April, 2005 - Volume 89, No. 8
ACCF General Meeting Notice
Tuesday, April 5, 2005 at 7:30pm
Hazel Conference Center
Virginia Hospital Center-Arlington
1701 North George Mason Drive
Agenda
Tuesday, April 5, 2005
7:30pm, Call to Order
1. Pledge of Allegiance (formal start of meeting)
2. Approval of Agenda and Minutes (Mar 1, 2005)
3. Treasurer's Report
4. Election of Nominating Committee
7:50pm Program Begins
5. Revenues and Expenditures Committee,
Arlington County Budget Program
6. Unfinished Business
7. Committee Reports
8. New Business
9. Announcements
10. Adjournment
Message from the President
April Meeting: County Budget Recommendations:
The ACCF Revenues and Expenditures (R&E) Committee has been hard at work over the last two months putting together the proposed Civic Federation budget recommendations for FY 2006. At the April 5th meeting, delegates and alternates will have an opportunity to review and discuss the proposed package.
The proposed budget recommendations will be available on the Federation website: www.civfed.org as soon as they are completed.
As in past years, a Special Rule will be offered for the debate. This year the R&E Committee has chosen to use the methodology used by the Legislation Committee to provide a vote by the whole membership on at least one controversial budget element recommended by the County Manager -- the homeowner's grant program.
The proposed Special Rule to be voted on at the beginning of the consideration of the Committee's report is as follows:
The Main Package -- The main part of the budget recommendations consists of those recommendations that the Federation's R&E Committee has voted to include in the package. Once the special rule is adopted for the meeting, we will take a single vote to accept or reject these recommendations as a whole. If the "vote to accept" fails, we will consider each section separately.
Optional Items -- During their deliberations, there were items for which the R&E Committee decided that a vote of the whole membership would be necessary. The members of the Committee have agreed to present those recommendations as options to be voted on by the whole membership, with an explanation of the associated increase in the tax rate and average homeowner's taxes for the year.
The passing of David Abelow
We wish to express our condolences to the family and friends of David Abelow, president of the Glebewood Civic Association. David was a long time resident of Glebewood.
Patrick Smaldore
ACCF Forum and Special Meeting on Lot Coverage
By Martha Moore
On Saturday, April 23, from 1-4 pm the Arlington County Civic Federation will hold a two-part meeting to address the proposed revisions to the zoning ordinance advertised by the County Board. The proposed revisions will significantly restrict lot coverage and current rights of homeowners to improve their property. The DHS Building is located at 3033 Wilson Blvd on the corner of Wilson Blvd & North Highland Street. There is free underground parking using the North Highland Street entrance. Anyone parking there will need to take the elevator to the lobby to be allowed to go to the meeting on the 7th floor.
The first two hours of the meeting will be devoted to a public forum led by the ACCF Planning & Zoning Committee. In addition to presenting the pros and cons of the general concept of restricting lot coverage, the forum will give an overview of existing conditions and identify how the proposed lot coverage restrictions would be applied to existing homes and to new homes. A variety of examples will be presented, including how undersized lots and oversized lots will be treated. Staff has been asked to be available to give homeowners an individual analysis of their plats.
The public is welcome to participate in the forum. The last hour will be a special meeting of the ACCF wherein discussion and voting on the lot coverage proposal will be limited to Civic Federation delegates only.
For more information please contact:
Martha Moore, (martha+), 703-527-3782, and Bill Gearhart, (bill+), 703-522-2276, Co-Chairs
Civic Federation Announces First Annual 'Walk Arlington' Challenge
By Burt Bostwick
While the American Podiatric Medical Association has named Arlington County the 'Best Walking City', we frankly have seen little of that activity by members of the Civic Federation. We need to prove that our activities are not solely vocal and/or cerebral (take your pick)', so 'Off the couch and out of the car' will be our motto for this year. To support this 'walk the walk' initiative, the Civic Federation will sponsor its first 'Walk Arlington Challenge' whereby we will ask members of the ACCF to join us for a walk across Arlington. The ACCF member with the 'best' (term to be defined) participation will be awarded the ACCF 'Fitness' Award. Please join us at our next membership meeting (April 5, 7:30 PM) to hear a presentation by Arlington County staff on the 'Walk Arlington' initiative and to learn more details of the ACCF Challenge!
