Arlington County Government, VA / Up Close

Over 50 years ago community leaders had a vision to redevelop Arlington, VA. At the time they didn't know that they were starting a trend that would later be known as 'Smart Growth' - where mixed-use development around public transit hubs, creates an environment where people want to live and work.

Sustainability is inherently part of a Smart Growth plan, and today's leaders want to make Arlington even more energy efficient. This is the story of how today's Arlington visionaries want to create a community energy plan that'll reach into the next 50 years.

The Neighborhood Conservation Program has been helping to improve and enhance Arlington neighborhoods for 50 years. When the program was created in 1964, the goal was to empower residents by having them come together to discuss and share ideas for improving their neighborhoods. Today, the program provides funding for a variety of improvements including: installation of sidewalks, curbs and gutters, streetlights, signs, park improvements, neighborhood art and beautification. This program empowers citizens to identify and plan projects in their own neighborhoods.

Communities participating in the Neighborhood Conservation program benefit from being involved in the process for improving their own neighborhoods and help get funds for important projects. It’s also a great way for neighborhoods to directly engage with Arlington County.
When a neighborhood participates in the Neighborhood Conservation program, it becomes part of a larger community known as the Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee (NCAC). The County Board relies on the NCAC to report on the issues of greatest concern to our community members. Neighborhood Conservation representatives serve on the NCAC and help to develop recommendations for improving the neighborhood conservation process and participate in implementing County bond funds.

to find out more about the program go to arlingtonva.us and search on "Neighborhood Conservation"

After years of development and community input, the new Arlington Mill Community Center has opened its doors on Columbia Pike. This building, a beacon in the community, will provide something for everyone, of every age and every culture. As Columbia Pike continues to grow, this community center will help to foster a main-street environment and a stronger sense of community.

Some of the key features and programs of the new community center include:

• Combining high quality, multi-purpose community center and affordable housing on the Pike. In one of the county's most ethnically and economically diverse areas, Arlington Mill will provide a wide range of courses, classes, recreational and sports opportunities to the community. The center will offer something for everyone, from pre-K to seniors.
• The county board's long-term effort to transform the Pike into a more transit-oriented, walkable, bikeable street that provides high-quality transportation options, ground floor retail, and great public spaces for residents, while preserving the stock of affordable housing and encouraging small business.
• The project came in on budget, and plans to serve a large portion of the population on a consistent basis. Services from DHS and DPR will be served out of this facility and the center has been built to grow along with the community and their needs.

To learn more about Arlington Mill Community Center, hours of operation, and all of the programs offered, visit the county webpage at arlingtonva.us and search Arlington Mill.

"Community led consensus " is the phrase that best describes the process of renovating James Hunter Park in Clarendon. The community had to decide what kind of park they wanted? Who should it benefit? Should it be for dogs? Should it be for people? The process was thorough, and the result, as you will find out, is pretty unique.

It's an amazing park, it's open from sunrise to 10pm every day, with the canine area closing at 9pm. The dog area will also close from 10am to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for staff to clean and maintain it. To find out more about the James Hunter Park visit Arlingtonva.us/parks.

In this story, we head down to Rosslyn, which is just starting to plan its own extreme makeover. "Realize Rosslyn" is an intense community planning process aimed at realizing the transformation of Rosslyn from a 1960's auto-centric area into a vibrant and distinctive urban place featuring great housing, retail and office space. The results of this effort will provide a refined community vision to help Rosslyn reach its full potential, while ensuring the voices across Arlington are part of this conversation. In five years, you may see a very different Rosslyn from the one we see today.

To find out more and keep up with the Realize Rosslyn process go to: www.arlingtonva.us/Rosslyn

Arlington County Superintendent Dr. Patrick Murphy, Assistant Superintendent of Facilities John Chadwick, and Wakefield High School Principal Christian Willmore lead us on a tour of the extraordinary renovations made at Wakefield HS over the summer.

Realize Rosslyn is an intense community planning process aimed at realizing the transformation of Rosslyn from a 1960's auto-centric area into a vibrant and distinctive urban place featuring great housing, retail and office space. The results of this effort will provide a refined community vision to help Rosslyn reach its full potential, while ensuring the voices across Arlington are part of this conversation.

To find out more and keep up with the Realize Rosslyn process go to: www.arlingtonva.us/Rosslyn

The men and women of Arlington's Special Operations Section come together to provide an escort for the President of the United States, negotiate with hostage takers, and help children cross the street to get to school. In this segment of 'upclose', we find out why this diverse group are in one section, and what motivates Arlington County Police Officers to volunteer for these special jobs.

Ever wonder what the role of the magistrate in Arlington county is? Magistrates are independent judicial officers who work directly for the Supreme Court of Virginia. The principal function of the magistrate is to provide an independent, unbiased review of complaints of criminal conduct brought to the office by law enforcement or the general public.

All complaints filed with the Magistrate's office must be done so in person and in writing. For more information about the Office of the Magistrate, visit the county's webpage, and search "Magistrate."

Five years after its keel was laid down the USS Arlington finally sailed into its home port of Norfolk Virginia where it was commissioned into active service in the United States Navy. It was a memorable and moving beginning to what Arlington officials hope is a long relationship.


In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the US Navy requisitioned three ships that would commemorate the events, pay honor to the Americans who died, and tribute to the efforts of the first responders who were America's first line of defense on that day.

The USS Arlington is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship. This is the third USS Arlington, the previous two having served between WWII and Vietnam. It's a history that highlights the unique relationship between Arlington County and the military.

Because of that unique relationship, Arlington wanted to give the USS Arlington a homecoming unlike any the Navy had ever seen before: a salute from the emergency officials who responded to the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11.

