neighborhood conservation plan · 2014-02-27 · neighborhood conservation commit-tee. the civic...

NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION PLAN

ARLINGTON COUNTY VIRGINIA AUGUST 1999

NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION PLANAUGUST 1999

Dedicated to JOHN WHITEA Bluemont resident since 1961 and former Association president,

who has made our neighborhood a better place.

Many Bluemont residents helped createthis plan. They include:

Carl Hallinan(Bluemont Neighborhood ConservationPlan [BNCP] Committee Chair)

Gerry Procanick(Bluemont Civic Association President andBNCP Commercial Subcommittee Co-Chair)

Ellen ArmbrusterRobert Atkins

(BNCP Ordinances Subcommittee Chair)

Lynn BartonBrent BaxterBernard BerneFrank BolgerNancy BortKelly ChristopherAlicia Clark-RochacNathan CollamerJudy CollinsWorth Cooley-ProstAllen CoteGeorge FarahEd Fendley

(BNCP Drafting Subcommittee Chair)

Rene GorskiJoann Gottschalk

(BNCP Parks Subcommittee Co-Chair)

Pam GreeneRick HodgesJohn Huennekens

(BNCP History Subcommittee Chair)

Sam Kubiak(BNCP Traffic Calming Subcommittee Chair)

Jane LattaCarl LarocheDoug LevinJim McElfishMichele McClellanMarjorie MacieiraVictor McMahon

(BNCP Parks Subcommittee Co-Chair)

Nancy MalinLouis MartinAdrienne PilotStacey PorroBruce ReynoldsDan SalsburgDiane SchwarzPatti SkinnerCarol SloanBarbara SzydlaBrian TaylorFrank TetreaultJohn Van DorenNaomi Verdugo

(BNCP Tabulation Subcommittee Chair)

Robert WaffleCharles WaldenJanet Weiner

(BNCP Streets Subcommittee Chair)

John WhiteTalmadge Williams

(BNCP Commercial Subcommittee Co-Chair)

Lynne WillhoitAlan Wright

Many Arlington County employees also providedcrucial guidance or assistance. The neighborhood’sspecial thanks go to Robert Collins, Chris Nixon, JeffSikes, Jim Allen, Nancy Michael and Jennifer King.

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgements i

Introduction ............................................ 1

Executive Summary ............................. 1

Development of the BluemontNeighborhood Conservation Plan ........ 1

Bluemont NeighborhoodBoundary Map ..................................... 2

Demographic Characteristics .............. 3

History of Bluemont................................. 5

Land Use and Zoning ............................... 9

Land Use ............................................. 9

Ballston ............................................... 9

Zoning Map ......................................... 10

Zoning Issues ...................................... 11

Other Issues ........................................ 11

Streets and Street Safety.........................13

Major Pedestrian SafetyNeighborhood Street Design ................ 13

Major Pedestrian SafetyProjects Map ....................................... 14

Traffic Calming Measures forNeighborhood Principal Streets andWilson Boulevard ................................. 16

Arterial Intersections andInappropriate Use of NeighborhoodMinor Streets ...................................... 16

Urban Village Action Program ............. 19

Other Issues ........................................ 19

Parks and Other Open Spaces .................23

Overview ............................................. 23

Parks and Open Space Map ................. 24

Waterways and Wetlands ..................... 25

Off-Road Trails .................................... 25

Parks ................................................... 26

Other Open Spaces.............................. 28

Beautification ...................................... 28

Wilson Boulevard Commercial Area .........31

Appendix ARecommended Projects ....................... A-1

Appendix BSummary of PolicyRecommendations ............................... B-1

Appendix CCounty Board Report andStandard Motion .................................. C-1

Table of Contents

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LOCATION MAPArlington County, Virginia

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Executive Summary

Bluemont is a vibrant, friendlycommunity of more than5,000 people in west central

Arlington County. Theneighborhood’s special attractionsinclude prize-winning flowergardens, a wetlands refuge andbeaver pond, streams, stands ofheritage trees, noted schools,historic sites, a university campus,unique shops, and some of thefinest bicycle trails in the EasternU.S. When residents were askedwhat they liked most about theneighborhood, though, the mostcommon response was parks.Indeed, no fewer than six popularCounty parks are wholly or partiallylocated in Bluemont.

In contrast to neighboring Ballston,ninety percent of Bluemont’s land isdevoted to low-density residentialdevelopment, low-density commer-cial development, or parks. Neigh-borhood residents want this landuse pattern to continue. Detachedhomes of varying ages and stylesgive Bluemont its predominantcharacter. There are also a numberof apartments, including one high-rise building complex, whichprovides one out of every sevenhousing units in the neighborhood.Like many traditional urbanneighborhoods, Bluemont has itsown commercial district of smallshops and stores. Bluemont’ssecond commercial area, part of theRosslyn-Ballston corridor, containshigher-density development.

On balance, Bluemont is a greatplace to live. But the communityfaces challenges. The most pressing

problem is dangerous streets. Whensurveyed in 1998, Bluemontresidents gave more than sixhundred specific comments onvarious street hazards. Independentstreet design criteria confirm thereis good reason to be dissatisfied.Four out of every five through-streets are missing sidewalks onone or both sides. Most streets arefar wider than necessary, whichencourages speeding and increasesthe risk of injury-causing accidents.Finally, almost every minor-streetintersection in Bluemont is de-signed to favor fast moving through-traffic instead of the needs of localresidents.

These unfriendly streets are out ofcharacter for a progressive andaffluent municipality like Arlington.They stand in particularly starkcontrast to the vision presented bythe Arlington County Board Chair inhis January 1998 quality of lifeinitiative, which is based on “goodurban design, with walkableresidential areas and pedestrian-friendly commercial centers.”

A primary purpose of this neighbor-hood conservation plan is to helpus, the residents of Bluemont, toreclaim our streets. We ask theCounty’s support in building theinfrastructure of a true urbanvillage, featuring fluid but slow-moving traffic and a network ofsidewalks that encourages peopleof all ages to walk anywhere in theneighborhood. The specifics of sucha program are laid out in thesection on Streets and Street Safetyand in Appendix A, RecommendedProjects.

We also make a number of otherimportant recommendations. Weask that the County generallymaintain local land use and zoningdesignations so that for generationsto come Bluemont will remain aresidential neighborhood of prima-rily detached homes. Land use andzoning patterns are especiallyimportant to the many of us whoare carefully watching the Ballstondevelopment boom. In this docu-ment, we also make suggestions formaintaining or improving our finelocal parks and for making theWilson Boulevard Commercial Areamore attractive and more acces-sible.

Finally, this conservation planintroduces Bluemont. Until 1998,our neighborhood was known asStonewall Jackson. We now have anew name and an invigorated civicassociation membership. With thisplan as a blueprint, we’re movingforward.

Development of theBluemontNeighborhoodConservation PlanMany Bluemont residents wereactively involved in creating thisplan. Indeed, it was a formerneighborhood leader, Hal Gibson,who decades ago was instrumentalin the founding of the ArlingtonCounty neighborhood conservationprogram. In February 1992, theneighborhood formally committeditself to formulating a conservationplan. The neighborhood reactivatedthis commitment in 1997, forming a

Introduction 1

Introduction

Map 2.

BluemontNeighborhoodBoundaries

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CONSTITUTIONGARDEN

2 Introduction

neighborhood conservation commit-tee. The Civic Association in thespring of 1998 distributed to localresidences and businesses a surveyposing questions on land use,zoning, streets, sidewalks, traffic,parks, community services andother neighborhood issues. Ap-proximately 200 surveys werecompleted and returned. More thanfifty residents volunteered forcommittees that subsequentlyexamined and made recommenda-tions on a variety of issues. Othervolunteers tabulated survey resultsor helped draft the final report. Stillmore residents gave additionalinput at 1998 and 1999 CivicAssociation meetings and vianeighbors serving on conservationplan committees. The plan repre-sents the consensus views ofresidents on what is best for theircommunity.

Balls Crossing ConservationPlan. The Bluemont neighborhoodincludes the area known as BallsCrossing, which in 1987 obtainedCounty Board approval of its ownNeighborhood Conservation Plan.The 1999 Bluemont NeighborhoodConservation Plan encompassesBalls Crossing, and thereforereplaces the 1987 Balls Crossingplan.

Nomenclature. For brevity, thequalifier “North” is not used whenreferring to neighborhood streets.The unqualified term “Association”refers to the Bluemont CivicAssociation (or its predecessor, theStonewall Jackson Citizens Asso-ciation), and the unqualified term“County” refers to Arlington County.

Demographics at aGlanceData from the 1990 census portrayBluemont as a relatively educated,affluent and mobile community. Atthat time, most Bluemont adultsheld a bachelor’s degree or higher.Median household income was$52,979. Only one in five of itsresidents at that time were born inVirginia. In 1990, 60% of neighbor-hood residents had moved into theirhomes within the previous 5 years.The average household size in 1989was 2.4 people, and two out ofthree housing units were occupiedby their owners. Since 1970, thepercentage of rented housing hasincreased and the average house-hold size has decreased.

Introduction 3

Bluemont Population and Housing StatisticsSource: 1990 U.S. Census

Population: 4,657

Population (1998 estimate): 5,350

Born in U.S. 86%

Born in Virginia: 20%

White: 88%

Asian or Pacific Islander: 7%

Black: 2%

Hispanic(independent of racial identification): 5%

High school grad. or higher(of age 25 and up): 87%

Bachelor’s degree or higher(of age 25 and up): 55%

Workers self-employed: 7%

Workers classified as government workers: 29%

Median Household Income: $52,979

Families below Poverty Level: 2%

Housing Structures Built 1949 or earlier: 43%

Housing Structures Built 1950 to 1979 33%

Housing Structures Built 1980to March 1990: 25%

4 Introduction

The skyline of eastern Bluemont, part of theRosslyn-Ballston development corridor.

The Constitution Bicentennial Bell is rung onNew Year’s Eve and other holidays.

Prehistoric Through1700 AD

The area’s first settlers arrivedsome 10,000 years ago at theclose of the Ice Age. Their

descendants saw the effects ofglobal warming as conifer forestswere replaced by oak, hickory andchestnut, and as the sea level roseand flooded river valleys to form theChesapeake Bay. By 1600, the areathat would become Arlington was acrossroads between trading routesthat followed the Fall Line northand south and those that followedthe Potomac east and west. Inaddition, the Potomac was animportant food resource, especiallyduring spring migrations when fishcollected at Little Falls.

The written record of NativeAmerican settlements in our area islimited to the observations of earlyEnglish explorers and traderssailing up the Potomac. Archaeolo-gists have identified Native Ameri-can village sites near Long BranchNature Center, East Falls Church,and a quarry along Four Mile Run.The spread of English settlementsup the Potomac River was stalledaround Stafford County by conflictwith the Native Americans duringthe late 1600’s. By 1700 the areawas vacant due to the effects ofdisease, warfare and migration onthe original residents.

Colonial Period:1700-1780The dawn of the 18th century sawthe advance of English settlementas waves of woodsmen, specula-

tors, squatters and tobacco plant-ers spread across the land. At thetime, Arlington was part of theNorthern Neck Proprietorshipowned by Lord Fairfax in England.In 1739, the Bluemont area wasincluded in the second largest landgrant made within the confines oftoday’s county. The new owner wasa tobacco planter named JohnColville, who named his 1,321 acreparcel “The Lubber Tract” after itslocation next to Lubber Run.Colville was born into a merchantfamily, and after arriving in the areaon his own ship in 1733, decided tosettle on Great Hunting Creek nearAlexandria in an estate calledCleesh. He promptly entered intothe elite ranks of local society,holding offices in the County Court,Militia, Truro Parish Vestry, andHouse of Burgesses. Colville boughtand sold land tracts of tens ofthousands of acres in his dealingswith William Fairfax, Lord Fairfax’sbrother and land agent in Virginia.By 1749, Colville was the thirdlargest slaveowner in FairfaxCounty.

The extent to which Colville plantedthe Lubber Tract is uncertain. In1754 he received permission fromthe Fairfax County Court to build amill on the Lubber Tract. Mean-while, the crossroads of the ‘Roadfrom Falls Church to Awbrey’sFerry’ (Wilson Boulevard) and the‘Road from Alexandria to LittleFalls’ (Glebe Road) had beendeveloped with a tavern. Colvilledied in 1755 and his last will leftthe tract to a cousin’s husband, TheEarl of Tankerville. After theAmerican Revolution, the Earl of

Tankerville had the Lubber Tractdivided into lots and sold at auctionin 1789. Some of the lot linessurvive today as Carlin SpringsRoad, Wilson Boulevard, 11thStreet, and 16th Street.

Antebellum:1780-1860Tobacco cultivation depleted theland, and by the time of Colville’sdeath, planters in the area wereseeking alternate ways to maintaintheir incomes. The buyers of theLubber Tract lots faced the ob-stacles of worn-out fields and anunstable national economy. Theearly 1800’s saw a collapse ofagricultural land values in Virginia.Between 1817 and 1829 theassessed value of land in the statefell from $207 million to $90million. Squeezed by poor prices,shrinking assets and tight credit,many farmers lost their land toforeclosure. About 1 millionVirginians packed up and migrated

History of Bluemont 5

Geological History of Bluemont

When the African and NorthAmerican continents collided300 million years ago formingthe Appalachian Mountains, apiece of ocean sediment wascarried along. The bedrockunder Bluemont is part of thatsedimentary rock. Over themillennia, the rise and fall of theseas sculpted Bluemont’ssurface into the level terracealong Wilson Boulevard, drainedby Four Mile and Lubber runs toeither side.

History of Bluemont

to new lands in the West. Thosefamilies that held on survived bygrowing grain or planting orchardsand through improved agriculturalpractices like crop rotation and theuse of fertilizers.

Prospects for area farmers im-proved by the 1850’s as the growthof Washington, DC and the con-struction of the Alexandria,Loudoun and Hampshire Railroadopened up new markets for theirproduce. By the eve of the Civil War,local families included theWilkinsons, Cathcarts, O’Reilleysand Schneiders. North of the FallsChurch Road (Wilson Boulevard),William R. Birch farmed the inherit-ance of his wife Julia Shreve, adescendant of an original LubberTract lot owner. West of the Birchfarm (beyond the line of EdisonStreet), Julia’s uncle Samuel Shrevehad sold his portion to Richard andFrances Southern. Richard South-ern was an English immigrant andhorticulturist who had once man-aged the gardens of the John Masonestate on what is today calledRoosevelt Island. He called his farmPoplar Grove and is known forbeing one of the first to popularizethe use of the tomato as a food. Thememory of both farms persists inthe form of family cemeteries.Birch’s is now an empty lot onAbingdon Street, and the Southern-Shreve cemetery is marked todaynear St. Ann Church.

Civil War: 1860-1865The night after Virginia voted tosecede from the Union on May 23,1861, army units crossed thePotomac and occupied the shore-line of what is now ArlingtonCounty. One detachment marchedout the Georgetown Wagon Road tothe railroad, stopped a train, andarrested everyone on board as“secessionists.” In August andSeptember of 1861, after the battleat Manassas / Bull Run, the

Bluemont area became a no man’sland between frontlines. Units ofthe two armies scouted and skir-mished from Hall’s Hill to BaileysCrossroads. For the remainder ofthe war, the County was a stagingarea and occasional home for theArmy of the Potomac.

The area was transformed by thepresence of thousands of soldiers,living and foraging on the land.Fields, produce, forests, andbuildings were confiscated by thetroops. By the end of the war, woodand timber were so scarce that thearmy imported them from Loudoun.Many of the rural residents left thearea, replaced by sutlers, campfollowers, and former slaves.

Reconstruction:1865-1890A mix of old and new familieshelped rebuild the area after thewar. North of today’s 11th Street, aUnion Army officer from Ohionamed Robert S. Lacey stayed tosettle. The heirs of Thomas J.Cathcart occupied the summerhome their father had bought in1859 southwest of Ball’s Cross-roads (Wilson Boulevard and GlebeRoad). The Cathcarts were descen-dants of American diplomat JamesLeander Cathcart, who negotiatedtreaties with the Barbary Coast‘pirates’ of Algiers, Tripoli andTunis. Along the south side of theGeorgetown Road (Wilson Boule-vard), from Lubber Run to FourMile, the family of George and MaryAdams bought up a large farm at aforeclosure auction.

