Plan Langston Boulevard

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Watch the December 2021 Community Engagement Forum here.
In 2016, the county launched "Plan Lee Highway" for an area that runs just west of Rosslyn to the Arlington border with Falls Church. (On July 17, 2021, Lee Highway was renamed Langston Boulevard and the effort was renamed Plan Langston Boulevard or PLB.) A draft scope of work was published in 2018. From 2016-2021, residents believed the county would cluster height and density at busy intersections with Kirkwood, Glebe, and Harrison, and look for ways to make the corridor bike- and pedestrian- friendly.
However, when county staff briefed civic associations in May/June 2021, plans allowed major new density, with 5-10 story buildings for the whole corridor, and 15 stories at/near the Spout Run shopping center. See the concept overlay for the entire corridor, including land use, stormwater control, and revisions to the corridor itself, here. Because the commercial strip is only one block wide in many areas, the projected change in land use and zoning would put "mixed use" towers next to single-family homes and allow multifamily housing in many single-family areas (see ASF info on Missing Middle housing here). According to detailed maps of the five areas covered (Area 1 and 5, Area 2, Areas 3 and 4), some homes would have to be removed by eminent domain to expand "connectivity" as Langston Blvd is narrowed.
The county has no plans to acquire new land for schools or parks as part of this effort, so existing schools/parks will burst at the seams. Or the county will have to buy land at up-zoned prices, then pass on steep tax burdens. ASF predicts greater gentrification and more flooding, as well as tree canopy loss. The county's decision to add infill with very weak mass transit seems negligent. It will likely break oversubscribed east-west connectors.
The scope of work and charge for the project indicate the county "aspires for the corridor to be an attractive, prosperous, safe, healthy, and livable main-street community." Main street is charming; this vision for Langston Blvd is a nightmare. There has been significant pushback from community briefings that took place in July 2021 and again in December 2021. Resident concerns and more info on the plans are found at resource documents below. The county's summary of public feedback received in fall 2021 is available here.
The county says this is a 40 year plan. ASF has therefore asked that the county halt planning to provide comparative analyses for the 40-year timeline, against the baseline of 2022, when PLB was projected to be approved by the board. We seek baseline info for 2022, along with projections for 2032, 2042, 2052, and 2062. ASF requests these comparisons look at "by-right" or current zoning vs. the Plan Lee Highway Scenario A vs. Plan Lee Highway Scenario B and clarify population numbers, along with:
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Impacts on stormwater, tree canopy and park/recreation space.These analyses must incorporate effects of climate change;
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Impacts on ten-year county operating budget;
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Impacts on income distribution by quintile, as well as racial-ethnic breakdowns for each quintile
Please refer to our resources below for more info, sign up for our email list, email us at ASF.virginia@gmail.com to request a briefing for your neighborhood, and share concerns with the following individuals:. See link above to sign up for Open Door Mondays, where you can discuss concerns directly with a County Board member.
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Natasha Alfonso-Ahmed, Principal Planner and Plan Langston Boulevard Project Manager nalfonso-ahmed@arlingtonva.us.
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Arlington County Board: countyboard@arlingtonva.us
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Paul Holland, Chair of the Plan Langston Boulevard Community Forum: paul.alexander.holland@gmail.com
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Sandi Chesrown, Vice Chair of the Plan Langston Boulevard Community Forum: sandrachesrown07@verizon.net
RESOURCES
Arl Co Board Reply to ASF Letter on PLB above, March 21, 2022
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County Community Engagement Forum, December 13, 2021
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ASF Background on Plan Langston Boulevard, ASF, November 2021
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ASF Info Flyer on Plan Lee Highway/Langston Blvd, November 2021
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ASF Plan Langston Blvd Zoom Presentation, September 23, 2021
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ASF Plan Lee Highway Background and Call to Action with Links to County Documents, July 2021
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ASF Info - Plan Lee Highway Short Summary of the Ins and Outs, July 2021, Attachment 1
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ASF Compilation of Resident Comments and Feedback on Plan Lee Highway, July 2021, Attachment 2
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ASF Letter to Arl Co Board - Concerns with Plan Langston Boulevard, September 30, 2021
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Arlington Resident A. Bodine Letter to the Board, Sep 30,2021
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John M. Langston Civic Association Letter to the Board, June 2021
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Plan Lee Highway Resident Testimony, July 17, 2021, Arlington County Board Meeting
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Letter Sent by Lyon Village Resident to Plan Lee Highway Director, July 9, 2021
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Lyon Village Civic Association Letter to the Board, July 2021
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Old Dominion Civic Association Letter to the Board, July 2, 2021
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Donaldson Run Civic Association Letter to the Board, July 2, 2021
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Yorktown Civic Association Letter to the Board, June 23, 2021