Free Range Car Sharing to Compete With Free Range Bicycles

Hey, Yupette,

Thanks for the info about the free-range bicyclists. So guess what's on the County Board's Consent Agenda (#39 ) this Saturday? Free range electric automobiles! Yes, those lovable County Staffers who don't live in Arlington are at it again with another vibrant New Urbanist transportation scheme. The Zip cars zipping around and generating who knows how many vehicle trips per day and who knows how much demand for parking aren't enough. County Staff want to bring Car2Go to Arlington, starting with 200 'test' vehicles. Duh.

So what's Car2Go? A German company that takes Zip cars one step further --- like why bother with dedicated parking when you can pick up a car parked anywhere in Arlington and drive and park it anywhere in Arlington (federally-owned property is off-limits), including the County's parking garages, metered parking spaces, and residential permit parking spaces. So how many vehicle trips will those 200 vehicles generate every day? How many parking spaces will the 200 vehicles require every day? As usual, Transportation Staff didn't bother conducting a transportation impact analysis, a pilot program with 20 vehicles, or even bother telling residents in parked-out neighborhoods what to expect.

It gets worse. Can Bike2Go be far behind? So, in a year or two, when residents of an urbanized neighborhood try to find an on-street space to park at 6 PM in a permit parking zone they find Car2Go vehicles parked in front of their homes and a Bike2Go bicycle chained to a tree next to the vehicle. I have to agree that we are headed for multi-modal gridlock in 5 years.

Terri, 22204

Civic Federation Forsees Arlington Becoming Urban and Expensive

Hey Yupette,

Arlington Civic Federation met last night. On the agenda were the election of new officers, economic development presentation by the Revenues and Expenditures Committee, report and vote on a resolution drafted by the Schools Committee, and report and vote on a resolution drafted by the Housing Committee.

Taken together, the three presentations point to an Arlington that will become both urban and a much more expensive place to live over the next 20 years, with open space gradually eliminated to cram as much public and private infrastructure into the County as possible.

According to the Revenue and Expenditure Committee's report, filling vacant office buildings will not be quick or easy, and Arlington is competing with DC and other jurisdictions for the same kinds of corporations.

According to a report by the Schools Committee, APS has significantly underestimated the number of new classrooms that will be required because of K-12 enrollment growth over the next decade.

County Government is likely to significantly increase the number of affordable housing units in the County by significantly increasing bonus density, rezoning single family residential neighborhoods, and building affordable housing on what are now parks.

Led by North Arlington's so-called 'Limo Liberal' Elite, Civic Federation delegates voted for no limit on building affordable housing in parks and for a large amount of affordable housing to be constructed across the County.

Only a few speculative comments were heard about what the quality of life will be in 25 years - 2040  But at least 2/3 of the Civic Federation delegates who attended last night's meeting are elderly and appear to not be interested in future consequences.

The draft resolutions and presentations can be viewed on the Civic Federation's Web site, civfed.org.

Susan, 22203

County Board Democrats, Candidates, Endorse Potomac Skycar

Hi Yupette,

I knew there had to be an expensive follow-on to the Pike streetcar because Arlington Democrats pursue expensive vanity infrastructure projects like Bill Clinton collects girlfriends. Thanks to Arlington's new Guru of Multi-Modal Gridlock, AED Director Victor Hoskins, both the County Board Democrats and  the Democratic candidates for County Board are all on-board the County's next big vanity infrastructure project, the Potomac Gondola from Geogetown to Rosslyn, aka the Potomac Skycar. Projected cost? Depends on who you talk with in County Government, anywhere from $25 million to $250 million. Meanwhile, as has been noted in previous postings to your blog, Rosslyn streetscapes are crumbling, but there are no plans to renovate and repair anything, only to build more expensive buildings. Too bad write-ins aren't allowed in Tuesday's Democratic Primary, or I would just write-in Audrey Clement and Mike McMenamin. Thanks for your blog.

Julie - 22205

Audrey Clement Wins Arlington Chamber of Commerce Q and A Forum

Hi Yupette,

I also attended the Arlington Chamber of Commerce County Board Candidate Q and A Forum yesterday.

Audrey Clement clearly won. She directly answered the five questions related to business and economic development issues as they relate to Arlington, did not talk about herself at all, she only laid out what she's going to do for us on the County Board, and also clearly and succinctly laid out a positive economic future for Arlington. She was the only County Board candidate who advocated for tax relief for Arlington's businesses as a driver for economic growth.

The thing that most impressed me about Audrey's presentation was her assertion that the County must do something to reverse the ongoing deterioration of the Rosslyn, Ballston, and Columbia Pike streetscapes.

I was appalled to see the deterioration in the Rosslyn streetscape, around the Artisphere. Broken pavement and broken sidewalks everywhere. Is that World Class? I don't think so !!

So I'm voting for Audrey in November. You should too. The other candidates at the Chamber's Q and A session are pretty much for the same-old same-old.

Thanks for this blog.

Wendy, 22205

Deal to Save Artisphere Being Negotiated

Hey Yupette,


I attended tonight's Chamber of Commerce County Board County Board candidates debate (which cost $25 to attend). Audrey Clement won the debate.

Spoke with a number of corporate movers and shakers and it appears a deal is being negotiated to save the Artisphere, as long as Arlington's taxpayers don't have to pay for the Artisphere's operation after June 30th. Closing the Artisphere WOULD be a loss because Arlington's sheeple taxpayers were reportedly fleeced for $7 million to pay for conversion from the Newseum, and the Artisphere is impeccably maintained. Depending on who you speak with in County Government the Artisphere cost Arlington's taxpayers $10 million to $15 million in operating expenses over the past 5 years and has never been in the black, although Economic Development has operated the Artisphere the past 3 years.

Although the wealthy performing arts crowd is lobbying the County to bail out the Artisphere again, that's unlikely to happen after the County Board voted to sell the Reeves Farm farmhouse last week. So the performing arts elite are going to have to dig into their own pockets for once to keep their party going. Of course all contributions by local fat cats to keep the Artisphere open are tax deductible, but the County's Limo Liberal and Country Club Republican Elites are notorious misers who are constantly looking for corporate welfare handouts from the County. So stay tuned for the details of the Artisphere rescue deal.

Ted - 22207

Dozens of Rolling Thunder Patriots Hurt in Fights

Hey Yupette,

I thought it was bad with the Pub Crawlers last year.

Last night fights broke out among Rolling Thunder Patriots up and down the B-R Corridor and elsewhere in Arlington, mostly at hotels in Crystal City and Rosslyn and at bars everywhere. Several dozen Patriots were taken to hospitals in and around Arlington by EMS, or otherwise sought medical treatment.

Fighting also broke out in hotels and bars in neighboring jurisdictions, Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax County. Fighting broke out between rival Patriot motorcycle groups, and people who have nothing to do with Rolling Thunder were assaulted.

What happened to the ordinances enacted by the County Board to reign in pub crawls? Appears Arlington Police told the Patriots: "Thank you for your service to our country, please go to bed and sleep it off".

Several years ago Arlington Yupette recommended that Rolling Thunder move elsewhere. It's time.

Mike, 22201

County Board to Sell Open Space At Reeves Farm

Hey, Yupette,

Check out the latest version of the County Board's agenda for tonight's meeting. Regular agenda item just added is the sale of open space surrounding the farmhouse at Reeves Farm to a developer or developers. From a County Government that's supposedly desperate for open space and which is paying $30 million to acquire 6 acres and a couple of older office buildings across Quincy Street from the School Board's offices. Check it out at arlingtonva.us.

2100