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From YouTube: County Board Wrap-Up: December 2017
Description
ATV's monthly conversation with County Board members on the major issues discussed at this month's Board meeting. Outgoing Chair Jay Fisette makes his final appearance along with outgoing Vice-Chair (2018 Chair) Katie Cristol to discuss housing conservation districts, historic overlays, digital inclusion initiative, improvements at Benjamin Banneker Park, and the county's recently being named the country's first LEED Platinum Community. Mr. Fisette also looks back over his 20 years on the Arlington County Board.
A
Hi
I'm
Tara
O'donnell,
and
this
is
County
Board
wrap
up
each
month
we
asked
the
board
chair
and
a
guest,
of
course,
another
board
member
about
the
key
decisions.
The
County
Board
took
at
its
monthly
meeting
today,
we're
joined
by
board
Chau
J
Fassett,
who
is
making
his
last
appearance
here
on
county
board
rap
Jay.
Thank
you,
I
know
it's
bittersweet,
I'm
sure
and
of
course,
joining
hims
is
board.
Vice-Chair
Katie
crystal.
Thank
you
both
for
being
here
today.
A
Well,
let's
start
out
the
board
closed
out
the
year
with
another,
very
busy
meeting
and
we're
gonna
start
off
with
take
a
look
at
this
housing
conservation
district.
Now
this
was
a
little
controversial
of
a
topic,
but
what
made
you
decide
to
move
forward
with
this
housing
conservation
district?
First?
What
is
it
and
then.
B
What
made
you
well
I'll
start
with:
what's
what
led
to
it?
Why
we
did
it,
and
that
is
that
a
housing?
Affordability
is
probably
our
greatest
intransigent
challenge
because
of
the
value
of
land,
and
we
have
seen
an
incredible
deterioration
of
loss
of
market
rate,
affordable
housing,
meaning
housing,
that's
affordable
to
somebody
at
low
and
moderate
incomes
without
any
subsidy
just
through
the
market,
and
we
lost
thousands
and
thousands.
There
are
very
few
left
so
all
throughout
the
county.
So
we've
always
looked
for
new
tools.
B
B
They
identified
those
areas
throughout
the
county
that
would
be
considered
these
districts,
and
this
is
the
first
phase.
So
the
board
took
action
to
go
ahead
and
designate
these
districts,
these
affordable
housing
conservation
districts,
and
we
also
took
one
other
action,
and
that
was
within
these
districts
to
restrict
the
conversion
of
a
garden
apartment,
for
example,
into
a
town
house.
Without.
B
You
now
have
to
go
through
a
public
process.
We
didn't
take
the
option
away.
The
option
is
still
there,
but
as
we've
done
in
some
other
parts
of
the
county,
we
recognized
that
there
is
no
public
process
to
ensure
the
character
of
the
neighborhoods
and
the
other
values
that
we
have
in
the
community
so
in
in
effect
going
forward,
and
this
will
be
revisited
in
the
next
phase,
but
going
forward
that
option
to
someone
who
owns
that
land.
B
B
How
often
south,
throughout
the
county
and
I'll,
say
one
of
the
issues
that
arose
was
along
the
Lee
highway
corridor,
because
the
Lee
Highway
Quarter
is
going
through
beginning
very
shortly,
a
visioning
process
re
planning
of
that
corridor.
Several
of
these
housing
conservation
districts
are
along
the
corridor,
but
it's
absolutely
clear
that
these
districts
will
not
preempt
that
playing
process
at
all.
That
planning
process
will
go
forward.
B
A
B
B
So
the
the
issue
of
the
market
rev,
the
townhouses
and
the
change
to
get
a
townhouse
that
will
be
revisited
when
phase
two
comes
in
and
the
staff
and
the
community
developers
citizens
all
look
at
different
incentives
that
could
be
created,
financial
or
density
incentives
to
help
move
us
in
the
right
direction
of
preserving
these
affordable
units.
But.
