Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

say Now in the city

Good evening and welcome to the Thursday, December 4th, 2025 meeting of the Arlington County Planning Commission. I am Commissioner Tenley Peterson, chair. Tonight, the commission will discuss and vote on the following items. Reszoning for an UKMed use permit storage facility use permit for Filillmore Gardens Shopping Center. And as uh as for the adaptive reuse site plan amendment, staff will give a brief update on the item. A supplemental and revised board report was posted online earlier this afternoon. Presenters and speakers joining the meeting through Microsoft Teams, please keep your phones and other electronic devices muted until you are called upon by the clerk. Please turn off the sound to any devices around you to minimize interference and keep your cameras off until the clerk announces your name to speak. When called upon, you must unmute yourself by clicking on the microphone microphone icon that is in the meeting command bar at the top of the screen. The moderator nor the clerk have the ability to unmute your mic. Once you have spoken, please mute your mics and turn your camera off. If you are dialing in by phone to join the meeting, press star six to unmute. Public speakers will be called upon by the clerk at an assigned time. Pre-registration with email confirmation is required to speak at tonight's hearing and we are not able to accommodate additional speakers. All speakers, virtual and hybrid, will receive two minutes to comment as an individual. Only representatives of a county board appointed advisory group, committee, and or commission will receive three minutes to comment. A timer will be displayed on the screen if speaking virtually, and speakers in person will follow the timer stationed on the podium. Audio of tonight's meeting is available via phone. If commissioners, presenters, or speakers lose internet connectivity, please reconnect by phone. However, if you are dialing in by phone and unable to see the screen, we will provide you with an audible 30-cond warning to wrap up your comments. You will be muted when your time has expired. The meeting chat is active for presenters or commissioners who need technical assistance only. Please do not use the meeting chat for discussion, public comment, questions

about agenda items, or requests for further information. All public comment must be shared verbally for the record during the assigned public testimony period. Tonight's meeting will be available for review through the YouTube platform. A link will be provided on the planning commission website 24 to 48 hours after the adjournment of the meeting. Although the meetings will no longer be a live broadcast, the meetings will be available for review with closed captioning on Comcast Exfinity channels 25 and 1073, Verizon FIOS channels 39 and 40 24 to 48 hours after the adjournment of the meeting. Lastly, this is a public forum. Tonight's meeting will be recorded and posted to the county website via a link to YouTube as stated. All information associated with tonight's meeting, whether written or spoken, is subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act requirements. Tonight, we are also joined by Commissioners Gavara and Steinberger, who will be joining us virtually. Madame Clerk, can you please call the first item? Our first item for the evening is ren25-00002 reszoning and UCMU25-00001 use permit for an UKMUD for 3138 10th Street North. We have Kevin Lamb, our principal planner to present this item this evening. Thank you.

Thank you. Uh good evening everyone. Uh I'm Kevin Lamb with the planning division and tonight I'll be providing a brief presentation on behalf of staff for the lockub self storage project. So this project consists of two items. Uh the first is a reasonzoning for a small portion of the site from C3 general commercial district to CTH uh commercial townhouse district. And the second part is the actual use permit for a unified commercial/mixeduse development consisting of a five-story selfservice storage facility with ground flooror retail and modifications. So the site is located at 3138 10th Street North in the Clarendon area. It's bordered by some apartment and condo buildings to the east and the south, a used car dealership to the west and to the north we have the Verizon switching station as well as fire station 4. Uh the site is currently occupied by a vacant fourstory office building uh with associated service parking. The existing zoning is both uh CTH and C3. And this small corner parcel is the portion uh being reszoned to CTH in order to facilitate the redevelopment. So the site is designated primarily uh service commercial on the GLUP uh with a small area along the southern edge of the site designated lowmedium residential. Uh this small area is currently zoned Cth uh which means it's already appropriately zoned to achieve the proposed development and the site is also subject to note 12 uh which is the Clarendon revitalization revitalization district and is therefore uh the project is subject to the Clarendon sector plan.

So the clarin sector plan outlines a future vision for the clarinin area as an urban village uh with a highquality walkable public realm with a mix of uses. So to achieve this vision, the sector plan establishes standards for development related to things such as density, uh use mix, building form, retail frontages, and streetscapes. Uh many of which are actually codified under the AKMAD zoning ordinance regulations. Therefore, um as an aqued project subject to these zoning ordinance uh regulations, uh this proposal advances the standards for building form and streetscape um activation as established in the Clarendon sector plan. So, kind of going back to the proposal, uh it's comprised primarily of storage use with around 7,000 square feet of ground floor retail uh for a total density of 3.35 F. Uh the building itself is uh 55 ft and five stories and has been designed to resemble a fourstory uh multif family residential building uh to ensure compatibility with the adjacent properties and also create the illusion of a smaller scale building. A total of 18 parking spaces are provided uh and three loading docks are located along the public alley which support uh both the storage and retail uses. The applicant is requesting uh two modifications for additional density and then also for modifying the maximum distance between functional entries on 10th Street. So in terms of analysis, uh the proposed commercial uses are consistent with the sector plan use mix guidance for this site. Uh while storage facilities are not a

typical uh form of development in the major corridors in the county, uh market trends do indicate an increasing demand for these storage units uh post pandemic. Uh this growth can be attributed to several factors uh including the rise of remote work and home offices. uh the widespread office downsizing which has created uh business storage needs as well as the increase in freelance work and transient work uh requiring flexible storage options. So in addition, rising rental prices and uh the other trend uh which is towards smaller residential unit sizes have made personal storage a convenient amenity and compliment complimentary use especially in dense urban areas. In terms of density um the applicant is requesting additional density above the base density of 1.5 F. So as you can see here uh as established in the zoning ordinance can achieve additional density through the provision of affordable housing. The zoning ordinance specifically allows a cash contribution to AHIF uh calculated at $15 per square foot of additional density adjusted for inflation. So as a result the applicant is providing a $1 million AHIP contribution to achieve that additional density. Elsewhere, the proposal aligns with the maximum building height recommendations of the sector plan. It also meets the recommended build to line along 10th Street North as well as at the corner of 10th Street and North Irving. Uh the proposal is generally consistent with the frontage types as outlined in the sector plan for all three frontages.

So on 10th Street, uh it meets both the ground floor transparency and the clear ceiling height recommendations. Uh next, parking and loading access is appropriately located on Irving Street as well as the public alley. And as previously mentioned, the applicant is requesting a modification to the maximum distance between functional entries on 10th Street. So, as proposed, uh, some of the entries are at most, uh, 63 feet apart when a maximum of 50 ft between entries is permitted by the zoning ordinance. And then in terms of, uh, streetscapes, uh, the proposal does align with the recommended 14t total streetscape on 10th and the 12t total streetscape on uh, North Irving Street. In terms of parking and loading, uh, as I mentioned before, a total of 18 parking spaces are being provided. Uh, this is allocated to 11 for storage use and seven for retail use, which meets the minimum parking requirements. In terms of loading, the applicant is also providing the required number of loading spaces. Uh, two allocated to uh, storage and then one allocated to retail. In addition, a small bike room is being provided um with two secure bike parking spaces for building employees. So overall, the proposal is consistent with the sector plan and advances several key county goals and objectives. So first uh again to earn that 1.85 F of additional density, the applicant is providing a $1 million contribution to AHIFF. In terms of transportation, the project provides uh street streetscape and pedestrian infrastructure improvements on adjacent streets. And then lastly, the project will provide certain uh