The Maria O’Reilley, RichardSouthern, and William Birchfamilies held on to their farmsbetween today’s Wilson Boulevardand 11th Street. Over time, thelands were divided up among thedifferent family members. MargaretBirch married Confederate veteranGeorge Veitch

and the couple resided west ofVeitch Road (Harrison Street). TheBluemont area’s first landowner ofAfrican descent was JoshuaDeVaughn, who in 1884 was givenland along Four Mile Run in returnfor taking care of an aging MaryCarlin.

The growth of the communityaround the intersection of WilsonBoulevard and Glebe Roadprompted construction of the firstchurch in our area. The FirstPresbyterian congregation dedi-cated a building in 1876 on thenorthwest corner of Ball’s Cross-roads. William Birch served as atrustee for the Walker School inBallston, established in 1870. In1881, neighborhood residentGeorge R. Adams became the firstschool superintendent dedicatedsolely to Alexandria County. Hispredecessor Richard Carne haddivided his services between boththe City and the County. (Note thatAlexandria originally referred to thecombined area of what is nowArlington County and the City ofAlexandria.)

Streetcar Suburb:1890 to 1945In 1912, the Washington & OldDominion Rail Road completed theconnection between Georgetownand its older line along Four MileRun. At the junction, passengerscould catch a train to the railroad’sterminus at the town of Bluemont inLoudoun County. This tiny town onthe Blue Ridge gave its name to adivision of the rail line, the railroadjunction, and eventually to a street,park, bicycle trail, civic association,and neighborhood. The Washington,Arlington & Falls Church ElectricRailway had already constructed atrolley line through the Bluemontarea in the 1890’s with stops atLacey (Glebe Road), Sunnyside(Edison Street), Mulhall (FrederickStreet) and Veitch Summit

6 History of Bluemont

(Harrison Street).

William R. Birch died in 1916 at theage of 100. Over the course of hislife, he had fought Native Ameri-cans in the old Southwest Territory,survived the chaos of the Civil War,and lived to see electric trains andautomobiles. Among his descen-dants living in the area were thefamilies of Harry and Julia Thomason Jefferson Street, and Howardand Cora Fields who lived nearby atthe intersection of Wilson and theW&OD Railroad. Howard B. Fieldsserved 24 years as Sheriff of theCounty before retiring in 1943.Harry R. Thomas and his sonHomer both served as judges on theArlington County Circuit Court.

Postwar Urbanization:1946 to the PresentThe Bluemont neighborhood filledup quickly after World War II andwas essentially built out by 1960.The new suburbanites participatedin establishing institutions such asSaint Ann’s church, Saint Michael’schurch, and the Arlington ForestClub. In 1951, the First Presbyte-rian congregation moved into theirnew building on Carlin Springs

Road. The new community becamedependent on the automobile afterthe trolley, and then the W&ODdiscontinued passenger service.Across Glebe Road, the ParkingtonShopping Center featured a Hecht’sDepartment Store and the “world’slargest parking garage.” Othermerchants followed their customersas a commercial strip developedalong Wilson Boulevard.

The 1950’s and 60’s saw a greatdeal of civic action as residentsdealt with issues such as schoolimprovement, integration, civilrights, and a proposal to build aninterstate highway through theneighborhood. In 1969, St.Michael’s church member BarbaraKuehn started the Arlington Hotlineas a volunteer outreach programfor the parish. Her effort expandedinto the Northern Virginia Hotline, acomprehensive referral service andthe second oldest continuoushotline in the nation.

By 1980, the Bluemont area hadbecome a relatively affordable,family-oriented community conve-nient to nearby parks, schools andshopping. As the baby boom grewup and moved out, Stonewall

History of Bluemont 7

Jackson School was closed, andmost neighborhood children werereassigned to Ashlawn School. Inone typical bungalow on a quietside street, Rudolph Wendelin livedthrough this era, raising a family,improving his home, and going intowork at the Department of Interior,where he created and rendered thecharacter ‘Smoky the Bear’ for over30 years.

In 1979 the Metro Orange Line wasopened between Washington DCand Ballston. Three years later, theCustis Memorial Parkway (Inter-state 66) was opened along theformer trolley and railroad right-of-ways. The subsequent redevelop-ment of Ballston as a major em-ployment center has affected theBluemont area. Parking space hasgrown tighter and traffic morecongested. Property values haverisen. Apartment and townhousedevelopment has spread westwardacross Glebe Road. Throughout theneighborhood, many older houseson large lots have been redevelopedwith infill housing.

The Wilson Boulevard commercialarea hosts unique businesses suchas this shop specializing in usedhistorical books.

This caboose, located on the site ofthe former Bluemont JunctionStation, now serves as a parkpolice substation.

8 History of Bluemont

Arlington Memorial Rose Garden inBon Air Park often hosts weddingceremonies.

Land Use

Residential areas make upabout 70% of the neighborhood, while parks and other

public or semi-public places makeup about 20%. Commercial andmixed-use areas make up theremaining 10% of Bluemont’s land.Residents strongly favor thecontinuation of this land usepattern.

The great majority of Bluemont’sresidential areas are classified asLow Residential in the CountyGeneral Land Use Plan (GLUP),with a corresponding density of 1 to10 units per acre and a zoningclassification of R-6 or R-5. Most ofthe dwellings in these Low Residen-tial areas are single-family de-tached homes, with lesser numbersof duplexes and townhouses.

A few areas in the neighborhoodcontain low-rise apartment build-ings, classified as Low-MediumResidential in the GLUP. Bluemontalso hosts a single high-riseapartment complex, the Avalon atBallston, located at Glebe Road andWashington Boulevard. This area isclassified as a mixture of High-Medium Residential and MediumOffice-Apartment-Hotel.

Bluemont’s public areas includeCounty parks and off-road trails.The neighborhood’s two sizablesemi-public areas are the St. Ann’sChurch property and the ArlingtonForest Club property. (See Parksand Other Open Areas.)

Bluemont’s primary businessdistrict runs through the center ofthe neighborhood along Wilson

Boulevard between Glebe Road andJefferson Street. Much of thiscommercial strip is classified in theGLUP as Service Commercial.Businesses here are mostly per-sonal-oriented establishmentsincluding restaurants, servicestations, barber shops, and asupermarket. (See Wilson Boule-vard Commercial Area.)

Bluemont’s secondary commercialarea is the western part of theBallston commercial district. Thiscommercial area is located alongGlebe Road and Fairfax Drive at theeastern edge of the neighborhood.Land use classifications hereinclude Medium Office-Apartment-Hotel and High-Medium ResidentialMixed Use. This area has grownalong with the rest of Ballston, andhosts a number of new or recentlyrefurbished buildings includingBallston Plaza, Ballston One, andthe Holiday Inn ArlingtonatBallston. Also found here areMarymount University (BallstonCampus), Rosenthal Mazda, andBob Peck Chevrolet, a forty-yearneighborhood resident.

BallstonCommercial and residential devel-opment of the Rosslyn-BallstonMetro Corridor — particularly theBallston end — has moved at adizzying pace in recent years.

In many ways, this development isgood for Bluemont. Ballston hasbrought new jobs, shopping, andentertainment, not to mentionenhanced property values for thesurrounding neighborhoods. ManyBluemonters find it exciting to live

within walking distance of an areathat has been praised nationally asa model of smart urban growth.

But the Rosslyn-Ballston corridoralso brings challenges and con-cerns for Bluemont. County officialsshould appreciate that while manyBluemont residents enjoy livingnear Ballston, they have made theconscious choice not to live inBallston. Neighborhood residentsworry that developers will lookmore and more at Bluemont as apotential site for high-densitycommercial or residential projects.

Bluemonters want to have a voicein the decision-making process forthe Rosslyn-Ballston developmentcorridor. Land use and zoning inthe corridor affect Bluemont evenwhen the concerned properties arenot within the neighborhood’s

Land Use and Zoning 9

Voices of Bluemont: Land Use

A sampling of neighborhoodconservation plan survey com-ments on land use:

“Our concern is that the buildingspree in Ballston will encroach onour neighborhood.”

“Commercial development shouldbe restrained, pedestrian friendly,and not encroach further uponhousing.”

“Am happy to see a lot of apart-ments mixed with commercialdevelopment.”

“Keep undeveloped land.”

“Good mixed use development is tobe encouraged.”

“Let’s not overpopulate our area.Let’s keep it nature friendly.”

Land Use and Zoning

Map 3.

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School

FirstPresbyterian

Church ofArlington

12th ST. N.

11th RD. N.

11th ST. N.

10th ST. N.


10th RD. N.

8th Rd. N.

8th PL.

8th RD.

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7th RD.

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boundaries. For example, theneighborhood could be negativelyaffected by exceptions to Ballston’s“step-down” zoning pattern, whichallows for the tallest buildings to bebuilt only in areas adjacent to theBallston Metro station. The Asso-ciation notes with concern thatdevelopers regularly seek excep-tions to this pattern in an effort tobuild high-rises at Ballston loca-tions away from the Metro station.

The County is currently consideringa proposal to improve access to theBallston Metro station, with thepossible addition of an entrance onFairfax Drive closer to Glebe Road.Bluemont would appreciate thecontinuing opportunity to have asay in this process.

Recommendation 1. In order topreserve Bluemont as a predomi-nantly residential neighborhood ofdetached homes, the Associationwill work with the County tomaintain in broad form the prevail-ing land use and zoning patterns ofthe neighborhood. The neighbor-hood recommends specifically thatresidents’ views be given dueconsideration in adjudicating anyrezoning request or zoning variancerequest that would allow additionalcommercial development or higherdensity development in the neigh-borhood.

Recommendation 2. Working withthe Association, the County shouldactively solicit the opinions ofBluemont residents on prospectivemodifications to the Ballston SectorPlan that include a part of theneighborhood. The County shouldwelcome Bluemont’s input on otherprospective Ballston projects,including Metro station accessprojects.

Zoning IssuesThe Association believes that aslong as newly built homes areattractive, well constructed, and

conform to the letter and the spiritof County ordinances, they makeBluemont a better neighborhood.

At the same time, many residentshave noted with concern thatdevelopers have often sought tospeculatively purchase Countyresidential properties with theintent of seeking GLUP and zoningchanges to allow them to buildhigher-density housing. Suchactions could change Bluemont’spredominant land use pattern.

Residential construction, whetherfor new homes or additions, affectsthe Four Mile Run watershedbecause most projects end upreplacing vegetation with imperme-able surfaces. (See Parks andOther Areas, Waterways andWetlands.) The Zoning OrdinanceReview Committee, in their Novem-ber 1998 Interim Report of theInfill-Residential DevelopmentStudy, indicated that only a fewresidential constructions approachthe current maximum lot coveragelevel of 56%. Therefore, a modestdecrease in the lot coveragemaximum level would preclude onlythose few projects that have themost effect on storm drainage.

Recommendation 3. In order todiminish runoff and erosion prob-lems, particularly with regard toFour Mile Run, the County shouldrevise building codes and zoningordinances for any residentialconstruction (including homeadditions and infill development) to:a) reduce surface area of residen-tial lots permitted to be covered bystructures or other impermeableentities (e.g. reduce to the 50%coverage level suggested by theCivic Federation); and b) requirethat new land uses do not createdrainage problems for adjacentproperty owners.

Other IssuesOrdinance Violations. Through the

Bluemont Remembers: Land Use

“We desire the opportunity to planour neighborhood’s future as aresidential community adjacent tothe Ballston and Buckingham areasof intensive development. This effortis being endangered by real estatepromotion along Wilson Boulevardand now George MasonDrive...Spot zoning attempts of thisnature are attempts at economicblock-busting and should beresisted by all county instrumentali-ties concerned with orderly develop-ment.”

Edward R. O’Conner , PresidentStonewall Jackson CivicAssociation

August 1971.

1998 neighborhood survey, manyresidents expressed concerns overviolations of various County ordi-nances, including those regardingabandoned cars, care of premises,improper residence occupancy,improper parking, and residence-based enterprises such as autorepair. Some residents also ex-pressed concern over disruptivenoises, including dog barking andInterstate 66 traffic noise.

Recommendation 4. Working withthe Association as appropriate, theCounty should be responsive toresidents’ requests for enforcementof County ordinances on residentialuse, residential care, parking,noise, and other health and qualityof life issues. In acting on suchrequests, the County should bal-ance potential risks to health,safety, and welfare with the privacyrights of local residents. The Countyis to be commended for initiating aprogram to investigate reportedviolations at night and on week-ends, since those times are oftenthe only opportunities to observecertain violations.

Changes to County Property. The

Land Use and Zoning 11

neighborhood would appreciate theopportunity to weigh in on anyplanned changes to County prop-erty. Although County property isnot subject to site plan develop-ment requirements, the neighbor-hood encourages the County toproceed as if site plans wereneeded.

Recommendation 5. For all pro-spective changes to County prop-erty within the neighborhood, theCounty is encouraged to proceed asif site plan development require-ments applied.

Zoning - GLUP Discrepancies.There exist inconsistencies betweenthe General Land Use Plan and theZoning pattern in the Bluemontneighborhood, including with regardto parkland. The Associationwelcomes the continuing efforts ofCounty staff to eliminate theseinconsistencies.

12 Land Use and Zoning

Grey House Potters, an artisans’cooperative, is a Bluemont landmark.

Many of Bluemont’s single-family homeswere built prior to World War II.

Bluemont residents responding to the 1998 neighborhood survey gave more than

600 comments regarding the safetyof the neighborhood’s streets. About200 of these were requests for newor improved sidewalks or otherpedestrian facilities. There werealso about 100 complaints on eachof the issues of speeding vehicles,cut-through traffic, and unsafe orproblematic intersections. Thesecomments made up by far thelargest category of concernsexpressed in the survey. Theyrepresent the community’s collec-tive request for neighborhoodstreets that favor the needs ofresidents, not the convenience ofthrough traffic.

Guidelines of the Institute ofTransportation Engineers indicatethat correctly designed streets donot normally need to be retrofittedwith traffic calming measures likespeed humps, nubs, stop signs, ortraffic circles.1 Regrettably, many ofBluemont’s streets don’t have any ofthe most important characteristicsof a safe street. For the benefit ofpedestrians, bicyclists, and motor-ists, the neighborhood believes thatthe first order of business shouldbe to correct these fundamentaldesign flaws.

At the same time, the need for theCounty to fix Bluemont’s streetdesign problems should not delayor preclude the implementation ofother measures to make neighbor-hood streets safer. The Associationappreciates that County officialshave met with neighborhoodresidents to discuss the application

of retrofitted traffic calming mea-sures. (See Section B below).Retrofitted traffic calming measuresshould also be considered forneighborhood streets that arecommonly used by motorists toavoid arterial intersections. (See“Voices of Bluemont”).

Neighborhood StreetDesignPedestrian Networks. Intercon-nected sidewalks are of paramountimportance to pedestrians. Missingor unsafe sidewalks on either sideof a street restrict the range inwhich a resident feels comfortablewalking. Many people can’t or won’twalk even a short distance in anunsafe or unwelcoming area —they’ll simply drive, never again toconsider making the trip on foot.For children, seniors, and peoplewith special needs, continuous andsafe sidewalks are even morecrucial.

In Bluemont, unfriendly streets arethe rule. Of the neighborhood’s 51street segments that aren’t deadends, 40 are missing sidewalks onall or portions of one or both sides.Six more streets have sidewalks onboth sides that don’t meet minimalsafety standards. Only five ofBluemont’s through streets havesidewalks on both sides that meetminimal safety standards. Examplesof the 40 streets with missingsidewalks include every one ofBluemont’s neighborhood principalroutes — Kensington Street,Jefferson Street, and HarrisonStreet — as well as a principalarterial road, Washington Boule-

Voices of Bluemont: Street Safety

In the 1998 neighborhood conser-vation survey, approximately threeof every four households answeringthe question described themselvesas “very concerned” or “somewhatconcerned” about vehicles speedingin the neighborhood. Most respon-dents thought that the lack ofsidewalks and other pedestrianfacilities created hazards forschoolchildren and other pedestri-ans. Better sidewalks were identi-fied as the type of enhancementthat was most likely to get people touse their car less. A sampling of themore than 600 comments on streetsafety:

“People might walk more if they feltit were safer.”

“We’d like to see new sidewalks onthrough roads and better speedlimit controls and enforcement.”

