January, 2003 - Volume 87, No. 5

Meeting January 7, 2003, Virginia Hospital Center-Arlington Hazel Auditorium
Community Forum 7PM, Regular Meeting 7:30 PM

January Meeting Agenda

Also at the January meeting, the Federation will be considering resolutions from the Planning and Zoning Committee on two matters, the renaming of Stuart Park to honor Dr. Wellburn, and addressing County procedures on minor site plan amendments.

The Awards Committee will be elected at the January meeting as well. The Awards Committee is responsible for selecting the recipient of the Journal Newspapers Cup and Certificates of Appreciation to be awarded at the March 2003 Federation banquet, Any delegate interested in serving on the committee is encouraged to have his or her name placed into nomination.

For a modest suggested raffle donation of $2.00 per ticket, or 3 tickets for $5.00, one of us will be treated to: "a Bed & Breakfast package for two people at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City! Included in your package is an over-night stay in a deluxe guestroom, complimentary Continental Breakfast in The Grill Restaurant, morning newspaper, use of the Fitness Center and indoor pool, and complimentary valet parking.

We hope all our delegates will join in the fun and contribute to the 911 Scholarship Fund. We will be using tickets for the drawing, so the winner does have to be present. However, we will try to find a break in the evening so we draw early rather than late.

Green buildings are structures and surrounding landscapes that are designed, constructed, operated, and dismantled in an environmentally responsible manner to minimize impacts on the environment. When carefully designed and operated, green buildings are very cost effective. Arlington County uses the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) green building rating system called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) as a guide to designing and building creative, functional, and environmentally sensitive projects. Green buildings may include: highly efficient heating, cooling, lighting, and plumbing systems; maximum use of daylighting for interior spaces; construction materials made from recycled, renewable, or nontoxic products; carefully planned landscaping or a vegetated "green" roof to minimize the impacts of stormwater runoff; and easy access to alternative transportation (Metro, bus, shared trails, and carpooling).

Arlington is committed to incorporating green technology in all new and renovated public facilities in the County. Currently, Arlington is planning seven green projects, including community centers, a fire station, library, theater, and a field operations building. The County also encourages private developers to build greener buildings to reduce stress on existing infrastructure, reduce energy consumption, and maintain Arlington's high quality of life. The County offers free seminars on green building topics and has developed a green building density incentive program that has received national recognition.

The Community Forum is provided as a service to the community by the Civic Federation. It allows for private and government-based groups and organizations to speak to community leaders about what they do in Arlington. Any group wishing to participate should contact dan+.

The Bylaws Committee has been asked to review the Federation's bylaws to determine whether or not Executive Committee members must be alternates or delegates, and to address proposed bylaws changes from the best practices task force. Contact Scott McGeary at smcgeary@washgas.com for more information.

The Cultural Affairs Committee and the Planning & Zoning Committee continue to work on a program for the February meeting concentrating on issues of historic and neighborhood preservation with emphasis on the County, civic association and individual citizen interaction. Anyone interested in helping with the program can contact Herschel Kanter, Cultural Affairs Committee Chair Herschel+; or Martha Moore, Martha+ or Bill Gearhart, bill; co-c+hairs of the Planning and Zoning Committee.

At the Civic Federation Meeting of December 3, Delegate Kim Smith of the Environmental Affairs Committee presented the Committee's proposed anti-English-Ivy resolution. The Committee's recommended resolution titled "Classification of English Ivy as a Noxious Weed," was amended to incorporate recommended language to encourage Arlington County to consider whether similar action might be required for other species of invasive plants. The adopted Resolution #2002-12-03 is available on the Civic Federation's web site at http://civfed.org/resivy.htm. Kim Smith presented the adopted resolution to the Arlington County Board at its meeting of December 7.

Prior Issues. On December 20, the chair of the Environmental Affairs Committee received updated status information from Arlington County staff concerning the Water Pollution Control Division 2001 Master Plan Update and the Electron Beam Testing. Staff responded that "The County Board has not yet had the opportunity to pass judgment on the plan. We are providing presentations to individual members as their schedules permit. County Board Member Chris Zimmerman is scheduled to be at the plant on January 3 to be briefed on the plan and to tour the plant. We have tentatively scheduled public presentations for the end of February. We anticipate Board approval before that time and to have electronic copies available for interested individuals and hard copies in some or all of the branches of the library. Also, staff indicated that they have received the lab results for all of the e-beam trials except for the endocrine disrupter tests. Specifically, staff indicated "The results are pretty much as we expected. We achieved nearly complete pathogen destruction on the trials of Plant Influent and diluted sludge. The thickened sludge sample at 3% solids concentration did not achieve good reduction, because the beam in the mobile unit was not strong enough to completely penetrate the depth of the sludge as it passed under the beam. The full-scale unit in Miami has consistently been able to treat thickened sludge up to 5% solids concentration. We did not observe the odor reduction we had hoped to see. However, we only tested the thickened sludge for odorous compounds. We will repeat the odor testing in future trials." In the next issue of the Civic Federation Newsletter, the Environmental Affairs Committee plans to report on the goals and objectives of the test trials and additional results of the testing.