green building elements such as EV parking, 10 years of energy reporting, improved energy efficiency, and bird friendly glass. So, similar to the uh typical SPRC process for site plans, uh this project was reviewed by the AKM review committee uh which included representatives from various commissions uh listed here, civic associations and the adjacent condo building to the south. So during this AKMED review committee meeting held in September, the discussion uh focused on several key topics such as land use, architecture and design and green building. So in particular members uh did express ambivalence for the proposed storage use at this location um but did acknowledge the demand for these uses in urban areas. Uh most members appreciated the architectural design as well as its compatibility with the adjacent uses. Um but um members also expressed concerns about the lack of green building certification. Uh in terms of community correspondence, so the adjacent apartment property owner uh did submit a letter providing comments related to potential impacts on the shared use of the public alley for activities like uh parking, loading, and trash. C2E2 also provided a letter stating uh while they are encouraged by the applicant's commitment to incorporating certain sustainability measures uh based on their assessment the project does not sufficiently advance the county's goals for carbon neutrality. And then finally uh Lion Park Citizens Association uh provided a letter earlier this week uh urging the planning commission and county board vote no on the project. So in terms of process, so following the AKMD review committee meeting, the

project was heard at the transportation commission meeting uh where they voted 9 to zero uh recommending approval. So TC members discussed topics such as street configuration and cargo bike parking. Uh the commission also expressed concerns about the uh perceived amount of excess surface parking. So to conclude, staff recommends adoption of the zoning or reszoning ordinance as well as approval of the Oakland use permit. Thank you. Thank you very much. And now the applicant has a presentation. We do. Mr. Justin Yap from Lockup has a presentation for us.

Thank you. And thank you uh for to this planning commission for having us here this evening. Um, with me I've got uh Bob Sudan, managing principal from the lockup self storage and again I'm Justin Yap uh principal who focuses uh in the northeast and specifically the DCMSA region for our company. Uh before I get into our presentation, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank um Arlington County staff, the committees we've spoken with, as well as the citizens and civic associations that we've attended. uh in our careers, this has been the most collaborative process that we've seen from uh all the way from initial site plan to a redevelopment proposal with the rendering you see here on the screen. Uh and it's been a joy to work with the group uh over the past year. So, I think from where we sit today, we're really excited about where this plan has gone and and uh what we'll discuss here this evening. Next slide, please. So, as Kevin uh already alluded to, um you can continue on, Kevin. This site sits at the intersection of Lion Park, Ashton Heights, uh Clarendon, as well as kind of the edge of Boston. So, what's worth pointing out for us here as self-s storage uh operating um operating self- storage business is that it's at the intersection of neighborhood as well as uh residential density and commercial density. Next slide, please. And as you already know, across the street from the future redevelopment sites of the Joyce Motors as well as the Silver Diner site. Next slide. So there's a lot here to unpack, but I think what's worth spending some time on from our perspective is why self storage and why this location. Uh with over 50 years of experience, uh the lockup spends um its time looking for opportunities like this to develop highquality self- storage facilities to own over the long term. And we've developed over 90 facilities to date and all of them still remain as self-

storage businesses. So specific to this location, uh when we identified it in uh late 2024, we recognized the underserved nature from a self- storage point of view, there's less than one square feet per person within 2 miles here, whereas across the country in comparable areas, you see upwards of 7 ft per person. So to us, that suggested an outsized level of demand. From a self- storage point of view, what do we offer? Well, 90% of our customers come from within two miles. uh and especially in an urban area like this, that's a measurement we feel confident in. So to our customers, we offer an extension of their homes and a facilitation of life events. If there's mobility, change of job, life changes, growing families, we help, you know, facilitate those changes and allow people to stay in their homes or be able to navigate them appropriately. Next slide. So today uh this site is a existing class B fourstory office building uh that was vacated at the end of 2024. It was previously occupied by the NFCU National Association of Federal Credit Union unions who experienced a merger and moved their operations into uh DC proper. Today the uh office building and the site plan does not conform with the Clarendon sector plan. As you can see in the bottom left photo, that is the um picture along 10th Street North. There are utility poles that will be eventually undergrounded by virtue of redevelopment as well as a very narrow sidewalk about a 5-ft sidewalk and a two-ft landscape strip, none of which conform. With our proposed redevelopment, those will match conformance and primarily along 10th Street North. We believe an improved streetscape on this redevelopment corridor. Next slide. So we can dive into that a little bit. Um from an aerial view here, uh what we want to use this site plan is again reinforce the fact that our streetscape is improving both from a landscaping

point of view. The landscaping you see here uh not only meets the Arlington County zoning zoning ordinance, but also uh meets the requirements of the Chesapeake Bay 20-year tree canopy goals. Um that's something that Bob and I learned during our Ashton Heights Civic Association meeting is uh important to the sustainability goals of this county. Uh and so something we're we're proud to have delivered here. And again in the bottom right you see the um relative widths that we will improve along 10th Street North and North Irving Street. Next slide. You can skip. Yeah, this cross-section. The next two pages are effectively what uh will change along 10th Street North. And again on the right side of this cross-section you see the improved landscaping and sidewalk width. Next slide. So I'll pause here for a second. Uh when we uh started down this path uh about a year ago on how to design this project um at first the zoning ordinance would have suggested that we used a old older fashioned town home look. Um but in discussions with staff as well as um an architect within uh within the staff of of the county, we decided that we need to go another path, another route, one that was more uh not only conforming but complimentary to our neighbors and the future eventual redevelopment of this corridor a as Joyce Motors and others come along 10th Street North. So, I think we're really proud and our architect is sitting here behind me to speak to any questions you have about our rendering, but we're very excited about where this project has ended up and uh again, what we think will add to this this 10th Street North corridor. And this view is just uh you know, incorporating the public alley and you can highlight the enclosed loading um parking loading there off of the alleyway uh from 10th Street North. Next slide. This is a layout that is meant to just illustrate again the parking and loading off of North Irving Street as well as

the alley and that the retail on our first floor is oriented along 10th Street North to promote not only pedestrian access but again a more vibrant streetscape. Next slide. And these are just floors two through five of what a self- storage facility looks like if you've never been in one. Lots of units um on each floor. Next slide. All right. So I think one of the concerns and one of the things we spend a lot of time um discussing as self-s storage developers is our impact and what uh traffic comes across our facility. So what we can sit here and and say today is that self storage is widely recognized as one of the commercial uses that drives low low volumes of traffic. I have um Feliz here uh from Gor Slade that uh professional engineer who can speak to this further. But in our experience um we know that facilities of this size drive about 20 to 25 trips per day and the vehicular traffic that comes to this facility will be majority passenger vehicles. Um about 80% of our traffic comes by that that mode. Um and so when we sit back and think about um you know orienting the site plan and what's changed, we did spend a lot of time with uh dees as well as staff to really orient what we wanted to see um and kind of listen to the the comments and concerns that were raised during our um a year of discussions. So what's happened since? We've moved the loading uh to be all enclosed off of the public alley both for the retail and storage uses. We have moved uh from 24 parking spaces down to 18 and um we've also found a way to um excuse me oh exclude the truck size that can uh appear on site you know and that's in relation to the truck turning radi um that we measured with our civil engineers from Bowler behind me um to

make sure that we get some good efficient and safe navigation uh of our customers. Next slide. Our our uh traffic engineer can speak more to this if there are any questions, but this is just a graphic to show the improvements we're making on site. Next slide. All right. So, the the other thing we've spent some time on, especially out of our upunderview committee meeting, is related to green building and sustainable measures. This is something that not only we've spent time with um you know in discussions with ourselves but also Victoria and Paul Roman um on Arlington County staff. So in its nature self storage is a pretty efficient use. You know during the winter we never get uh warmer than 62 degrees. During the summer we never get cooler than 78. And that's driven by the lack of inhabitants that our properties have each day. You know we experience 10 10 to 15 customers on site at any time. um and so therefore lights aren't running, HVAC units aren't running all the time. So it was challenging for us to try and make points on a scorecard. So what we spent a lot of time with the green building on is how do we help improve and reach the the the goals of the county regarding sustainability. So the list here uh is where we've arrived and again put a lot of time and effort into. So, Lock will deliver a facility that is at least 18% more efficient from an energy use point of view within four years of opening. Uh there is about an $85,000 bond that will um be associated with that to ensure we reach those benchmarks. EV charging infrastructure on our parking and parking spaces, lead AP uh design member of the team and water efficient structures uh for use inside the building. Last slide, Kevin. Just to wrap up and Kevin touched on all these community benefits. We just want to reinforce that uh we're excited to hopefully become a member of this community and we've worked really hard um with staff and our professional team

to deliver something that we can stand behind and be proud of. So with that, I've got our team here with us for any questions the commission may have. Thank you very much. Uh Madame Clerk, are there any public speakers?