“It’s only a matter of time beforesomeone is seriously injured orkilled crossing Glebe Road”

“The 25 mph speed limit is fre-quently violated.”

“We need sidewalks! Especiallysince we get so much cut throughtraffic and kids walking to school.”

“Cars go way too fast.”

“We don’t have continuous side-walks on either side so pedestriansare having to cross the street everytwo blocks.”

Street and Street Safety 13

Streets and Street Safety

Map 4.

Major PedestrianSafety ProjectsNote: See Appendix B

for project description.

SCALE IN FEET

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COUNTY BOARD





School

FirstPresbyterian

Church ofArlington

12th ST. N.

11th RD. N.

11th ST. N.

10th ST. N.


10th RD. N.

8th Rd. N.

8th PL.

8th RD.

8th RD.

7th RD.

7th RD.

7th ST.

9th RD.

9th ST.

9th ST.

9th ST. N.

9th ST. N.

FAIRFAX DR.

8th RD. N.

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vard. Streets with grossly inad-equate sidewalks include whatshould be the neighborhood’s “MainStreet”, Wilson Boulevard.

Recommendation 6. In cooperationwith the Association, the Countyshould build a safe and continuouspedestrian network in Bluemont.With the exception of streets withvery minimal traffic where residentsspecifically oppose the constructionof sidewalks, the County shouldconstruct curbs and sidewalks onboth sides of every neighborhoodstreet. Sidewalks of extra widthshould accompany every arterialroad. The County should use thereclaimed land from street right-sizing (see Recommendation 7) tolocate sidewalks and accompanyingplanting strips. (See also AppendixA, Recommended Projects.)

Street Width. Injury-causing acci-dents are four times more likely on36-foot wide streets than on 24foot-wide streets2. The Institute ofTransportation Engineers (ITE)street design guidelines indicatethat properly designed narrowerstreets with two-sided parking willcause drivers to automaticallychoose lower speeds and lessaggressive behaviors. According toITE, such roads can be safer for allusers, including bicyclists and

children, notwithstanding the factthat children can be prone todarting out from behind parkedcars3. Furthermore, the AmericanAssociation of State Highway andTransportation Officials designguidelines indicate that in areaswhere single-family homes prevail,narrower streets with two-sidedparking can accommodate two-waytraffic with a “remarkably low” levelof inconvenience for motorists4.

Many of Bluemont’s neighborhoodstreets, including numerous deadends and others with very lowtraffic volumes, are 36 feet wide.While street width in Bluemontdoes not correlate with trafficvolume, street width does correlatewith local speeding. In theBluemont neighborhood survey, theten streets most identified byresidents as having speedingproblem were all 35 feet wide ormore. On the other hand, none ofthe neighborhood’s 26-foot widestreets were in the top ten speedinglist even though several of thesenarrower streets, includingWakefield Street and EmersonStreet, have elevated levels oftraffic.

What are all those poles doing in the middle of theWilson Boulevard sidewalk?

The more appropriate question is, what is a sidewalk doing in the middle

of all those poles? A proper sidewalk is more than a walkway. It should

contain a planting strip to buffer pedestrians from traffic. The wider the

street, the wider the planting strip and sidewalk should be. Planting strips

can also be used to locate signs, fire hydrants and other roadside necessi-

ties. Wilson Boulevard and many other local streets are particularly

dangerous and obstructed for pedestrians because they have no planting

strip at all. A narrow sidewalk without a planting strip will also dip when-

ever it crosses a driveway, since there is no transition area in which the

driveway can rise from street level to the slightly higher level of adjacent

property.

Recommendation 7. To makestreets safer for all users andreclaim greenspace while continu-ing to accommodate two-way trafficand emergency vehicles, the County(in cooperation with the Associa-tion) should prescribe for neighbor-hood minor streets a curb-to-curbwidth of between 24 and 26 feetwith parking on both sides. Forneighborhood principal streets, theCounty should prescribe theminimum curb-to-curb widthconsistent with national streetdesign guidelines for traditionalneighborhoods, which should beless than 36 feet. (See Appendix A,Recommended Projects.)

Intersections. Intersection designaffects vehicle speed and pedes-trian safety. Minor intersections inmany traditional neighborhoodshave curb return radii of 5 or 10feet, which means that pedestriancrossing distances are minimizedand vehicles need to slow downwhen turning. (The curb returnradius is a measure of how farcurbs extend into the intersection.)Most intersections in Bluemonthave curb return radii between 15and 35 feet. This means pedestriancrossing distances are much bigger,often over 50 feet. Cars, mean-while, can turn with ease at higherspeeds. The intersection of EdisonStreet and 5th Street, for example,has a curb radius of 35 feet,allowing vehicles to make whattraffic engineers call a free rightturn. So does the intersection ofEmerson Street and BluemontDrive. Intersections the length ofKensington Street and JeffersonStreet south of Wilson Boulevardhave curb return radii between 18and 35 feet. These intersectionsencourage unsafe speeds andunnecessarily increase the risk ofaccident.

Recommendation 8. To enhancevehicular and pedestrian safetywhile continuing to allow foremergency vehicle access, the


County (in cooperation with theAssociation) should prescribe astandard curb return radius of 10feet for intersections of all non-arterial neighborhood streets inBluemont. (See Appendix A,Recommended Projects.)

Traffic CalmingMeasures forNeighborhoodPrincipal Streets andWilson BoulevardIn central Arlington County, there isno north-south arterial road west ofGeorge Mason Drive. Therefore,motorists often use Jefferson andKensington Streets or HarrisonStreet to go between Route 50 andWilson Boulevard or betweenWilson Boulevard and WashingtonBoulevard, respectively. A 1997County study found approximately2,300 vehicles per day travel at anaverage speed over the speed limitalong the Kensington/Jeffersonroute, which includes the connectorstreets of 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8thStreets or 8th Road. Similarly,Harrison Street has a significantspeeding problem, which is exacer-

Bluemont Street Classifications

Controlled Access Roads (1) - Interstate 66

Other Principal Arterial Roads (5) Carlin Springs Road betweenKensington Street to George Mason Drive; Wilson Boulevard, WashingtonBoulevard; George Mason Drive; and Glebe Road. All of these are fourlane roads except Washington Boulevard, which has two lanes.

Minor Arterial (1) Carlin Springs Road between George Mason Drive andGlebe Road.

Neighborhood Principal (2) - Kensington Street from Carlin Springs Roadto 7th Street, continuing on 7th Street to Jefferson Street, continuing onJefferson Street to Wilson Boulevard; and Harrison Street from WilsonBoulevard to 10th Street.

Neighborhood Minor (37) All or portions of other remaining streets in thecommunity.

bated by a steep southbound down-slope. In the neighborhood survey,Harrison was also the street mostcited by residents as having poorvisibility because of overgrownvegetation at intersections andbecause of the street’s slope.

Speeding occurs on Wilson Boule-vard on its entire length through theneighborhood. The situation isexacerbated by the steep hill nearwhere Wilson passes Bluemont andBon Air parks.

As part of the preparation of thisconservation plan, neighborhoodresidents met with the CountyDepartment of Public Worksofficials to discuss traffic calmingmeasures for areas throughout theneighborhood. The neighborhoodappreciates the County’s respon-siveness to residents’ concerns overthese streets and looks forward tothe implementation of appropriatetraffic-calming measures indepen-dent of prospective street designimprovements.

Recommendation 9 . In coop-eration with the Association, theCounty should apply appropriateCounty-approved retrofitted trafficcalming measures to: a) the length

of Wilson Boulevard in theneighborhood; b) KensingtonStreet and Jefferson Street (andtheir connector streets) betweenCarlin Springs Road and WilsonBoulevard; and c) HarrisonStreet, between Wilson Boule-vard and Washington Boulevard,10th Street between Harrisonand George Mason Drive, andFrederick Street betweenWashington Boulevard and theCustis Trail. (See also AppendixA, Recommended Projects.)

Recommendation 10. Incooperation with the Associa-tion, the County should takenecessary action to correctproblems of limited visibilitycaused by vegetation or otherobstructions on Harrison Streetbetween Washington and WilsonBoulevards. The County shouldrespond expeditiously to otherrequests from residents regard-ing sight obstructions fromvegetation or other obstacles.The Association encouragesneighborhood residents toproactively trim vegetation ontheir property as appropriate.

ArterialIntersections andInappropriate Useof NeighborhoodMinor StreetsAs many residents noted in theneighborhood survey, whendrivers can’t move with easealong arterial streets, many willinstead use neighborhoodstreets. This causes noise,vibrations and emissions inresidential areas, in addition tomaking streets more hazardous.

George Mason Drive (GMD)and Wilson Boulevard. Driverswho use Bluemont minor streetsto avoid this intersection affectthe adjacent neighborhoods.

16 Street and Street Safety

Kensington Street, Jefferson Street, and their connec-tor streets of 5th Street, 6th Street, 8th Street and 8thRoad between Wilson Boulevard and Carlin SpringsRoad are each 36 feet wide and have curb return radiiof between 18 and 35 feet, encouraging speeding.Each of these streets is missing sidewalks, forcingchildren and other pedestrians to walk in the roadwayto get to and from Ashlawn School, Bluemont Park, orBluemont Junction Park. According to a December1997 County Police study, approximately 2,300vehicles per day travel these streets, with an 85thpercentile speed of seven miles per hour over thespeed limit.

Harrison Street is one of only two north-south streetsrunning through most of the neighborhood, yet it hasalmost no sidewalks on its East side between Wilsonand Washington Boulevards. On its West side,Harrison has a narrow, unbuffered sidewalk in whichthere are 26 poles and other obstructions. Harrison’sexcessive travel lane widths encourage speeding, withcurb-to-curb widths of 36 feet (two sided parking), 31feet (one sided parking) and 26 feet (no parking).Unbuffered, walled pedestrian paths over Interstate 66are hazardous and unwelcoming to pedestrians.Harrison’s slope exacerbates southbound vehiclespeeding. Notwithstanding these hazards, there areschool bus stops on this street, and it is also fre-quented by children and other pedestrians going toand from Swanson and St. Ann schools, and theWilson Boulevard commercial district.

Vermont Street and Abingdon Street between WilsonBoulevard and Carlin Springs Road are 36 feet wide,encouraging speeding and through traffic. Sidewalksare missing on Vermont Street and nearby WakefieldStreet. Abingdon Street has unbuffered, obstructed,narrow sidewalks. Turn lane design on Carlin SpringsRoad “slingshots” motorists turning onto AbingdonStreet, encouraging speeding.

Washington Boulevard, a principal arterial road, hasno South side sidewalk between Frederick Street andIvanhoe Streets.

10th Street between Emerson Street and EdisonStreet, a frequent pedestrian route, is missingsidewalks and curbs on both sides. Thirty-six footwidths on 10th Street and nearby Frederick Street anda 31-foot wide, restricted-parking portion of FrederickStreet encourage speeding and encourage drivers toavoid the intersection at Washington Boulevard andGeorge Mason Drive. Excessive curb radii on 10thand Frederick Streets encourage unsafe turns andgreatly increase pedestrian crossing distances.Twenty-five foot curb radii at the 10th Road cul-de-sacand the Emerson Street cul-de-sac result in pedes-trian crossing distances of 50 feet at each location.Frederick Street on its West side has an unbuffered,obstructed, narrow sidewalk.

6th Street between Edison and Emerson Streets, afrequent passage point for pedestrians and bicyclistsgoing to and from Bluemont Junction Trail or theWilson Boulevard stores, is missing a sidewalk. Thisarea is made more hazardous because of sidewalks.Thirty-five foot curb return radii at intersection ofBluemont Drive and Emerson Street and at intersec-tion of Edison Street and 6th street encouragespeeding and through traffic.

Fairfax Drive near Abingdon Street and the HolidayInn, a major travel route for pedestrians and bicycliststo and from Ballston has a narrow, unbuffered,obstructed sidewalk. The wide turn-in circle forHoliday Inn makes the sidewalk disappear for longstretches. Pedestrian and bicycle passages areconstricted where the Bluemont Junction Trail endsnear Abingdon Street. This area is made even morehazardous because drivers come off Interstate 66 athigh speeds and flow directly onto Fairfax Drive, withvisibility limited by the adjacent sound barriers.Pedestrians and bicyclists often risk injury or death bycrossing Fairfax Drive in the unmarked area immedi-ately after the sound barriers in order to avoid thesidewalk in front of the Holiday Inn

Examples of Bluemont Street Design Hazards


Drivers traveling betweenWilson Boulevard andCarlin Springs Road canavoid GMD altogether byusing any of the following:

• Vermont Street, WakefieldStreet, or Abingdon Street;

• Emerson Street combinedwith Edison Street;

• Harrison Street or FrederickStreet, combined with 5thStreet, Greenbrier Street,Bluemont Drive, andEmerson Street. There arealso several neighborhoodstreets negatively affectedby congestion at theintersection of GMD andWilson;

• Many drivers use 6th Streetand Emerson Street toavoid queuing to turn leftfrom GMD northbound toWilson Boulevard west-bound;

• Combinations of 7th Street,7th Road, Buchanan Street,and Albemarle Street areused to avoid turning leftfrom Wilson westbound toGMD southbound or toavoid turning right fromGMD northbound to Wilsoneastbound.

None of these cut-through streetsare designated neighborhoodprincipals, and Bluemont residentsoppose making them so.

Recommendation 11. To makeBluemont safer and more livable,the County (in cooperation with theAssociation) should improve thetraffic control system and/or designof the intersection at George MasonDrive (GMD) and Wilson Boulevard.Particular consideration should begiven to accommodating left turnsfrom GMD northbound to Wilsonwestbound, and to accommodatingleft turns from Wilson westbound toGMD southbound. Changes to the

intersection shouldat the same timemake it safer andeasier for pedestri-ans and bicycles tocross, especially

since this intersection is a crucialpart of the Bluemont Junction Trailconnecting the neighborhood toBallston. Pedestrian crosswalksshould be shortened as much aspossible and be better marked.

Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard.This intersection endangers drivers,bicyclists and pedestrians. Laneson Wilson Boulevard are unclear. Asa result of the oblique angles of thecrossing and the location of theislands segregating the right-handturn lanes, cars tend to drift intothe crosswalks or the other lane.Walk signals do not allow sufficienttime for crossing in any direction,and it is necessary to cross theuncontrolled right-turn lanes toreach the call buttons. Turning leftfrom Wilson eastbound to Glebenorthbound is difficult, and theintersection is so wide that cars aresometimes left stranded after thelight has turned red. Turning leftfrom Wilson Boulevard westboundto Glebe Road southbound isprohibited during the afternoonrush hour. This encourages motor-ists to turn left on Vermont Street,backing up traffic during rush hour- the “Do Not Block Intersection”sign there is often ignored. NearbyTazewell Street is one way north-bound, but if heading west onWilson or entering Tazewell fromthe adjacent Mazda dealership,drivers may not realize this untilthey have already turned onto thestreet.

Recommendation 12. At the inter-section of Glebe Road and WilsonBoulevard, the County (in coopera-tion with the Association) shouldlessen crossing distances by right-sizing vehicle travel lanes, bettermark crosswalks, and otherwisemake the intersection safer and

friendlier for pedestrians andbicyclists. To allow for the safer andeasier flow of vehicles, lanes shouldbe better marked and considerationshould be given to the addition ofleft-turn arrows. Left turns fromWilson Boulevard westbound toGlebe Road southbound should bepermitted at all times, includingafternoon rush hours. Consider-ation should be given to restrictingafternoon rush hour left turns fromWilson Boulevard westbound toVermont Street southbound toresidents only. At Tazewell Street,signs should be added across fromthe Mazda dealership to precludeinadvertent left turns.

Glebe Road and Fairfax Drive.Users of the Bluemont JunctionTrail and the Custis Trail going to orfrom Ballston, as well as many

Bluemont Remembers:Interstate 66

Excerpts from the Arlington CountyPublic Library 1990 Oral HistoryInterview of Mr. Henry Hulme,Arlington County Director of PublicWorks, 1977-1989:

Interviewer: The decision to depressthe road [Interstate 66] to reducethe noise was one of the latestconcessions, wasn’t it?