C
Kara
your
point
about:
do
we
know
if
the
developers
have
any
plans
to
move
forward
with
some
of
these
conversions
actually
speaks
to.
Why
we
took
this
action,
we
don't
have
to
know
the
community
doesn't
have
to
know
if
it's
bi-rite
there's
no
opportunity
for
us
to
plan
for
the
impacts
or
talk
about
the
impacts
on
the
neighborhood
character.
One
of
the
things
that
we
see
with
conversion
of
multifamily
garden
apartments
to
single-family
townhouses,
is
that
the
impacts
on
our
community
are
different,
and
this
makes
sense,
I
think
intuitively
to
folks.
C
B
A
C
So
the
historic
overlay
district
is,
of
course,
another
process
under
in
the
county
to
determine
as
a
community
using
set
standards,
whether
a
particular
property
or
series
of
properties
or
neighborhoods
ought
to
be
designated
as
historic,
with
all
of
the
implications
restrictions,
opportunities
that
might
entail,
and
what
we've
learned
is
that
the
standard
for
requesting
an
historic
designation
was
pretty
low.
That
threshold
was
pretty
low.
An
individual
filing
for
this
designation
didn't
have
to
provide
much
in
the
way
of
background
materials.
C
They
didn't
have
to
do
any
sort
of
outreach
or
get
the
support
of
property
owners
who
might
be
affected
and
we've
seen
actually
that
create
consternation
in
the
neighborhoods
and
a
tremendous
amount
of
work
for
our
historic
preservation
staff.
So
this
was
an
opportunity
to
rebalance
where
that
threshold
falls,
to
try
to
strike
a
balance
between
keeping
a
process,
that's
accessible
and
participatory,
but
also
make
sure
that
any
application
which
will
be
time-consuming
and
will
sometimes
cause
upset
and
consternation
among
property
owners,
is
actually
comes
forward
to
us.
C
A
A
C
Notably,
one
person
can
still
begin
this
process
for
a
single
property.
That's
important!
If
you
live
in
a
home
that
you
think
is
historic.
If
you're
part
of
an
organization
that
you
think
is
historic,
you
can
still
move
forward
as
a
resident
in
Arlington
County.
The
issue
is
really
that,
where
that
threshold
falls
for
big
multifamily
areas,
excuse
me
big
multi,.
B
A
A
Welcome
back
to
County
Board
wrap-up,
our
monthly
chat
with
county
board
members
about
some
of
the
important
actions
they
took
at
their
monthly
meeting.
Actions
that
affect
you,
your
neighbors
and
your
community
with
us
today
is
always
board
chair,
Jeff
Fassett,
as
well
as
a
vice-chair
katie
crystal.
Let's
talk
about
the
Digital
Inclusion
initiative.
Now
this
is
really
exciting.
That's
gonna
bring
more
Wi-Fi
access
to
some
of
our
low-income
residents
and
also
brings
in
our
connect.
Arlington
features
kick
off
I.
B
Think
everybody
at
the
board
meeting
was
really
excited
to
vote
for
this.
You
know
when
you
look
at
our
vision
statement.
It's
about
inclusiveness
and
diversity
and
equity,
and
that's
what
this
accomplishes
access
to.
The
Internet
is
huge
these
days.
It
creates
a
difference
in
equality
of
opportunity.
If
you
don't
have
it.
Many
of
us
take
for
granted,
but
not
everyone
else
does,
and
so
we
had
an
opportunity
here
with
the
eye
net
or
the
connect
Arlington
dark
fiber
that
we
have
created
throughout
the
county
at
the
Arlington
mo
Community
Center.
B
It
goes
there
right
behind
that
or
the
Arlington
mill
residences
run
by
app',
owned
by
the
Arlington
partnership
for
affordable
housing,
so
they're
about
122
units,
something
around
159
or
60.
Kids
live
in
these
units
and
what
we
have
done
is
provided
them
provided
apple
with
some
money
and
a
connection
to
our
dark
fiber,
so
that
every
one
of
those
households
every
one
of
those
kids
will
have
access
to
high-speed
Internet
and
that's
great
for
their
education.
