Arlington Heights Civic Association takes an active part in helping to plan improvements to our neighborhood. We maintain this planning page both to inform our residents about ongoing planning efforts and to maintain a historical archive of past activities.
Last updated June 25, 2022.
Columbia Pike
As a neighborhood bordering Columbia Pike, Arlington Heights is a key part of the initiatives that Arlington County plans regarding the pike. See Arlington's Columbia Pike page for more information about planning issues that affect both our neighborhood and all the neighborhoods along Columbia Pike.
Arlington Neighborhoods Plan
Read Arlington Heights's official Neighborhood Conservation Plan, adopted in 2008. Arlington County encourages civic associations to participate in the Arlington Neighborhoods Program. Arlington County summarizes the program as follows:
The Arlington Neighborhoods Program (formerly Neighborhood Conservation Program) helps improve and enhance Arlington neighborhoods. When the program was created in 1964, the goal was to empower residents by having them come together to discuss and share ideas for improving their neighborhoods. Today, the program provides funding for a variety of improvements including: installation of sidewalks, curbs and gutters, streetlights, signs, park improvements, neighborhood art and beautification. This program empowers citizens to identify and plan projects in their own neighborhoods.
Arlington Neighborhood Project Status
Active Projects
We have no active Arlington Neighborhoods Program projects as of November 2021.
Priority Projects - Proposed (maximum of two in the planning queue)
- Traffic calming and intersection redesign on 1st Road South: between South Glebe and Old Glebe - submitted May 27, 2016
- Sidewalks, curbs, and gutters on South Highland St. between Route 50 and and 2nd Street South - replaced 2nd Street South project February 2021 as second priority project
Additional Project Suggestions
The following needs have been identified repeatedly at civic association meetings::
- 2nd Street South - Sidewalk Improvements: South Side - Accessibility and Walkability; North Side - Drainage; between South Glebe Road and South Irving Street - submitted May 8, 2018; swapped for Highland Street project February 2021
- Sidewalks, curbs, and gutters on South Irving between 6th and 7th Streets
- Sidewalks, curbs, and gutters on South Jackson between 5th and 6th Streets
Some Historical Projects
- Street improvement: N515: South Irving Street & Arlington Boulevard Phase II; 2900-3200 block Arlington Boulevard - frontage between South Fillmore Street and South Irving Street, Proposed: 1999, Funded 02/15/2011, Budgeted $381,478, Completed June 2020, Final cost $833,282.00
- Streetlights Project: Z260, 5th Street South from South Glebe Road to South Jackson Street, Funded: 09/27/2016, Completed: 2018, Cost: $71,369.40
- Consolidated Streetlight Project - 700-800 blocks South Ivy Street; 700-900 blocks South Highland Street; 2900-3200 blocks 9th Street South - proposed 2010; completed 2014
- Streetlights - 9th Street South, South Highland Street, South Irving Street - 2014
- Traffic calming - South Hudson Street from Arlington Blvd to 2nd Street South - 2013
- Sidewalks, curbs, and gutters - South Irving Street & Arlington Boulevard, Phase I - 0-100 block South Irving Street - funded 2009
- Streetlights - 2nd Street South from South Glebe Road to South Fillmore Street; 1st Road South from South Glebe Road to South Old Glebe Road; South Old Glebe Road from 1st Road South to 2nd Street South
- Streetlights - 6th Street South from South Glebe Road to South Walter Reed Drive; South Garfield Street from 6th Street South to 7th Street South
- Curbs, gutters, streetlights - South Garfield Street between Arlington Boulevard and 2nd Street South - proposed 1999; funded 2008; completed 2009
- Curbs, gutters, sidewalks, streetlights - South Fenwick Street from Arlington Boulevard to 2nd Street South - proposed 1999; funded 2008; completed 2010
- Curbs, gutter, streetlights - South Irving Street from Arlington Boulevard to 2nd Street South
- Streetlights - South Ivy Street from 7th Street South to 9th Street South; 9th Street South from South Glebe Road to South Irving Street and 900 block of South Irving Street
- Curbs, gutters, sidewalks, streetlights - South Highland Street from 2nd Street South and 6th Street South - proposed 1999; funded 2001
- Streetlights - 7th Street South from South Walter Reed Drive to South Glebe Road; South Highland Street from 6th Street South to 7th Street South - funded 2000
- Streetlights - South Jackson Street from 2nd Street South to 5th Street South
- Neighborhood Signs - Installation 1999
- Streetlights - South Irving Street from 2nd Street South to 5th Street South; 5th Street South from South Irving Street to South Jackson Street; 6th Street South from South Highland Street to South Irving Street - 1999
Planning Items by Year
2020
Letter from County Board about Columbia Pike library
This letter, posted on April 23, 2020, confirms that there are no plans to relocate the library.
2019
Arlington Boulevard project N515
See the Final Design for the modifications to Arlington Boulevard, project N515, that Tim McIntosh from the NCAC sent AHCA.
Construction of Fleet Elementary School
As of September, 2019, construction of Alice West Fleet Elementary School is complete.
