During the Arlington County Board meeting on January 1st, the new head of the Board, Mary Hanes, announced she will appoint twenty residents to study and advise elected officials in an effort to help ensure better community outreach. In particular, there will be greater community input garnered for where new fire stations, schools and other civic infrastructure should be built. There will also be a focus on how to retain our parks an open space. The goal is to deeply engage the community more, and for our residents’ voices to be heard. This is great news for anyone who loves Orange Line Living.
The new effort is being hailed as an attempt to restore the “Arlington Way” of seeking community input and consensus before major public projects are begun. This approach is in response to growing concern over several projects and how they have been handled, as many residents have been feeling as though they have not been heard when it comes to spending large amounts of money on public works. Some examples of public concern include the canceled street car project, a million dollar bus stop and the Long Bridge Park Aquatics Center. The County Board is aiming to rectify the tension with steps such as the 20-resident committee.
Some specific board member pledges included a commitment from J. Walter Tejada to support affordable housing and maintain Arlington’s diversity, and a continued push for environmentally responsible polices from Jay Fisette. Other board members called for improvement to transit and development in particular in the Columbia Pike area. Whatever the results may end up being for work done by the Arlington County Board this year, there will be more community involvement with the Resident Committee. If you are ready to buy our sell a home in this varied and diverse area, myself, and the Orange Line Living team are here to help you with our unique and specialized services so you can turn your home dreams into reality. To learn more about how we can help you, contact us directly at 571-969-7653 or at [email protected].
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