Mr. Hulme:...Hal Gibson [of theStonewall Jackson Civic Associa-tion] was in the forefront and Iwould say, probably opened theeyes to a lot of people about whatcould be done to soften the impactof the highway, particularly from thestandpoint of sound walls and fromthe standpoint of lowering it. Thestate was very, very reluctant tolower I-66 in the Glebe Road-Washington Boulevard areaprimarily because when you lowerit, you had to make sure that youcleared the top of LubberRun....Then you had to make it sothat...you could then get underWashington Boulevard....That’s whyWashington Boulevard bridge is sohigh...


The swiftest traveler ishe who goes afoot.-Thoreau

other pedestrians, pass throughthis intersection. Long distancesand tiny safety islands make for afrightening and dangerous crossing.As Ballston continues to grow,pedestrian and traffic volumes atthis intersection will continue toincrease.

Recommendation 13. To allowresidents to travel safely on foot orbicycle to and from Ballston, theCounty (in cooperation with theAssociation) should make theintersection of Glebe Road andFairfax Drive pedestrian-friendly.Crosswalks should be bettermarked, medians (with curb cuts)should extend into the crosswalk,and islands and medians should beexpanded, lanes narrowed, orcrossing distances otherwiseminimized.

Other Crossings.Residents identified also identifiedother areas, noted below, that areparticularly dangerous crossingpoints for pedestrians.

Recommendation 14. In coopera-tion with the Association, theCounty should improve or createpedestrian crossing locations: a) atand around the intersection ofCarlin Springs Road and GlebeRoad, as well as other locationsalong Carlin Springs Road; b)across George Mason Drive atFairfax Drive; and c) across WilsonBoulevard at Emerson Street (nearthe Safeway) and across WilsonBoulevard at the bus stop nearKensington Street. In all cases,consideration should be given towell-marked crosswalks and othermeasures that would alert driversto go slower.

Urban VillageAction ProgramBluemont welcomes the CountyBoard’s vision of Arlington as anurban village. But this alone won’tbuild the friendly streets and

sidewalks that are the foundation ofa livable urban community. Even ifthe entire Capital ImprovementProgram (CIP) were implementedaccording to plan, the County’ssidewalk mileage would increase byjust 1.5%. In the CIP plan runningthrough the year 2005, there arejust two modest sidewalk projectsplanned for all of Bluemont. At thisrate, it would take about 115 yearsto build the pedestrian infrastruc-ture that Bluemont needs tobecome a walkable community.Even the addition of substantialneighborhood conservation funds isunlikely to make Bluemont walkablewithin our lifetime.

In recognition of the fact that safestreets and pedestrian facilities area primary element of a model urbanvillage, Bluemont urges the Countyto implement the recommendationscontained in this section and inAppendix A, RecommendedProjects.

Recommendation 15. In recognitionof the fact that a) safe streets andpedestrian facilities are a primaryelement of a model urban village,and b) Bluemont’s hazardousstreets and inadequate pedestrianfacilities are inconsistent with theprevailing character of the neigh-borhood and the County as a whole,the County (in cooperation with theAssociation) should rebuild neigh-borhood streets to favor slow-moving local traffic, improve theflow of arterial roads, and buildsafe and continuous pedestrian andbicycle networks. To this end, theCounty should seek supplementaryfunding from State and Federalsources.

Other IssuesParking. As Ballston develops,parking is becoming scarce in someareas of Bluemont. People whowork in Ballston increasingly parkfor the day in the Eastern part ofBluemont and walk to and from

Bluemont Remembers:1920’s Streets

Excerpts from the Arlington CountyPublic Library 1985 Oral HistoryInterview of Mr. William N. Garrett:

Interviewer: Do you remember whenthe streets were paved around here?In the 1920’s, were the streets paved?

Mr. Garrett: Must have been in the‘20’s, latter part of the ‘20’s becauseCarlin Springs Road was a dirt roadthen when I left here... Mrs. Miles usedto serve mail on there with a horse andbuggy...Rural Free Delivery.


their offices. Furthermore, manyMetro riders drive in from moredistant suburbs, park in Bluemont,and walk to the Ballston Metrostation. Some areas in Bluemonthave already sought and receivedCounty permission to establishneighborhood restricted parkingzones. The Association expectsthese requests to continue. This willbe all the more true if an additionalentrance to the Ballston Metro isbuilt near the intersection ofFairfax Drive and Vermont Street,as County and Metro officials areconsidering. Such an entrancewould effectively push the range ofBallston-area parking 1000 feet tothe west, encompassing more areasof Bluemont.

Recommendation 16. In coopera-tion with the Association, theCounty should respond expedi-tiously and favorably to residents’requests to establish or expandrestricted neighborhood parkingzones in those portions of theneighborhood that are most heavilyaffected by non-resident parking.

Recommendation 17. To alleviateweekend, weeknight and summer-time parking problems aroundArlington Traditional School, theCounty (in cooperation with theAssociation) should allow users of

Active, non-restrictive measures that employregulations or physical buffers to calm traffic.

• Flat-top speed humps: 3.5 inches high and 22feet long, these raised sections of roadwayshould not be confused with speed humps orspeed bumps.

• Raised crosswalks: essentially flat-top speedhumps used as crosswalks. They often have adifferent surface than the roadway, such asbrick pavers.

• Chicanes: staggered, triangular curb exten-sions that transform the traffic movement

from straight to curving.

• Nubs or chokers: curb extensions installed atintersections or midblock that allow on-streetparking while visually narrowing the roadway.

• Intersection geometry changes: modify andcontrol traffic through channelization, re-direction andtightening of turning radii.

• Left turn lanes and left turn signals: reducecut-through traffic on neighborhood streetsthat are adjacent to busy intersections. By facilitating leftturns, motorists are discouraged from bypassingintersections by cutting through neighborhood streets.

• Medians: raised or flush islands can be used tonarrow the roadway, channelize traffic, controlturning movement or provide pedestrians mid-road safe refuge.

• Multiway stop signs: intended to assign right ofway at intersections. County staff apply strictcriteria before implementing this solution, dueto evidence that it loses effect when used as atraffic calming measure.

• Traffic circles: a small island placed in themiddle of an intersection (usually four-way).Generally used in series to address speedingand thus reduce cut-through traffic.

• Speeding fine notice signs: indicate thatmotorists exceeding the posted speed limitcould be liable for fines of up to $200.

Passive, non-restrictive measures that employvoluntary or subliminal means to calm traffic.

• Street narrowing: Street width directly corresponds with prevailing vehicle speed. As streetwidth increases, the rate of injury-causingaccidents rises exponentially5.

• Gateway treatments: create a noticeabletransition from an arterial street to a neighbor-hood street, alerting the driver to the fact thata neighbor-hood has been entered. Gateway treatments includeroad pavers, landscaping, signage and narrowed streetentrance.

• Rumble strips: thermoplastic strips or groovescut into the roadway that cause a rumblingsound when driven over at high speeds.

• Roadway markings: crosswalks, stop bars atstop signs, bicycle and parking lanes, cross-hatchings at lane narrowings, centerlines andcurb lines. Markings can also be used to clarifythe path of lanes across complex intersections.

• Woonerf: a residential street treatment wherethe roadway is made of brick pavers, and curbsand sidewalks are dispensed with, giving thesense that the motorist is in a driveway.

• Speed display units (SMART set): a portable, self-contained speed display units make motoristsaware of the speed they are traveling and theposted speed limit. Compliance is voluntary.

Restrictive measures that employ regulations orphysical obstructions to restrict traffic.

• Truck restrictions: trucks over 7500 pounds couldbe restricted from certain streets, except for the purposeof receiving loads or making deliveries.

• Full or half street closure: a physical barrierclosing the street to through traffic and creatinga midblock or intersection cul-de-sac.

• Diverter and diagonal street closure: a barrierinstalled diagonally across a four-way intersec-tion, converting it into two opposing right-angleturns, but allowing no straight-through traffic.

• One-way street designations: vehicle accessis partially restricted in order to break up cut-through routes.

• Turn and access restrictions: “Do Not Enter” and“No Turn” signs.

Arlington County Ad Hoc Committee on Neighborhood Traffic Calming

Proposed Array of Measures


the school grounds and nearbyFields Park to park in the school lotand on Edison Street. Signs shouldbe changed accordingly.

Alleys. Traditional neighborhooddesign encourages the use of alleys.Regrettably, a lack of routinecleaning and maintenance hasaffected some of Bluemont’s alleys.The alley south of Wilson Boulevardbetween Wakefield and AbingdonStreet has a tree blocking anyprospective vehicular traffic.

Recommendation 18. In coopera-tion with the Association as appro-priate, the County should clean andmaintain Bluemont’s alleys moreregularly.

LightingResidents have requested theinstallation of street lamps atseveral locations that are lacking insufficient lighting of any kind. Inaddition, the Association welcomesthe replacement of archedstreetlights with Coach-style lampsor Carlisle lamps at any locationwhere residents so desire.

Recommendation 19. To enhancesafety in the neighborhood, theCounty (in cooperation with theAssociation) should install attrac-tive nighttime lighting at thelocations specified in Appendix B,Recommended Projects A20through A27.


Notes1Traditional NeighborhoodDevelopment Street Design Guidelines.Institute of Transportation EngineersTransportation Planning CouncilCommittee 5P-8, Washington, D.C.,1997.2P. Swift, D. Painter, M. Goldstein.Residential Street Typology and InjuryAccident Frequency, 1997, Swift andAssociates, Longmont Colorado.3ITE, supra.4AASHTO Policy on Geometric Designof Highways and Streets, 1990.American Association of StateHighway and Transportation Officials,Washington, D.C. 1990.5Swift, supra.

The Custis Trail runs throughBluemont on its way to Key Bridge.

Overview

Bluemont enjoys a relativeabundance of parks andother open space. Within

this small urban neighborhood areBluemont Junction Park, FieldsPark, Lacey Woods Park, half ofBluemont Park, half of Bon AirPark, part of Lubber Run Park, awetlands preserve known as BeaverPond, historic Southern-ShreveCemetery, and Arlington Constitu-tional Garden and BicentennialBell. Passing through the neighbor-hood are Four Mile Run and LubberRun, as well as three of the area’spremier bike trails, the Custis Trail,the Washington & Old DominionTrail, and the Bluemont JunctionTrail. Together, these parks andother open spaces offer a widerange of recreational and nature-oriented activities, from bird-watching and bicycling to tennisand trout fishing.

The people of Bluemont cherishthese open spaces. Overwhelm-ingly, they support the County’scontinuing efforts to preserve andmaintain them. At the same time,many residents think that a goodthing can be made even better.Their specific suggestions toimprove parks and other open areasare described below. In addition,many residents wonder moregenerally whether theneighborhood’s open spaces aregetting too popular for their owngood. With more and more peoplemaking use of Bluemont’s parks andtrails, conflicts occur over limitedspace. Accordingly, many residentsencourage the County to increasethe supply of parkland by acquiring

some of the few remaining parcelsof undeveloped neighborhood orCounty land.

Recommendation 20. Recognizingthat recreational, historical, andnatural space is of critical impor-tance to the well-being of thecommunity and to the livability ofthe neighborhood, the people ofBluemont encourage the County tomaintain the highest standards forthe neighborhood’s parks and otherpublic spaces. As the number ofpark and trail users continues togrow, the County should (pursuantto the Open Space Master Plan)seek to improve and expandexisting green space so that thenext generation of residents cancontinue to enjoy a wide range ofrecreational, historical, and naturalresources.

Recommendation 21. Recognizingthe value of mature trees and otherflora, the Association encourages

Voices of Bluemont:Parks and Open Spaces

Three out of four households responding to the neighborhood conservationplan survey thought neighborhood parks were adequate and well maintained.Almost 90% of survey respondents supported the preservation of neighbor-hood trees and green space. A sampling of survey comments follows.

“Maintain the parks we have — they’re a real treasure!”

“We live near Bon Air Park and Bluemont Park. What more could we want!”

“Let’s preserve trees and green space anywhere we have left!”

“The parks are already excellent. It would not be sensible to seek furtherimprovement.”

“As the use of parks increases. It’s harder to keep parks from becoming tired.”

Parks and Open Space 23

Parks and Open Space

1 Bon Air Park2 Bluemont Park3 Fields Park4 Lacey Woods Park5 Lubber Run Park6 Bluemont Junction Trail Park7 Custis Trail8 WO&D Trail9 Four Mile Run

10 Ballston Beaver Pond 11 Constitution Garden

Map 5.

Parks andOpen Space

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Bluemont neighborhood. Thestream joins Four Mile Run inArlington Forest, one-half milesouth of the neighborhood. BeaverPond Park, classified as NaturalResource Open Space, is a wetlandarea built as a storm water reten-tion area for Interstate 66 betweenWashington Boulevard and FairfaxDrive. The pond overflows intoLubber Run. U.S. Fish and WildlifeService officials working at thatagency’s Ballston office havevolunteered their expertise toprotect Beaver Pond Park’s wildlife,which includes not only beavers buta number of native birds.

Off-Road TrailsBluemont hosts three paved off-road trails, each of which is animportant part of the exemplaryNorthern Virginia multi-use trailnetwork. Bluemont’s trails are oftenfilled with walkers, joggers, in-lineskaters, and recreational andcommuter bicyclists. But the verypopularity of the trails presentsnew challenges. Heavy usagebecomes even more of a problemwhen some trail-users speed orotherwise ignore trail guidelines.

Recommendation 23. The neighbor-hood urges more frequent, year-round bike patrol policing ofneighborhood parks and trails toencourage trail etiquette and toenhance trail and park safety.Furthermore, the County shouldrespond expeditiously to residents’reports of non-permitted consump-tion of alcohol, drug-using or othernefarious activity in neighborhoodparks or trails.

The Washington and Old Domin-ion (W&OD) Trail, located on thesite of the former railroad bed, runscontinuously from Purcellville,Virginia to the Potomac River. Thetrail passes on the western edge ofthe Bluemont neighborhood,running along Four Mile Runthrough Bon Air Park and Bluemont

the County to a) vigorously enforcesite plan procedures meant tosafeguard trees and other vegeta-tion; b) control nonnative vines thatthreaten trees; and c) collaboratewith Virginia Power to properlytrain tree trimming crews and toensure the strictest quality stan-dards.

Waterways andWetlandsFour Mile Run passes through thecenter of Bon Air Park andBluemont Park on its way to thePotomac River. Mature trees lineboth stream banks, shading thestream and its wildlife. The Arling-ton County Department of Parks,Recreation and Community Re-sources, in conjunction with theNorthern Virginia chapter of TroutUnlimited and the Virginia Depart-ment of Game and Inland Fisherieseach spring stocks the stream withtrout, giving residents and visitors aunique urban fishing opportunity.

Like other Northern Virginiawaterways, the health of Four MileRun is threatened by pollutants.Also, as impermeable materialreplaces vegetation in much of thestream’s watershed, unfilteredstorm runoff causes erosion. (SeeRecommendation 3 on lot coverage)Four Mile Run does not currentlymeet Federal and State waterquality standards.

Recommendation 22. The Associa-tion commends Arlington County forjoining Fairfax County and theCities of Alexandria and FallsChurch in creating a new monitor-ing system for Four Mile Run. TheAssociation encourages additionalvigorous efforts to restore thehealth of the stream, its wildlife,and its vegetation.

Lubber Run flows south-southeastthrough the eastern edge of theneighborhood. The northern edge ofLubber Run Park is within the

Park. The W&OD trail is up to 12feet wide and is maintained by theCounty and the Northern VirginiaRegional Park Authority.

At the Northern end of Bon AirPark, the W&OD connects to thestarting point of the Custis Trail, aCounty-maintained pathway run-ning through the Bluemont neigh-borhood along the North side ofInterstate 66 on its way to Wash-ington, D.C.. The trail is lighted andabout 9 feet wide. Mature oaks andother old growth trees line parts ofthe trail, especially in the Westernportion between Harrison Streetand Bon Air Park. The county hasplanted additional trees in the areanear George Mason Drive. However,nonnative vines threaten manytrees. Graffiti is a persistentproblem along the Custis Trail. TheCounty is to be commended for itsquick efforts to remove or paintover the graffiti.

Bluemont Remembers

Excerpts from the Arlington CountyPublic Library 1985 Oral History Interviewof Mr. William N. Garrett.

