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Shortly after midnight today, the Arlington County Planning Commission voted 7 to 2 to send the Missing Middle Housing Proposal (MMHP) to the County Board, allowing the Board to take the first step in approving the MMHP. The County Board is expected to pass a Request to Advertise (RTA) hearings on the MMHP at its January 21 meeting – the first of two votes to approve the rushed and deeply flawed plan.
In voting against moving the plan forward at this time, Commissioner Leonardo Sarli stated that there is “a lot lacking and missing” in the plan and that more time is needed to know “what we are signing up for.”
Some Commissioners abstained from voting on motions to approve proposed options during the marathon meeting because they did not understand the motion itself or did not have time to consider its impact.
Commissioners agreed that the RTA should go beyond what County staff originally recommended, making the plan even worse. For example, they included an option to remove all on-site parking requirements for multi-family buildings located anywhere in the County.
The Planning Commission action came three days after an unprecedented Commission public hearing with more than 80 speakers – 80 percent of whom testified against the plan. Residents from across Arlington expressed concern that the County has failed to properly study the impact of its sweeping amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and General Land Use Plan that eliminate single-family zoning.
One speaker pointed to the more than 5,200 signatures on a petition against the County’s upzoning proposal. But only Sarli and Commissioner Elizabeth Gearin, who voted against sending the RTA language to the County Board for a vote, reflected the community’s concerns.
At the hearing, civic association presidents and others stated that the County’s own studies show that the proposed housing will not promote home ownership and will not be affordable to low and moderate-income households. They shared concerns that developers will benefit – not residents. Instead, the costs of greater density and more demands on infrastructure, services and schools will be borne by residents in the form of higher taxes.
Other residents who weighed in included a civil engineer, warning of insufficient stormwater management infrastructure to handle the increased density; an economist forecasting that housing costs will go up, not down; and a tree expert concluding the tree canopy will be devastated.
“It is more important than ever for the County Board to hear our concerns about this flawed plan,” said AfUT founding member Julie Lee. “Everyone concerned about this plan to eliminate single-family zoning should make their voices heard by attending the ‘Reality Check Rally’ on Sunday, January 8 at 1 p.m. at Innovation School. “
Media Contact: Julie Lee, jfblee@aol.com
Strongly appose this flawed plan!
I have sent messages addressing my concerns to the Arlington Co. Board and neighborhood community group about the Missing Middle as well as the lack of an overall plan for Arlington growth. . I continue my one person campaign against reactionary requests for new development.
I’d like to see an overall plan that addresses growth for all with planning for police, parking, increased rape support, emergency support, parks, schools, green spaces, aging in place, homeless shelters, arts, etc etc,
It’s a complicated county growth set of plans needed with citizen participation and voting on referendums and funding.
With needed well communicated long and short range plans, the citizens can give feedback with the goal that we know there plans and can support them.
Arlington will long be a place that more and more people consider moving to for many reasons. Perhaps it’s time to consider what the constituents want. I wonder if the first question should be if we want to sacrifice our love for tree lined single housing neighborhoods without adequate planning?
I say NO to Missing Middle as currently being rushed through by the Arlington County Board.’