2018
- AHCA certification with the Arlington County Civic Federation
- Westmont Shopping Center redevelopment project kicks off
- May 29, 2018: Notification to neighbors of upcoming ROW work and of public meeting on June 5 to discuss proposed modification of construction work hours
- Career Center Redevelopment
- Montessori Naming Committe Participants Sought
2017
- Traffic Calming on 2nd Street South
- AHCA Meeting - February 7, 2017
- AHCA Meeting - June 7, 2017 - Career Center resolution
- AHCA Annual Meeting - November 15, 2017
- Thomas Jefferson Middle School Construction Logistics
2016
- Neighborhood Conservation Progress
- Columbia Pike Resurfacing
- AHCA Seeks Alternate NCAC delegate
- Arlington County's Projects & Planning page Street work is coming to South Fillmore Street, from Arlington Boulevard to 5th Street South
2014
2012
2011
2010
- Commonwealth Transportation Board approves the transfer of Columbia Pike to Arlington County
- Columbia Pike Library to stay open
2008
- Neighborhood Conservation Plan Adopted by Arlington County Board
- Jackson Street Pedestrian Bridge Work Underway
- Historic District Planning Documents
- Walter Tejada's letter to AHCA rejecting a request for a Walking Town Meeting
- AHCA Neighborhood Conservation Plan: In February 2008, Arlington County Board approved our newly-revised Neighborhood Conservation Plan.
- Accessory Dwelling Unit Response from County Board: Walter Tejada, chair of the Arlington County Board, responded to our letter regarding the Accessory Dwelling Unit ordinance under consideration.
- Accessory Dwelling Unit Letter to County: AHCA President Juliet Hiznay wrote to Arlington County on the topic of the Accessoriy Dwelling Unit ordinance under consideration.
- Arlington Cinema N Drafthouse Use Permit Application: to allow live entertainment in the new dining space adjacent to their existing facility.
2007
- Neighborhood Conservation Plan Adopted unanimously by planning commission (adopted version of the plan, 4.3MB PDF)
- Neighborhood Conservation Plan Draft is ready for public comment
- Neighborhood Conservation Plan Review Notice
- March 30th Public Comment Meeting on Draft Neighborhood Conservation Plan
- Letter to Multi-Site Study Committee from Jim Gill on behalf of AHCA
- Jim Gill's comments to Multi-Site Study Committee on Jan 29, 2007
- Letter to Multi-Site Study Committee from Neighborhood Activists - Note: this does not represent official AHCA policy, as it was not voted on in an AHCA meeting.
- Special Meeting Notice regarding:
Feb 22nd meeting on Irving St & 2nd St park, and Multi-Site Study Committee's plans for the Career Center - Revised Street Improvements PDF
2006
- Arlington Cinema N Drafthouse Use Permit Application for live entertainment. AHCA voted unanimously to support this application.
- Letter of support for Modified Streetcar Alternative on Columbia Pike
2005
- Letter to County Board about Thomas Jefferson outdoor space issues
- County Board replies to letter about Jefferson outdoor space
- County staff replies to letter about Jefferson outdoor space
- Letter to County Board regarding AHCA's opposition to restrictions on lot coverage
2004
- Neighborhood Conservation progress on South Garfield Street
- Columbia Pike and Glebe Road intersection work completed
2003
2002
2001
- AHCA reminds new county manager Ron Carlee about neighborhood projects
- Fiber optic tubes and Columbia Pike sidewalks
- Pedestrian safety resolution passed by AHCA
- Pedestrian safety at Thomas Jefferson Middle School
- Pedestrian safety at Patrick Henry Elementary School
- Thomas Jefferson soccer field synthetic grass proposal
- 6th Street storm sewer construction
- Small Park request at Garfield and Arlington Boulevard
- Letter to Jim Gilmore about lack of Columbia Pike & Glebe Road left turn progress
- Neighborhood Conservation Plan - 2001 revisions
2000
- Street Construction project correspondence
- 6th Street and Garfield Landscaping Problem
- 6th Street Drainage Repairs
- New traffic signal at 2nd St and Glebe Road
- New Streetlamps on 7th Street
- Highland Street Towing Issues
- Highland Street Sidewalks
- Some homes in our neighborhood need work
- Columbia Pike Background
- Columbia Pike Projects
- Columbia Pike Revitalization Planning Process
- Route 50 and Glebe Road Joint Letter of Thanks
- Route 50 right-of-way improvements: letter to County Board Chair Barbara Favola
1999
- Route 50 and Glebe Road Improvement Project
- Route 50 and Glebe Road Improvement Preliminary Blueprints
- Route 50 right-of-way improvements: letter to Karen Darner
- Disaster on 7th Street South
- AHC Inc. Defers Proposal To Build Low-Income Housing Project on Columbia Pike
- AHCA requests trafic calming measures
- Columbia Pike transit planning
- Glebe Road safety issues near Thomas Jefferson Middle Schools
- Route 50 right-of-way improvements: letter to County Board Chair Paul Ferguson and VDOT official Sherrell Crow.
- Name the Park Contest
- Eckerd Drug Construction
- Eckerd Drug park planning—Letter from Tom Greenfield
- Infill Housing
- Neighborhood Inspection
- Fire Station Update
- AHC Inc. Defers Proposal To Build Low-Income Housing Project on Columbia Pike
- Arlington Heights Park Redesign
- ACST opposes widening I-66 inside the Beltway
- Local candidates speak out on I-66 widening
- Photos of Columbia Pike Businesses
- Neighborhood Conservation Plan Survey