It's
great
for
our
community
I'm.
A
C
Digital
divide
is
completely
correlated
with
educational
attainment,
as
well
as
all
kinds
of
other
unexpected
indicators
of
health
and
and
and
civic
participation.
Healthcare
access
to
health
care
has
been
documented
to
be
differentiated
by
access
to
the
Internet,
and
so
it's
really
an
opportunity
to
bridge
what
is
a
major
social
justice
and
equity
issue
right
now
over
time
and.
B
In
three
years,
there'll
be
an
analysis,
will
be
surveys
to
make
sure
actually
check
into
what
those
outcomes
are,
as
Katie
was
just
mentioning
not
only
the
how
many
people
access
that,
how
many
kids
access,
but
what
did
it
do?
How
did
it
affect
their
lives
and
what
are
some
metrics?
We
can
use
to
look
at
that,
and,
hopefully,
that'll
prove
to
be
successful
and
there'll
be
other
opportunities,
but
this
all
came
out
came
to
pass
because
the
county
made
some
very
significant
investments
in
creating
our
own
dark
fiber
network.
B
A
B
A
D
A
C
A
C
So
Benjamin
Banneker
Park
is
12
and
a
half
acres
on
Sycamore
Street
in
the
northern
part
of
the
county
and
it's
a
big
chunk
of
land
with
a
lot
of
implications.
Natural
resources
in
that
area,
access
to
four
mile
run
in
this
stream,
and
so
it
really
came
time
to
think
about
the
future
of
the
park
holistically
and
for
the
long
run
and
that's
why
we
adopted
framework
and
design
guidelines
for
this
park,
which
were
excited
to
see.
C
C
Expense,
Aleut
Li
yeah.
It's
some
guidelines
that
will
guide
how
the
playgrounds
are
redeveloped
and
other
park
amenities.
How
the
trail
is
reconfigured
over
time,
as
well
as
some
of
your
thoughts
about
plantings
that
will
go
into
that
meadow
space.
That's
part
of
Benjamin,
Banneker,
Park
and
others,
and.
C
Dies-
and
it's
actually
named
for
a
pretty
fabulous
regional,
historical
figure,
Benjamin
Banneker,
who
is
the
son
of
slaves
and
a
self-taught
mathematician
who
was
involved
in
the
drawing
or
the
survey
of
the
original
boundary
of
the
District
of
Columbia.
So
it's
exciting
to
see
whose
legacy
recognized
in
this
way
anytime.
B
We
have
a
park,
you
know
and
back
to
the
community
facility
study
limited
land.
We
have
to
maximize
the
efficiency
of
that.
So
some
of
this
every
time
we
go
do
a
new
framework,
a
new
master
plan
for
a
park.
It's
actually
thinking
about
how
you
maybe
add
a
little
bit
to
it,
how
you
reorganize
reorient,
so
you
get
the
maximum
use
out
of
it,
the
maximum
amount
of
usable
space
and
amenities.
We.
A
B
B
Oh
sure,
yeah
I
love
this
one.
This
is
something
that
was
created,
maybe
I'm,
thinking
2009.
Something
like
that.
We
realized
that
in
our
planning,
which
we're
known
for
we
did
all
the
functional
things
really
well:
ingress,
egress
density
height,
massing,
streetscape,
retail,
all
the
functional
stuff,
but
there
was
a
growing
concern
that
we
weren't
getting
enough
emphasis
on
the
architecture,
some
interesting
designs,
and
how
important
was
that
you
know
to
the
broader
community?
B
Well,
we
are
very
limited
in
how
we
can
tell
someone
to
design
a
building
and-
and-
and
you
know,
we're
all
amateurs
as
well
and
beauty
is
in
the
eye
of
the
beholder.
But
we
decided
to
do
what
we
could
to
sort
of
put
a
greater
emphasis
on
that.
