AHCA Meeting, Tuesday, April 24, 7:00 pm
On Tuesday, April 24, 7:00 pm, at Patrick Henry School, Arlington Heights Civic Association (AHCA) hosts its quarterly membership meeting. First, we discuss the proposed FibreTurf soccer field at TJ, with guests County Sport Divison chief Janis Wood and County Parks and Recreation Department director Toni Hubbard.
Next, we discuss the Columbia Pike Master Plan; re-prioritize our Neighborhood Conservation requests for streetlights, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters; read and vote on the by-laws amendments presented at our January meeting; consider our requirements for crosswalks and pedestrian safety, and decide our spring and summer social activities.
Please join AHCA. Use the form on page 8 so you can vote at the meeting on April 24.
Do You have Stuff to Sell?
On Saturday, May 19, 8 am - noon, AHCA hosts a
Neighborhood Yard Sale at the Arlington Heights Park, at
the intersection of South 9th and South Irving Streets.
The fall and spring 2000 yard sales were very successful.
They created a way for neighbors to sell (and buy) some great
stuff and meet new neighbors and friends. Also, yard sales with
more than one seller attract a lot more customers.
People who live in the AHCA area can sell household
items, clothing, crafts, baked goods, toys, books and more. The
park has enough space for about 15 sellers. Bring your own
ground coverings, tables, and chairs.
Amy Vennett (864 South Irving Street, 703-920-1832,
jajvennett@earthlink.net) coordinates this event. She needs
two or three (or more) volunteers to help with publicity; assist
with making and hanging signs; help organize on the day of the
event, etc. If you would like to help please contact Amy. The
more the merrier for a successful sale. If you are want to sign
up to be a seller, please also contact Amy.
Fire Destroys Clothes-Go-Round
On February 17, a fire gutted Clothes-Go-Round at 403 South Glebe, one of the oldest businesses in Arlington Heights. We offer sympathy and support to the owners and customers.
| In Memoriam
We offer our sympathy to the friends and family of Richard Schneider of 607 S. Ivy who died February 26. For a loving memory of Mr. Schneider, see our web page www.geocities.com/ahcawebsite/schneider.html |
Arlington Neighborhood Day is May 12
by Joan Gill, AHCA Social Chair <jgill@erols.com>
Arlington County's 4th annual Neighborhood Day is Saturday, May 12, . This year's theme, 200 Years of Community, observes the County's Bicentennial. Many events take place around the County on that day, including the Columbia Pike Blues Festival at Patrick Henry Elementary School and a County-wide parade on Wilson Boulevard.
Last year, Arlington Heights assembled a float depicting our neighborhood. Neighborhood children rode the float in the parade. We can do the same again this year, if we locate a flatbed. If you know someone who can lend us a flatbed for May 12, contact Joan Gill (703-685-1760, jgill@erols.com) as soon as possible. If we find a flatbed and participate in the parade, we also need a few "cool" convertibles and drivers to carry our neighborhood seniors, especially our veterans. If you have a "cool" car, if you are a senior or a veteran and want to ride in the parade, or if you have a truck to pull the flatbed, tell Joan. Once we arrange everything, we invite all neighbors to walk in the parade wearing Arlington Heights t-shirts.
Columbia Pike Blues Festival, May 12
The Columbia Pike Blues Festival, sponsored by Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization (CPRO) is also on Neighborhood Day, Saturday, May 12, noon - 6:00 pm, at Patrick Henry School, free admission, featuring Johnnie Johnson, Ola Dixon, Daryl Davis, and Mary Shaver.
AHCA sponsors a table at the Blues Festival about our neighborhood to sell t-shirts and memberships. To help at our table for an hour or two, call David Davis (703-920-7236)
2001 Community Calendar
Tuesday, April 24, 7:30 pm - AHCA Membership Meeting
Saturday, May 12, all day - Arlington Neighborhood Day
12 noon - 6 pm - Columbia Pike Blues Festival
Saturday, May 19, 8:00 am - Neighborhood Yard Sale
Sunday, June 3, 10:00 am - Neighborhood Run (Mitzvah 5K)
Saturday, June 23, 9:00 am - Garden Tour
Saturday, July 14, 2:00 pm - Columbia Pike Arts & Crafts Fair
and Jazz Festival at Pike Park (in front of Eckerd Drug)
4:30 pm - Iona Skye • 7:30 pm - The Nicki Gonzalez Band
Tuesday, July 17, 7:30 pm - AHCA Membership Meeting
Thursday-Sunday, August 16-19 - Arlington County Fair at TJ
Tuesday, October 16, 7:30 pm - AHCA Membership Meeting
Sunday, October 28, 2:00 pm - Children's Hallowe'en Party
Saturday, December 14, 4:30 pm - Caroling
Tuesday, January 22, 2001, 7:30 pm - AHCA Annual Meeting
Elementary School Boundaries Change
by Jeff Bartlett <bartlettjeff@msn.com>
This school year, Patrick Henry and Oakridge Elementary Schools, both south of Arlington Boulevard and east of Glebe Road, are significantly over capacity. Some students at Henry are in portable classrooms (trailers on the playing field), while about 280 Oakridge students actually go to Hoffman-Boston school, located in the Oakridge attendance area. Henry currently has 490 students, vs. a capacity of 430. Oakridge has a capacity of about 600 students.