Mr. Garrett: There’s water all around ushere. Tiber Creek, I got a call from theCounty one time, said they never heard ofit. I said, “What? Never heard of TiberCreek?” You go to George Mason Drivehere at Lubber Run, see there’s a culvertthere, and if I ain’t mistaken it’s still overbehind those houses on Abingdon Street.It’s still open. On Wilson Boulevard there’sa culvert there that goes over it. TiberCreek goes on... where the hospital isover there. Comes down there andintercepts with Lubber Run... At that timethere was a one way bridge across thereknown as McCarthy’s bridge... It used tobe an open branch until they put thatother street in there or paved the road.

Interviewer: You mean,George Mason?

Mr. Garrett: George Mason. Yeah,George Mason.


Bluemont Junction Trail runs 1.3miles from the W&OD trail inBluemont Park to Fairfax Drive inBallston. More and more people areusing the trail not only for recre-ation but to get to the boomingcommercial district of Ballston.Regrettably, going to or fromBallston is difficult and dangerousbecause of the trail’s crossing atthe intersection of Wilson Boule-vard and George Mason Drive. Thisintersection is dangerous forpedestrians and bicyclists becauseit is wide, poorly marked, andbecause a right-turn lane (goingfrom Wilson eastbound to GeorgeMason Drive southbound), encour-ages motorists to turn on redwithout checking for people in thecrosswalk. (See Recommendation11.)

Pedestrians and bicyclists faceadditional hazards where the trailends near Fairfax Drive. The trail isconstricted by a guard rail nearAbingdon Street, and then givesway to a narrow, unbuffered,obstructed sidewalk in front of theHoliday Inn. This area is made evenmore hazardous because driverscome off Interstate 66 at highspeeds and flow directly ontoFairfax Drive. Motorists’ visibility islimited by the adjacent soundbarriers. (See Appendix A, Recom-mended Projects)

ParksBluemont Park, classified by theCounty as community open space,is located between Wilson Boule-vard, Carlin Springs Road andManchester Street. This large parkhas a number of recreational,natural, and historical attractionsthat are popular with neighborhoodresidents and visitors. Manyresidents believe that some specificprojects would make the park evenbetter.

The Northwest portion of BluemontPark includes lighted tennis courts

and a parking lot. A well-worn dirtpath crosses from the southeasterncorner of the parking lot to theFour Mile Run Trail.

The Northeast portion of BluemontPark includes an athletic field, anda train caboose and exhibit com-memorating the site of the formerBluemont rail junction. ArlingtonCounty youth soccer leagues aswell as a private school lacrosseteam often use the field. Thewestern central portion of the parkis a large open area that includesthree baseball diamonds. Often, thefields are used all day, with severalgames of the same or varioussports going on at a time. TheSouthwest portion of the parkcontains a lighted basketball court,a children’s playground, a Disc GolfCourse, picnic tables, barbecuepits, and another parking lotentered from Manchester Street.This portion of the park is popu-lated with mature trees.

The Southeast portion of the park ispredominately an open athletic fieldsurrounded by a forest of maturetrees, and includes a picnic pavilionand a tree-covered picnic area. Thearea is accessed by low concretefootbridge that fords Four Mile Runand is designed to allow water fromthe stream to overflow the bridgeduring heavy rain. The area is apopular spot for group picnics withover 50 picnic tables and eightbarbecue grills.

Open metal mesh trash cans arelocated in adequate numbersthroughout Bluemont Park. Butbecause these cans are uncovered,they attract rats and other vermin,which scatter trash about the parkand stream especially near picnicareas. Residents have noted similarvermin problems in other neighbor-hood parks.

Recommendation 24. The Countyshould consider replacing all trashcans in neighborhood parks with atype similar to those used by the

National Park Service, with curvedtops and pull down flap openings inorder to control vermin and reducethe amount of scattered trash.

Bluemont Junction Park. Whilethe Bluemont Junction Trail (seeabove) is the highlight of this park,there are also grassy areas wideenough to host informal athleticactivities. Residents believe thepark would be enhanced by theconstruction between EmersonStreet and Kensington Street of atot lot and playground area toaccommodate the many childrenliving nearby. The large number ofpark and trail users would alsobenefit from other modest improve-ments including the addition of adrinking fountain and tables orbenches. While the park was onceplanted with wildflowers, it is nowrelatively bare between Emersonand Kensington Streets. Replantingwildflowers and adding otherappropriate landscaping wouldimprove the park’s appearance,especially in the years it will takeuntil the park’s many young treesbecome mature. Many people usethe trail after dark, but it is poorlylit in some areas, particularlybetween Fairfax Drive and GeorgeMason Boulevard. Residents believethat the completion of all of thesemodest improvements would notalter the park’s character as apredominantly open and unim-proved area.

Recommendation 25. In BluemontJunction Park between EmersonStreet and Kensington Street theCounty (in cooperation with theAssociation) should construct a totlot and a playground, and install adrinking fountain and additionalbenches or tables. Wildflowers andother appropriate landscapingshould also be added to improve thepark’s appearance betweenEmerson Street and KensingtonStreet. The County should alsoinstall - as needed along the lengthof the trail - additional nighttime

26 Parks and Open Space

lighting sufficient to eliminate darkspots but not so bright as to disturbadjacent residents. The viability ofsafety phones should also beconsidered for this trail as well asother trails in the neighborhood.Residents believe that the comple-tion of all of these modest improve-ments would not alter the park’scharacter as a predominantly openand unimproved area. (See Appen-dix A, Recommended Projects)

There are persistent fears amongsome residents that the soil nearKensington Street and CarlinSprings Road by the Virginia Powersubstation was contaminated withtoxic polychlorinated biphenols (orPCB’s). Some residents are alsoconcerned that PCB contaminationin Bluemont Junction Park mayhave resulted from overheadelectric transformers, which, beforethey were placed underground,would occasionally explode.

Recommendation 26. The Countyshould thoroughly investigate andtake appropriate action in responseto concerns over the possibility oftoxic waste in the soil of BluemontPark near the Virginia Powersubstation and in Bluemont Junc-tion Park near the location offormer overhead electric transform-ers.

Bon Air Park’s 23.9 acres areclassified by the County as commu-nity open space. The park isbounded by Wilson Boulevard,Arlington Mill Drive, Interstate 66,and Lexington Street. Bon Air is apopular location for group picnicsas well as family gatherings andindividual respites. It is also usedfor events such as Arbor Day andArlington Neighborhood Day. Inaddition to Four Mile Run and theW&OD Trail, the park contains twotennis courts, a basketball court, abaseball diamond, a volleyballcourt, playgrounds, and picnictables and grills. Bon Air also hoststhe following horticultural attrac-


tions, which draw visitors fromthroughout the area:

Arlington Memorial Rose Garden,one of the finest collections ofroses in the region, which containssome 3,500 rose bushes of 157varieties, 32 of which have beenawarded the American RoseSociety’s award for excellence. Thegarden was established in 1944with donations from individualswhose families included memberswho had served in the armed forcesin World War II. The garden movedto Bon Air in 1961 from its originalsite at Arlington Hospital. ThePotomac Rose Society and othergroups periodically give presenta-tions in the garden on the cultureand care of roses. Wedding ceremo-nies are often held here;

The Azalea Garden, which includescamellias and rhododendrons and alarge variety of azaleas. In earlyspring, extensive plantings ofnarcissi provide a striking display;

Sunny and Shade Gardens, whichcontain extensive demonstrationplantings of bulbs, perennials,wildflowers and other plants thatare suited to local growing condi-tions. The Master Gardeners ofNorthern Virginia maintain thegardens.

Residents are concerned overtraffic congestion and parkingproblems in the park on weekends,especially when there are largegroup or family picnics and soccergames. Neighbors are also con-cerned over loitering and possibledrug dealing in the parking lot afterthe park is closed. Restricting theparking lot pay phone to allowoutgoing calls only could helpreduce such inappropriate after-hours activities.

Fields Park, classified as neighbor-hood open space, is located nearthe intersection of George MasonDrive and Wilson Boulevard next tothe Bluemont Junction Trail and the

Constitutional Garden and Bicen-tennial Bell. A stone marker in thepark is inscribed, “In memory ofMaryanna Fields 1922 - 1985.” Thepark consists primarily of a Ber-muda-grass athletic field usedmostly for youth soccer. There arealso small bleachers and two picnictables. Trees line the park on itsEast, West and North sides. Adja-cent private property is separatedfrom the park by a chain-link fencewith lock and gate entrances foreach property owner

The County is to be commended forits maintenance of the split-railfence surrounding much of the parkand for controlling weeds and vinesthat are prone to grow on the fence.This is important because thewooded area which abuts theathletic field is filled with poisonivy, wild raspberries with thorns,pokeberry (liked by birds butpoisonous to humans), and invasivewild grape vine.

Lacey Woods Park, classified ascommunity open space, is regardedby residents and visitors as a smalltreasure of urban forestry. The parkis located southwest of GeorgeMason Drive and WashingtonBoulevard. While only about 13acres, Lacey Woods Park containsone of the largest and most impor-tant concentrations of woods in theneighborhood and County. LaceyWoods Park contains a heavily usedbasketball court and an athleticfield. The park also has a popularchildren’s playground. A garden andbenches are to be added. The parkhas two picnic shelters and a firering that is put to use by local scouttroops and during theneighborhood’s annual Halloweencelebration. Parking is available onadjacent streets. Residents havenoted that some dog owners fail toleash their pets or to clean up afterthem.

Recommendation 27. In LaceyWoods Park and other neighbor-

hood parks and trails, the County(in cooperation with the Associa-tion) should seek to better enforceordinances requiring dog owners toleash their pets and to clean upafter them. The County shouldinform owners of relevant ordi-nances when owners register theirpets.

A privately owned parcel of wood-land stands on the Northeastcorner of George Mason Drive andWashington Boulevard, catty-cornerfrom Lacey Woods Park. This parcelis within the Waycroft-WoodlawnNeighborhood

Recommendation 28. In accordancewith the preference of the majorityof Waycroft-Woodlawn residentsresponding to that neighborhood’srecent conservation plan survey,the County should acquire theparcel on the Northeast corner ofGeorge Mason Drive and Washing-ton Boulevard and maintain it as anatural-woods County park landsimilar to neighboring Lacey WoodsPark.

Other Open SpacesArlington Constitutional Gardenand the Constitutional Bicenten-nial Bell, classified by the Countyas neighborhood open space, islocated at the corner of WilsonBoulevard and George Mason Drive.The garden plot measures just 70by 15 feet but is planted withapproximately 900 flowering plantsin the spring, summer and fall. Thegarden and bell commemorate thebicentennial of the U.S. Constitu-tion. They were established in 1987as a joint effort of the ArlingtonBeautification Project and theCounty. The project received acertificate of official recognitionfrom the State of Virginia under theLiving Legacy program. Localresidents and many passers-byhave complimented the garden’sCounty-maintained colorful displayof annual flowers. The bronze

Bicentennial Bell weighs 250pounds and has a 30-pound clapperthat is inserted to ring the bell onceremonial occasions such as theFourth of July, federal holidays andat midnight on New Year’s Eve.

The Arlington MetaphysicalChapel, dating from 1981, islocated on Wilson Boulevard nearJefferson Street. Its quaint whiteframe building blends in with thesurrounding residences.

Arlington Traditional School,classified as neighborhood openspace, is a public magnet elemen-tary school located west of GeorgeMason Drive, just north of WilsonBoulevard. On the large lot sur-rounding the school are play-grounds, a basketball hoop, and anathletic field with backstop that isused for both ball games andsoccer. (See also recommendation17 on parking at Arlington Tradi-tional School.)

Arlington Forest Club, classifiedby the County as semi-public land,lies south of Bluemont JunctionPark at the corner of HarrisonStreet and Carlin Springs Road.This private recreation associationoffers its members pool and lightedtennis facilities. Because the club’smature trees and landscaping makesuch a contribution to the neighbor-hood, the Association encouragesthe club to maintain its greeneryand to consider adding trees orother landscaping along HarrisonStreet.

Bon Air Baptist Church, estab-lished in the early 1900’s, is aattractive, well-maintained facilitylocated in the middle of 800 IllinoisStreet, a residential block. The frontof the church is nicely landscapedwith seasonal plants year round,while the back area has beenconverted into a parking lot extend-ing to Jefferson Street.

First Presbyterian Church TheFirst Presbyterian congregation,

started in 1872, moved to itspresent location at the corner ofCarlin Springs Road and VermontStreet in 1950. The tall white-spired church, parking lot, andplayground sit on a 3 acre site, oneof the largest remaining greenspaces in the Ballston area.

Saint Ann Catholic Church andSchool celebrated its 50th anniver-sary in 1997. Its large lot, boundedby 10th Street, Custis Trail,Frederick Street and HarrisonStreet, contains an attractive slate-roofed, Flemish-bond church andvarious other church and schoolbuildings. Most of the lot notcovered by buildings is paved overfor parking. The church lot alsocontains two basketball hoops anda children’s playground.

Saint Michael’s EpiscopalChurch, built in 1948 of nativeVirginia stone, is located at IvanhoeStreet and 11th Road. The church’schimes can be heard across thenorthern portion of the neighbor-hood. The attractively landscapedgrounds include an educationbuilding, outdoor altar, memorialgarden, and children’s playground.

Southern-Shreve Cemetery,classified by the County as aHistoric Resource, is located alongwith an accompanying markersouth of Saint Ann Church atFairfax Drive and Harrison Street.(See Historic Section notes on theShreve and Southern families, earlysettlers to the area.)

NeighborhoodBeautificationStreets are the most visible andimportant public spaces in neigh-borhoods. Unfortunately,Bluemont’s attractive parks stand instark contrast to its streets, whereconcrete and power lines are farmore visible than vegetation. TheAssociation encourages County


effort to build more attractive,landscaped streetscapes, particu-larly along arterial roads.

The neighborhood’s above-groundutilities are an impediment toimproved street landscaping. Utilitylines and poles are not only unat-tractive themselves, but areespecially unkind to trees. Regretta-bly, burying utilities throughout theneighborhood is prohibitivelyexpensive at this time. However, aswith other Arlington neighbor-hoods, a partnership between theCounty and local businesses couldconceivably produce sufficientfunding to bury utilities alongWilson Boulevard. (See WilsonBoulevard Commercial Area.)

There are minimal buffer andtransition areas between commer-cial facilities and adjacent residen-tial neighborhoods in much of theneighborhood. This is particularlytrue for buildings with older siteplans. Examples in the Glebe RoadCommercial Area include theHoliday Inn and Bob PeckChevrolet. In the Wilson BoulevardCommercial Area, there is aparticular lack of landscaping atthe Safeway and the former BalmarPrinting and Graphics facility. Ineach of these cases, commercialactivities take place directlyadjacent to or across from residen-tial dwellings with minimal or nobenefit from landscaping or otherforms of screening.

Recommendation 29. The Associa-tion encourages local businesses todevelop and maintain attractivelandscaping, especially in thoseareas adjacent to residential areas.The Association welcomes theinvolvement of County businessdevelopment offices in encouragingsuch practices even if not specifi-cally required by County ordinance.

Residents also oppose the prospec-tive construction of any telecommu-nication towers or facilities oncounty parks or other land. The


Association believes this is areasonable position in view of thefact that commercial buildings inBallston are at a higher elevationthan any neighborhood location andcould accommodate such towers orfacilities moreefficiently than any stand-alonestructure in Bluemont neighbor-hood.

The Beaver Pond is a refuge for many native birds and mammels.

Recommendation 30. The Countyshould not permit the installation oftelecommunications towers orfacilities in the neighborhood.

Recommendation 31. Provideneighborhood identification signswith plantings at designated entrypoints into the community and/or atpublic space within the neighbor-hood.

Four Mile Run in Bluemont Park is stocked with trout each year.


Four Mile Run forms the Westernboundary of Bluemont, and provides ascenic focal point in Bluemont Park.

Overview

The Wilson Boulevard commer-cial area is Bluemont’sdowntown. Residents gener-

ally appreciate Wilson’s blend ofsmall businesses, craft shops, anda few chain establishments. Butwhile neighbors don’t want to turnthe area into a continuation ofBallston, they are also generallysupportive of making the WilsonBoulevard commercial area morecohesive, more attractive, and morepedestrian-friendly. In keeping withthe urban village concept, aestheticand access improvements toWilson’s commercial strip could goa long way toward establishing atraditional town center that pullstogether the community.

