County Board Democrats to 'Repurpose' Residential Streets Into Parks to Benefit VIP Dems and Developers

Hi, Yupette,

Thanks for your blog. The Georgetown-Rosslyn Gondola wasn't the only "done deal" presented to the Transportation Commission on September 1st. The Commission also heard a presentation by County Staff about amemdments to the County's Master Transportation Plan (Streets Element) to go to the County Board on September 24th.

The amendmants would create two new types of streets - "Pedestrian and Bicycle Priority or Shared Streets" where motor vehicle operation would be severely restricted, and "Pedestrian Streets" where motor vehicles would be banned.

The proposed new street types would help alleviate the demand for open space by repurposing streets into parks, would allow developers to forego dedicating land for open space on redeveloped sites, using neighborhood streets instead, and would allow VIP Democrats like those who live in Jay Fisette's and Libby Garvey's neighborhoods to opt out of through traffic. There was no discussion about what would occur across an entire neighborhood, like Ashton Heights, if traffic were blocked, where residents would park their cars, and who would use the new parks. Arlington Democrats have been discussing whose upscale neighborhoods will get the "Pedestrian Streets" for several months.

So check the County Board's Consent Agenda for Septmber 24th in 10 days, when it's posted on-line.

John at 2100

Georgetown-Rosslyn Gondola - Another Mendelson-Mitten Production

Hey Yupette,

I wondered what's going on behind the scenes with the Georgetown-Rosslyn Gondola. Is it another 'done deal' or what? Whose idea was it and who's promoting the Gondola?

Insofar as I can determine from Web searches, speaking with County Staff, and reviewing the presentation made at the last Arlington Transportation Commission meeting, the idea for the Georgetown-Rosslyn Gondola came from DC City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson working with the Georgetown business community. In Arlington, the Gondola is being promoted by Deputy Arlington County Manager Carol Mitten and Arlington Economic Development Director Victor Hoskins. Victor Hoskins lives in Georgetown. Carol Mitten also lives in DC, with Phil Mendelson.

So how did Carol Mitten get to be Arlington's Deputy County Manager, with DES (e.g., Planning Division) and Economic Development reporting to her? She was hired by Barbara Donnellan (another non-resident) shortly before Barbara retired as County Manager. You can do a search on 'Carol Mitten Phil Mendelson' and you will find that there was a huge conflict-of-interest scandal two years ago involving Carol facilitating the construction of a $300 million soccer stadium for DC United for Phil. Then Carol was hired by the Department of Homeland Security for a short time before being hired by Barbara. BTW, Carol was a long-time DC Government executive, with an expertise in real estate appraisal, who worked closely with Phil politically for many years.

So what occurred at the Arlington Transportation Commission meeting on September 1st? A Georgetown business development group made a short presentation together with its team of gondola consultants. No information about safety, costs, alternatives, anything. What the presenters did disclose was that they are obtaining approvals from 22 state, federal, and local agencies needed to start construction of the Gondola. And the Gondola would likely cost $40 million. They will return to the Transportation Commission late this month after the County Board meeting.

Fire-Aim-Ready Done Deal or what? Another expensive vanity project the County Board has pre-approved, or what? It will get worse. Stay tuned for the announcement of the $250 million Potomac Yards Convention Center sometime after Election Day.

2100-2

APS 'Ashlawns' Abingdon School Neighbors

Hello, Yupette,

I and my neighbors have nothing against Abingdon School being renovated and expanded. That should have happened 15 years ago. We do have major league issues with our neighborhoods being gridlocked so parents, teachers, staff, and construction workers can access Abingdon School while the school is under construction.

Last September 21st Libby Garvey and the County Board debated Abingdon School's use permit conditions at length. Whatever Libby Garvey may have promised a year ago insofar as APS listening to community concerns, fact is that APS's construction contractors almost immediately gridlocked South 29th Street with traffic and on-street parking at the commencement of construction.

Abingdon's School's immediate neighbors aren't only concerned that we will be gridlocked from our getting to work. We and Abingdon School students will likely be completely gridlocked in once school starts on September 6th.

So far all APS seems to care about is how many parent SUVs can be squeezed into our neighborhood once school starts. I wondered why our neighborhood hired its own land use, planning, and zoning attorney, why our neighborhood invited John Vihstadt to attend neighborhood meetings, why our neighborhood is so hostile to Fairlington's civic association 'facilitating' anything and everything APS does or plans to do. So now I know.

BTW, Nanny Newsies Scott McCaffrey and Scott Brodbeck live in our neighborhood but are never seen here. Neither is Libby Garvey except when there's an election.

So, I guess like the Ashlawn School neighbors we have to look forward to 18 months or more of having to go to the County Board to make APS adhere to the use permit condidtions APS agreed to last year.

Thanks for this blog.

fairgirl

Replace Rosslyn's Crumbling Sidewalks With NC Funds

Hi Yupette,

I'm a Rosslyn resident and I've had it with Rosslyn's deteriorated brick sidewalks and streetlights. Also with Wilson Blvd, which needed repaving years ago. I'm walking with a LED flashlight at night so I don't trip and fall. Some of my neighbors also walk at night with LED flashlights. You would think that the people who produce the ArlNow blog and the people who work at WJLA would say something about the state Rosslyn' sidewalks are in, since they are tripping too. But no, they're too busy with homeless guy steals food from convenience store, scaring mommies, and producing more vibrant smart growth stories.