New Issue. At the Civic Federation Executive Committee Meeting of December 9, the chair of the Environmental Affairs Committee discussed the growing workload of the committee to include consideration of another delegate recommended potential issue area. This area is the potential high risks associated with the emerging compressed natural gas ("CNG") issue (e.g., details to follow) in South Arlington that was presented to our Committee by Delegate Anne Fisher, the co-chair of the Public Services Committee, near the end of November. In response, the Civic Federation Executive Committee would like the Environmental Affairs Committee and the Public Services Committee to jointly work on this emerging issue; specifically, the purported large liquid natural gas tanks that the County is proposing for the bus lot (South Eads & South Glebe), near the County's Water Pollution Control Division's waste water treatment facility.

Following the Executive Committee Meeting, the chair of the Environmental Affairs Committee discussed the potential CNG issue area with Jim Hamre of the Arlington County staff. Based on the discussion, by June 2004, it is planned that all of the 200 metro buses that are currently stationed at the bus lot near South Eads and South Glebe wukk be replaced by CNG type buses. In order to fuel these buses, it is estimated that more than 25,000 linear feet of new natural gas lines will need to be constructed in this area. In the interim, Metro is in the process of developing an alternative plan (which is not final) to store the gas in tanks. Several of our Committee Members have expressed strong concern about the proposed conversion and are curious why new environmentally friendly diesel buses designed to run on low sulfur diesel fuel and equipped with advanced pollution controls are not being considered here, especially in light of the potential high risks associated with the storage of compressed natural gas. Next Meeting. On Monday, January 6, 2003, beginning at 7:30 p.m., the next meeting of the Environmental Affairs Committee will be held in the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association community meeting room. The entrance to the community room is located on N. Utah St. between Gaffney's Restaurant (4301 North Fairfax Drive) and the Windsor Plaza Condominiums. Please note that on-street parking is limited; however, space is available in the two garages that are adjacent to and across the street from the Rio Grande Caf�. The Environmental Affairs Committee is sponsoring a joint meeting with the Public Services Committee to hear a presentation by Jim Hamre of the Arlington County staff and representatives from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority on the planned metro bus fleet conversion in Arlington to compressed natural gas buses and other interim changes. This discussion will be the first agenda item of the meeting.

The second agenda item will be a discussion of our Committee's proposed resolution on the revised Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance, which was work in process at the time the January Civic Federation Newsletter was being drafted. The Environmental Affairs Committee will present its proposed resolution at the Civic Federation Meeting of February 4, following the County Staff's presentation of its proposed adoption of amendments to Chapter 61, Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance.

For your information, at the County Board Meeting of December 7, the Board approved the County Manager's recommendation to authorize advertisement of public hearings by the Planning Commission on January 27, 2003, and by the County Board on February 8, 2003, to consider amendments to Chapter 61, Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance, and to the associated Resource Protection Area (RPA) map and to amend the County's Comprehensive Plan to include the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance and the associated RPA map as an element of the Comprehensive Plan. Among the issues presented in the Board's authorized advertisement are: (1) compliance with new regulations issued by the [State's] Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department is mandatory; (2) property owners may be concerned about perceived limitations on development rights, additional costs to prepare construction plans, and additional costs to comply with storm water treatment requirements; and (3) additional [County] staff resources will be necessary to implement the plan review and inspection requirements contained in the revised ordinance. The Environmental Affairs Committee encourages all interested delegates and citizens to review the County's proposed revised Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance, available at http://www.co.arlington.va.us/cbo/meetings/2002/dec/1207/37.pdf . On January 6, 2003, the proposed ordinance and the Committee's proposed resolution will be discussed at the Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting. On February 4, 2003, the proposed ordinance will be presented by County Staff and the Committee's proposed resolution will be considered for adoption at the Civic Federation meeting.

If you are interested in serving on the Environmental Affairs Committee, or have questions concerning the Committee, please contact Ernie Ragland at (703) 525-4276, or by e-mail at ragland.ernie@prodigy.net.

The Executive Committee hopes all our Delegates and Alternates had a wonderful holiday season and are off to what will be a terrific New Year. We also hope members of the Federation are ready to work in 2003, because there are lots of issues ahead.

We closed the old year with our December 9 meeting where Elizabeth Fry, Government Reference Librarian, took us on a virtual tour of the resources available to members of the Federation through her offices. We hope to have a separate article in the next issue of the Civic Voice so our member organizations can avail themselves of these services as well.