The Wilson Boulevard CommercialArea extends from Glebe Road westto Jefferson Street. It consists of anarrow strip of commercially zonedproperties interspersed withapartments, townhouses, and singlefamily homes. The businesseslocated here are spread out eitherin single buildings or in buildingshousing two to five businesses. Thearea includes family restaurants,service stations, barber and beautyshops, dry cleaners, a video store, aconvenience store, a formerprintshop and warehouse, a bakery,a funeral home, an electronicappliance repair shop, and profes-sional offices.

There are also a number of busi-nesses within the Wilson BoulevardCommercial Area that are unique.These include a pottery consign-ment shop, a well-regarded usedbook store, a leather and shoe

Wilson BoulevardCommercial Area

repair shop, a skate board androller blade shop, a T-shirt and shoestore, an animal hospital, and acommercial door service company.The main centers of commercialactivity in this area are the Safewaygrocery store and the McDonald’sRestaurant at the intersection ofWilson Boulevard and GeorgeMason Drive.

ChallengesPedestrian Safety. Wilson Boulevardis grossly unsafe for pedestrians.Local businesses and residentssuffer as a result. Many residentshave noted specifically that afterhaving made one trial walk to theSafeway, they now drive to non-local stores even for small items.Name a pedestrian hazard, andWilson’s got it: speeding traffic;wide, insufficiently marked crossingpoints; front-of-store diagonal

Voices of Bluemont:Wilson Boulevard Commercial Area

Two out of three households responding to the neighborhood conservationplan survey thought local commercial establishments met their dailyshopping needs, were clean and well maintained, and made a positivecontribution to the community. Still, many people suggested improvements.A sampling of survey comments:

“We’re fortunate to have small businesses.Let’s support them, not destroy them.”

“I go to the Lee/Harrison shopping area because the Wilson area seemsdreary and seedy.”

“Improve pedestrian and bike access.”

“Wilson Boulevard shops are cut off from those residents north of them.”

“Storefronts look bad, but the services are good.”

“Just plant more trees and gardens.”

parking; and sidewalks that arenarrow, obstructed and lackingeven the most minimal buffer fromtraffic. In addition to the 105telephone poles and other obstruc-tions along Wilson Boulevard, thereare 50 dips in the sidewalks fordriveways and parking lots, notincluding curb cuts at streetintersections. Wilson Boulevard’ssidewalks are impassable forpeople with special needs, and arehazardous to anyone else whoventures on them. Crossing WilsonBoulevard is dangerous throughoutthe neighborhood, though residentsthink that the crossings at EmersonStreet (by the Safeway) and by thebus stops near Kensington Streetare in particular need of improve-ments.

Store and Parking Alignment.Parking is generally restricted tothe area directly in front of the

Wilson Boulevard Commercial Area 31

business storefronts. Drivers goingin and out of these parking areascan endanger themselves as well asnearby pedestrians, especially ifthe drivers have to back into trafficon Wilson Boulevard. Front-of-storeparking is also a reason the area isgenerally unattractive.

Appearance. In addition to block-ing the path of pedestrians and thesight-lines of drivers, Wilson’sBoulevard’s forest of telephonepoles and utility lines is unsightly.And in a commercial area, appear-ances count. An almost total lack oflandscaping adds to a bleak,uninviting look. There are wholeblocks of Wilson Boulevard with nogreen at all.

The Association understands that atsome point the Safeway at Wilsonand Edison may be renovated orexpanded. Such a project would bean ideal opportunity for owners tomake the store more attractive andpedestrian friendly. A renovatedSafeway reconfigured on its existingproperty to allow for behind-storeparking, attractive landscaping, andgood pedestrian access could serve

as a model for the other businessesof the Wilson Commercial Area.

For all its shortcomings, the WilsonBoulevard Commercial Area isvalued as one of the few remaininglocations in Arlington County wheresmall businesses, sole proprietors,and crafts-people can still findaffordable commercial space. Mostneighborhood residents regardWilson Boulevard as a uniqueresource that needs to be nurtured,not replaced. Along this line, theAssociation believes these busi-nesses would become even more ofan asset to the community if accesswere improved and the area given amore inviting look.

Recommendation 32. The County, inpartnership with local businessowners and the Association, shoulddevelop a phased urban villageaction plan to improve the appear-ance of the Wilson BoulevardCommercial Area, to enhancevehicle, bicycle, and pedestrianaccess, and to generally encouragethe establishment of a traditionaltown center that pulls together thecommunity. Goals of the plan

should include: burying utility linesusing the combined resources ofthe County, commercial areaproperty owners, and VirginiaPower; development of consolidatedbehind-store parking whereverpossible; construction of sidewalksand planting strips on both sides ofWilson Boulevard between GlebeRoad and Jefferson Street ofsufficient width and design to meetnational standards for traditionalneighborhood business areas; theaddition of trees and other land-scaping wherever possible; and thereplacement of streetlights withattractive street lamps.

Recommendation 33. ShouldSafeway company officials decide torenovate or expand the store atWilson Boulevard and EdisonStreet, the neighborhood encour-ages consideration of a new designthat is more pedestrian friendly andhas more curb appeal. Behind-storeparking, attractive landscaping, andwelcoming pedestrian walkwaysshould be considered.

Bluemont Remembers

Excerpts from the Arlington County Public Library Oral History Interview in1989 of Ms. Sarah B. Brugh.

Interviewer: ... We have a map in front of us that shows Stonewall Jackson[school, now Arlington Traditional School]. It’s a 1938 map of ArlingtonCounty and index of streets and what-not.

Ms. Brugh: The farmhouse was down on Wilson Boulevard right therewhere McDonald’s is now. There was a farm there. Pastures, they had abarn and the pasture was right behind the barn that came up by theschool...Then when George Mason [Drive] was built it was on the lastaddition that they put the principal’s office, the nurse’s office, the confer-ence room and the gymnasium... When I first came to Arlington, I walkedalong the cornfield which is now the Stonewall Jackson ballfield playground

32 Wilson Boulevard Commercial Area

Reprinted by permission ofTHE WALL STREET JOURNAL1998 Dow Jones and Company Inc.All rights reserved. Originally published August 24, 1998.

By Lucinda Harper,Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Four hundred trees, 45 park benches, 234lampposts, one old-fashioned street clock. That’s all it took.For more than a decade, this small city has been trying torevitalize its downtown: It gave funds for facade restoration,discounts on electric bills and sponsored concerts on thecourthouse lawn. Nothing seemed to do the trick.

Upscale Businesses

But two years ago, Valdosta decided to invest $9 million onnew landscaping, a large sum for a town of 48,000. Mostexisting trees in an eight-block radius were uprooted. Newelm, oak and magnolia trees, as well as azalea, holly andjuniper bushes, were put in their place. Sidewalks werewidened and streets were narrowed, bringing back anambiance of Southern charm that had left the district many,many years before.

The result: New, hip and trendy businesses cropped up inonce-abandoned buildings even before the project wascompletely finished a few weeks ago, and people are comingfrom surrounding areas to shop.

“Before, the downtown was old-timey. Not old-timey enough tobe cute, but old-timey enough to be tacky,” says Becky Myers,who started an upscale children’s clothing boutique here inMarch.

Carol McDonald, who opened an antique shop with her sisterhere recently, agrees. “Basically, people used to comedowntown for a reason, and then they left, she says. “Now,people stroll around just to look, and they are really enjoyingit.”

Call it economic development on the cheap. But some smallercities and towns are discovering that new trees and lushgreenery can be more effective than tax breaks, abatementsand other economic incentives when it comes to luring newbusinesses and shoppers.

‘A Sense of Community’

With a strong economy leaving many municipalities flush withcash from tax revenues, more cities than ever are trying tospruce up their surroundings in hope that the facelift will keepmiddle-income taxpayers from moving to newer communities.“Many small towns are fighting to keep people there, andlandscaping is a way to build a sense of community,” saysRichard Spurber, president of suburban-Los Angeles-basedValley Crest, which provided the landscaping for Valdosta andsome other small towns looking to freshen their image.

Of course, redesigning shabby downtowns isn’t new. Largecities have been turning decaying neighborhoods into festivemarketplaces and waterfront pavilions for decades. But thoseprojects often required massive new infrastructure and costlyconstruction, far too expensive for small towns.

Landscaping, on the other hand, is relatively inexpensive.Urban planner say if a city has proper infrastructure, viableactivities and commercial investment, but still no real spark, abit of fresh landscaping may be just what the doctor ordered.

“Landscaping is not the answer to economic development, butit is a critical part of the answer,” says David Godschalk,professor of city an regional planning at the University ofNorth Carolina at Chapel Hill. He cautions, though, that thereis no clear way to measure the impact. “You can’t say that ifyou put down 100 trees, you’ll get X as a return.”

Still, many small towns are plugging away. Some are trying tocreate a sense of nostalgia to appeal to baby boomers. Thecity of Temucula, Calif., is remodeling the center of itsdowntown to resemble a frontier town in the Old West. Asidefrom the planting of new California Sycamore trees, landscap-ers a re replacing boring concrete sidewalks with woodenboardwalks, installing hitching posts and putting in oak trashbarrels -all at a cost of $5 million.

John Meyer, housing and redevelopment manager for the cityof 48,000, says the theme was chosen to keep in line with thetown’s history as a stage stop on the Overland Stage mailroute and a large cattle ranch.

“Once this is completed, there will be more reason forcommercial building, and the quality of the buildings will bebetter,” Mr. Meyer predicts.

In an extremely poor area in Newport News, Va., the commu-nity opted to spend $4 million on new landscaping along an18-acre tract of waterfront property rather than build high-priced condominiums or an industrial Park.

“This is probably one of the last undeveloped pieces ofwaterfront between New York and Florida,” says Shaun Brown,chairman of the Hampton Roads Waterfront Task Force. “Butthe feeling is that if we let the park go” to development, thecommunity would flounder, she said.

Knoxville, Tenn. is working to revitalize its riverfront, indus-trial area and old city area. Knoxville’s Department ofAdministration director, Ellen Adcock, cautions cities that areusing heavy landscaping as a development tool to remembersafety. “Sometimes, people end up feeling unsafe with a lot ofshrubbery,” she says, noting that criminals can hide behind it.“It is important that you pay attention to lighting and thepositioning of trees.”

Still, trees are an integral part of Knoxville’s redevelopmentefforts. “The mayor (Victor Ashe) is very tree-oriented,” Ms.Adcock says. “Before a tree is cut down on any piece of publicproperty, he has to be personally notified.”

Before the landscaping project started two years ago inValdosta, the tax base downtown was declining. It is now onthe rise, says the town’s Main Street director, Mara Register.

Ms. Register also points out that seven new businessesopened downtown in 1997, among them an engineering firmand a trendy coffee house, despite the fact that landscapingand street construction were at their peak, and it was oftendifficult to walk around the city streets.

Landscapers Help Spruce Up Main StreetSmall Cities Regain Charm and Business at a Low Cost

Wilson Boulevard Commercial Area 33

APPENDICES

A1. Kensington Street between Carlin SpringsRoad and 8th Road; Jefferson Street between 5thStreet and Wilson Boulevard; 5th Street, 6thStreet, 7th Street, and 8th Street betweenKensington Street and Jefferson Street; and 8thRoad between Jefferson Street and LexingtonStreet.

Design recommendations. The County should a)construct sidewalks with planting strips on both sidesof each street, using reclaimed land from street right-sizing; b) right-size 8th Road and 5th Street to 26 footcurb-to-curb width, right-size Kensington Street andJefferson Street to 30 foot curb-to-curb width orother width as determined by prevailing nationalstandards for traditional neighborhood street design;c) maintain two sided parking on each street; and d)reduce curb return radii at all minor road intersec-tions to 10 feet.

Other recommendations. Improve pedestrian pathfrom Kensington Street dead-end at Wilson Boulevardtoward the Wilson Boulevard bus stop. Constructdifferently textured, differently colored, and/or raisedcrosswalk where Bluemont trail bike path crossesKensington Street. Consider marking bike lanes onJefferson Street. Implement appropriate County-approved retrofitted traffic calming measures such asflat-top speed humps, traffic circles or other physicalrestraints as discussed with County officials. Con-sider changing the yield sign on Lexington Street at8th Road to a stop sign to ensure drivers have enoughtime to properly gauge oncoming traffic.

A2. Harrison Street between Washington Boule-vard and Wilson Boulevard.

No-cost recommendations. Consistent with County-approved traffic calming measures, the County shouldimmediately allow one sided parking in 26 foot widesections and immediately allow two sided parking in30 or 31 foot wide sections, subject to line-of-sight,grade and other safety considerations and withconsideration given to rush-hour parking restrictions.

Design recommendations. The County should a) right-size 36 foot curb-to-curb width to 30 feet or otherappropriate width, maintaining two sided parking,

and right-size 26-foot width to 23 foot width main-taining parking prohibitions on both sides; b) con-struct sidewalks on east side, using reclaimed landfrom street right-sizing; and c) widen or otherwiseimprove pedestrian pathway over I-66, or add land-scaped buffer of contained plantings.

Other Recommendations. As discussed with Countyofficials the County should implement County-approved retrofitted traffic calming measures includ-ing measures to control speed, such as increasedpolice enforcement and use of SMART sets, a perma-nent SMART set or speed warning sign, or flat-topspeed humps and 4-way stops.

A3. Vermont Street, Abingdon Street andWakefield Street, all between Wilson Boulevardand Carlin Springs Road.

Design recommendations. The County should a) right-size Vermont Street and Abingdon Street to 26 footcurb-to-curb width maintaining parking on both sides;b) construct sidewalks with planting strips on bothsides of each street where sidewalks are missing,using reclaimed land from street right-sizing; c)reduce curb return radii at minor road intersectionsto 10 feet; and d) redesign turn lane for CarlinSprings Road onto Abingdon Street to discouragespeeding.

A4. 7th Street between Buchanan Street andGeorge Mason Drive; Buchanan Street between7th Road and 7th Street; Albemarle Street be-tween Wilson Boulevard and 7th Road.

Design recommendations. The County should a)construct sidewalks with planting strips on both sidesof each street where missing; and b) reduce curbreturn radii at minor road intersections to 10 feet.

A5. Buchanan Street, between Fairfax Drive andWilson Boulevard; 8th Road between Fields Parkand Buchanan Street.

Design recommendations. The County should a)construct curbs and sidewalks with planting strips onboth sides of each street; and b) reduce curb returnradii at intersections to 10 feet.

A6. 5th Street, between Greenbrier Street and

APPENDIX ARecommended Projects

Recommended Projects A-1

Frederick Street; Frederick Street and HarrisonStreet between 5th Street and Carlin SpringsRoad; Illinois Street between 5th Street andBluemont Drive; Greenbrier Street between 5thStreet and Bluemont Drive.

Design recommendations. The County should a) right-size each street to 26 foot curb-to-curb width; and b)construct curbs and sidewalks with planting strips onboth sides of each street where sidewalks are miss-ing, using reclaimed land from street right-sizing; andc) reduce curb return radii to 10 feet.

A7. 10th Street between Frederick Street andGeorge Mason Drive; Frederick Street between10th Street and Washington Boulevard.

No-cost recommendations. To alleviate parkingproblems and slow traffic while still allowing for fluidthrough traffic, the County should immediately allowtwo sided parking in the 31 foot wide section ofFrederick Street, consistent with County-approvedtraffic calming measures.

Design recommendations. For both 10th Street andFrederick Street the County should a) right-size bothstreets to 26 foot curb-to-curb widths maintainingparking on both sides; b) construct sidewalks withplanting strips where missing on both sides of eachstreet using reclaimed land from street right-sizing;and c) reduce curb return radii at minor road inter-sections to 10 feet. Note that the County Departmentof Public Works in 1997 declined the request of localresidents for retrofitted traffic calming measures onFrederick Street, citing the fact that daily trafficvolume was low. In view of this low traffic volume, theCounty will presumably not object to the removal ofparking restrictions or to the right-sizing of thesestreets.

Other recommendations. Pending the completion ofstreet design recommendations, the County shouldconsider County-approved retrofitted traffic calmingmeasures including flat top speed humps, 4-waystops, or curb nubs.

A8. 6th Street between Edison and EmersonStreets, Edison Street between Carlin SpringsRoad and 6th Street; Emerson Street between6th Street and Wilson Boulevard.