We have one virtual speaker this evening, Jennifer Dean. Thank you. Excuse me. [clears throat] Thank you everybody. I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you. Um uh I'm Jennifer Dean. I'm a resident of North Irving Street. My family uses North Irving on foot and by car multiple times a day as our main access point to our neighborhood. And for safety and quality of life reasons, I ask that you refrain from granting the applicant the exceptions that they're seeking. I understand that the traffic study shows that this project could generate few uh fewer vehicle trips than the office building did, but I would say that the study has gaps. Office traffic is predictable. It's limited to short time periods. Storage traffic is more chaotic. It's throughout the day, and the study doesn't explain how loading vehicle overflow is going to be managed. If a customer arrives with a U-Haul and all of the loading spaces are full, I'm concerned that they're going to queue up on North Irving Street. I'd ask that you require a detailed loading management plan with clearly identified no parking or idling zones adjacent to the facility. And we'd also prefer that all vehicle traffic access the site via the alley, not via North Irving Street. And another factor is uh the the traffic study doesn't account for the rental car facility which is next door at Tent and Irving. Both of those facilities, the storage and the rental car facility, have transitory shortduration traffic compared to office workers or residents. And there are constantly distracted drivers who are idling in the middle of North Irving Street to unload. Um, this will only compound that problem. So, I ask that you analyze that cumulative impact. To the extent that the applicant is requesting unenclosed loading spaces and a ground floor retail percentage of 48% rather than 60, I ask that you refrain from granting those exceptions. if we must have this facility, which I don't think many of the community members in Lion Park think, enclosed

loading is more appropriate. Um, so I'd ask that you require the applicant to meet the code standards and provide a loading management plan that address the gaps I've identified. It's important that we have safe and predictable access to our street. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Um, do we have any commissions to speak to us this evening? No. Okay. Is there a transportation commission report?

Uh, yes, there is. Uh, this was before the transportation commission on November 20th as Mr. Lamb has mentioned. Um, the it's he also mentioned a number of the topics that came up which are also in the um the uh manager's report. Um, in addition to those items, the we also one of at least one of the members of the commission noted that it does seem to be a bit of a policy failure that it's easier to build um these type of warehouses right in Clarendon than in other parts of the uh of the county. Um there's no doubt that it's it is a useful necessary function, but there's already two of them within you like walking distance of of this one right on 10th Street. Um so but that has nothing to do with this particular application. Uh we did find this this application does meet the requirements of the UKMUD requirements and those of the zoning ordinance and the um the sector plan and we voted 9 to zero to recommend approval. Thank you.

Thank you. And I'll go to Commissioner Baggley for a chair report.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Um we had a very well attended uh meeting with the community and various stakeholders on September 18th. I sent a report around earlier today. I think the items that we probably want to touch back on are use um architecture and I also shared uh Commissioner Modio's uh comments on architecture as well as samples that she sent but I'm assuming that she will speak more to that when we discuss those and also transportation. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Baggley. So, um, Commissioner Bagley has proposed that we discuss use, uh, architecture and transportation. I'll go through our the rest of our standard list. If anybody wants to add, um, an additional topic, we can do that. Otherwise, we'll start our conversation. Um, so sustainability or biophilia. Does anybody have Yep. Okay. Uh, public spaces. Well, if there's a park or something, but yeah. [laughter] Um, community benefits. No. Okay. And then process phasing or construction. Okay. Then why don't we start with use? So that could be site location, land use, and site design. Clarifying questions or comments. I guess I'll just ask um because it came up during the uh during the UKMUD meeting. um we usually wouldn't see uh an industrial storage facility usage in an area so close to metro. So can you explain why this project is coming to us and how maybe a little bit of the history about um why this zoning is in this neighborhood?

So we can start with the zoning. So, uh, self-service storage facilities, they are permitted in the county. Um, obviously in industrial districts, but the only other non-industrial district where, uh, these facilities are permitted is CTH, which is the commercial townhouse district. Uh this district kind of came about in the 80s um following a directive from the county board back then uh to see the feasibility of creating zones that are commercial but um kind of transition toward more residential areas and these zones were in uh the edges of Clarendon. So the intent of kind of this zoning district is to provide those transitions between kind of the urban core of Clarendon with the surrounding uh residential areas. So that's kind of the history of this zoning and um just so happens per the ordinance you know storage facilities are permitted in this zoning district.

Thank you for explaining that. Um, okay. So, then we can move on to architecture. Do we have another Oh, Commissioner Shriner.

Okay. So, you'll have to indulge me on this one. So, I've I've wrestled with this and the use on this project for basically ever since the SPRC because my my instincts would say it was so close to Metro, why not build housing? But then the other side of me is going in here saying, you know, you do need the infrastructure to support the housing that's already there and the housing that we will continue to approve here. So, I'm leaning I'm as as time has gone on, I'm leaning more in that direction. Um, but this is a question for the commission then. Um, if is there an appetite really to have staff look into sort of expanding the zones that that this is available in? Because if we're already this will be the third storage unit in Clarendon and it would make sense to me to distribute that more around. So I might cook up a motion if there's enough support

that's consistent with what we said in transportation commission that yeah this is legal and they took advantage of it but it's a policy failure because it's here and it's not really anywhere else in the county though clearly there is a demand for it right yeah and it's a and it's and it checks all the boxes you know as far as project the most controversial one was nice walls church right where it a site plan failed and a by right went up and it was indust zoned industrial. Mhm. Okay. So, I'll I'll work on a amendment here or a motion while we're doing that or while we're talking.

Thank you. Um, other questions on use? Okay. Then we'll move on to architecture. Clarifying questions or comments about architecture. Commissioner Amado. A lot to say. Uh so I really want to express my appreciation to staff, the applicants and the community for their thoughtful contributions throughout this process. I also appreciate the recent utilities update which helps clarify the functioning of the site and improves our overall understanding of the development frame framework. So the design is the part that I struggle with only because of uh the interaction with the public sphere and um so the CTH district and its reference to townhouse like materials such as brick and stock it's fine those materials can be appropriate. Um but the the Akmad part um kind of stresses the idea that you want to reveal its use, reveal its typology. Um so my concern is that the current facade adopts a multifamily residential language with stacked bays, repetitive window openings and proportions typically associated with apartment buildings. Um so that means that I haven't seen like a rendering for what it looks like at night. Um, apartment buildings have very active facades. Um, the lighting, the lights turn on and off. You know, there's a people coming in and out. So, then the question is, what does this building look like at night? Is there like a lighting strategy that can be adopted to make the building not be so dead at night? Um, a more active and intentional facade strategy. Um so that's to me the patterns of what this building is going to be during the

day is very important. Um so the other let's see um yeah night renderings and so anyway and I want to emphasize that my comments are not about the use density or height which I understand are consistent like we've said the sector plan everything checks but the architectural expression I think has to be refined.

