President's Letter

Bill Richardson (bill@drca.org)

November 2022

We will be devoting our next meeting, on Wednesday, November 16, to a discussion of the County staff’s 135-page Preliminary Concept Plan Report for “Plan Langston Boulevard,” made available this past August.  As noted in the accompanying article, this plan proposes fundamental changes to the entire Langston Boulevard (formerly Lee Highway) corridor.  We would like to get your reactions to these proposals, particularly as to “Area 3,” the segment of the corridor closest to DRCA, which includes the current Lee Heights Shops.  As usual, our meeting will be at Taylor Elementary School, at 7:30 p.m., with a social half-hour beginning at 7:00.

At the same time, the County is in the midst of an equally fundamental change to residential zoning in Arlington, which is the “missing middle” proposal discussed at our June 8 meeting.  As of the date of this letter, this proposal would eliminate single-family only zoning, so as to permit multifamily residential development throughout DRCA and all other neighborhoods across Arlington County, from duplex to “8-plex.”  DRCA has been actively involved over the past several months, in coordination with ten to fifteen other civic associations, in highlighting for all five County Board members the concerns about this proposal we have been hearing from you and that are reflected in your responses to our survey on this question.   See the accompanying article for more detail on these issues. 

The “missing middle” issue was also central to the October 5 debate co-sponsored by DRCA among the three County Board candidates, one of whom supports the proposal, one of whom opposes it, and one of whom is exploring whether some changes should be made to it.  At last count, over 50 people attended this debate at Hamm Middle School.  I want to extend the board’s great appreciation to DRCA board member and former County Board candidate Susan Cunningham, who moderated this debate with her usual diplomatic skills and served up a “lightning round” that got quick answers to many of your questions about a wide range of issues.  We also continued to rely on the very effective cowbell of our professional timer, former DRCA board member Mike Green, which he has employed over many years  to stifle candidates’ impulses to exceed the time permitted for them. 

Finally, many thanks to those who helped DRCA organize a very successful first annual Labor Day ice cream social, which was a great way to meet new neighbors and catch up to old ones.  Please stay tuned for more details about our third annual holiday decorating contest and associated festivities.

I hope all have a Happy Thanksgiving.  And until then, don’t forget to take advantage of the Cherrydale Farmers Market, every Saturday morning at Hamm MS.