About Us
Arlingtonians concerned about rapid growth and urbanization in mid-2019 formed an educational and advocacy group, Arlingtonians for our Sustainable Future (ASF) to engage the community and elected leaders of the county.
ASF believes that before the county considers zoning changes to increase density, and as we adapt to a new identity as a hi-tech corridor, we should understand likely long-term impacts and modify growth policies best suited to a sustainable community.
"Weigh in before you are squeezed out."
-Peter Rousselot, ASF
ASF Presentations:
ASF has presented its views and requests for action to a number of groups active in the county, beginning with introductory presentations in October 2019. In late 2019 and early 2020, ASF made presentations to county commissions, to civic associations and business and civic organizations. Four members of ASF also presented in-depth reviews of the organization's key issues at ASF's first large public meeting at the Central Library on February 24, 2020. (Presentations from this event, on Environment, Infrastructure, and Development and Missing Middle Housing are posted on our Key Issues pages). After a brief interval due to Covid-19, ASF resumed (virtual) engagements with a few civic associations in July 2020 and will continue these through Fall 2020. In September 2020, ASF presented its views on key issues, with an emphasis on Missing Middle Housing, to the Arlington County Board. That presentation is included in our "official requests" section directly below.
Resources:
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ASF Presentation on PenPlace Bonus Density to Planning Commission, Anne Bodine slides, April 4, 2022
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ASF Zoom Presentation on Plan Langston Blvd, Sept 23, 2021
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Presentation for ASF Public Meeting, What Do New Density Plans Mean for Me? Peter Rousselot, YouTube video, June 2021
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Presentation to Arlington View Civic Association, Peter Rousselot, YouTube video, February 2021
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Presentation to Lyon Park and Yorktown Civic Associations, Peter Rousselot, slides, January 2021
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Presentation and Q&A with Boulevard Manor Civic Association, Peter Rousselot, YouTube video, September 10, 2020
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September 2020 Presentation to Civic Associations, Peter Rousselot (slides)
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October 2019 Presentation to the Arlington County Civic Federation, Peter Rousselot, (slides)
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The Impact of Accelerated Development on Arlington's Schools, Environment and Budget, Peter Rousselot, YouTube video, October 3, 2019
ASF Official Requests of Comments to (and replies from) Arlington County
ASF
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ASF's March 21 Testimony to the County Board on MM Final Vote
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Oral Testimony to the Planning Commission on Courthouse West Special GLUP Amendment, September 7, 2022
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Oral Testimony to the Board on Courthouse West Special GLUP Amendment, September 7, 2022
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ASF Letter to Arlington County Board on MMHS Phase 2 Concerns, June 2, 2022
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ASF Letter to Joint Facilities Advisory Commission on Missing Middle Housing, March 31, 2022
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ASF Letter to Arlington County Board on Plan Langston Boulevard and Site Planning, March 6, 2022
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Arl Co Board Reply to ASF Letter on PLB above, March 21, 2022
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ASF Letter to Arlington County Board on Pentagon City Sector Plan, February 7, 2022
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ASF Letter to Arlington County Board on MM Phase I, January 13, 2022
2021
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ASF June 2, 2021 Request for Update on County Plans to Adopt a Proffer System for Development
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ASF March 20, 2021 Request that the Board Reject Agenda Item #35, Bonus Density for Builders Providing 100% affordable Housing in Multi-Family Zones
(County Board reply can be viewed here)
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ASF January 5, 2021 Concerns about Objectivity of Missing Middle Survey
Attachment to ASF Letter on Missing Middle Survey of Jan 5
, March 16, 2021 - Arlington County Board Reply to ASF Concerns about Missing Middle Study
2020
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ASF Dec 12, 2020 Request for Fiscal Planning Tools for County Development, County Board Meeting Public Comment (slide presentation for public comments by Charles Henkin)
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Dec 17, 2020 ASF Follow-up Letter on Fiscal Planning Pursuant to Dec 12 Comments to the Board