Uh would the applicant like to respond? There's um [clears throat] it's a fair opinion, but uh there is a clear intention in the zoning ordinance and in the policy behind it for this building to look like a residential building. It's both a use requirement that speaks to it looking like town homes, which the county has allowed us to stretch into making it look like the multif family around it, which they prefer and we prefer as well. We like the design. We want it to look like it does right now and we think it's successful, but it also complies with clearly stated county policy that I would be very hesitant to swim against because that could mean that staff would also potentially have their own recommendation that would go directly against that. Um, we do, you know, we heard your comments at SPRC it well. We appreciate that and understand where you're coming from and it's a fair position. I think it's just one that we just don't agree with. but also that that the staff in the county through its adopted policies um doesn't agree with either.

But you can still address the light like the the idea that this is a more active building even if you don't change anything else.

Uh yes, you know, first of all with the lighting, we certainly do have a security level lighting that's low light and we try not to spill over and have any light overflow. uh you know, we have as as you say um built this to look like condominiums or or apartment uh which does feel a lot like the neighbor next to us and and on down the the street. So that was our attempt. Um but you're right, it is uh at at nighttime the unlike the apartments the the windows are spandrel which means they're darkened out and they will not light up. So, um I was just talking with our architect who's sitting behind us and you know there is a possible situation where we could do some kind of faux LED backlighting that might pop those a little here and there but you know my fear is that would be more complex and we'd have more problems with that uh with people not liking that as as

I was suggesting like a haunted house type thing. Yeah. you know, [laughter] lights would turn on. More like some something with materials and the way they're lit. Um, I don't know, colors, something about the trims, something that just lives livens it up a little bit so that it's not just something that at night it's just dead. And I'm really concerned about that. I also don't understand what's going to go there in terms of storage. I mean, not storage, uh, retail. Um so that's also going to be very important and the kind of lights that

and we're waiting to find out where the market is but we we are hoping to get you know more pedestrian friendly um you know engagement you know neighborhood engagement services or restaurants, coffee shop things like that uh in nature for the retail but um as far as far as the lighting and the coloring uh you know we did work with staff quite a bit and and feel like we came up with something that I

I'll note too that at SPRC the discussion was that folks who were living behind the building and the owners of the building directly adjacent to us, if you look, I think that would be to the east, but really on the right hand side if you're looking at the map, we're strongly against doing anything [laughter] like that. So, we would be inviting a new um series of complaints and issues. I'm talking about the streets, the 10 street area. Yeah. Yeah. I

those corners. Yeah. Can staff speak to um why the guidance is that a commercial building should look like a residential building? I think it's kind of going back to the legacy that was established in the 80s where there was this directive for for these transitional areas between urban commercial and residential to have to allow for commercial buildings but make sure they kind of fit within the character and kind of seamlessly go from commercial to residential. Therefore, the idea was to kind of have them share similar characteristics with residential town homes. Um, and I think that is how staff reviewed this project. Uh, we did work with them to improve kind of the look and appearance, adding more brick, adding more facade reliefs. But to Commissioner Emodio's point, um I think if you want it to look like a residential building, there's other aspects of res residential buildings like lighting, like making sure the building feels alive, materials that you know the applicant um has worked on, but obviously there there could be more that could be done in those regards.

Commissioner Torres,

there we go. Uh, I actually, well, thank you so much for the effort. I' I've seen that I I remember the old design and this is the new design. However, I actually prefer the older design better. It felt a little bit more homey to me. Um, if you want to go the route where it looks more residential for some reason, it felt more more residential, if that makes sense. Um but after speaking to um oh and I actually do agree that it is not very honest to have for example the windows are not going to be operable right they're basically just there to be there. Um and you're going to be spending money on materials and windows. Um it would be amazing and this is sort of like a sub subject. It would be amazing to see artwork there because there basically you don't need windows. You don't need to have any operable windows. You could have paneling of art and Clarendon has something like that where all of a sudden you've seen a mural pop up and it adds a moment where it engages the community where you don't have to have additional lighting. You don't have to have anything, you know, other than a mural. So, if um if it's not too late to explore um that that would be I would love to see that.

Thank you, Commissioner Lel.

Uh yeah, I think that staff was right to move away from the townhouse design and move toward a residential look. Um the building itself right now, I I I consider sort of a good neighbor type building in that it doesn't call attention to itself. It just sort of fits in with what's already there. And in that sense, I have no concern about it. Um, I do live in the area, so I go by it pretty regularly. And the other two uh storage unit buildings have the the look of of residential buildings, they do have retail at the base, and that really does liven things up. So, even at night, it doesn't look dead. Um, for those other two buildings, I suspect this would probably be similar. And I t I tend to not want to have unnecessary lighting for dark sky purposes. Um, so I don't have any concerns about this. You know, maybe it could, as you suggest, get punched up a little bit. I'd certainly be open to that, but right now I think it it sort of it fits in okay as a as a good neighbor. I guess that's really the best way I would put it.

Um, I have a question. If you can pull up the slide that shows the um northeast corner of the building. Um, just on the topic of a commercial building should look like a commercial building. just so um people on the sidewalks um can orient themselves and understand what what the purpose of the building is. I didn't look like there was any signage on this corner and this that's because this is going to be the the possible like Okay, here we go. So, we've got signage there. So, um is and then this is going to be the possible restaurant in this corner. So, there will be signage for the restaurant there. Will it be prominent so people understand that that's a restaurant there?

Yes. Uh probably. So um we show some conceptual signage at this stage just to give staff an idea of where things could be and it also helps take a look at um you know any potential conflicts with like a tree or something like that or a utility line or whatever. Um signage comes later. It'll be you know by right through a permit uh with the county and then um you know there's a certain size you can put on there. We could get a CSP. We wouldn't need one for a single retail bay or a couple retail bays in this space, but there would probably be some sort of signage there for retail at that corner because any tenant is going to ask for that.

Okay? Because that could help with the otherwise disorienting nature of a building that looks residential, but actually you can go in there and have coffees or drinks or and the size of the retail space might lend itself to being divied up a little bit. We're just going to have to see what the tenant is. It just depends. Obviously, if this corridor develops like it it's hoping to, right, with multiple new buildings, you're going to have a lot of customers there for something a little more lively. Um, and that's what everyone's hoping for. It's better value for us, too. Um, so, and it would probably be one, maybe even two retail spaces there with signage.

Okay. Um, other questions about architecture comments. Was I wrong in understanding that Akmad overrides zoning in in some fashion in terms of looks that there's like a a a desire to unify the corridor and to express function and urban context versus you know just what the you know zoning plus it's now the zoning the th part is only that little strip so it's actually a commercial strip. I know that we're that's what we're asking for, but am I wrong in understanding this?

Yeah, just to provide a bit more context. So, the UKMed is kind of the implementation tool. The underlying zoning district and the requirements um pursuant to that still apply, which is kind of why we did review it against those residential physical requirements. Um there isn't necessarily anything in the codified AKMAD regulations that speaks to kind of architecture. But then again, the AKMAD regulations seek to implement the sector plan. And the sector plan does kind of discuss some design guidelines um that speak to kind of the overall vision and cohesiveness and just general compatibility between new development and existing development. Okay. I guess it's an interesting question for in a future future development whether we consider these buildings to to be kind of flagships for, you know, different designs, cool implementations, murals, artists, lighting, you know, anything that obviously doesn't bother the neighbors. Um, but anyway, just kind of a maybe a future conversation to have.

Okay, thank you. Uh, let's move on to transportation. Questions or comments about transportation?

