Arlington has a lot of new developments and planning processes happening, but here are the ones that we are following. Reach out if you would like to support anything on this list, or let us know about something we should add.
Arlington is working to update the Comprehensive Plan. A comprehensive plan is a long-range plan for livability and what the community wants to look like in the future. It is a tool that highlights values and priorities and guides decision making as the community grows. Please share your input by June 30 and emphasize the need for greater housing supply and housing diversity!
Get excited about some of the changes a new Comprehensive Plan could bring:
Arlington’s Transportation Future is a County initiative to develop a refreshed Transportation Plan, to replace the 2007 Master Transportation Plan. The County Board will vote on the Vision and Goals for the new Master Transportation Plan in July. Unfortunately, two of Arlington’s commissions are recommending problematic revisions. Tell the County Board to stick with the vision and goals that citizen feedback created, and ensure that Arlington has a future of independence, not car dependence.
Send an email now, with talking points from our friends at Sustainable Mobility for Arlington County.
Save the date for the County Board hearing on either Sat., July 19 or Tues., July 22.
RiverHouse is a large-scale property in Pentagon City with three 15-story apartment towers surrounded by surface parking lots and some green space. It was originally developed in the 1960s and the current owner is JBG Smith. In 2022, the property received eligibility for a significant increase in density, through the Pentagon City Sector Plan process. The Sector Plan stipulates that in order to achieve this additional density, JBG Smith would need to include green space and affordable housing with the new development.
In 2023, JBG Smith released the specific plan for adding housing to the RiverHouse site. They proposed multiple buildings to fit around the existing apartment towers, replacing the surface parking, adding green space, and improving circulation around and through their property.
But this original plan had proposed only about half of the density that the Sector Plan allowed, and not as much green space as many community members wanted.
Now, JBG Smith has released an updated Site Plan for the property, responding to this feedback (including from us). They are including more homes - over 2,700 after the full buildout - and more green space.
Because this site is so large, the Site Plan Review process will happen in phases. Phase 1, which starts now, includes two shorter buildings (7 stories) and 127 townhomes. Join us to support this Site Plan process so these new homes can get built as soon as possible.
Here is the project website for the most up to date information: RiverHouse Neighborhood – Official Website of Arlington County Virginia Government
How you can help:
Adam Watson, Arlington County - Planning Division, Awatson@arlingtonva.us
Daniel Weir (SPRC Chair), Planning Commission, dweir@commissions.arlingtonva.us
Each Monday, a member of the Arlington County Board holds a virtual session to meet one-on-one (or in small groups) with constituents. Each Virtual Open Door Monday runs from 7-9 pm, but you do not have to stay for the entire time.
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Learn about the pro-housing movement and how you can make housing more affordable near you!
Have a housing proposal that needs our support? Tell us about it!
