Politics

Reston: Failing Shopping Center or Village Center?

Planning Commission approves redevelopment of Tall Oaks; application to be heard by Board of Supervisors Tuesday, July 26.

Developers want to redevelop Tall Oaks Village Center Shopping Center, “with a mix of residential and commercial and office uses.”

Senator Kaine Hosts Interfaith Forum

Senator Tim Kaine spends last day before VP pick showing why Virginia matters.

No one knew it at the time, but Sen. Timothy M. Kaine’s (D-Va.) public appearances moderating roundtables in Northern Virginia last Thursday, July 21 would be his last day of relative political anonymity before being catapulted to political prominence 24 hours later as Hillary Clinton’s pick for her Vice-Presidential running mate.

Great Falls: Time to Get Involved

Great Falls Citizens Association encourages members to get involved in its stormwater management task force, especially as it pertains to land use cases.

Dranesville Planning Commissioner John Ulfelder announced last Thursday that a decision on The Gulick’s Group application to develop 11 acres of undeveloped, forested land would be deferred until September.

New Homes for Arlingtonians in Need

“In terms of affordable housing, we had nothing but positive things to say about it.”

The long struggle against declining affordable housing in Arlington just received a boost. The expansion of the South Rhodes Street project near Columbia Pike will include 105 new committed affordable housing units. More than half of those units will be multi-bedroom apartments. At the July 20 County Board meeting, board members praised the new affordable housing and unanimously approved the project.

Mount Vernon: Clerk of Circuit Court Discusses Job with Chamber

Frey is in his fourth eight-year term.

Addressing the July 14 Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast meeting, John T. Frey, Clerk of the Circuit Court, reviewed the duties and responsibilities of his office and answered questions.

Alexandria: Market Affordable Homes in Freefall

Tax increases push rent increases; rent increases push out residents.

Alexandria has lost of 8,000 market affordable homes since 2010. Most weren’t lost to dramatic demolitions or fires. They were lost in moments like the one Clifford Wilkening is facing; where an increase in property taxes is forcing the owner of 31 buildings housing 200 city residents to consider his first rent increase in around eight years.

Potomac: Seeking Cleaner Water from Middle of River

Residents hear proposal for adding new offshore water intake.

Many don’t worry about where their water comes from, but as part of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), it’s Simon Baidoo’s job to worry. For the last decade Baidoo has been project manager over one proposal in particular: adding a new offshore intake to the Potomac Water Filtration Plant.

Arlington: Parents Decry Speed of Site Decision

County Board approves Wilson School as a temporary fire station site.

Just two weeks after Arlington County announced that it was planning on placing a temporary fire station on the future Wilson School site, the County Board unanimously voted to move forward with an agreement that would allow the fire station to occupy nearly half of the field space at the Wilson site until at least 2020.

Arlington: Residents Express Frustrations over Process

Public commentary voiced on Saturday, July 16, about the county’s plan to put a temporary Fire Station 10 on the Wilson School/HB Woodlawn playing fields reflected common themes heard around North Arlington last week.

Mount Vernon: What To Do with Former School Building?

County studying original Mount Vernon High School’s 10.6 acre building site and 30 acres of athletic fields.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has begun exploring the revitalization of the Original Mount Vernon High School (OMVHS), a 10.6 acre building facility and its 30 acres of athletic fields.

Herndon: Candidates Announced for Mayor, Town Council

Current Councilmember Jasbinder Singh announced at the end of June that he will run against Mayor Lisa Merkel for the Town’s Mayor position in the upcoming Nov. 8 election.

Arlington: Lift Off for Potomac Gondola

A look at the initial feedback from citizens and advice from an existing gondola system.

The Georgetown-Rosslyn Gondola baffles people. The proposed tram alongside the Key Bridge has drawn a mixture of interest and confusion.

Arlington: What’s the Hurry? Where’s the Fire?

Questions raised by Task Force on Station 8 still need to be resolved.

Betsy Forinash, Richard Lolich, and Alexandra Bocian and other North Arlington residents believe Arlington County Deputy Manager Jim Schwartz must have some other agenda for pushing the relocation of Fire Station 8 from Hall’s Hill to Old Dominion and 26th Streets, because if he had read the report of the FS#8 Task Force, he’d know that doesn’t make sense. The tenor of citizens’ remarks rose last week when word leaked out that the county was leaning towards the Old Dominion site because it was said to be more cost effective.

Fairfax City: Mayor Pledges Smart Growth, Greater Transparency

Mayor, City Council, School Board members sworn in.

Mount Vernon: Update on North Hill Rezoning Plan

Proposal includes multifamily rental and town homes.

After decades of meetings and stalled redevelopment, the most recent plan for making over North Hill’s 33-acre vacant site at the intersection of Route 1 and Dart Drive has gone the furthest.

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