Coming to Your Neighborhood Next Memorial Day -- Libby Garvey's B-and-B Done Deal

Hey Yupette,

I'm a former Civic Federation delegate and dropped by the hospital Tuesday to hear the County's done-deal accessory dwelling unit presentation and consternation from residents of neighborhoods like mine who will suffer the consequences. Also attended the County Planners' presentation at Key School Wednesday night. Met and conversed with Audrey Clement but did not see Libby Garvey. Done deal? No fooling. Obviously worked out between the County Board and County Planning Staff. No data whatsoever presented about positive and negative consequences. Another fire-aim-ready program. Consequences? What are consequences? It's obvious to me that Libby Garvey and the County Board run the County like Bill and Hillary run the Clinton Foundation. Audrey Clement has my vote. Libby's salary should be cut to zero. She's worthless.

Mike 22207

Wants, Not Needs, Driving County Board's Gondola Done Deal

Hey Yupette,

Another week, another done deal made at 2100 Clarendon Boulevard. This time it's the cross-Potomac gondola, projected cost has increased from $40 million to $90 million in only a few short months. Promoted by DC Government Lobbyist Carol Mitten and DC Guru for Economic Development Victor Hoskins (who began planning a cross-Potomac gondola years ago when he was officially employed by DC). To benefit the stagnant Georgetown Business District.

Meanwhile, back in Arlington, more than 3,000 public school students attend class in trailers and the number is steadily increasing. Hoskings and Mitten (who are long-time DC residents) are largely responsible for inflating Arlington's economic bubble, based on low wage service jobs and tech companies that will move away when their corporate welfare stipend from the County expires, or fail during the next economic recession.

Same Victor Hoskins who made extravagant promises about significantly reducing the County's office vacancy rate, which is going to increase according to his latest projections.

Needs, not wants, should drive Arlington County Government. We don't need to be paying $450,000 to a couple of DC residents who are unofficially working for DC.

2100

County Board, Developers Recruiting More Churches for PTL Mixed-Use Redevelopment Deals

Hey, Yupette,

Your suburban neighborhood is not the only target of Libby Garvey and the County Board looking to make urbanization deals with Smart Growth developers. At least a dozen older church congregations with buildings in need of significant upgrades have been approached by developers. In addition to the Arlington Presbyterian Church's PTL (Pass The Loot) deal another deal is in the works for Central United Methodist Church. Other churches and religious organizations with buildings on large parcels are also being approached - Westover Baptist Church and the Knights of Columbus on Little Falls Road are two.

Talk about mixed-use urbanizing the suburbs. Your great-looking church gets torn down and the land Clarendoned along with the rest of the neighborhood.

Thanks for your blog.

Peter, 22205

Garvey, County Board Approved Secret Anti-Environment Done-Deal for 395 Express Lanes

Hey Yupette,

Fibbin' Libby Garvey is talking about how VDOT's and TransUrban's $15 million yearly contribution for multi-modal transportation in the I-395 corridor between DC and Seminary Road in Alexandria is insufficient. Well, she and the County Board approved the deal a year ago in meetings with VDOT, TransUrban, and the McAuliffe administration.

Lyin' Libby can talk about preserving the environment along I-395 all she wants. The deal she and the County Board made last year will have I-395 North of Seminary Road to the 14th Street Bridge looking like this photo of I-395 South of Seminary Road.

TransUrban removed at least 10,000 mature trees from the median and shoulders of I-95 to build Express Lanes and sound walls. Several hundred mature trees would likely be removed from the I-395 right of way in Lyin' Libby's own Fairlington neighborhood to make way for sound wall construction. Oh, BTW, not only would homeowners at ground level have to look at ugly sound walls but residents of homes, townhouses, and apartmetns on hillsides above I-395 would not be protected from traffic noise.

As part of the done deal, then-County Board Chair Mary Hynes was promised an appointment to the Commonwealth Transportation Board. Same Mary Hynes who served on WMATA's Board of Directors while Metrorail literally crashed and burned.

Oh, at a number of recent public hearings VDOT representatives stated that "One percent of the vehicles on I-395 are responsible for transporting 12 percent of commuters". Last public meeting VDOT held at Wakefield High School was packed with highway construction workers.

We need Fibbin' Libby re-elected to the County Board like we need DC City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson's $40 million per mile Gondola across the Potomac.

Thanks for your blog.

Terri, 22206