So
we
held
the
number
of
discussion
groups.
We
had
some
forums,
we
brought
in
some
experts
in
the
area.
Some
professionals
we
ended
up.
B
B
Applications
I
think
this
year,
30
or
40
applications
trying
to
acknowledge
and
and
bring
to
the
forefront
to
the
public
view
and
express
appreciation
to
those
projects
that
had
either
outstanding
or
notable
architecture
or
landscape,
design
and
historic
preservation
features
and
that's
what
we
did
just
the
other
day.
It
was
the
two-year
Design
Awards
they
came
to
the
boardroom.
We
were
able
to
acknowledge
them,
recognized
them
and
I
think
that's.
B
A
Thinking
around
the
ground,
there
are
quite
a
few
opportunities
or
examples,
rather
so
I'm,
just
really
interesting
design,
whether
it's
a
nod
to
a
business
that
used
to
be
on
that
site
or
just
something
a
little
different.
It
just
kind
of
makes
the
visual
landscape
a
little
bit
more
interesting.
Another.
B
Outcome
of
that
was
identifying
certain
key
locations
because
of
their
geography,
their
visibility
at
an
intersection
or
with
a
view
corridor
and
in
those
areas
noting
that
architecture
in
that
instance
might
be
more
important
needs
to
be
thought
about
earlier
on
in
a
process.
So
you
know,
as
I
say
we
don't
have
a
lot
of
authority,
but
we
have
different
tools
that
we
can
create
to
help
incentivize
and
encourage
a
better
better
architecture
and
design.
Thank.
A
A
Welcome
back
to
County
Board
wrap-up,
where
each
month
we
take
a
closer
look
at
some
of
the
key
decisions.
The
board
takes
at
each
monthly
board
meeting
joining
us
today,
as
always,
and
for
the
final
time
is
County
Board,
Chair,
Jay,
Fassett
joined,
of
course,
by
Vice
Chair
Katie
crystal.
But
let's
talk
about
this
is
very
exciting.
Arlington
has
always
had
a
commitment
to
environmental
sustainability
to
green
building,
and
now
it's
really
getting
a
pretty
spectacular
recognition
for
this
as
a
LEED
Platinum
community.
Let's
talk
about.
C
C
Thrilled
about
this,
it's
such
an
affirmation
of
how
hard
our
community
members,
our
county
staff,
our
county
leadership
like
Jay,
have
been
working
along
with
our
private
sector
and
others
to
build
a
community
that
is
truly
sustainable,
environmentally
aware
well,
planned
in
terms
of
transit
and
growth,
and
to
have
that
recognized
by
the
United
States
Green
Building
Council,
whose
symbol
or
designation
the
Leadership
in
Energy
and
Environmental
Design
is
really
globally
recognized
as
a
symbol
of
achievement
and
sustainability.
So
we
are
their
first
community.
C
There
was
one
city
that
preceded
us,
but
with
our
neighbor
in
the
District
of
Columbia,
which
we
think
bodes
really
well
for
our
region,
but
to
see
our
work
recognized
in
this
way.
I
think
feels
like
such
an
affirmation
and
a
reminder
that
we
have
more
work
to
do
to
really
stay
at
that
leading
edge
of
energy
efficiency,
sustainability
and
good
planning,
and
what.
B
The
thing
I'll
say
is
that,
right
now,
in
this
time,
when
the
federal
government
has
abrogated
their
responsibility,
everybody
knows
that
more
responsibility
and
opportunity
rest
with
local
governments,
state
governments
and
the
private
sector,
as
Katie
said,
and
we're
a
model
for
that,
and
that's
what's
really
cool
about
this
local
governments
all
over
are
needing
to
step
up
and
we've
been
doing
it
for
the
last
10
or
15
years,
and
this
is
a
really
wonderful
acknowledgement
of
that.
Katie.
A
B
That
in
Virginia
we
have
this
Dylan
rule
everyone
talks
about.