I have to agree with both former Arlington Republican Committee Chair Mark Kelly and former Democratic Committee Chair Peter Rousselot that it's time to end Arlington's Neighborhood Conservation Program, which funds whatever pet projects the little groups that control civic associations want. If you don't have a civic association your neighborhood doesn't get NC funds. Is that legal?

My civic association is feuding over where a temporary fire station will be located so it's no good talking with them.

The Neighborhood Conservation Program has to be replaced with a 'needs first' agenda for public infrastructure maintenance and upgrades. Apparently the only people who are standing in the way of that are the Democrat ward heeler civic association presidents.

Thanks for your blog.

Dan in Rosslyn

Audrey Clement to Meet Westover and Lee Highway Communities on August 18th

Hello,

In fairness to Independent Candidate for County Board Audrey Clement, who is again being ignored and disparaged by the Arlington Democratic Machine-controlled local media, AY is posting a recent Clement campaign press release verbatim.

Clement to Hold Westover Meet and Greet Fundraiser on August 18th

I'm Dr. Audrey Clement, Independent candidate or Arlington County Board.

On Thursday, August 18th I'll be hosting a Meet and Greet fundraiser at Westover Market's indoor restaurant between 6:30 and 8:00 PM. Suggested contribution to my campaign is $20.

As a long time Westover resident I'm acutely aware of the needs of residents and businesses in Westover and the Lee Highway corridor.

When elected to County Board I will work to preserve housing and small business diversity in Arlington. County Government can do much more to make housing truly affordable and help small businesses grow and prosper.

I look forward to meeting Westover area residents on Thursday and talking about our common issues, needs, and opportunities.

Please feel free to contact me at www.audreyclement.com for more details about this event or about my campaign.

Audrey Clement, Ph.D.

Anti-Dumping Enforcement Would Be 'Too Embarrassing' for Dems, Pike Reycling Site to be Relocated

Hey Yupette,

Thanks for this blog.

FYI, as the result of an investigation by the County Manager's Office into the long-time illegal dumping at the Columbia Pike - South Four Mile Run recycling drop off point, the County Board and County Manager have decided to move the recycling drop off to another location at a cost of several million dollars. Space now taken by recycling bins will be available for contractors who are loyal Democrats to park their trucks overnight and on weekends.

There WAS an investigation as to who were and are illegally dumping household items and home renovation debris and the Democratic Regime decided that if the police started arresting people for illegally dumping that would prove to be too embarrassing to the Democratic leadership, since a number of Democrats were and are doing the dumping while DES looked the other way, for more than a decade.

After 30 years of one-party rule, it's become politically impossible for DES to install video cameras and for the police (who are already on the WOandD bike trail arresting Latinos for drinking beer) to apprehend people who are dumping illegally.

The relocation of the recycling drop off is supposed to occur before the next County Board meeting, so it will be interesting to see in whose back yard it ends up and where the Pike neighbors and contractors will dump their junk after September.

Pike Rider

Clement Asks Sanders Supporters to Join Her Campaign, Calls for a Moratorium on Smart Growth

Hello,

AY received a press release from Independent Audrey Clement's campaign for Arlington County Board. In the interest of fairness, AY is printing the press release in its entirety, since Dr. Clement has been ignored by the local Media to the extent they barely acknowledge her campaign's existence.

For Immediate Release: August 1, 2016

Clement for County Board,
http://www.audreyclement.com

Contacts:

Audrey Clement, Candidate, Arlington County Board, 571-830-8889
aclement65@hotmail.com
Emily Pfister, Media Advisor, 703-307-5668, epfister@yahoo.com

ARLINGTON, VA -- County Board Candidate Audrey Clement Calls for Sanders Supporters to Join Her Campaign

I'm Dr. Audrey Clement, Independent candidate for Arlington County Board.

I applaud the efforts of all those Arlington voters who worked hard to make Bernie Sanders the Democratic Nominee for President, and I share your disappointment that Senator Sanders did not succeed,

I happen to share a lot of Bernie's values, among them a sincere interest in good government. As an Independent, I will place meeting the needs of all Arlington residents first and the wants of wealthy special interests last on my agenda when elected to County Board.

So I'm asking you to join my campaign, to make progressive changes locally that you tried to make nationally.

I live in affordable housing that's in danger of being bulldozed for million dollar townhomes, displacing seniors, students, the disabled, and the working poor. I want affordable housing preserved and new affordable housing built that's actually affordable for everyone in Arlington.

I've ridden a bicycle everywhere for decades. But bicycles shouldn't be Arlington's only transportation altrnative to more parking for thousands more single-occupant vehicles.

And it's time for on-site renewable energy installed throughout the County.

It's time for electric vehicles throughout our County, charged by renewable energy sources.

It's time to put a moratorium on Smart Growth -- which is just an euphemism for gentrification -- until there's a comprehensive evaluation of where Smart Growth is taking our County.

Who wants to live in a County that is unaffordable to anyone who earns less than 100% of area median income, or $110,000 per year?

Not me.

My opponent says she's "progressive". She initially voted against the Pike Streetcar and the most extravagant excesses of the Democratic Old Guard. But, having been challenged in a primary election by an Old Guard Democrat, she's gone back to rubber stamping the Arlington Democratic Party's agenda.

With your help we can have better, more diverse, County Government at less cost.

I urge you to visit my website -- http://www.audreyclement.com -- to volunteer, donate, or read and comment on my blog.

Audrey Clement, Ph.D.