In September 2001, Hoffman-Boston will be established as a neighborhood school. Hoffman-Boston has been renovated and will have a capacity of about 600 students. Its location in the current Oakridge attendance area, near the Henry area, will relieve overcrowding at Henry and Oakridge by establishing an area that draws students from these schools.
Long Branch Elementary School, just north of Arlington Boulevard on Fillmore Street, was added to the boundary considerations for two reasons. First, Long Branch is under-utilized and shares an attendance border with Henry. Secondly, the Orme, Ord, and Oak portion of the Long Branch attendance area (east of Washington Boulevard and north of Columbia Pike near Navy annex) is close to Hoffman-Boston.
Here's what has been done. A series of five community meetings at the Career Center began in January. The first meeting described the process and prioritized criteria for making recommendations. Two of the highest priority criteria were keeping neighborhoods together and maximizing use of safe walk zones. In the course of the meetings, 10 boundary options were presented. Each option included a brief analysis of how the boundaries would affect school population size, and the community was encouraged to provide feedback and comments. Options 6, 7, 8, and 8b divided Arlington Heights at 2nd Street South with the students north of 2nd attending Long Branch and students south of 2nd attended Henry. 2nd was seen as the dividing line between a safe walk zone to Henry and a zone where the county provides transportation to Henry. About 15 Henry students live north of 2nd. All other options kept Arlington Heights attending Patrick Henry.
On March 12, School Superintendent Robert Smith recommended Option 8a to the School Board. Option 8a keeps all of Arlington Heights in the Patrick Henry attendance area. The School Board heard public comment from four citizens on March 13 and from other citizens on March 20.
Option 8a projects student population of 433 at the start of the 2001 school year, assuming that all rising 4th and 5th grade students now at Henry will continue there. Henry may even be slightly under capacity when the school year starts. Option 8a projects Henry to have a population of 372 students in the start of the 2006 school year, about 86% of capacity. The number of students drops as each of the two grades offered grandfathering move on to middle school.
For more information, see Arlington Schools web site at http://www.arlington.k12.va.us and follow the link on the top right of the screen.
You Live Here, and You're Home Now
by AHCA President Jay Jacob Wind <jay.wind@att.net>
Arlington Heights is the County's oldest-named neighborhood, dating back to before the Civil War. We are Arlington's most diverse neighborhood, with neighbors from 85 countries. Many of our existing single-family homes were built around 1939 by Arthur J. Smith, who lived at 201 South Irving, the house with the white picket fence and azaleas. If you have a galley kitchen with built-in ceiling-high built-in pantry closets, you live in a home built by Smitty, who was 6'4".
Arlington Heights Civic Association promotes and protects the interests of our residents, homeowners, and businesses, to increase our safety and property values. Many County resources, such as Neighborhood Conservation funds for sidewalks and streetlights, go only to active neighborhood associations. As we learned in February, an active association can get rapid action from County and State agencies.
We work on many issues, including Columbia Pike Master Plan, assistance to Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson School, left turn at Glebe and Columbia Pike, Glebe Road Bridge over Route 50, crosswalks, sidewalks (e.g., Highland Street), streetlights, parks, and code inspections.
About 900 families and 100 businesses are in Arlington Heights., bounded by Arlington Boulevard, Glebe Road, Columbia Pike, and Fillmore Street/Walter Reed Drive. Penrose Neighborhood is on the east, Columbia Heights is southeast, and Douglas Park is south.
Join Our Free Neighborhood E-mail List
Our e-mail list, AHCA@YahooGroups.Com, the first in the County, is now up to 210 subscribers. To join, send a message to AHCA-Subscribe@YahooGroups.Com.