Thank you for the bumpouts on um 10th Street. They're needed. That's great. Kudos. Thank you. Thank you. Um I did have a question um related to the public speaker. Um, a lot of the properties that we see where there will be a lot of people coming in and out um will have a loading dock manager that's required in the site plan conditions, is there something similar to that um for this project?

That's something that we did discuss with the applicant. Um, it was a big point of um I don't say contention, but it was an essential part of our review is making sure that the use permit conditions included the park management plan uh that we typically get with site plan. And I know it's not quite a site plan. So there's that's why there's a little little bit of discussion compared to usual. Um but that that is in there. That does the park management plans do include provisions for loading um because that's something that the county takes very seriously and we want to make sure that loading operations are not affecting the public right away. So that be applied to both the loading as well as the parking.

Okay. Okay. So, there will be a plan, but not a person who's in charge of managing the schedule or whose job it is to uh make sure the plan is enforced properly and that the neighbors could go to if they felt like there were violations. That's a level of detail with the park management plan that could get worked out when it's eventually approved. Okay. Okay. Uh and then no other transportation questions. Let's go on to sustainability and biophilia. Commissioner Shriner. Yes. So, one clarifying question on this front. So, you all mentioned that there's going to be some biofilic elements rolled in. Um, where where are those going to be included? I I didn't really notice them just from the visuals.

Yep. So, I'll start and then I'll let the team take it from there. But um what we so what we did with green building here um due to both the fact that we weren't looking for bonus density through the green building incentive program but also due to sort of the challenges with this use and finding you know a rating system or something that works for it. Even though knowing that we have something that is probably going to be one of the most energyefficient new buildings in the county simply by virtue of what it is, right? It's not even the lights don't even turn on unless there's somebody walking through a corridor. that's not happening anywhere else, right? Um, so you know, all very good for the uh environmental quality of the building. And I lost my train of thought about where am I going? What are we talking about? We're talking about

biophilia. Yeah, biophilia. There's a required. So we went through and we picked a number of things from the green building incentive program that we could commit to. One of them was a biofilia statement and incorporating biofilia into the project. So there's a narrative that would be due during construction about what we're doing that is biofilic and so the team can speak to that. The other elements of the GBIP that we were committing to were the 18% energy efficiency with the bonding the bird friendly glass etc. Yeah. and Commissioner Shriner. So, in that respect, um, when considering the landscaping as well as the build two lines here, there has been some back and forth about, you know, what open space or what kind of plaza we could have, but when we adjusted the build two line in the site plan,

really the bofil appears in the amount of trees we're putting along the streetscape that's along 10th Street North. That's also in the rear of the property of which where there's open space. So, um, that is the focus. I think when we evaluated our our conversations um internally after civic associations and understanding the goal of the tree canopy within the county um we recognized that that could be the priority we use here um that would address that. Yeah. And we went through the list and picked everything that we thought we could do from the GBIP and committed to it. And so that's why that's in there. That would normally be a GBIP requirement that is just part of the overall package that statement.

Perfect. Yeah. No, I remember that conversation now about the trees and shuffling around with the build two line, all that. Um, I have one more. Is that acceptable? Okay, cool. Um, so again, I think overall this is doing a lot and but I do want to echo a a concern of the C2 E2 uh commission here and you know just because this is like the bones of it are already again you're not going to use a lot of energy and I think you're not going to generate a lot of traffic like I think this is kind of a sneaky project in a lot of ways because it's not it's not having a lot of the same like cons negatives that are associated with other developments, but you're still getting a lot of the benefits. Um, but I would say, you know, to push the envelope if you can. You know, you if you if you're already using a very small amount of energy, you know, why not consider on-site renewable energy generation and net metering if that's something that's in the cards, you know, why not push it even further? Again, I think it's fine as is. It's not reason to object to it. I think it's great what you all are doing with this, but um, you know, why not why not go a little bit further if you can, if you're able? We also so because we're tracking the energy efficiency and we bonded that we may well do better than 18%. Right? I mean, we'll see what happens, right? We bonded to a certain level and there were levels that we were comfortable with guessing that where this would get, but it might be kind of interesting to see where this thing comes out. And so staff will be tracking that because maybe for future facilities or just for comparison, we may see that this is substantially even better because we just didn't even have necessarily the data or the experience to even know exactly what we were confident we could make.

They're not a lot here. They're only in this one part of town. Exactly. [laughter] Right. Um, Commissioner Striner had asked about on-site renewable energy. Is that something that you looked at?

Uh, yes. Uh, so, Chairwoman Peterson, I I would say that uh the evaluation of rooftop PV is still uh in process with the duration and time between um hopeful zoning approval as well as uh building start. There is a lot of discussion about tax policy and how that relates to the use of rooftop and PV. So, as Nick stated in in a lot of conversation with Vic uh Victoria and Paul, what we learned about this energy star benchmarking and how that can be applied to the GBIP, that's something we again strive for. Spoke with our architecture and design team and said, "Yeah, we can do this. You know, let's commit to this now. The rooftop VV it's under consideration. It's just we don't know where tax policy will shake out in the next year."

Thank you, uh, Commissioner Torres. microphone. Could you please pull up uh a site plan? As in like a site layout? Yeah. Okay. So, there's no Is that a dead end? Um not Irving Street, but the other side. I don't know if that's um east. I don't. So this alley Yeah. So that that goes to nowhere. It goes through to 9inth Street.

Okay. Um so I guess my question would be is there any reason for that side of the building to not have any green or or tree canopy or even just you know a wider sidewalk. So, we did review it against kind of the streetscape standards per the sector plan because it is an alley. Uh the sector plan doesn't really anticipate pedestrian traffic along public alleys. Therefore, um it doesn't recommend having a sidewalk or street trees.

I guess because I thought it was connecting to something else, you would still have pedestrian traffic, but I guess for now, no. Okay. All right. Okay. Um I think that wraps up our discussion. Um so we can move to motions. Commissioner Bagley, do you have or would it make sense? Does it the order matter if we have additional motions? Okay, I'm ready. I'm ready to do it. Okay. Okay. Do you want to do the main motions first and then or did you have a motion?

No. Okay. So why don't we do the main motions? I move the planning commission recommend the county board adopt the attached ordinance to reszone an approximately 3,916 square ft area located at 3138 10th Street North RPC number 19-007-009 from C3 General Commercial District to CTth Commercial Townhouse District introduced by Commissioner Baggley. Do I have a second? Second. Seconded by Commissioner Striner. Would you like to speak to your motion?

No. Uh, any discussion on the motion. Okay. Then we will go to a vote. Commissioner Lantel. I. Uh, Commissioner Baggley. I. Commissioner Gavara. I. Commissioner Berkkey is not here yet, but he will be soon. Uh, Commissioner Steiner. I. Commissioner Robertson. I. Commissioner Amado. I. Commissioner Torres. I and Commissioner Peterson. I So that is unanimous. Uh do you have another motion?

I do. I move the planning commission recommend the county board approve the use permit for a unified commercial mixeduse development consisting of a fivestory self-service storage facility with groundf flooror retail with mod modifications for additional density distance between functional entries and other build modifications necessary to achieve the proposed development located at 313810th Street North subject to the conditions of the staff report. Thank you for your motion, Commissioner Baggley. Do I have a second? Second.

I'm going to give it to Commissioner Torres. Seconded by Commissioner Torres. Would you like to speak to your motion? Any discussion on the motion? Okay, then we'll go to a vote. Commissioner Lantel I. Commissioner Bagley. I. Commissioner Giver, I Commissioner Striner, I. Commissioner Robertson, I. Commissioner Amado, I. Commissioner Torres, I. And I will also say I. That passes unanimously. Do we have another motion? I do. Okay.