Design recommendations. The County should a)construct sidewalks with planting strips parkwaywhere sidewalks are missing, maintaining parking onboth sides of each street; b) right-size 6th Streetbetween Edison and Emerson to 26 feet, usingreclaimed land for sidewalk and parkway; and c)reduce curb return radii at minor road intersections

to 10 feet.

A9. Bluemont Junction Park.

Recommended improvements. Between EmersonStreet and Kensington Street the County shouldconstruct a tot lot and a playground, and install adrinking fountain and additional benches or tables.Wildflowers and other appropriate landscaping shouldalso be added to improve the park’s appearancebetween Emerson Street and Kensington Street. TheCounty should also install as needed along the lengthof the trail additional nighttime lighting sufficient toeliminate dark spots but not so bright as to disturbadjacent residents. The viability of safety phonesshould also be considered for this trail as well asother trails in the neighborhood. Residents believethat the completion of all of these modest improve-ments would not alter the park’s character as apredominantly open and unimproved area.

A10. Wilson Boulevard between Glebe Road andFour Mile Run.

Design recommendations. For the length of WilsonBoulevard through the neighborhood, the Countyshould construct buffered, landscaped sidewalks of awidth consistent with prevailing street design guide-lines for traditional neighborhoods.

Other recommendations. The County should enhanceenforcement measures and implement passivemethods such as SMART sets to discourage vehicularspeeding.

A11. Washington Boulevard between IvanhoeStreet and Frederick Street.

Design recommendations. The State of Virginia shouldconstruct curb and sidewalk with planting strip of awidth consistent with prevailing street design guide-lines for traditional neighborhoods. To enhancepedestrian safety and accommodate adjacent prop-erty owners, two-sided parking should be maintained.

A12. Frederick Street between its dead end atInterstate 66 and Wilson Boulevard; 9th Streetbetween Frederick and Edison; 8th Road be-tween Greenbrier and Edison streets.

Design recommendations. The County should con-struct sidewalks as follows: Frederick Street, bothsides where missing between its dead end at Inter-state 66 and Wilson Boulevard; 9th Street, south sidebetween Frederick and Edison streets (curbs only tobe built on north side); 8th Road, both sides wheremissing between Greenbrier and Edison streets.

A13. Fairfax Drive near Abingdon Street and theHoliday Inn.

A-2 Recommended Projects

Street design recommendations: The County shouldconstruct a sufficiently wide, landscaped sidewalk infront of the Holiday Inn. The Holiday Inn turn-in circleentryways should be narrowed. Pedestrian andbicycle paths should be separated and widened attheir merge point near Abingdon Street. Note alsoAppendix A, Recommended Project A20.

A14. Florida, Greenbrier, Harrison and IllinoisStreet cul-de-sacs at Bluemont Junction Park.

Street design recommendations: The County shouldconstruct curbs and attractive entryways that allowfor passage by bicycles, pedestrians, or people withstrollers.

At the following locations, curbs and gutters shouldbe constructed or storm drains improved:

A15. 12th Street between Frederick Street andHarrison Street (curb/gutter).

A16. 11th Road between Frederick Street andIllinois Street (curb/gutter).

A17. Bluemont Drive where missing betweenIllinois and Frederick Streets (curb/gutter). Theend of Bluemont Drive at Illinois Street shouldalso be neatened and repaired.

A18. Greenbrier Street cul-de-sac at Interstate 66(curb/gutter).

A19. 9th Street between George Mason Drive andBuchanan Street (improvement of storm drains).

At the following locations, nighttime lighting shouldbe installed or improved:

A20. Fairfax Drive at George Mason Drivethrough the area near Fairfax Drive at the HolidayInn.

A21. 8th Road near Kensington Street.

A22. Frederick Street between its dead end atInterstate 66 and Wilson Boulevard; 9th Streetbetween Frederick and Edison Streets.

A23. 7th Street between Tazewell and WakefieldStreets; Tazewell Street between 7th Street andWilson Boulevard.

A24. Albemarle Street between Wilson Boulevardand 7th Street.

A25. Exit ramp from Carlin Springs Road west-bound onto George Mason northbound.

A26. Greenbrier Street between Bluemont Driveand 5th Street, including at Bluemont bike path.

A27. 7th Road near Abingdon Street.

Recommended Projects A-3

APPENDIX BSummary of Policy Recommendations

Land Use and Zoning1. In order to preserve Bluemont as a predomi-

nantly residential neighborhood of detachedhomes, the Association will work with the Countyto maintain in broad form the prevailing land useand zoning patterns of the neighborhood. Theneighborhood recommends specifically thatresidents’ views be given due consideration inadjudicating any rezoning request or zoningvariance request that would allow additionalcommercial development or higher densitydevelopment in the neighborhood.

2. Working with the Association, the County shouldactively solicit the opinions of Bluemont resi-dents on prospective modifications to theBallston Sector Plan that include a part of theneighborhood. The County should welcomeBluemont’s input on other prospective Ballstonprojects, including Metro station access projects.

3. In order to diminish runoff and erosion problems,particularly with regard to Four Mile Run, theCounty should revise building codes and zoningordinances for any residential construction(including home additions and infill develop-ment) to: a) reduce surface area of residentiallots permitted to be covered by structures orother impermeable entities (e.g. reduce to the50% coverage level suggested by the CivicFederation); and b) require that new land usesdo not create drainage problems for adjacentproperty owners.

4. Working with the Association as ap-propriate, theCounty should be responsive to residents’requests for enforcement of County ordinanceson residential use, residential care, parking,noise, and other health and quality of life issues.In acting on such requests, the County shouldbalance potential risks to health, safety, andwelfare with the privacy rights of local residents.The County is to be commended for initiating aprogram to investigate reported violations atnight and on weekends, since those times areoften the only opportunities to observe certainviolations.

5. For all prospective changes to County proertywithin the neighborhood, the County is encour-aged to proceed as if site plan developmentrequirements applied.

Streets and Street Safety6. In cooperation with the Association, the County

should build a safe and continuous pedestriannetwork in Bluemont. With the exception ofstreets with very minimal traffic where residentsspecifically oppose the con-struction of side-walks, the County should construct curbs andsidewalks on both sides of every neighborhoodstreet. Sidewalks of extra width should accom-pany every arterial road. The County should usethe reclaimed land from street right-sizing (seeRecommendation 7) to locate sidewalks andaccompanying planting strips. (See also Appen-dix A, Recommended Projects.)

7. To make streets safer for all users and reclaimgreenspace while continuing to accommodatetwo-way traffic and emergency vehicles, theCounty (in cooperation with the Association)should prescribe for neighborhood minor streetsa curb-to-curb width of between 24 and 26 feetwith parking on both sides. For neighborhoodprincipal streets, the County should prescribethe minimum curb-to-curb width consistent withnational street design guidelines for traditionalneighborhoods, which should be less than 36feet. (See Appendix A, Recommended Projects.)

8. To enhance vehicular and pedestrian safety whilecontinuing to allow for emergency vehicleaccess, the County (in cooperation with theAssociation) should prescribe a standard curbreturn radius of 10 feet for intersections of allnon-arterial neighborhood streets in Bluemont.(See Appendix A, Recommended Projects.)

9. In cooperation with the Association, the Countyshould apply appropriate County-approvedretrofitted traffic calming measures to: a) thelength of Wilson Boulevard in the neighborhood;b) Kensington Street and Jefferson Street (and

Summary of Policy Recommendations B-1

their connector streets) between Carlin SpringsRoad and Wilson Boulevard; and c) HarrisonStreet, between Wilson Boulevard and Washing-ton Boulevard, 10th Street between Harrison andGeorge Mason Drive, and Frederick Streetbetween Washington Boulevard and the CustisTrail. (See also Appendix A, RecommendedProjects.)

10. In cooperation with the Association, the Countyshould take necessary action to correct prob-lems of limited visibility caused by vegetation orother obstructions on Harrison Street betweenWashington and Wilson Boulevards. The Countyshould respond expeditiously to other requestsfrom residents regarding sight obstructions fromvegetation or other obstacles. The Associationencourages neighborhood residents toproactively trim vegetation on their property asappropriate.

11. To make Bluemont safer and more livable, theCounty (in cooperation with the Association)should improve the traffic control system and/ordesign of the intersection at George Mason Drive(GMD) and Wilson Boulevard. Particular consid-eration should be given to accommodating leftturns from GMD northbound to Wilson west-bound, and to accommodating left turns fromWilson westbound to GMD southbound. Changesto the intersection should at the same time makeit safer and easier for pedestrians and bicyclesto cross, especially since this intersection is acrucial part of the Bluemont Junction Trailconnecting the neighborhood to Ballston.Pedestrian crosswalks should be shortened asmuch as possible and be better marked.

12. At the intersection of Glebe Road and WilsonBoulevard, the County (in cooperation with theAssociation) should lessen crossing distances byright-sizing vehicle travel lanes, better markcrosswalks, and otherwise make the intersectionsafer and friendlier for pedestrians and bicy-clists. To allow for the safer and easier flow ofvehicles, lanes should be better marked andconsideration should be given to the addition ofleft-turn arrows. Left turns from Wilson Boule-vard westbound to Glebe Road southboundshould be permitted at all times, includingafternoon rush hours. Consideration should begiven to restricting afternoon rush hour leftturns from Wilson Boulevard westbound toVermont Street southbound to residents only. AtTazewell Street, signs should be added acrossfrom the Mazda dealership to preclude inadvert-ent left turns.

13. To allow residents to travel safely on foot orbicycle to and from Ballston, the County (incooperation with the Association) should makethe intersection of Glebe Road and Fairfax Drivepedestrian-friendly. Crosswalks should be bettermarked, medians (with curb cuts) should extendinto the crosswalk, and islands and mediansshould be expanded, lanes narrowed, or crossingdistances otherwise minimized.

14. In cooperation with the Association, the Countyshould improve or create pedestrian crossinglocations: a) at and around the intersection ofCarlin Springs Road and Glebe Road, as well asother locations along Carlin Springs Road; b)across George Mason Drive at Fairfax Drive; andc) across Wilson Boulevard at Emerson Street(near the Safeway) and across Wilson Boulevardat the bus stop near Kensington Street. In allcases, consideration should be given to well-marked crosswalks and other measures thatwould alert drivers to go slower.

15. In recognition of the fact that a) safe streets andpedestrian facilities are a primary element of amodel urban village, and b) Bluemont’s hazard-ous streets and inadequate pedestrian facilitiesare inconsistent with the prevailing character ofthe neighborhood and the County as a whole, theCounty (in cooperation with the Association)should rebuild neighborhood streets to favorslow-moving local traffic, improve the flow ofarterial roads, and build safe and continuouspedestrian and bicycle networks. To this end, theCounty should seek supplementary funding fromState and Federal sources.

16. In cooperation with the Association, the Countyshould respond expeditiously and favorably toresidents’ requests to establish or expandrestricted neighborhood parking zones in thoseportions of the neighborhood that are mostheavily affected by non-resident parking.

17. To alleviate weekend, weeknight and summer-time parking problems around Arlington Tradi-tional School, the County (in cooperation withthe Association) should allow users of the schoolgrounds and nearby Fields Park to park in theschool lot and on Edison Street. Signs should bechanged accordingly.

18. In cooperation with the Association as appropri-ate, the County should clean and maintainBluemont’s alleys more regularly.

19. To enhance safety in the neighborhood, theCounty (in cooperation with the Association)

B-2 Summary of Policy Recommendations

should install attractive nighttime lighting at thelocations specified in Appendix A, RecommendedProjects A20 through A28.

Parks and Open Spaces20. Recognizing that recreational, historical, and

natural space is of critical importance to thewell-being of the community and to the livabilityof the neighborhood, the people of Blue-montencourage the County to maintain the higheststandards for the neighborhood’s parks and otherpublic spaces. As the number of park and trailusers continues to grow, the County should(pursuant to the Open Space Master Plan) seekto improve and expand existing green space sothat the next generation of residents can con-tinue to enjoy a wide range of recreational,historical, and natural resources.

21. Recognizing the value of mature trees and otherflora, the Association encourages the County toa) vigorously enforce site plan procedures meantto safeguard trees and other vegetation; b)control nonnative vines that threaten trees; andc) collaborate with Virginia Power to properlytrain tree trimming crews and to ensure thestrictest quality standards.

22. The Association commends Arlington County forjoining Fairfax County and the Cities of Alexan-dria and Falls Church in creating a new monitor-ing system for Four Mile Run. The Associationencourages additional vigorous efforts to restorethe health of the stream, its wildlife, and itsvegetation.

23. The neighborhood urges more frequent, year-round bike patrol policing of neighborhood parksand trails to encourage trail etiquette and toenhance trail and park safety. Furthermore, theCounty should respond expeditiously to resi-dents’ reports of non-permitted consumption ofalcohol, drug-using or other nefarious activity inneighborhood parks or trails.

24. The County should consider replacing all trashcans in neighborhood parks with a type similarto those used by the National Park Service, withcurved tops and pull down flap openings in orderto control vermin and reduce the amount ofscattered trash.

25. In Bluemont Junction Park between EmersonStreet and Kensington Street the County (incooperation with the Association) shouldconstruct a tot lot and a playground, and install

a drinking fountain and additional benches ortables. Wildflowers and other appropriatelandscaping should also be added to improve thepark’s appearance between Emerson Street andKensington Street. The County should also install- as needed along the length of the trail - addi-tional nighttime lighting sufficient to eliminatedark spots but not so bright as to disturbadjacent residents. The viability of safety phonesshould also be considered for this trail as well asother trails in the neighborhood. Residentsbelieve that the completion of all of these modestimprovements would not alter the park’s charac-ter as a predominantly open and unimprovedarea. (See Appendix A, Recommended Projects)

26. The County should thoroughly investigate andtake appropriate action in response to concernsover the possibility of toxic waste in the soilof Bluemont Park near the Virginia Powersubstation and in Bluemont Junction Park nearthe location of former overhead electric transformers.

27. In Lacey Woods Park and other neighborhoodparks and trails, the County (in cooperation withthe Association) should seek to better enforceordinances requiring dog owners to leash theirpets and to clean up after them. The Countyshould inform owners of relevant ordinanceswhen owners registertheir pets.

28. In accordance with the preference of the majorityof Waycroft-Woodlawn residents responding tothat neighborhood’s recent conservation plansurvey, the County should acquire the parcel onthe Northeast corner of George Mason Drive andWashington Boulevard and maintain it as anatural-woods County park land similar toneighboring Lacey Woods Park.

29. The Association encourages local businesses todevelop and maintain attractive landscaping,especially in those areas adjacent to residentialareas. The Association welcomes the involve-ment of County business development offices inencouraging such practices even if not specifi-cally required by County ordinance.

30. The County should not permit the installation oftelecommunications towers or facilities in theneighborhood.

31. Provide neighborhood identification signs withplantings at designated entry points into thecommunity and/or at public space within theneighborhood.

Summary of Policy Recommendations B-3

Wilson BoulevardCommercial Area32. The County, in partnership with local business

owners and the Association, should develop aphased urban village action plan to improve theappearance of the Wilson Boulevard CommercialArea, to enhance vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrianaccess, and to generally encourage the estab-lishment of a traditional town center that pullstogether the community. Goals of the plan shouldinclude: burying utility lines using the combinedresources of the County, commercial areaproperty owners, and Virginia Power; develop-ment of consolidated behind-store parkingwherever possible; construction of sidewalks andplanting strips on both sides of Wilson Boulevardbetween Glebe Road and Jefferson Street ofsufficient width and design to meet nationalstandards for traditional neighborhood businessareas; the addition of trees and other landscap-ing wherever possible; and the replacement ofstreetlights with attractive street lamps.

33. Should Safeway company officials decide torenovate or expand the store at Wilson Boulevardand Edison Street, the neighborhood encouragesconsideration of a new design that is morepedestrian friendly and has more curb appeal.Behind-store parking, attractive landscaping,and welcoming pedestrian walkways should beconsidered.

B-4 Summary of Policy Recommendations

August 25, 1999

TO: The County Board of Arlington, Virginia

FROM: William T. Donahue, County Manager

SUBJECT: Bluemont Neighborhood Conservation (NC) Plan

RECOMMENDATION: Accept the Bluemont Neighborhood Conservation Plan with thecomments specified in this report.

