Dear Friends,
I hope everyone has enjoyed the gorgeous weather we’ve been having. Our October Board meetings were fairly busy. I’ll cover three major issues we voted on. For more information on these topics, please consult: https://www.arlingtonva.us/About-Arlington/Newsroom/Articles/2024/Arlington-County-Board-Wrap-up-for-October-2024-Meetings
Recovery Residences
On Saturday we voted to change our Zoning Ordinance so that recovery residences are now allowed up to 8 residents, just as are group homes for intellectually disabled people. Recovery houses are homes organized to help people recovering from addiction to alcohol or drugs. They are run by the residents of the home themselves who must be totally drug and alcohol free to live there. The program run by Oxford Houses, which requested the change, has been quite successful in helping people become stable and functioning members of our community. The usual stay is about 6 months. This issue first came to us in July. Oxford Houses currently runs 6 recovery residences in Arlington and requested to have up to 8 residents per house by right (that is without requiring a permit). This is a better number for the functioning of their program and more economically viable than the 4-person maximum previously allowed. Former residents of the program came to our meeting and spoke eloquently about what the program means to them. And, they attributed their very lives to having this program and the support of others in the house.
There was concern from near neighbors about two particular houses, but we determined that the most serious concerns happened before the houses became recovery houses and most importantly, we agreed with our attorney that the Fair Housing Act requires us to treat these homes just like those for people with intellectual disabilities. The Board spent several months learning about the Oxford Houses program and others that are similar. While we learned of poorly run programs in other places, Oxford Houses has a 30-year history in Arlington. We have had very few complaints or concerns over those years.
Deer Management Program
It is clear from a study we recently completed as well as simple observation of the damage to our forests, that there are far more deer in Arlington than can be supported by the natural environment here. This second major Saturday issue approved advertising a public hearing on November 16, 2024 regarding our intent to change our code to allow County-supervised sharpshooters to shoot deer in our parks, when parks are closed. Nearly every other jurisdiction in our area, including the District of Columbia, Fairfax County, and the National Park Service, has programs to cull deer. This is just the beginning of establishing a sharpshooter program to cull deer in Arlington. It will not actually begin until the winter of 2026. While I understand many people’s dislike of controlling the deer population with sharpshooting, data show that sharpshooting is the most effective, humane, and safe method to combat deer overpopulation.
Ballston Easement
On Tuesday, we heard one item that had originally been on the consent agenda. The item itself was not controversial and was a simple easement for a transformer project at 11th and Vermont Streets in the Ballston neighborhood. However, having a public hearing about it allowed us to discuss issues associated with multiple construction projects in tight urban environments, which this project was. The neighborhood has put up with years of noise and disruption and difficult traffic situations as several building projects move forward simultaneously. Often if there are problems it is not clear to anyone which project is responsible or whom they should contact.
We all agreed that there are some important lessons learned that, in the future, could create better policies and/or procedures when there are several projects in one small dense urban area. I expect future planning to be done with the neighbors and our staff to create better ways to mitigate the harmful effects of similar projects.
Voting in 2024
As you know, November 5th is Election Day, and not only is it an all-important Presidential election, but also our U.S. Senator and Representative are on the ballot, along with County Board and School Board (2 seats). There are 5 Bond Issues and 1 Constitutional Amendment.
The deadline for receiving a mail-in ballot has passed, however you can still mail your ballot; drop it in a blue box; vote Early In-Person; and of course, at the polls on Election Day. For information about all voting details and locations, please see: https://vote.arlingtonva.gov/Elections
For November, I imagine nearly all my readers are feeling the tension of the upcoming election (and fatigue at the bombardment of pleas for money and support). We do not expect disruption to voting here in Arlington, but are very prepared should there be any problems. The region as a whole is cooperating on preparations for possible disruptions not only on Election Day but also on December 18, when the states certify their election results, on January 6, and for the Inauguration.
A good way to relieve some election tension is to take action. While I know a few of my readers are, or have been, Republicans, I doubt any of my readers is comfortable with the idea of a second Trump administration. Unlike the owners of the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, I know this is not an election to sit out. Too much is at stake. If you have the time and are able, you might consider volunteering for phone banks or door-knocking either locally or in Pennsylvania and North Carolina.
The Virginia Democrats are canvassing in Pennsylvania and North Carolina on Saturdays. And, they are sponsoring phone banks into those two states and locally 7 days a week. If you would like to help, here is the information: https://www.arlingtondemocrats.org/volunteer.
Preparedness
As I’ve said before, it is always a very good idea to be prepared for a variety of events, both man-made and natural. In general, it is good to be ready for 1-2 weeks of a “camping trip” at home with some supply of food, and ways to cook and provide light and heat if the power is off for a while. A battery-operated radio (and the needed batteries) is always good, especially one that can charge your phone. Also, I realized recently that nearly all my good contact information for close family is in my iCloud account, so I printed out a list of important addresses and numbers just in case I need them and don’t have access to my electronic devices. For more details, please see this video: https://www.youtube.com/live/hh3DcrZ-qtk?si=cxR1dxPlaJxOT3ac&t=6691
Finally, we also need to be much more prepared now for disinformation and misinformation.
If you see or hear some story or rumor that seems odd or unlikely (or even if it is feels mostly likely) take a deep breath and verify it. It’s good to verify information. Here are some good sources.
As always, I hope this newsletter is helpful and welcome comments and suggestions.
With hope for our Democracy,
Libby
