Arlington Progressives Move On - From Re-Segregation to Apartheid

Hey Yupette,

If you thought the Arlington Democratic Party's "Resegregation Through Gentrification" Program was insipid, wait until you experience what's next on ACDC's Progressive agenda - Apartheid.

Yup, what Arlington Dems decided at the joint County Board Majority / Arlington Democratic Party organizational meeting, held at "Gentrification Jay" aka "Gourmet Jay" Fisette's estate on New Year's Day was to stop dithering with charades like "affordable housing" that isn't affordable and a "car-free diet" that's actually a "more-car diet", and just drive the middle class undesireables out to the outer-outer suburbs and completely replace them with an educated Caucasian Elite with a massive amount of disposable income.

In the event you wondered why the County Board won't allow better-government activists to pull County Board Meeting Consent Agenda items anymore, why Westover Progressives have been spewing hatred at people who live in Westover apartment buildings, why the ACDC-controlled Civic Federation only has a couple of delegates (if that many) from minority groups attending monthly meetings, why Arlington undercover police officers intimidate minorities from attending County Board and Advisory Committee meetings, and so on, it's because Arlington's Progressives want to take the last step in the County's 35 year evolution while they've been in power - from a vibrant middle-class County to total Apartheid. Aided and abetted by elected state and federal VIP PlutoCrats and media owners and publishers who are out-and-out corporate pirates.

Thanks for the AY blog. Keep wearing that Trader Joe's shopping bag.

FedUp Dem

Oh, BTW, Peter Rousselot is driving the Urban Village Idiots nuts with his weekly columns on ArlNow.

Audrey Clement and Peter Rousselot - Arlingtonians of the Year

Hello,

This month AY informally polled our contributors and about a hundred Arlington residents who don't relate to the agendas of either the Republican or Democratic Parties. From a list of ten Arlingtonians who do not adhere to the agendas of the political machine that's controlled Arlington for more than 35 years they chose Audrey Clement and Peter Rousselot as Arlingtonians of the Year for 2016.

Last month Independent Audrey Clement received 27% of the vote for County Board against an opponent who uses huge amounts of political patronage to buy votes from special interest groups. Audrey's campaign platform stressed fiscal and environmental responsibility and government accountability.

Peter Rousselot is a former Chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee (i.e., the Arlington Democratic Party). Peter's columns in the news blog ArlNow also stress fiscal and environmental responsibility and government accountability.

AY looks forward to Audrey's and Peter's continued activism for better government in 2017.

Cindy

Stray Cat Cafe' to Re-Open This Week

Hey Yupette,

Good news for Westover and the region's cat lovers. Stray Cat Cafe' will re-open this week. Owners foiled New Urbanist/Smart Growth anti-small business County Government by doing a basic makeover that did not require permits from DES for heavy excavation, plumbing, electrical and other upgrades. New Urbanist Cult members who control County Government deliberately delay and deny permit applications so small businesses are discouraged from making upgrades, in County Government's quest to completely "Clarendon" Arlington County.

So look for a new bar and renovated tables and a new kitchen at the Stray Cat.

Also a revamped menu.

See you there later this week.

Eric, 22205

FMRV to Become Team Sports and Performing Arts District

Hey Yupette,

I attended the Four Mile Run Planning Charette (pronounced 'Charade') on December 21st. Surprise. Surprise. Four Mile Run Valley will become a team sports and performing arts district, with a new team sports field house no less.

The result of more than a year of patronage promises made by County Board members (e.g., Libby Garvey) in return for special interest votes.

Little concern expressed about the loss of small businesses along FMRV and tax revenue produced by the small businesses. This was a done-deal before Dover-Kohl was invited to facilitate the charade. Which has cost taxpayers at least $500,000 (so far) for staff time and Dover-Kohl's services.

BTW, if you want to know how County Government actually operates a good place to visit is Peter Rousselot's weekly column on the ArlNow blog.