• Danielle Cook (703-279-3227) C • Caitlin Dykema (703-527-0624): BC • Juan Martinez (703-920-9165) A • Jeff Parry (703-920-7521) C • David Rivera (703-521-8318) ACDEF • Cami Roa (703-486-0992) BC (cats only) • Julianna Wind (703-920-5193) BCE • Paul Wind (703-920-5193) ABCDEF • Rosalie Wind (703-920-5193) CE |
Testimony: Neighborhood Conservation
Presented by Jim Gill at March 6 County budget hearing:
Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening. I represent Arlington Heights Civic Association to the Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Commission.
I am here to ask that at least $1 million of the unallocated funding be applied to the Neighborhood Conservation Program.
Let me explain our neighborhood's situation. In February, the Board funded one NCAC project for Arlington Heights, an $83,000 project for lighting improvements on South Irving Street that we began in 1999. These lights will go in next winter, nearly three years after we started. South Irving was delayed for a year for lack of funds.
That is the good story. We brought three other projects to the NCAC in 1999. They are still deferred for funding.
The problem continues to grow. When the Board funded the lights on South Irving, it deferred five Arlington Heights projects whose total cost is over $1 million. It will be almost four more years until they are completed.
The neighborhood is actively working petitions for 4 new projects. They will cost more than $700,000. At the current pace, they will take more than six years. After minimal participation in the NCAC process for 20 years, Arlington Heights is now actively working off the backlog that built up during that time. By funding just one project every six months, the NCAC process takes too long, but WORSE, the real problem is that with current funding levels, we cannot sustain even that slow pace. There is only $3.6 million remaining in the current NCAC bond, and the number of neighborhoods participating is increasing. With each newly active neighborhood comes a bill for overdue infrastructure just it did with Arlington Heights.
We host Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Community Center, Patrick Henry Elementary School, Arlington Center For Parenting Teens, Arlington Career Center, Arlington Pediatric Center, Columbia Pike Library, Charles Fenwick Center, Arlington-Fairfax Jewish Congregation, Strayer University, and a hundred businesses on Columbia Pike.
We need curbs to protect our pedestrians and our property. We need gutters to keep the rain from eroding away our streets and lawns and to prevent more potholes.
We need sidewalks so that our children do not have to walk to school in the middle of the street, and so that people can walk without interfering with traffic.
We need lighting so that we can come ho me safely, after dark, from the busses we ride to work.
For these reasons, we ask the County Board to apply at least $1 million more to neighborhood conservation. This investment will help us get to our next centennial.
Happy Birthday, Patrick Henry School!
Patrick Henry School celebrated its 75th Anniversary on March 31. To commemorate, the school hosted a ceremony, silent auction, and re-enactment of Patrick Henry's famous speech ending with "Give me liberty or give me death."
Neighborhood Conservation News
by Jim Gill, AHCA NC Representative <jgill@erols.com>
Every six months, AHCA re-prioritizes its requests to Arlington County for Neighborhood Conservation funding. I recommend that AHCA adopt the following motion at its April 2001 meeting:
"Arlington Heights Civic Association approves of the following NCAC projects and prioritizes them in the following order:
1. Installation of curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and Carlyle type street lights on South Highland Street between 2nd Street South and 6th Street South.
2. Installation of Carlyle type street lights on 2nd Street South between South Glebe Road and South Fillmore Street; on 1st Road South between South Glebe Road and Old Glebe Road; and on Old Glebe Road between 1st Road South and 2nd Street South.
3. Completion of installation of Carlyle type street lights on 6th Street South between South Glebe Road and South Walter Reed Drive, and installation of Carlyle type street lights on South Garfield Street between 6th Street South and 7th Street South.
4. Installation of curbs, gutters, and Carlyle type streetlights on South Garfield Street between Arlington Boulevard and 2nd Street South.
5. Installation of curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and Carlyle type street lights on South Fenwick Street between Arlington Boulevard and 2nd Street South."
Discussion: The above motion moves the Highland Street project from number 5 to number 1. The residents on South Highland completed a petition for Carlyle lights in March 1999.
At that time, County Staff recommended that they expand the scope of the project to include curbs, gutters, and sidewalks. Qualifying that expansion took until March 2000. The delay moved the project to the bottom of the list. Since our last meeting, however, the County decided to install the curb, gutter, and sidewalk portion of this project under the "Safe Routes to School Program." Construction begins this year.
The effect of this change is that the only remaining part of the project is installation of the Carlyle lights under the Neighborhood Conservation program, just as the neighbors first requested in March 1999.
The other projects were qualified between August 1999 and February 2000. This motion ranks all remaining NCAC proposals in the order in which they qualified.
Another Neighborhood Conservation project is about to start. On March 22, Jim Gill and County engineer Ram Sarma paced off South Fenwick and South Garfield between 2nd and 5th and the 5th Street cul-de-sac and marked the locations for the Carlyle street lights. That's what those little white circles mean.