So
you
know
there
are
a
lot
of
local
governments
that
have
a
lot
more
authority
to
mandate.
Things
happen.
This
happened
not
having
that
authority,
but
finding
creative
ways
to
incentivize
and
partner.
Our
private
sector
is
right
in
there
with
us
and
that's
not
to
be
assumed.
We
have
to
keep
working
at
that.
Well,.
D
A
B
B
I've
loved
it
I
mean
I've,
it's
as
I,
say
to
everybody.
It's
been
a
labor
of
love.
You
refresh
yourself
along
the
way
you
find
new
challenges
you
get
to
work
with
new
people
like
Katie,
like
Christian.
Every
board
has
its
own
character
and
its
own
identity,
but
with
the
community
behind
us
with
the
private
sector
in
there
you
know
we
have
stayed
true
to
that
vision
and
refined
it
each
time
along
the
way.
So
I
love
the
work.
I
mean
it's
really
exciting.
To
actually
see
change
happen.
B
To
actually
not
only
do
the
plan
and
Harrow
to
plan
or
find
a
plan,
but
it's
not
just
a
plan.
You
actually
are
doing
it.
You're
adopting
you
know,
building
developments
and
seeing
stormwater
seeing
you
know
your
transit
plan
come
to
life
in
your
community.
It's
really
exciting.
It's
an
exciting
job.
It
always
has
been,
and
I
really
look
forward
to
watching.
These
guys
continue.
Moving
Arlington
forward
is.
B
There
really
isn't
I
mean
you
know
a
lot
of
people
think
it's
a
project.
You
know
there
are
plenty
of
individual
projects.
Every
time
you
drive
down
the
street,
you
see
another
one
that
you,
maybe
you
you
influence
a
little
bit
or
you
were
there,
but
it's
more
the
20
years
of
being
in
a
role
of
being
able
to
listen
to
people,
help
guide
and
lead
the
community
through
that
kind
of
change
and
know
we
keep
moving
forward
that
we
haven't
stopped.
B
C
Folks,
oh
joy,
JJ
is
a
pretty
distinguished
group
of
former
board
members.
You
know
a
lot
of
folks
who,
after
stepping
off
the
board,
have
continued
to
play
incredible
leadership.
Roles
in
our
community
and
on
a
personal
level
have
been
amazing
mentors
to
those
who
followed
behind
them.
So
we're
not
letting
Jay
go
too
far.
We'll.
B
Oh
yeah
Eric
got
so
a
great
addition.
He'll
be
a
wonderful
addition.
I,
don't
think
anyone
has
been
more
prepared
to
start
on
day,
one
with
the
work
he's
done
in
this
community
over
many
years
already,
showing
through
his
volunteerism,
how
much
he
cares
and
taking
the
next
step
to
to
do
that
same
kind
of
work
through
a
position
on
the
county
board.
I'm
really
excited
I'm
pleased
that
he's
there.
Okay.
A
Well,
that's
gonna.
Do
it
for
County
Board,
wrap
for
2017,
Thank,
You,
Jay
and
Katie
for
joining
us
for
this
last
show
of
the
year,
we'll
see
you
in
the
new
year
when
we
have
a
new
county
board
chair
and
vice
chair
as
well
as,
of
course,
a
new
board
member.
If
you
want
to
watch
County,
Board
meetings,
they're
live
streamed
and
archived
on
the
county's
website.
A
Arlington
Va
us
just
search
county
board
and
remember
to
tell
us
what
you
think
about
these
issues
and
more
by
going
to
topics
dot,
Arlington,
Va,
dot,
us
slash,
engage
we'll
be
back
again
next
year,
we'll
see
you
then,
but
of
course,
before
we
go
J,
you
know
you.
As
most
people
know,
we
haven't
talked
about
it
lately,
but
you
of
course,
would
have
been
kind
of
a
a
leader
in
the
environmental
sustainability
movement
here
in
Arlington,
specifically
when
it
comes
to
things
like
water,
recycling
and
water
bottles.