ISSUES: The Plan makes specific recommendations regarding neighbor-hood traffic problems that will require further study. Shouldproperty owners and the County concur with the project recommen-dations (i.e., sidewalks on both sides of the street or the numerousstreet width narrowings), many projects will be extremely costly toimplement due to demolition of existing curb, gutter, and sidewalk.

SUMMARY: The Bluemont neighborhood is a community of more than 5,000residents, located in west central Arlington, immediately west ofBallston. The neighborhood straddles I-66 and is bounded on thesouth by Carlin Springs Road and on the north by I-66, exceptbetween N. Jefferson Street and George Mason where Washing-ton Boulevard is the northern boundary. The western boundary isFour Mile Run from Carlin Springs Road to I-66 and N. JeffersonStreet from I-66 to Washington Boulevard. The neighborhood’seastern boundary is Glebe Road south of I-66 and George MasonDrive to the north of I-66 (See map – Attachment1). The neighbor-hood is comprised mostly of single-family detached homes ofvarying styles and some apartment buildings. Small shops andstores make up the commercial development along WilsonBoulevard. Bluemont is fortunate to have six popular parks withinor adjacent to the community.

The Bluemont neighborhood has stated that “A primary purpose ofthis neighborhood conservation plan is to help us, the residents ofBluemont, to reclaim our streets.” The neighborhood desires tohave County support “in building the infrastructure of a true urbanvillage, featuring fluid, but slow-moving traffic and a network ofsidewalks that encourages people of all ages to walk anywhere inthe neighborhood.”

STAFF: Nancy Michael, Neighborhood Conservation Planner, Office ofNeighborhood Services, DCPHD

Reviewed by County Attorney: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Appendix CARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIAINTER-DEPARTMENTAL MEMORANDUM

C-1 County Board Report

In addition to street and sidewalk recommendations, a number ofother goals are presented in the plan including:

• Maintaining land use and zoning designations to preserve thesingle-family de tached residential nature of Bluemont

• Maintaining and improving local parks

• Improving the accessibility and attractiveness of the WilsonBoulevard commercial area

The Bluemont NC plan references 32 policy and 27 projectrecommendations that the citizens consider important to thecontinual improvement of the neighborhood. Staff has providedcomments on several of the recommendations or conceptsincluded in the plan. Staff generally supports the plan andrecommends County Board acceptance of the BluemontNeighborhood Conservation Plan.

BACKGROUND: Known at the time as the Stonewall Jackson Civic Association,residents of Bluemont formally committed to developing an NCplan in 1992. The neighborhood recommitted itself in 1997 anddistributed a survey to all Bluemont residents and business ownersin Spring, 1998, which returned about 200 responses. Over 50resident volunteers actively participated on committees thatsubsequently yielded the recommendations included in the plan.The Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee reviewedthe document on June 10, 1999 and recommended it beforwarded to the County Board and Planning Commission foracceptance.

DISCUSSION: The Bluemont NC Plan makes recommendations covering a broadspectrum of topics. NC staff and the staff from other appropriateCounty departments will work to implement the communityprojects as initiated by the neighborhood, subject to fundingavailability and/or NCAC approval. For non-capital recommenda-tions, NC staff will act as a liaison between the community andother County agencies. To follow are staff comments, listed byDepartment, on various sections in the Bluemont NC Plan whereadditional explanation or information is useful. This memorandumwill be printed and bound with the NC plan when it is published.

Land Use and ZoningRecommendation 1Page 14

The neighborhood recommends specifically thatresidents’ views be given due consid-eration inadjudicating any rezoning requestor zoning variance request that would allowadditional commercial development or higherdensity development in the neighborhood.

The Planning Division agrees. For variances, theBoard of Zoning Appeals must find that therequest “will not be of substantial de-triment toadjacent pro-perties nor will it change thecharacter of the zone district.” (DCPHD- Planning)

Priority IssueRecommendation

Number or HeadingPage Numbers

Plan Recommendation Comment (Department)

County Board Report C-2





The County should actively solicit theopinions of Bluemont residents onprospective modifications to theBallston Sector Plan….

As in the past with the Balls Crossing NCPlan, County staff will defer to the BluemontNC Plan (upon its acceptance by the CountyBoard) for recommendations related toBluemont and its environs, including theBallston area. The County will review theBluemont NC Plan should any modifications tothe Ballston Sector Plan arise. (DCPHD-Planning and ONS)

The County uses this type of process formajor facilities, but employs other publicprocesses depending on the particularchange proposed. Some changes, such asrezoning applications, require publicprocesses. (DCPHD- Planning)


In order to diminish runoff and erosionproblems…the County should revisebuilding codes and zoning ordinancesfor any residential construction… toa) reduce surface area of residential lotspermitted to be covered by structures orother impermeable entities…; andb) require that new land uses do notcreate drainage problems for adjacentproperty owners.

Coverage in residential developmentwill be addressed in zoning ordinanceamendments for the purpose of con-trollinginfill development, in order to preserveneighborhood character. The County’sStormwater Detention, Chesapeake Bay,and Erosion & Sediment Control ordinancesregulate runoff and erosion. (DCPHD-Planning)


The County should be responsive toresidents’ requests for enforcement ofCounty ordinances on residential use,residential care, parking, noise, and otherhealth and quality of life issues.

The Code Enforcement Section willinspect for violations on request. TheCounty has increased Code enforcement staffrecently in response to citizen needs.(DCPHD- Planning)


For all prospective changes to Countyproperty within the neighborhood, theCounty is encouraged to proceed as ifsite plan development requirementsapplied.

Because of funding constraints, designlimitations and unexpected residentopposition, a more realistic approach might beto attempt to install a sidewalk on at least oneside of every street to build a continuoussidewalk network. (DPW)

Streets and Street SafetyRecommendation 6Page 18

Except where resident’s oppose it or onvery minimally trafficked streets…theCounty should construct sidewalks onboth sides of every neighborhood street…


To make streets safer for all users and reclaimgreenspace while continuing to accom-modate two-way traffic and emergencyvehicles, the County (in cooperation with theAssociation) should prescribe for neighbor-hood minor streets a curb-to-curb width ofbetween 24 and 26 feet with parking on bothsides. For neighborhood principal streets, theCounty should prescribe the minimum curb-to-curb width consistent with national streetdesign guidelines for traditional neighbor-hoods, which should be less than 36 feet.

DPW will continue to work with neighbor-hoods to define the appropriate street widthfor neighborhood street improvement projectsgiven the existing conditions, safety concerns,and desires of residents.

A street width of 24 to 26 feet (measuredcurb-to-curb) is too narrow to allow parking onboth sides of neighborhood streets.Streets this narrow would allow no room for amotorist to maneuver should a child or pet runout between parked cars. (DPW)

…the County should prescribe a standardcurb return radius of 10 feet for intersectionof all non-arterial neighborhood streets inBluemont.


The County has recently adopted modifieddesign standards for curb return radii atintersections of neighborhood streets, whichcan be as low as 15 feet. The 10-foot curbreturn radii are too tight and would createturning conflicts at intersections, especiallywhen the streets are narrow. (DPW)





It is difficult to make improvements to theintersection of George Mason Drive andWilson Blvd. because of the limited right-of-way available. This is especially true for thenorthbound-to-westbound movement.A leading left-turn arrow was recently installedon northbound N. George Mason Drive atWilson Blvd. to facilitate left turns and reducethe length of the back up traffic approachingthe signal. A left turn lane on eastboundWilson Blvd. at N. George Mason Drive waspainted within the past year.

Staff is investigating this intersection toimprove pedestrian and bicyclist crossing.Crossings may be improved with moreprominent crosswalks, better curb ramps,and refuge islands. (DPW)

…the County…should improve thetraffic control system and/or design of theintersection at George Mason Driveand Wilson Blvd.


Streets and Street SafetyRecommendations 12, 13,and 14Page 23

Pedestrian and bicycle crossing is difficult alongGlebe Road at the intersections of Fairfax Drive,Wilson Boulevard, and Carlin Springs Road.

A citizen committee is reviewing thepedestrian crossing issues along GlebeRoad with the intent to find ways to makeimprovements. There are both County staffand Bluemont neighborhood representativeson the committee. (DPW)

…the Association encourages the Countyto…vigorously enforce site plan proceduresmeant to safeguard trees and othervegetation;

The Zoning Office enforces site planconditions, including those related tolandscaping. (DCPHD- Planning)

Parks and Open SpaceRecommendation 21Page 27

Parks and Open SpaceFirst paragraphPage 30

Unbuffered, obstructed sidewalk in front ofthe Holiday Inn that serves as part of theBluemont Junction bike trail.

Staff is currently working on the widening ofthe trail at this location. However, walls andprivate property will limit the amount ofwidening that can be done. (DPW)

Parks & Open SpaceRecommendation 24Page 30

Replace trash cans in parks with ones that havecurved tops and pull-down flap opening tocontrol vermin and reduce scattered trash.

The County is pilot testing these type of cansnow, but recognizes significant maintenanceimpacts. (DPRCR)

Parks & Open SpaceRecommendation 25Page 31

Various improvements to Bluemont JunctionPark including the construction of tot lot/playground and the installation of a drinkingfountain, additional benches or tables,lighting along trail, and landscaping. Theinstallation of safety phones should also beconsidered along trail.

A master plan process should be consideredin this situation to help ensure a coordinatedapproach to design and installation. BluemontJunction Park, per se, is not currently onPRCR’s master plan list. However, BluemontPark will be looked at next year by PRCR andBluemont Junction Park may be able to beconsidered at the same time. (DPRCR andDCPHD-ONS)

Traffic calming measures can be consideredon neighborhood streets provided the criteriahave been met. The criteria for specific trafficcalming measures are being developedcurrently, but are not complete yet. Countystaff and the Neighborhood Traffic Calming(NTC) sub-committee will also develop aproblem severity ranking system to rankproblem locations on a County-wide basis.The county will address the most severe NTCproblems first. (DPW)

Streets and StreetSafety Recommendation9Page 21

…the County should apply appropriateCounty approved retro-fitted trafficcalming measures to [various Bluemontstreets]…





Recommended ProjectsProject A1Page 45

Should Safeway company officials decideto renovate or expand the store at WilsonBoulevard and Edison Street, the neighbor-hoodencourages consideration of a new design that ismore pedestrian friendly and has more curbappeal. Behind-store parking, attractivelandscaping, and welcoming pedestrian walkwaysshould be considered.

Wilson BoulevardCommercial AreaRecommendation 32Page 38

The Planning Division agrees. If Safewaysubmits plans that require Planning Divisionreview, staff will encourage this type of design.(DCPHD- Planning)


Portions of Kensington Street, JeffersonStreet, 5th Street, 6th Street, 7th Street, 8th

Street and 8th Road to be improved byredesigning the street to right-size streetwidth, installing sidewalks and planting strips,maintaining two-sided parking on all roads,and reducing curb radii to 10 feet.

This project is quite large as proposed andwould require major redesign of many streetsand intersections.

A sidewalk project is included in the CIP forFY 2003 that will provide sidewalk improve-ments along N. Kensington Street. However,major street reconstruction as proposed bythe neighborhood will greatly exceed fundsavailable for this project. The intersection ofLexington Street and 8th Road has a goodsafety record, with no reported accidents inthe past five years. The yield signs work wellat three-way intersections, especially whenalmost all the turns are to the left, and thewest side of the intersection is a dead endstub.

DPW supports a raised crosswalk for the biketrail crossing of Kensington Street south ofFifth Street North. (DPW)

Missing sidewalks on North KensingtonStreet.

A project to install sidewalks is included inthe Capital Improvement Program (CIP) forFY 2003 funding. (DPW)

Missing sidewalks on North Harrison Street. A sidewalk project was constructed in the mid-1980s to provide curb, gutter and side-walk onthe west side of Harrison between WashingtonBlvd. and N. 11th St. There was insufficientright of way to provide for parking or a sidewalkon the east side. Because the right-of-wayincreases south of 11th Street, it may bepossible to add a sidewalk on the east side ofHarrison. (DPW)



For safety reasons, DPW does not support one-sided parking on North Harrison Street wherethe width is 26 feet.

Police enforcement or deployment of the SmartSet can be requested directly by residents bycalling the Special Operations Sections at228.4141. (DPW)

Alternative recommendations for HarrisonStreet related to traffic calming, right-sizingstreet widths, allowing one- or two-sidedparking, constructing sidewalk, improving thepedestrian pathway over I-66, and/or addinglandscaping.

Parks and Open SpaceRecommendation 30Page 35

The County should not permit the installationof telecommunications towers or facilities inthe neighborhood.

Federal law prohibits local governmentsfrom banning these facilities altogether.Arlington can control these facilities tosome extent by requiring use permits andimposing conditions. (DCPHD- Planning)






Alternative recommendations for traffic calmingon 10th Street and Frederick Street. Includesrecommendations related to one-and two-sided parking on Frederick Street;right-sizing street widths to 26 feet with two-sided parking; constructing sidewalks andplanting strips with reclaimed land; reducingcurb radii to 10 feet; or installing other trafficcalming measures such as flat top speedhumps, 4-way stops, or curb nubs.

DPW does not support allowing parkingon both sides of Frederick Street where thecross section is 31 feet because of sightdistance problems. Traffic calming devices canbe considered if these streets meetthe criteria to be developed by the NTCsub-committee. (DPW)


Inadequate sidewalks on Wilson Boulevard. There is insufficient right of way onWilson Boulevard to widen the width ofthe sidewalks. Wilson Boulevard is aheavily traveled arterial street andalready has narrower than standard11-foot lanes. (DPW)


Missing sidewalk on Washington Boulevardbetween Frederick Street and Ivanhoe Street.

A project was funded for this inFY 1999. (DPW)

FINANCIAL IMPACT: The acceptance of theBluemont Neighborhood Conservation Plandoes not have any immediate fiscal impact uponCounty operations. If recommendations from thisplan requiring funding or staff resources outsideof the NC bond allocation are brought forward forimplementation, they will each be analyzed aspart of the County budget process.

CONCLUSION: Staff generally supports theBluemont Neighborhood Conservation Plan andrecommends County Board acceptance.


Portions of Vermont, Abingdon, andWakefield Streets. Recommends that theCounty right-size Vermont and AbingdonStreets to 26 feet in width with parking onboth sides; construct sidewalks and plantingstrips from reclaimed land on both sides ofstreet; reduce curb return radii to 10 feet;and redesign turn lane on Carlin Springs goingto Abingdon Street.

Because of existing traffic volumes on thesestreets, it would not be prudent to narrow thesestreets. There is probably some right of wayavailable for a continuous walk on VermontStreet. (DPW)


Standard MotionCounty Board Acceptance of Neighborhood Conservation Plans

Whereas, the County Board created the Neighborhood Conservation Program in 1964 toencourage neighborhoods to carry out neighborhood improvement plans and provide dedi-cated funding to implement those plans; and

Whereas the Neighborhood Conservation Program is a mechanism for improvement andmaintenance of areas where residents indicate a desire to achieve an improved neighborhoodand fulfill a broader vision of the modern “urban village” through coordination of public andprivate efforts; and

Whereas, these plans are initiated and prepared by the neighborhoods, who work with theNeighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee and County staff; and

Whereas, Neighborhood Conservation Plans have three purposes:

1) To build a neighborhood vision and consensus on issues affectingthe neighborhood, to evaluate County service delivery and the state ofthe neighborhood, and to suggest policies and projects that will improvethe neighborhood

2) To establish eligibility for Neighborhood Conservation funding

3) To provide guidance to the County Board, Commissions, Departments andstaff concerning issues in neighborhoods; and

Whereas, the County Board created the Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee(NCAC) to guide the Neighborhood Conservation Program, and the NCAC reviewed this new,updated or amended Neighborhood Conservation Plan and recommends plan acceptance; and

Whereas the Planning Commission also recommended acceptance of this plan.

Now, therefore be it resolved that after careful consideration of the recommendations ofthe Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee, the County Board hereby accepts theBluemont Neighborhood Conservation Plan as a statement of the neighborhood and directsthe County Manager to ensure that the recommendations of this plan are considered indecision-making and actions that affect Bluemont.


Department of Community Planning,Housing and Development

Design and layout by Rodney Sutton.

Office of Neighborhood ServicesNeighborhood Conservation Program

Telephone: 703-228-3820Facsimile: 703-228-3834

neighborhood conservation plan · 2014-02-27 · neighborhood conservation commit-tee. the civic...

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