All right. H [clears throat] I move that the planning commission recommend that the county board direct staff to study other zoning zoning areas within the county that could reasonably accommodate self storage self-service storage to expand eligible areas for selfservice storage to avoid concentration of this use in C-TH and industrial districts. I'll second that. Okay. So introduced by Commissioner Striner, seconded by Commissioner Lentel. Would you like to speak to your motion? Sure. I mean, yeah, it kind of says says what I mean to say. We want to have more [laughter] more areas where we can look at this so they're not all bunched up here.

Okay. And discussion. I actually I do plan to support this motion, but I do want to acknowledge that staff already has a very large work plan. So, sometimes I'm uncomfortable giving them additional things to study since they have so many other things. and are we saying that this is going to be more important than that or how do we fit it into their overall work plan? So, I do think this is important and I plan to support it, but I just want to acknowledge that it kind of throws a wrench into the annual planning that they've already done. So, when we talk to them again in I think March or April um when they present their annual plan to us, I think, you know, we we can bring this up and kind of when we're having that discussion um see where we think we would recommend that it fit in.

Yeah, I agree. Okay, other discussion or we'll go to a vote. Okay. Uh, Commissioner Lentel, I. Commissioner Bagley, I. Commissioner Gavara, I. Commissioner Steiner, I. Commissioner Robertson, I. Commissioner Amado, I. Commissioner Torres, I. And I will also say I. That passes unanimously. Are there any other motions? Abstain. Uh, yes. And Commissioner Berkkey is abstaining. Abstain. Thank you. Uh so thank you very much for your uh Commissioner Baggley um has a comment.

Yeah, I just want to thank staff for all their hard work on this and also welcome the applicant to the DMV. Um you guys are good Midwesterners, even that Ohio State guy over there. And um we just I'm sure we did. But hope hopefully hopefully this experience here in Arlington has set you up so that when you decide to expand further into the area that um you'll understand the process a little bit better and be better prepared for that. So thank you so much.

Yes. Um I also wanted to say thank you to staff for your hard work on this. Thank you to the applicant. Um I also wanted to say thank you uh for the applicant to actually come to our SPRC or our meeting. uh we don't often get applicants that show up in person to our community meetings for community engagement and it shows that um that they're really interested in hearing from the public and they're not just you know writing a check and building something but they want to be part of the community. So thank you for that.

Madame Clerk, can you call our next item? Our next item is FBCN25-00004, a use permit for Filillmore Garden Shopping Center. We have Olivia Santag to present this item this evening. All right. Good evening. Um I'm Olivia Santag with the Arlington County Planning Division. Um I'm joined by my colleague uh Serge S Sergio Vericia um in person and then online we have um two staff members from DPR uh Bethanyheim and Hana Park. Um so this evening we'll be reviewing the formbbased code commercial formbbased code use permit um for the Filmore Gardens shopping center located at 2601 Columbia Pike. Um so this item for consideration um is uh new but it's familiar um as there was a previous iteration of this uh project um several years ago. So, the development includes

um a proposal for a six-story mixeduse building with about 270 multif family dwelling units and about 15,000 ft of ground flooror retail in accordance with the um commercial formbbased code. Um it also requests several modifications to the formbbased code which the board um may consider and modify. Um and I'll cover those in just a few slides. Um so here's the site located primarily on along Columbia Pike uh with the existing Filmore Garden Shopping Center and surface parking. Filmer Garden Apartments is located to the north um Penrose Square to the east and the Elkins building which is the subject of a previously approved use permit to the west. Um the site is within the Columbia Pike corridor and this is an excerpt of the general land use plan map which shows the revitalization district boundaries and the black dashed lines. Uh the commercial node boundaries are shown as note 8 um and it's designated service commercial on the general land use plan um with a black triangle which represents the location for a public space um which is the second phase of Penrose Square Park. Uh the county board previously approved formbbased code use permit for this site in 2022, but after some unforeseen circumstances, including losing the intended ger tenant on the ground floor, um the applicant requested and the county board approved a discontinuence of that application um of that use permit in 2024. Um so the applicant has opted again to develop the site using the commercial formbbased code zoning tool. The site is within the Columbia Pike commercial formbbased code boundaries. And this um shows an excerpt of the town center regulating plan. The site has main street frontage um along Columbia Pike and South Cleveland Street um as the building envelope standard designation uh which prescribes a three to six story building for this site uh with non-residential ground floor or ground ground flooror uses and then residential uses on the upper stories. An alley is required along the northern property line. Um and the site also includes the

dedication of a segment of South Cleveland Street and the second phase of Penrose Square. The site is currently zoned um CPFBC, the Columbia Pike form base code zoning district um as it was reszoned with the previously approved use permit. Um and the site is within the Penrose Square Civic Association boundaries. Um so consistent with the commercial formbbased code, the applicant proposes to demolish the existing commercial buildings and surface parking. uh construct a six-story mixed-use building with about 15,000 square feet of ground flooror retail and 270 units. Um 348 vehicle parking spaces, 11 though 11 of those will be new on street parking spaces. They also propose um 9600 square ft of open contiguous lot area, which is the private open space required by the formbbased code. Um so they are they're meeting this requirement of 15%. Um they're also dedicating 13,500 square ft um to the county uh for the Penrose Park uh square and then the segment of South Cleveland Street will also be dedicated and improved. Um they're also meeting the green building standards which were introduced into the formbbased code um probably two years ago now. Um so their proposal is to um meet these requirements using uh the lead gold green building standards um an energy optimization of 24% improvement and all of the additional prerequisites that are outlined in the formbbased code. Um so through the formbbased code um use permit process uh the applicant will dedicate the land for phase 2 of Penro Square and provide some interim improvements to that space. The county board approved the Penrose Square master plan in July of 2008 uh with the general location and size of the park features. Phase one was dedicated with the adjacent Penrose Square site plan development and the county completed construction on phase 1 in 2012. There

are CIP funds available for phase 2 um for final design in 2030 and construction in 2032. Um, so the interim improvements that the applicant's proposing for phase 2 include uh regrading to meet the grade of the adjacent phase 1, installing street trees along South Cleveland Street, um public sidewalks along the perimeter of the site, and then providing um open lawn space until such time as the county proceeds with the ultimate design and construction for phase two. Um so the applicant has requested four um modifications to the form-based code requirements and again these are elements that the county board may consider and modify. Um so the first item is for the height of the floor first floor relative to the fronting sidewalk elevation. There is a very significant grade change that you can see in this elevation on the plan of about 14 feet along Columbia Pike. And then there's also a 7 foot grade change um along South Cleveland Street which is also pretty significant given the the shorter frontage of that that site. Um so the formbbased code does have requirements for the height of that first floor um being no less than 15 ft, no greater than uh 24 ft and also has requirements for where that ground floor elevation should hit along that fronting sidewalk. Um, so there are are several points along the frontage um both along Columbia Pike and South Cleveland Street that are unable to meet this requirement. This is a modification that is frequently requested especially for sites along Columbia Pike that do have um experience grade changes. The second item is for the required building lines for the location of streets. Um so the formbbased code does prescribe um the the build two lines for properties. In this case, there's an existing um storm water utility and easement that prevent the building from being built um all the way up to that RBL. Staff did review this and study this um and it was infeasible to relocate that that storm storm water uh utility. Um so it's being um kept in