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January 24, 2021, Arlington County Board Reply to ASF Concerns on Fiscal Planning Tools
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ASF June 2, 2021 Letter/email to Board Chair de Ferranti Following up on Fiscal Planning and Proffer System for Arlington County
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ASF July 17, 2021 Public Comments to the Board Reiterating Request for Fiscal Planning Tools
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ASF July 26, 2021 Follow-Up Letter to Acting County Attorney on Adoption Fiscal Planning Tools and Proffer System for Development
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ASF Dec 12, 2020 Request to Reject Amending Green Building Bonus Density, County Board Meeting Agenda Item #34 (written comments prepared for delivery by Jim Schulman)
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ASF Nov 14, 2020 Request for Fiscal Analysis for Merion Pike West Development, County Board Meeting Agenda Item #35 (slide presentation by Arlington Analytics Dr. Jon Huntley of Arlington Analytics)
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ASF Oct 17, 2020 Request to Reject Expansion of Affordable Home Ownership Program for Columbia Pike Form-Based Code to Higher Income Households, County Board Meeting Agenda Item #47 (video presentation by ASF's Anne Bodine)
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ASF Oct 16, 2020 Request to Reject Staff Expansion of Affordable Home Ownership Program for Columbia Pike Form Based Code to Higher Income Households, County Board Meeting Agenda Item #47 (letter)
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ASF Sept 12, 2020 Concerns at the Launch of Missing Middle Housing Initiative, Arlington County Board Meeting (video presentation by ASF's Anne Bodine and Board reply)
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ASF Sept 8, 2020 Request to Revise Design of Donaldson Run Tributary B Restoration
Sep 11, 2020 Reply from Arlington County Manager on Donaldson Run Tributary B Restoration
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ASF July 28, 2020 Request to Amend Missing Middle Process to Improve Community Engagement
Aug 27, 2020 Reply from Arlington County Board re Missing Middle and Community Engagement
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July 18, 2020 Request to Consider Affordability Constraints on Missing Middle Housing (video presentation by Dr. Audrey Clement and Board reply)
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ASF May 15, 2020 Request to Reject Amended SPRC and LRPC Covid Emergency Review Process
May 15, 2020 Reply from Arlington Board on Continuity of Governance/Special Planning Process Amendments
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ASF April 24, 2020 Request to Halt Certain Land-Use Decisions During Pandemic
May 6, 2020 Reply from Arlington County Board on Land-Use Decisions During Pandemic
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ASF April 2, 2020 Request to Defer Missing Middle Study During Covid-19 Pandemic
May 6, 2020 Reply from Arlington County Board on Missing Middle Study Deferral
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ASF March 19, 2020 Request to Arlington County to Purchase Rouse Property on Wilson Blvd.
April 27, 2020 Replies from Arlington County Board on Rouse Property Purchase
ASF Official Requests to (and replies from) non-County Entities:
2020
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ASF July 20, 2020 Informational Letter to the Trust for Public Land re Arlington County Parkland Ranking
ASF Platform
We Have a Problem
Don’t let Arlington become the next Houston
The County is moving to rapidly accelerate growth. Plans to eliminate single-family zoning and other zoning changes would transform Arlington from an urban village to a paved metropolis. Changes will leave us increasingly vulnerable to disastrous flooding and escalating taxes. Leaders have not fully informed us of the magnitude of these plans, quantified costs or addressed consequences.
Spurred by July 2019 flooding, Arlingtonians for our Sustainable Future (ASF) organized to provide education and advocacy in our community. We stand for informed citizen democracy. Before enacting further zoning changes that will increase density, our community needs to understand and address consequences.
A sustainable future for Arlington must start with our watershed and the needs of our existing communities. Decisions must be based not on unproven assumptions, but on analysis, clear community understanding of costs and benefits of densification and a broad range of citizen preferences.
Before adopting land use changes that would increase density, the County should:
1
Project total population of maximum buildout for each project, land use or zoning increase or bonus density
2
Prepare three county forecasts comparing current zoning with up-zoning vis-a-vis:
❖Long-term operating budget;
❖Long-term environmental impact;
❖Long-term household income by quintiles showing projected disparities among different household groups compared to national average