Kathy, 22206

Update - Peter Rousselot's weekly column for December 22nd can be found at:

https://www.arlnow.com/2016/12/22/peters-take-toward-a-new-model-of-arlington-civic-engagement/

395 Express Lanes - Latest Chapter in Arlington's More Car Diet Saga

Hey Yupette,

So the County Board approved a resolution calling for I-395 Express Lanes, although there is major unhappiness by the Arlington neighborhoods that would be affected. What else is new in the ongoing More Car Diet saga? County Board needs good will of Governor McAuliffe and the General Assembly to pay for a WMATA bailout due to WMATA's incompetence. And for a laundry list of vanity projects.

Can't slow down Prince William, Stafford, and Prince William residents who drive from the affordable outer suburbs through un-affordable Arlington to their places of employment where they can earn enough to afford a 4-bedroom home in a sprawl neighborhood bulldozed out of farms, forests, and along streams. The General Assembly won't allow it.

I-395 Express Lanes approval was the last in a series of actions the County Board took during 2016 to increase the number of vehicles, and vehicle trips, in Arlington, ranging from approving huge new parking garages a couple blocks from Metro stations to more parking and larger drop offs for SUV parents at Stratford Elementary School.

If you don't want to drive you can always take an ART bus, soon to be stuck in traffic at 6 mph.

Thanks for this blog.

Ted 22202

Four Run Mile Valley Insiders' Planning Charade Continues

Hi Yupette,

I live in the Four Mile Run Valley and dropped in the FMRV planning charettes several times over the past few days.

Anyone who calls what's been happening regarding FMRV planning "planning charades" has got it right. Any suggestion I made about preserving open space as open space was immediately disparaged by both so-called "community leaders" and Arlington's so-called "planning staff". Any suggestion I made about mitigating traffic and parking resulting from new parks and rec amenities was also dissed.

Appears to me FMRV parks and recreation spaces will be packed with as many people, activities, and vehicles as possible. And, based on County Government's patronage, aka vote-buying with tax dollars, multi-neighborhood canine care centers will be juxtaposed with performing arts centers and a big new WETA production facility.

So, we have to ignore these "planning charades" and determine what the County Board actually promised the performing arts groups, among others, a year or more ago.

No Way, BTW, will I ever vote for Jay Fisette who got all this started, 20 years ago.

Bethany, 22206

County Staff: Four Mile Run Valley Deterioration is 'Deliberate'

Hello,

AY wanted to know why Four Mile Run Valley is such a deteriorated mess in advance of the Planning Commission meeting on November 29th which will vote on recommending moving the Columbia Pike recycling drop-off to the Trades Center and the Four Mike Run Valley redevelopment charades that will commence on December 2nd.

Short answer is the County's Democratic Regime allows neighborhoods to become deteriorated so corporate and non-profit cronies - in partnership with the County's bloated planning, housing, and transportation bureaucracies - can impose mixed-use redevelopment (e.g., Clarendon) on neighborhood after neighborhood.

Regarding the Columbia Pike recycling drop-off, County Staff stated that it's the de facto 'neighborhood dump'. Moreover, home renovation contractors are also allowed to dump construction debris in and around recycling bins. And park their vehicles overnight near the recycling bins. Planning Commission and County Board are going to have to decide what deal the County will make with the renovation contractors and neighborhood businesses if household recycling is moved to the Trades Center.

Regarding the Four Miles Run Valley, a deal was reached years ago to allow Shirlington-Nauck to deteriorate to the point where the only option is a complete tear-down and "Clarendonization". Signature has been promised a new 500-seat theater. Rosslyn Spectrum has been promised a new theater. WETA has been promised new production studios. A dozen performing arts groups have been promised as much space as they need in at least 6 new buildings dedicated to the performing arts. All to be heavily taxpayer subsidized.

Needless to say, County Staff is very unhappy about the commercial businesses in the Four Mile Run corridor that have spent a considerable amount of money modernizing their buildings. If there's one thing County Staff doesn't want it's more upscale renovations like The Italian Store in Westover. As usual, the people on County Staff who are facilitating Four Mile Run Valley redevelopment don't live anywhere near Arlington.

Cindy