Parks and Recreation (P&R) Committee to present two resolutions at the April Meeting
As part of Unfinished Business the P&R Committee will be discussing the Open Space Master Plan resolution - This proposed resolution asks the Open Space Master Plan Task Force to ask the contractors to consider the working group reports in its draft report, and asks the County to conduct public hearings once the draft is complete. As part of New Business the P&AR Committee will be discussing the Arlington Rowing Facility Resolution - The idea for a rowing facility has been around for more than a decade, but a decision may be made this year. Arlington rowers would like to have a rowing facility in Rosslyn, but the environmental effects of a facility there would be substantial. The proposed resolution expresses concern about the environmental effects of a rowing facility in Rosslyn and recommends a site near the 14th Street Bridge instead. National Park Service plans to issue a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in June. If the proposed resolution is adopted before June, Civic Federation comments could be included in the draft EIS; alternatively, if is adopted in July, our comments would be timely in response to the draft EIS.
ACCF Transportation Forum on Idea-66
Study scheduled for April 7, 2005
By Jerry Auten
A special meeting of the Arlington County Civic Federation will be held on Thursday, April 7 to hear a presentation on the draft Idea-66 study on I-66. The meeting will be held in the Virginia Hospital Center Arlington - Hazel Auditorium 1701 North George Mason Drive, at 7:30 pm. Theresa Defore will present the results of the study and other Idea66 and VDOT staff will be available for answering questions. The draft report was presented to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) on March 16-17. The CTB did not take action on the report, suggesting that there will be an opportunity for public comment on the report.
The study examined four basic concepts: the no-build option, high occupancy vehicle and toll lane (HOV/HOT) concepts, roadway improvement (including widening and spot improvements to entrances and exits), and transit improvements.
The report recommended that roadway-widening concept with managed lanes (HOV/HOT) be advanced for further detailed study and that transit elements in the managed lanes be evaluated as part of the study. The study concluded that long-term transit improvements such as Metrorail expansion is also warranted. The report recommended that the full study be circulated to the public through the Idea66.com website and that comments should be sent to the CTB. The report summary and other materials can be seen at: www.idea66.com. The meeting will be open to the public, with preference for questions given to delegates and alternates. We believe that this is an important meeting to be fully informed on this major transportation issue affecting Arlington.
For more information please contact Jerry Auten (jerry@civfed.org) 703-536-5365, Chair
Letter to the County Board on Affordable Housing
March 13, 2005
Arlington County Board
Arlington County, Virginia
#1 Courthouse Plaza, Suite 300
2100 Clarendon Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22201
Honorable Jay Fisette, Chairman
Subject: Affordable Housing Program
The Arlington County Civic Federation supports the County Board's February 15 resolution; particularly section 2(a), as an appropriate next step in the policy-making process, given the County's decision not to appeal the Court's ruling,
We request substantial formal participation in the public process described in section 2(c) of the resolution.
The Federation expects that process will provide, among other things, clarification on the implications of the Court's decision.
We feel this is important, and we ask that you include it in your discussions of these matters. We look forward to your response to our letter. Please feel free to contact me via telephone at: 703-528-3935, or via email at; pat@civfed.org.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Patrick A. Smaldore Jr.
President, Arlington County Civic Federation
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 2004-2005
Executive Committee Officers
President - Patrick Smaldore - 703-528-3935
Vice President - Anne Fisher - 703-838-8502
Treasurer - Frances Finta - 703-528-2882/fax 703-528-0182
Secretary - Tim Russo - 703-527-3693
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: March 23, 2005.
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Arlington County Civic Federation