In addition, Juanita Zientara (703-521-7781) is petitioning for Carlyle lights on South Ivy Street between 7th and 9th, and 9th Street between Walter Reed Drive and Glebe Road. If you live on those blocks, please call Juanita and sign the petition before April 20, for review at the April 24 AHCA meeting.
ColumbiaPike Revitalization Organization
by CPRO Director Tim Lynch <cpro@uptownarlington.com>
Columbia Pike/Uncommon Market Farmers' Market returns to Pike Park, Sundays starting May 6, 10:00 am-2:00 pm.
CPRO moves soon to 2611 Columbia Pike, formerly Sandy's Bloomers. Watch for our Grand Opening news.
Our neighborhood planning meetings this winter were well attended and informative for both the community, County staff, County leaders, and CPRO. In fact, the meetings were so useful, we'll do them again. Within 90 days, we'll host another series of meetings, in County's continued commitment to create a community vision for the future of Columbia Pike.
Playgroup at Thomas Jefferson
The Arlington Heights Playgroup for children under 5 meets Monday mornings 10:00 am - 11:30 am (this is a new time) at Thomas Jefferson Community Center, Room 35. Twenty families are on the roster, with children ranging from 6 weeks to 4½ years old. The cost is $5 for the first child and $1 extra per sibling each month. To join, please e-mail Christine Avery (roba_christinea@msn.com). If you have questions, please call Dianna White (703-892-2283).
Sign up for 5K Run/Walk June 3
On Sunday, June 3, at 10 am, Arlington Heights hosts Arlington-Fairfax Jewish Congregation's Mitzvah 5K Run/Walk on the Route 50 bike trail, 2nd Street, and Hudson Street.
The race offers prizes for every finisher. Every entrant also gets a t-shirt designed by a world-famous local artist and sumptuous post-race picnic. Last year, Arlington Heights neighbors ran, walked, watched from their lawns. played music, and sprayed runners with garden hoses.
Entry fee is $15 before Friday, May 25, $18 after May 25, and $20 on race day. To register, send your check with the form below, or register on-line at www.arfax.org/entry.html
Name ____________________________________________
Phone __________________________ Age _____ [M] [F]
Address __________________________________________
City,State, ZIP_____________________________________
E-mail __________________________________________
Team ___________________________________________
T-shirt size: [_] Small [_] Medium [_] Large [_] XL
Enclosed is: [_] $15 before May 25 [_] $18 after May 25
I waive any and all claims I may have against all sponsors and officials of this event for any damages or injuries I may suffer en route to, during, or as a result of my participation in this event. I affirm that my physical condition and fitness are adequate for me to participate safely in this event. I agree to release my name and photo for publicity purposes.
__________________________________________
Signature (Parent or Guardian if under 18) Date _________
6th Street and Irving Street Get Patched
After years of requests by AHCA, Arlington County contracted Granja Construction on December 11 for new storm sewers to eliminate flooding on 6th Street. After utility lines were relocated, Granja started the project in February. They built drains at Irving, Jackson, and Glebe, and a curb on Irving. Next, Granja will excavate for an 18" pipe under 6th Street, moving east from Glebe to Irving. The project also includes sidewalk on the northeast corner of 6th and Irving. The project should be done by June, with excavated areas repaved.
After weeks of requests, AHCA got potholes patched on Irving between Route 50 and 2nd Street. The County will not re-pave streets that lack curbs, however, so Irving Street residents may wish to complete their petition to the County for curbs and Carlyle street lights. Contact Dave Reidy (703-920-2940). If the petition is ready by April 24, AHCA can add it to the agenda.
VDOT and WorldCom Repair the Damage
On February 7, contractors for MCI WorldCom began excavating Columbia Pike and Glebe Road sidewalks to install fiber optic tubes, under permit from Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
Neither VDOT nor WorldCom notified businesses or homeowners of their plans. Their subcontractors, Adesta, Arthur, and Down Under, left a two-mile-long, two-foot-wide patch of asphalt amidst decorative pavers and sidewalks. On February 9, AHCA president Jay Jacob Wind complained to VDOT supervisor Robert Bell and our elected officials. Wind then met with VDOT inspector Steve Dye and demanded that WorldCom notify neighbors of all future plans and immediately restore Columbia Pike sidewalks before proceeding any further. Our plight made front-page news in the Arlington Connection.
On February 20, VDOT district managers Dorothy Purvis and Dan Owens, plus two WorldCom executives and two subcontractors' representatives attended AHCA's special membership meeting. The VDOT officials apologized for not supervising their permitee more closely. The WorldCom executives apologized for not notifying Arlington Heights homeowners and businesses of their plans. The subcontractors distributed a day-by-day, house-by-house project plan for restoration. VDOT agreed to require 48 hours notice for all future construction and to limit construction zones to 500 feet.
