March, 2006 - Volume 90, No. 7
ACCF General Meeting Notice
Tuesday March 7, 2006 at 7:30pm
Hazel Conference Center
Virginia Hospital Center-Arlington
1701 North George Mason Drive
Agenda
Tuesday March 7, 2006
7:30pm
1. Pledge of Allegiance (formal start of meeting)
2. Approval of Agenda
3. Approval of Minutes (Feb 7, 2006)
4. Treasurer's Report
5. Cultural Affairs Program
6. Planning and Zoning Committee and County staff
discuss TDR and BZA
7. New Business/Adjournment
Message from the President
Our March program will present an overview of the visual and performing arts in Arlington and the role of the arts in the cultural, economic, and educational life of the community. This promises to be a very informative program on a subject that deserves greater visibility. To learn more about what's going on in the arts, see www.arlingtonarts.org.
The construction of the new Signature Theatre in Shirlington represents a significant milestone in the growth of the arts in Arlington. Signature, which has become one of the nation's most important regional theatres, is probably the most visible symbol of the vibrant arts scene nurtured by the Arlington Arts Incubator program. The County has numerous theatre groups that have earned loyal followings and prestigious awards, dance groups ranging from classical ballet to modern dance to ethnic heritage companies, visual arts studios and galleries capped by the newly renovated Arlington Arts Center, a growing public art collection and numerous educational enrichment programs.
The engine behind the dramatic growth of the arts has been the Arlington Arts Incubator, through which the County has provided space and technical and financial support to qualified arts groups. Arlington's formula of public/private partnerships has served as a model for arts programs in places as far away as Honolulu, Hiroshima, Melbourne, and Buenos Aires. The Arts Incubator has received the $100,000 Innovations in American Government Award from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government as well as the Helen Hayes Award for Distinguished Community Service.
Our speakers will be:
Jon Palmer Claridge, Program Director for Arlington Cultural Affairs Division and a co-creator of the Arts Incubator. Mr.Claridge has directed over 1,500 arts events including international exchanges with France, Germany, Ireland, and Mexico. He brings a "tri-jurisdictional" (VA, DC, MD) perspective, having served a President of the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County and on the board of the Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington.
Wendy Rahm, Chair of the Arlington Commission for the Arts. She served for 5 years as a Helen Hayes award nominator and on the board of Signature Theatre for 6 years. Ms.Rahm is familiar with every aspect of theatre in the Washington area, having served as a volunteer in subscriptions, mailings, audition assistance, set painting, ushering, etc. Wendy's other community activities include Historian and board member of the Committee of 100.
Paul LeValley has served as Executive Director of Arlington Independent Media since 1992. Under his leadership AIM was named America's best community television in 1994, 1998, and 1999. He teaches Media Criticism at George Mason University and has taught video production at Marymount. Mr. LeValley is the chair of ACA, Arlington Citizens for the Arts, a new and growing arts advocacy group which has greatly expanded citizen involvement and support for the arts.
Jeremy Mayer is Assistant Professor of Public Policy at George Mason University, where he teaches political science. He has just completed a textbook on media politics for McGraw Hill. He speaks regularly to State Department visitor groups from all over the world and in 2003 he received the Rowman and Littlefield Award in Innovative Teaching from the American Political Science Association. He has been actively involved in the Arlington Citizens for the Arts.
Vivian Kallen, ACCF Cultural Affairs Chair, will serve as presenter. She served for 7 years on the Arlington Commission for the Arts and is on the board of Washington Shakespeare Company.
