Development

Arlingtonians need to understand and address consequences of uncontrolled growth and density.  Before approving more density or changing zoning, the County should:  

 

• Adopt a flooding and land use plan utilizing an accepted floodplain management tool, based on understanding of root flooding causes, their relationship to development, our watershed’s carrying capacity in the face of climate change and what we must do to prevent flooding.

 

• Adopt available community planning tools (such as the TischlerBise fiscal impact tool) to assess both costs and benefits of different development scenarios, including assessing fiscal impacts on our capital and operating budgets and infrastructure impacts (such as to storm water management).

 

• Create a ten-year projected county operating budget for different population and revenue scenarios. 

 

In a study completed in September 2020, Dr. Jon Huntley of Arlington Analytics has found the net cost to taxpayers of the 400-unit Merion Pike West project -- if built as proposed at S. Greenbrier St. -- to be approximately $20 million through 2031.  The builder is seeking a Special Exception Form-Based Code Use Permit due to the project size.

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RESOURCES

• ASF Request - No Added Bonus Density for Green Building Incentive, Arlington County Board Agenda Item #34, December 12, 2020

• ASF Request - Adopt Fiscal Planning Tool for All Development, Arlington County Board Meeting, December 12, 2020

• Arlington Analytics Study of the Towns of 24th Development, Green Valley, November 2020

• Arlington Analytics Study of Merion Pike West Development, Arlington Mill, September 2020

• Arlington County Zoning Code

• Arlington County Private Development Approved Projects
• FY19 County Manager's Message:  Multi-Year Forecast, Future Budget Pressures (see budget projections for FY2018-FY2024), Feb 18, 2018, Arlington County (this is the most recent multi-year budget forecast for the county)
• See also Missing Middle Page of ASF Website

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