Call AHCA President Jay Wind (703-920-5193) for a copy of the restoration plan or the Arlington Connection article.
AHCA Officers for 2001
President Jay Jacob Wind (703-920-5193)
1st Vice President James (Jay) Vennett (703-920-1832)
2nd Vice President Pat Rosensteel (703-979-4555)
Treasurer Bob Dannemiller (703-685-3795)
Secretary Betty Siegel (703-892-1959)
Civic Federation Delegates: Carole Lieber (703-892-0362)
David Davis, Kevin Whyte, Jay Wind Alternates: Rich Bolczak,
Alessio Evangelista, Bob Giovannini, Stacy Whyte
Neighborhood Conservation Jim Gill (703-685-1760)
and Jon Hansen (703-521-3899)
Newsletter Shannon Rudisill (703-521-4957)
Newsletter Distribution Bahar Hess (703-521-8528)
Pedestrian Safety Sharon Kinsman (703-892-1472)
Jon Hansen, Kimberly Sumner, Jay Vennett
Social Joan Gill (703-685-1760)
Social Action Lydia Nuñez (703-979-7499)
Traffic Mike Braton, Tim Dickson, Jon Hansen,
Doug Norton, Doris Murray, Karl Schwartz, Bryan Sieling
Garden Tour, Saturday, June 23
Our annual Arlington Heights Garden Tour is Saturday, June 23, 9 am - 12 noon. This tour is a fun way to meet your neighbors and share gardening ideas and tips. If you want your garden on the tour, please contact Joan Gill (703-685-1760, jgill@erols.com). All you need to do is be there to show us your yard. Whether we've visited your yard in past years or not, we encourage as many neighbors as possible to participate.
Mancini de Paris to Expand
At the end of April, Mancini de Paris, the hair, nails, and skin care salon at 930 South Walter Reed Drive (703-920-4699) plans to expand into 926 South Walter Reed to open Arlington's first full-care, all-day European-style spa. Zak Mancini has been very successful at his existing location, and after 18 months, is confident his business will grow after he expands. Mancini's existing customers will be able to continue there during the construction, except for a few days when the interior wall comes down and gets re-framed. One AHCA officer with particularly wild hair offered this testimonial: "Best haircut I ever had."
Arlington Pediatric Center Opens
by Judy Fox <jfox@arlpedcen.org>
On January 22, Arlington Pediatric Center (APC) opened its doors at 3045-A Columbia Pike to meet the health care needs of medically underserved children in Arlington County. Children up to 18 who live in Arlington and whose family income is below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level ($35,100 for a family of four) are eligible for our services:
| • Well child examinations
• School physicals • Sick child visits • Injury treatment • Hearing and vision testing • Immunizations • Development assessment |
• Accident prevention
• Referral to specialists • Health education • Lab tests • Counseling and • Case management • Translation assistance |
| • Help applying for services and financial assistance | |
APC sees patients by appointment six days a week, including Saturday mornings and two early evenings. Families may call 703-271-8800 to schedule an appointment.
Before making an appointment with a physician, families meet an Intake Coordinator to assess eligibility. APC requires proof of Arlington residency, e.g.. driver's license or utility bill, and proof of income, e.g.., pay stubs and bank statements. For more information on eligibility, contact APC Intake Coordinators Jeannette Allen or Alex Solano (703-271-8800). Both speak Spanish.
APC accepts Medicaid and CMSIP and discounts fees depending on the family income. Children who have private insurance are referred to other pediatricians in the community.
The non-fot-profit APC is funded by Arlington Hospital Association. You can help make a difference in children's lives by contributing new or gently used children's books to APC. Each child receives a book at each visit. To learn more about APC and ways that you can support this important program, please contact Executive Director Judy Fox (703-271-8800).
Next Issue of Over The Fence
Send articles by May 1 to Shannon Rudisill at JMG_SLR@HOTMAIL.COM and ads to JAY.WIND@ATT.NET for the May 15 Garden Tour issue.
 
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Nora Gabaldon, President 703-920-2448 Mon-Fri 8 am-6:30 pm fax 703-920-6536 Sat 8:00 am-6:00 pm Call for Sunday hours Established 1937 Re-established 1997 |
Open To Everyone Monday-Saturday 9 am-9 pm Sunday 10 am-8 pm Phone 703-521-2667 Fax 703-553-0739 arlcoop@aol.com http://members.aol.com/arlcoop |
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