wearing that shopping bag over your head because Victor Hoskins is pissed.
See any criticism of Dominion for polluting the Potomac by Arlingtons Nanny Government Progressives?
Yes, Mary Hynes, Libby Garvey, Walter Tejada, and Jay Fisette spent huge amounts of time making deals and playing politics with everything. And buying special interest votes with tax dollars. In the event you wondered why streets are so slow to be repaved.
Busboys and Poets in Shirlington is a favorite place for them to make deals with, aka buy votes from, special interests...like with the dog lobby, the bike lobby, the live theater lobby, etc.
How much will an Arlington Convention Center cost taxpayers - $200 million? $300 million?
Smart Growth Boosters at Inside Nova are already going after Audrey Clement for running for County Board again. Can the Yuptards at ArlNow be far behind?
Let's see --- $80 million for an aquatics center plus $200 million for a convention center plus $50 million for a gondola across the Potomac equals?
County Board is holding a closed meeting today (February 16th) to approve what was approved by the Planning Commission in a closed meeting last week. County Board will hold a short open meeting on Saturday to approve what was approved in today's closed County Board meeting, plus one regular hearing item.
Hey Y'all....Pub Crawls are Back !!
We interrupt this series of secret meetings with developers and special interests, and closed meetings held to approve the secret deals we made in the secret meetings, to hold an open meeting to approve what we approved in the closed meetings.
Perfectly clear. Thanks, Libby.
How do they get to build a new convention center when they have to come up with $80 million every year to build a new elementary school?
How about an open meeting to discuss what happens when the tidal wave of legal Cuban immigrants reaches Northern Virginia?
I vote for a Wegmans in Potomac Yards. Arlington is already a traffic mess so 10,000 more vehicle trips per day aren't going to matter.
Who gets the gold mine while we get massively urbanized? Try Jay Fisette, who will retire to the Treasure Coast next year leaving Arlington a Smart Growth shambles.
Then there are their secret junkets with their good corporate buds.
Remind me. When was the voter referendum where voters agreed to increase Arlington's population by 75,000 over the next 25 years?
You forgot to mention the secret meetings at Jay Fisette's home.
Streets that were due for repaving are looking terrible after one blizzard and one small snow storm. Where does our tax $$$ go? They can no longer make the excuse that the price of asphalt is sky high.
FY 17 Budget...Sheeple Pay...Politricksters Play
FY 2017 Budget is a disgrace.
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