Patrick Smaldore
Civic Federation Annual Banquet
The ACCF Banquet has been scheduled for friday March 31st 6:30pm to 10:30pm at the Army/Navy Country Club in Arlington. Our speaker this year will be Kathleen Matthews Anchor, ABC7/WJLA-TV. Her speaking topic will be: "Volunteering and Other Passions". Please mark your calendars. This should prove to be a very lively event as the ACCF is celebrating its 90th Birthday. For more information about this event please contact Frances Finta 703-528-2882
Support for Civic Association Alliances
Adopted February 7, 2006:
Be it resolved that the Civic Federation recognizes that civic associations and other organizations will form informal alliances concerning local issues. The Civic Federation is pleased to offer its support and resources to those alliances. For more information please contact ACCF Executive Committee Chair, Larry Mayer 703-525-8921 (larrymayer@civfed.org)
ACCF Meeting with County Board Chairman on February 17
As part of the ACCF yearly dialogue with each new Arlington County Board Chairman, we met to present civic topics that may affect Arlington County during the course of his 2006 Chairmanship. The ACCF is a Community Resource, and in an effort to enhance this resource, we proposed quarterly meetings with the Arlington County Board Chairman, along with other Civic, and Arlington County Government Leaders during this year to discuss these and other civic topics. Our proposal was well received by the Chairman, who indicated a desire to hear more civic topics from the ACCF, and discuss them with ACCF Committee Chairs, and other Arlington County Government Leaders.
Resolution on the Proposed TDR Zoning Ordinance Amendment
Passed unanimously by the Civic Federation on 2/7/06
WHEREAS:
The County Board has advertised an amendment to Section 36.H of the Zoning Ordinance ("Administration and Procedures" for Site Plan Approval) that would permit Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs) from a sending site to a receiving site;
The proposed TDR language identifies the purposes of TDRs as open space, historic preservation, affordable housing (low or moderate income), community recreation, and community facilities;
The sending site would likely sell unused density and would forfeit future rights to that density unless the sending site were up-zoned;
Staff has indicated that the receiving site could receive additional development beyond what would otherwise be allowed or approved under the current zoning, General Land Use Plan, or Sector Plan;
There are many potential sending sites in Arlington that currently are developed below their maximum capacity, including publicly-owned and privately-owned parcels;
The proposed wording of the Zoning Ordinance Amendment does not limit sending sites to privately owned property or to commercially-zoned property, leaving open the potential for unused density in public parks or on property controlled by non-profit entities to become new revenue streams;
The Virginia General Assembly gave only Arlington the authority to adopt TDRs, which will expire on July 1, 2008 if not adopted by the County Board; and
The staff report says that "�additional work is needed to fully develop all the details of how the program would work" - yet supports adoption of the TDR before details have been developed.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE ARLINGTON COUNTY CIVIC FEDERATION:
1) Strongly urges the County Board to defer adoption of TDRs until the details have been developed and shared with the public; and the public has been informed how TDRs will work in combination with other bonus density options.
2) Expresses concern about the potential transfer of development rights for existing publicly owned parcels.
3) Asks the County Board to identify the sending and receiving sites that they know are interested in using TDRs.
ACCF Committee Chairs
Ad Hoc Airports Committee
By-Laws Committee
Community Relations Committee
Cultural Affairs Committee
Environmental Committee
Ben Axelroad, Chair - 703-525-3083
Housing Committee
Legislation Committee
Membership Committee
Frances Finta, Chair - 703-528-2882/fax 703-528-0182
Parks & Recreation Committee
Planning & Zoning Committee
Public Services Committee - Amy Levin, 703-521-4894+
Revenues & Expenditures Committee
Scholarship Committees
9/11
Jim Pebley - 703-525-0766
Tim Reese 703-533-0091, Co-Chairs
Teachers
Schools Committee
Special Events Committee
Frances Finta - Phone 703-528-2882/ Fax 703-528-0182
Transportation Committee
The Arlington County Civic Federation 2005-2006
Executive Committee Officers
Executive Committee Members
Arlington County Civic Federation
C/o Patrick A. Smaldore Jr.
3859 North Second Street
Arlington, VA 22203-3803
This page was last revised on: February 21, 2006.
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Arlington County Civic Federation
