Meanwhile, Back In Dumb Growth America....Can You Find the Dollar Store?

Hey Yupette,

Thanks for your blog. Last week I was visiting my daughter and her family, who live in a typical in Dumb Growth suburb far away from Arlington. Here's a couple photos of the shopping plaza where she and her family shop. It's about 35 years old, same vintage as the Safeway on Wilson Blvd. Had a nice makeover about 4 years ago.

Can you find the Dollar Store in the photos?

L.K.

Arlington Fire Department Sets Off Explosives, Burns Junk Vehicles 200 Feet from Abingdon School

Hello,

We wondered what the loud explosions coming from the vicinity of the Arlington Trade Center are all about. One usually hears them weekdays between 10:30 and 11:00 AM. We venture to the Trades Center to recycle our old bills and bank statements once a month. So we asked the County employees who work at the Trades Center about the explosions. Also, we noticed a strong odor in Fairlington like burning garbage or tires on a number of occasions weekdays.

"Oh" they said, "That's the Fire Department doing its thing at the Fire Training Academy." So, we stopped at the Fire Training Academy on our way out of the Trades Center. (The Fire Training Academy is where voters who lived in Shirlington Precinct voted until a few years ago).

Surprise. Surprise. A parking lot full of burned out junk vehicles. Here's a photo. WHY are explosions being set off 200 feet from Abingdon Elementary School? WHY are junk vehicles being burned 200 feet from Abingdon Elementary School? WHY is this being done weekdays when children are attending Abingdon Elementary School?

Doesn't Fairlington resident, long-time School Board member, cancer survivor, and current County Board member Libby Garvey care about the health and safety of children in her own community? Appears not.

Cindy

Waste, Fraud, and Mismanagement - Pike Streetcar Planning Has Jumped the Tracks

Hello Yupette,

Didn't WMATA already conduct an alternatives analysis for the proposed Pike streetcar system? And didn't that alternatives analysis determine that articulated buses, also known as bus rapid transit, would cost taxpayers $50 million versus spending $250 million for a streetcar system? Why do we need any more meetings?

Know what these streetcars have turned into? A classic taxpayer rip-off. Not only is money being wasted on something we don't need or want, but state-of-the art bus service using double deck buses isn't being mentioned. Nor are safety and environmental issues involving construction and operation of streetcars. It's gotten so bad that Arlington County employees who don't live in Arlington are being ordered to post anonymous comments promoting streecars

to local blogs using material they are handed by County public information staff.

I don't know about anyone else, but I called and am sending an e-mail to the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General. The number to call to reach the DOT IG here in the D.C. area is 202-366-0377.

Pike Rider

Non-Resident Arlington Decision Makers: "Party's Over There, in Arlington"

Hey Yupette,

Don't you just love our non-resident decision makers organizing all the wonderfully noisy festivals and events, like wonderful "Rolling Thunder" this weekend? Our County Manager and Chief of Police live in lovely Clifton. County Staff also live elsewhere, at the end of cul de sacs in classic Fairfax County, Prince William County, Loudoun County neighborhoods, not off Route 50, Route 66, and I-395 in Arlington. Thanks for featuring the wonderful non-residents who make all our decisions for us. Summer begins again in Arlington. Duh.

Peter, 22205

VIP 'Planners' Enjoy Suburban Life in Fairfax County, Impose Massive Urbanization on Arlington

Hey, Yupette,

Driven out to McLean lately? That's where the planners and VIP decision makers who are imposing total urbanization on Arlington County live. No bicycle lanes, no bicycles, no bikeshare stations, everyone drives everywhere. Thousands of acres of fallow farmland available for McMansions (that horse boarding farm a mile up Chain Bridge Road from Arlington is still for sale, by the way).

Ever attended McLean Day? Massive traffic. What a mess. McLean VIPs who are imposing massive urbanization on Arlington love it. Check out the McLean blogs that covered this event on Saturday.

For the record, Arlington's County Manager, Economic Development Director, and Planning Director live in suburban Fairfax County. So do the planners, attorneys, and other key 'decision makers' who are urbanizing Arlington.

What have they learned from the Tysons mess? Massively urbanize a suburban area and then tell everyone to ride bicycles. LOL.

Ken, 22204

Economic Development Staff - Arlington Will Be the Next Tysons

Hello, Yupette,

I wanted to know what the long range plans are for Arlington. So I asked a woman who's on the Economic Development Division's staff. She confirmed that "Arlington is going to be the next Tysons. It's going to be done neighborhood by neighborhood over the next ten years. They're going to pack as much density into this county as possible. Arlington is going to be like Tysons is today. Next big thing is urbanizing residential neighborhoods between the state highway corridors."

So if people are concerned about the planning for Crystal City they should be. Because that's the future planning for the entire County.

Thanks for your blog.

Mary

Neighborhoods, SPRC, Clement Say NO to Crystal City Mega-Development

Hi Yupette,

Site Plan Review Committee met on Monday at the Aurora Hills Community Center to debate Vornado's site plan for its Penn Place mega-development. About 150 residents attended.

The overwhelming sentiment by the community members of the SPRC was that the Penn Place site plan imposes too much traffic, density, and urbanization on the site, which is near the Pentagon City Metro station. Even the Zimmerman-appointed SPRC members (who approved previous poorly-planned mega-infill projects) agreed that community benefits are conspicuous by their absence from the site plan.

The Green Party's County Board candidate Audrey Clement attended and expressed solidarity with Crystal City, Pentagon City, Aurora Highlands, and Arlington Ridge residents. Crystal City resident and Republican County Board candidate Matt Wavro did not attend, nor did South Arlington resident and Democratic County Board candidate Libby Garvey.

It was again disconcerting to see how many people who live outside Arlington have so much influence over what gets developed here. If retired Planning Commission members want to make Arlington their second home they should get involved in planning activities in the state where they currently live.

Karen, Aurora Hills