It was an emotional homecoming for the crew which had spent two years in Mississippi preparing the ship for active duty and the first responders salute only added to the powerful feelings of this day. The homecoming event highlighted the growing relationship between the two Arlingtons: county and ship.

That legacy is going to be preserved in a planned Tribute Room onboard the USS Arlington, which will pay honor to both the victims and the heroes of the attack on the Pentagon. A living legacy of Arlington's response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the tribute room will be an important ambassador for our county, as it hosts events and dignitaries all around the world.

As the USS Arlington was commissioned into active duty, the men and women who serve on it bore with them the hopes of a nation, and the special hopes of our community that the relationship we've started will continue to grow over time.

The USS Arlington Commission is still looking for contributions to help build the Tribute Room. So if you'd like to donate, or to find out more about the ship, go to

www.USSArlingtonLPD24.org.

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Participation, Leadership, And Civic Engagement, or PLACE is County Board Chair Mary Hynes' new initiative that will update 'The Arlington Way'...and what is The Arlington Way? Let's Find out and see that all will be made clear.

If you'd like to get involved with PLACE visit www.arlingtonplace.us

George Mason University in Arlington was chosen as the venue to launch Startup Virginia. An effort to reach entrepreneurs, and give them the support they need. Arlington's Economic Development, helped organize and support the event.

If you're an entrepreneur who needs help to make that next step, contact Arlington Economic Development at www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com, or you can visit Startup Virginia at www.va.s.co

Are you prepared for an emergency? Would you know who to call, where to go? Do you have the proper supplies? The Office of Emergency Management, or OEM, knows that having all that information is key in an emergency, and that's why they developed the mobile app "Arlington Prepares."

Arlington's 55+ programs include lots of classes that keep seniors physically fit. But studies have shown one of the most significant things seniors can do thrive in their old age is to keep mentally fit. This segment highlights the many resources available to Arlington seniors to continue learning in their retirement.

www.arlingtonva.us/parks
www.arlingtonlri.org

The Department of Environmental Services is Arlington County's largest department, and the programs and services it provides encompass some of Arlington's most basic and it's most sophisticated. Join AVN for a partial tour of all the work DES staff do to keep the county running smoothly.

For years, residents living on or near Columbia Pike, a major east-west artery in south Arlington, have worked with County government on a comprehensive plan to build a more walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented Main Street. So, what does revitalization look like on the Pike? When will the Streetcar arrive? Who is making the decisions? Mary Curtius went to find out the answers to these questions and more...

This October, more than 150 community volunteers and County staff went out into the streets to survey our County's homeless population as part of the 100 Homes for 100 Homeless Registry Project. And AVN's Up Close crew was with them.

During the months of November and December, Arlington County collects leaves from residents who receive county curbside trash and recycling services. Residents can rake their leaves in loose piles to the curbside for Vacuum Leaf Collection , or put their leaves in Biodegradable Leaf Bags for collection. In a classic recycling effort, the County mulches the leaves and brush it collects from residents, and grinds them to create mulch that is available to residents. This year Arlington County is taking a proactive approach to enhance the leaf collection program based on citizens concerns raised last year with thorough research and planning.

Tell Arlington's Story is an Arlington County Government initiative to celebrate Arlington's rich cultural diversity through a variety of events, celebrations, and story-telling. Since the beginning of the year, people from across the community have been sharing their experiences, their music, their culture -- their stories. This UpClose segment is a mid-year review of the project's progress. Stories collected thus far can be read, heard and watched on http://arlingtonstory.us/.

BizLaunch offers nearly 40 workshops and seminars every year, all aimed at helping local small business owners plan, develop, and grow their businesses. On the day AVN visited, BizLaunch was hosting an event aimed at helping entrepreneurs hone the perfect pitch.

Arlington County recently approved a 40 year plan for Crystal City,. The County Board, working with the community, developed a new vision at a turning point for this vitally importatn community. Mary Curtius takes a tour with County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman to discuss the plan.

The crisis intervention team, or CIT, has developed a multi step process that looks at each individual case along the entire criminal justice system and ensures that person receives the care and attention they need.

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Is Arlingon's Initiative to Reduce Emissions working? If so how? Arlington County answers these questions and shows us how it intends to involve the business community.

Mary Curtius from Arlington's Office of Communications speaks with Michael Leventhal, Arlington's Historic Preservation Program Coordinator, about the county's Historic Resources Inventory. The HRI is a list of Arlington's essential and important buildings and properties which is intended to bring clarity and transparency to Arlington's development process while protecting important pieces of our past.

Emily Cassell and Courtney Cacatian of Arlington's Convention & Visitors Services division introduce us to their latest innovation for making visitor services more flexible, accessible, and up to date. It's the Mobile Tourism Vehicle which replaces the counties old storefront Visitors Center, and brings tourist information right into the neighborhoods where Arlington's visitors are staying. To find the Mobile Tourism Vehicle's full schedule, check out StayArlington.com

This segment looks at Arlington Virginia's Community Energy and Sustainability Task Force and the report that will be submitted to the Arlington County Board on May 17. The Community Energy Plan is a long-term project that looks at how we generate, transmit, store and use energy in our County. www.arlingtonva.us search "CEP".

In this segment we find out if Fresh AIRE, Arlington's Initiative to Reduce Emissions, is working. And how the County is reaching out to businesses owners to help them reduce their energy use.

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This documentary traces the story of how visionary leaders - and residents who passionately loved their community - together transformed an aging suburb into a national model of transit oriented development. Arlington's setbacks and victories, battles and debates will resonate with any community seeking an alternative to sprawl.

A 2 minute preview of a new documentary by Arlington Virginia Network. It profiles the work and vision of Arlington County government and residents to combat global warming. Can a small municipality whose neighbor is Washington DC, really be a catalyst for change and lead by example?