On the action front, the Executive Committee took the following: referred Liquid Natural Gas Tanks jointly to the Environmental Affairs and Public Services Committees; reviewed progress on soon-to-be-decided amendments to the Chesapeake Bay Ordinance; appointed Steve Baur as Co-Chair of the Airport Issues Committee and as representative to CONAANDA for the Civic Federation; (Steve Geiger will be the other co-chair once he's officially a delegate!); discussed the role of the Civic Federation in the CERTs (Community Emergency Response Team) training - we're handling the registration for the Fire Department; assured the transmittal of the legislative packet to the appropriate governmental entities; received a report on the North Rosslyn Civic Association and the plans for it to join us in January.

Resolutions are in the pipeline for February, and our Revenue and Expenditure Committee will be gearing up to examine the County Budget in February as well. State Legislators will be joining us later in the year.

The greatest challenge to the Executive Committee was (and continues to be) finding an alternative date for our meetings. While it might be true that if you wish to get something done, ask the busiest person you know. It's not true if you want to find a new meeting date! Consequently, the next Executive Committee meeting will be Thursday, January 9th, 7:30 p.m. at the Hospice. As always, any committee chair, delegate or alternate is welcome to attend - and if you have an issue to discuss, you are encouraged!

The 2003 Legislation Committee Package, as approved at the November meeting, has been sent to our State legislators our Congressional delegation, and our County Board members. We expect to discuss our requests with the County Board in January. No meetings have been scheduled for the immediate future, but we may consider additional proposals during the upcoming session of the legislature.

In 2002, the Parks and Recreation Committee reviewed the 2002 Small Parks Grant applications, totaling about $90,000 against a $60,000 budget; we considered and recommended the anti-invasive ivy resolution; and we recommended passage of the Virginia and Arlington bond issues for parks. We also sent a Civic Federation delegate to the County's Task Force rewriting the Open Space Master Plan, and participated in the North Tract Master Planning meetings.

Early in 2003, the committee will review the County's operating budget for parks and recreation -- its second-largest line item after schools. We will continue our coordination with Arlington County Bicycle Advisory Committee, CivFed Transportation Committee, and Arlington sports and recreation groups.

The Planning and Zoning Committee will likely meet on Sunday night, January 5. It will likely consider, among other things, the proposed change in the C-2 zoning ordinance to eliminate the current provision allowing townhouse and apartment uses by-right in C-2 zoning districts (and by reference, C-3 zoning districts), and add a site plan option for townhouse and apartment uses in these districts. If interested, please call Committee Co-Chair Bill Gearhart at 703-522-2276.

The Public Services Committee continues its strong emphasis on public preparedness, providing presentations and information to civic associations and organizations. A number of our members are also heavily involved in the Citizen Corps Council and its efforts to develop a coordinated approach to emergency preparedness across the major spectra - education, volunteers, communication, and resource management. Jackie Snelling (A-Lyon Village) chairs the CCC; Anne Fisher (D-Aurora Highlands) is the Civic Federation's representative on the Volunteer Task Group; Kim Smith (D-Bellevue Forest) serves on the Education Task Group; Jim Pebley (D-Waycroft Woodlawn) chairs the Communications Task Group. Gene Hubbard (President, Arlington View Civic Association) serves on the Coordinating Committee. The development of neighborhood-based programs to support preparedness is a high priority for the CCC. If you are interested in working with the Citizen Corps Council, please contact Jackie Snelling at arlcouncil@co.arlington.va.us or jackie+.

The Civic Federation is also taking a lead role in Community Emergency Response Teams. On the local level, Anne Fisher continues her work through the pilot CERT of Aurora-Highlands, Arlington Ridge, Long Branch Creek and Forest Hills CAs. The first neighborhood-based trained CERT is now researching continuing education, organization, and additional equipment options which in turn will be shared with other CERTs as they come on line.

Throughout Arlington, neighborhood-based CERTs are being developed in a number of associations, apartment buildings, condominiums and businesses. The Fire Department, which offers the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) training to Arlington residents, has asked the CivFed to maintain the organizational lists, registering individuals and neighborhoods and placing them in the queue once they reach the minimum number of participants - 10 - or the maximum - 14. CERT training consists of 8 two-hour training sessions, over an eight week period, in general disaster preparedness, light search and rescue, medical operations (2 units), light fire suppression, the psychology of disaster and terrorism. Individuals or neighborhoods who wish to register for CERT training or who have questions about the program should e-mail kim. We are als+o working on a CERT Web Site, attached to the CivFed's Web Site, for status information and shared ideas. Presidents of Civic Associations, please be aware that many of your residents are signing up for CERT training. We will be in contact with you to let you know who and how many have registered in your neighborhood in the hope you will be able to field a team, either independently or in a cluster with contiguous CAs.