place and the building is tapered back. Um it does create this kind of um greater plaza space and entry to the um residential lobby of the building. Um so we think the applicant has um done a nice job kind of accommodating um that that change um in the RBL location. The third item is the breaks between buildings. Um so because of the um extensive uh frontage of the of the development along Columbia Pike. Uh the code does require a break between the buildings. Um this can be accomplished with a pedestrian pathway. In the form based code, that pedestrian pathway must be um requires a 20ft easement um with a paved walkway of not less than 10 ft wide. Um the applicant has um creatively uh proposed a um as you can see here a kind of deeper notch out of the building here. Um and then it just a one-story uh uh structure right here. um instead of having the building go all the way to the sixth story and creating kind of a hallway effect. Um so this creates greater light and air in the space. Um but they are proposing that pedestrian pathway to be narrower than what the formbbased code prescribes. Um so this this proposal is for a 15t path which does narrow um to 8 ft um where the building does cover the pathway and the applicant does have a presentation um following this one which will I think better illustrate um those conditions. And then the last item are the streetscape details um for street tree spacing. Um so the formbbased code does pres prescribe the street tree spacing of an average of 30 ft um along the frontages um of both uh Columbia Pike and South Cleveland Street. Um so with that 30ft spacing, Columbia Pike requires 14 street trees, but in this case the applicant's proposing 10 street trees to allow for on street parking spaces to support the retail uses. Um,

so we did review this at the forebased code advisory working group meeting and staff has has completed a review of this um and is supportive of this reduction in the street trees um in order to support those on street uh parking spaces. And then the other um the other uh request is along south um Cleveland Street um along the park site it requires four four street trees um but only three are proposed. Um the county is interested in an on on street van accessible parking space along that park frontage. Um and that does prevent the planting of that fourth street tree. Um this also uh allows for the spacing of the street trees along the project side of South Cleveland Street to be slightly uh smaller than that average 30-foot spacing. Uh again due to a pinch point created by the existing storm water utility that runs along this frontage. Um so the proposal has completed preliminary review staff. The community review process with the formbbased code advisory working group and a community meeting and is now in its final review stage. Um a special exception use permit approval is required since the site area exceeds 40,000 square ft and the building footprint exceeds 30,000 ft. Um and um as well as the applicant is proposing those modifications to the form base code. So it automatically then requires planning commission review um and uh approval by the county board. Um so the the item did go to the formbbased code advisory working group in October um and they also held a community meeting in October. Largely I think the feedback that we got and the questions that we got were how the applicant was going to ensure the success of the retail and um I'm sure they can speak to you know a little bit more of that um in a moment. And then um the item is scheduled to go to the county board on December 13th. Um so with that we are recommending approval of the forbased code use permit proposal and I believe the applicant has

a presentation prepared. Thank you very much Miss Santag. Uh applicant please presentation please kicked up. Okay. What name are you using? What what's your name in the I can share the presentation if that's easier. Yeah,

I think the Wi-Fi is faster too if staff share the presentation. Is that right? Okay, guess we can go to the second slide already because we'll just do introductions. Good evening, Chairperson Peterson, members of the planning commission. My name is Tad Lunger with the Arlington Land Use Group, attorney here tonight on behalf of the applicant Toll Brothers Residential with our design team uh from MVNA Architects and Bowman Engineering. Next slide. We're happy to be back here with [clears throat] you again tonight since our last presentation to you a couple of years ago to talk about what is next for the Filillmore Shopping Center site and to give an up-to-date presentation on our current designs. As you recall, the site includes the area outlined in red as shown on this slide. It encompasses the whole block from the Elkins building east to the existing constructed portion of Penrose Square Park. By way of background and most of and as most of you probably already know, the site was previously studied and approved for a multif family residential project with a large-scale groundfloor ger that spanned the vast majority of what would have been the ground floor of this entire block. Subsequent to that approval, after the tenants had been vacated and the project was required to be put into pre-demolition condition, the ger decided not to proceed with his plans, leaving the project unable to secure financing to move forward. Since that time, the building has been held in its pre-demolition condition until the owners of the shopping center were able to untangle themselves from the ger and reconstitute a good plan for this very important site located at the heart of the plans town center for Columbia Pike. Next slide. Today, there really isn't much good to say about the state of this location on the Pike between the site being held in

pre-demolition condition and the county's endless corridor wide infrastructure project. Here are some relatively recent images of what the shopping center looked like when we started this process. The upper image is looking down west down the pike and the lower image is a view from the Elkins building east uh down the pike which gives a really good perspective of the very expansive vast amount of frontage the site has in the town center Columbia Pike. Next, here is a view of the rear of the site and the existing alley and surface lot that runs the length of the block to the east, eventually connecting with the old CVS parking lot on the east on the east end and adjacent to the first phase of Penrose Square Park. Next slide. To provide some urban planning context, here is the regulating map from the formbbased code that provides a good picture of how the site has been envisioned under the Columbia Pike formbbased code. The site again is located in the town center for Columbia Pike and is one of the most central key parcels necessary to complete the town square's vision. As you can see here from the regulating map, the site consists entirely of what is called main street frontage and significantly includes a major plan desired includes major planned desired community benefits for the provision of large dedications of of private property to Arlington County for a new segment of South Cleveland Street and streetscape and the other half of the plan Penrose Square Park. Next slide. So, it shouldn't go without being noted. Um, we were lucky to have the Toll Brothers team take take interest in this project. Michael Skenna, who's with us tonight, he's the managing director for the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions for Toll. Early on in his career, he was a retail guy. Uh, they pretty quickly understood and had the vision that the town center and this site needed to be retail focused to be successful even as

part of a residential project. Having a retail guy influence on this project has made a big difference to to this focus on the town center. Fundamentally, they've approached this site as as a retail development that has residential rising above it rather than a residential project that has some retail. Before we turn it over to our architect for a formal tour of the proposed project, we wanted to show you this slide that demonstrates how it falls into place and connects and completes the vision set forth in the formbbased code. First and foremost, this project aims to create a place anchored by retail and public open space activity. The expansive frontage all the way down Columbia Pip Pike, wrapping the new segment of Cleveland Street, and framing the new park area is designed to create a concentration of main street retail in the town center focused on viability, walkability, and at a scale necessary for retail to be successful and perform well. Connecting these plans and the Penrose Square and Sienna Park developments to the east provides the other half of the vision to complete the to complete one cohesive largescale urban retail and civic space destination for Columbia Pike and the town center from Wayne Street all the way down to Walter Reed. Being realistic about the need for parking to be available to support a successful retail destination on Columbia Pike. Parking car parking for cars and bicycles is intentionally provided directly at grade for direct convenient retail access. This parking will be provided inside the building at grade directly behind and adjacent to the retail spaces. The site is designed for permeability and retail accessibility for pedestrians with four new ground level pedestrian pathways planned through the site which also connect directly to park and resources including the new complete segment of Cleveland Street being given to and constructed for Arlington County. The new circulation pattern not only connects the communities to the north directly to the activity in the town

center and what will and what will be the newly completed largest public open space and venue location in the town center but also seamlessly to the east connecting the Penrose Square development to create one very substantial cohesive retail space wrapping up central public park and venue space for community activities. With that, I'll turn it over to Neville from MVNA, who's our architect uh for the evening.