Other areas of emphasis still in the pipeline are adequate compensation of public safety personnel and adequate funding of equipment and facility needs as well as overall responsiveness of public safety to Arlington's citizens.

On a final note, Public Services has joined forces with the Environmental Affairs Committee to review the proposed installation of liquid natural gas tanks in Arlington. A meeting on January 6th with county staff is designed to answer the questions and concerns of residents, particularly those in the immediately affected areas.

THE PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE (Jackie Snelling, Anne Fisher, Kim Smith, Amy Levin, Patrick Smaldore, and Mike Clancy) COULD USE YOUR HELP. If any of these areas or issues appeal to you, and you'd like to work with us, please contact us through prepared+. Volunteers are more than welcome.

The new year is upon us, and requests for applications for the 911 Scholarship Fund are already coming into the Arlington Community Foundation! The Fund continues to grow and be available to help the children of our public safety officials realize their dreams through higher education.

Many of you have contributed both time and money to the Fund, and for that, we are grateful. With the advent of our Silent Auction, businesses and individuals have continued to contribute to our success. The Scholarship Committee would like to thank all who made this event such a successful evening, and we encourage our delegates to say "thanks" as well should they patronize one of our donor-merchants.

We would like to thank: Angler's Lie; Arlington Therapeutic Massage Center; Ballston Common Mall; Bill's Lawn, Garden and Home Center; Buck and Associates; Casual Adventure; Circo Pizzeria; DOGMA Gourmet Dog Bakery and Boutique; Doug Dubin; Chris Matthews and "Hardball;" Feather and Three Dance Studio; Edward Fishman, DDS; The Framing Guild; Hurt Cleaners; Metro 29 Diner; Rhodeside Grill; The Ritz-Carlton - Pentagon City; RT's Seafood Kitchen, Ruffino's Spaghetti House; Silver Diner; The Washington Capitals; The Washington Wizards; and our individual donors: Steve Baur and Carla Von Bernewitz; Bill and Nancy Graham; Herschel and Ruth Kanter; Patrick Smaldore; and our host restaurant - CHEVY'S! We look forward to your continued generosity in helping other young people in 2003.

ACCF Officers

President Dan Krasnegor 703-534-4024 dan+

Vice President Patrick Smaldore 703-528-3935 patrick+

Treasurer Frances Finta 703-528-2882 Fax 528-0182

Secretary Tim Wise 703-243-8345 tim+

Executive Committee

Chairman - Kim Smith 703-527-0294 - kim+

Member - Robert Atkins 703-527-8859 - (voice or fax) - robert+

Member - Nancy Graham 703-243-4650 - nancy+

Member - Mike Lane - mike

+ Member - Randy Swart 703-521-2080 - randy+

ACCF Committee Chairs

Ad Hoc Airport Issues Committee (Co-Chairs)
Steve Baur

Steve Geiger




Bylaws
Scott McGeary, Acting Chair 703-750-4704 scott+

Community Relations
Mileva Hartman 703-528-1112

mileva+

Cultural Affairs
Herschel Kanter 703-536-6286 herschel+

Environmental Affairs
Ernie Ragland 702-525-6297 ernie+

Housing
Wayne Kubicki 703-536-1954 wayne

+

• Resolution on Affordable Housing

Legislation
Nancy Graham 703-243-4650 nancy+
• Legislative Package for 2001

Membership
Frances Finta 703-528-2882 - Fax 528-0182

Parks & Recreation
Judy Green judy+
Jay Jacob Wind jay+
• Park Watch Program

Planning & Zoning
William Gearhart 703-522-2276 bill+
Martha Moore 703-527-3782 martha+

Public Services
Anne Fisher
Kim Smith kim+

Public Preparedness Initiative

Jackie Snelling prepared+

Revenues and Expenditures

Robert Atkins 703-527-8859 (voice or fax) bob+

Scholarship

Jim Pebley jim+

Schools
Roger Meyer 703-671-3655 roger+
Terri Prell 703-820-3782 terri +
• Information on Safe Routes to School
• Link to The Arlington Schoolboard newsletter

Special Events
Ann Rudd, Banquet Coordinator 703- annrudd+

Transportation (Co-Chairs)
Matt Bonini 703-820-2032 matt +
Jerry Auten 703-536-5365jerry+


The Civic Voice

Editor: Dan Krasnegor - 703-534-4024 - dan+
News email: - civicvoice

+n Web: - www.civfed.org (civfed.com works too)

Postal Mail
Arlington County Civic Federation
c/o Daniel Krasnegor
1305 N. Longfellow St.
Arlington, VA 22205

This page was last revised on: December 27, 2003.