Thanks, Dad. Um, my name is Neville Fernandez. I am a principal with MVNA Architects and one of the planners and designers on this project. Can you hear me now? Okay. Um, my name is Neville Fernandez. I'm a principal with MVNA Architects and one of the planners and designers of this project. And I will do my best to walk you through how we have designed and planned this project. Uh so I think you've already heard enough about um how there's uninterrupted uh retail frontage along Columbia Pike. I'll explain uh how that works. So today you have a shopping center kind of bang down the middle of this pike and then surrounded by two curb cuts and a small parking lot. So there's a lot of kind of uh a lot of interrupted uh frontage along Columbia Pike. Tomorrow with the form based school requirements, we don't have any curb cuts along Columbia Pike. We don't have any curb cuts along Cleveland. All the traffic is diverted towards the back or kind of the north the drive aisle that you see on the screen which is actually the alley uh that also exists today. So all the vehicular traffic all the loading all the service functions all of that is kind of hidden behind the building. All that activity happens along the alley that leaves an uninterrupted retail frontage along Columbia Pike. There's no curb cuts. No one's no one's driving across. This is the best way to create a pedestrian focused retail environment that can be successful that links what's already existing at the intersection of Walter Reed and Columbia Pike with the with what was already built at this planned town center. Uh so we're really excited about that. The only interruptions really are passageways, pedestrian passages, which is what you want, right? That gets people from parking or that gets people from the neighborhoods to the north down via Cleveland Street or the passage the two passageways that were provided in this project. Um, one other thing I want to point out is Olivia already mentioned that there's tremendous grade along Columbia Pike. I wish the world was flat, but it's not. And Columbia Pike is definitely not. Uh, at as you can see at the lower kind of

left of our site, the grade is 194 and that goes down to 178 and 9 in. That's almost 14 1/2 15 ft difference uh across um uh the two ends at Columbia Pike. That's a considerable grade uh to manage especially in a world where we have to provide accessibility for all. Uh but I think we've done a very good job of doing that and I'll walk you through how we've done that. Um let's go to the next slide please. So here's a little bit more detail about how that retail plan works. So we have retail all across Columbia Pike. What you'll notice is that the retail has varying depths. Uh the corners of the projects are usually the most visible and the most valuable retail spaces. We've made them as big as we could possibly do. So it is uh very easier kind of uh be attractive to businesses and retailers who know how to run spaces and are looking at such great corner opportunities to do restaurants and food and beverage uh related uh activities. Uh the spaces usually in the mid block are usually the least uh they're not they have good visibility but they're usually the least valuable because they're not corner um and not the corners. So we've made them a little smaller. But also there's something interesting here. Uh these retail spaces especially retail D and retail C.

Yes. Both.

Yeah. Both are uh are being as turnkey retail spaces where uh the landlord itself is providing basic infrastructure, kitchen hoods, things like that way. uh basic equipment that help and kind of cater to people who may not uh you know who are smaller mom and pops who who are single, you know, maybe who have they worked 20 years in the retail business and are trying to go solo on their own or maybe are smaller kind of food truck, you know, kind of smaller cart vendors who are looking at a brick and location but can't really afford the big spaces or the rents um that big spaces may may ask for. uh they have the opportunity to kind of have a go at, you know, creating a retail business in these smaller locations that are smaller, the rent smaller, but there's more infrastructure already provided and baked into the building that they don't have to like worry about. So, it's it's an easier on-ramp to kind of a you know providing a kind of a business opportunity for uh retailers. Um, sorry, I'm Matt Anderson with Toll Brothers. Just one thing I wanted to add to that um is that it also provides speed uh to getting these uh retail locations leased up uh to really activate Columbia Pike. So having these uh DNC be these turnkey spaces is I think really important to the project and and also just a benefit to the community and and we're able to get some of those uh local mom and pop shops uh back into these buildings.

Great. Thank you very much. Uh, Madame Clerk, are there any public speakers? We have no speakers on this item. Okay. And so, no commissions? No. Uh, transportation commission? No. Um, and Commissioner Berkkey, do you have a committee chair report, please?

Sure. I will be try to be brief. Um, and again, I I think I've uh because we have some newer members. Um, so I chair the formbbased code advisory working group. Um, so that is a working group that is made up of representatives from folks along Columbia Pike, the civic associations. Um, it's chaired by planning commission members. So, Commissioner Weir chaired it for a while. Uh, Commissioner Hughes before my time on the commission. Um, we are a county manager advisory group, so we don't take votes and we advise the manager and staff. Um, so anyway, so we discussed this at our October 15th, 2025 meeting. I think Miss Sante covered the discussion quite well in the report and her presentation. Um, generally people are very supportive and very excited about this. Um, we've had one attempt and we're hoping this one sticks. Um, there's a lot that folks are are interested in and excited about, especially the retail spaces uh that are being proposed. The fact that they're a bit smaller u maybe a little bit more appropriate for Columbia Pike. Um, we did have some questions about the grade change. Um it is significant on 9inth as it comes down towards this site if you know that area quite well. Uh it's it's like 10 ft at least. So uh we we talked about that and um there's going to be some moving of earth uh in order to make that happen. Um but that will ultimately connect that um Penrose Square. Um we talked about the on-site trees. Um and I think we've landed in a good place there. Um, so and I know the neighborhood I will add. Uh, I know the the civic association is quite excited about this proposal as well. So I have a couple questions about transportation. Um, but otherwise no major issues were raised at our meeting. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you very much. Um, so we'll open it up to the commission discussion. Uh, Commissioner Bergie has suggested that we talk about transportation. Um, I'll go through our usual standard topics and let me know if you want to um have those on the agenda as well. Otherwise, we'll focus on transportation. So, um site location, land use or site design. Anybody have questions? Okay. Yes. Okay. Commissioner Torres. Um building former architecture. Okay. Um so, we've got transportation, sustainability, and biophilia. Okay. And public spaces. Okay. Community benefits. and process phasing in construction. Okay. So then let's start off with site location, land use, and site design. Commissioner Torres, did you want to start us off? I think it can be combined. It's more of a comment and I'm really concerned because I grew up on this um part of Arlington and it's very clear that the change is so drastic from what it used to be and it used to be a street where it's a rest bit from let's say Roslin or now Clarendon if you want to go walk around and it's really just one or two stories versus a big tall building and what I'm seeing happen is you're starting to see tall buildings pop up and right now it's okay because you still have these rest bits where you just keep walking. So, in terms of site plan, I'm a bit concerned and it might be too late and I'm sorry. I've just joined the commission, so it is what it is. But compared to other parts of Arlington

County where we heavily put emphasis on tree canopies and we talk about it over and over again and, you know, green spaces, um, I don't see the same emphasis being put on here. So, that's a concern. Um, I don't know if it's a question, but it's a comment. Um that's actually so I feel like on our last formbbased code project there was also a concern about fewer street trees than we would see in other site plans. Miss Sante can you talk about the formbbased code and how it might be different than site plan in how it relates to tree canopy or street trees in general?

Sure. Um so the formbbased code was created through you know an extremely large community process that you know envisioned what this development along the corridor would look like. I think um you know similarly along Columbia Pike we're seeing these three to six story sixtory maximum buildings um that taper down you know to town homes and then to single family residences you know similar that we do in other plan planning corridors in the county. Um with the formbbased code, it has prescriptive requirements that the applicant must meet and that comes with its, you know, pluses and minuses, but um the the the formbbased code does require in regards to street trees um street tree spacing of approximately 30 ft across all frontages. Um, street tree spacing doesn't contemplate on street parking in the formbbased code, but the formbbased code does allow for on- street parking, which is why this modification to street tree spacing is allowed to be considered by the county board in circumstances where on street parking is needed to support these uses. And this is a case where it, you know, does require ground flooror retail in this specific location along the corridor. Um, so we do think it's appropriate to have retail spaces to support those uses. Um, I know in many spaces, you know, along Columbia Pike and other other corridors, we are seeing that additional need for those kind of pulloff spaces for people that are, you know, uh, doing pickup drop off and and other kinds of of uses in that regards. Um, other open space requirements, we do have, you know, um, predetermined public park locations. Um and this site is contributing one of those um portions of those public parks. It also has um private open space requirements which does have you know require 15% of the buildable lot area to be provided as that private open space. So there are a couple different mechanisms that contribute towards that kind of those green building requirements. But again they are very prescriptive in the form

based code. So if the applicant meets the requirement then um then they've satisfied the formbbased code requirement. I understand. I'm going to fight for those fortresses. I understand why you want to have more parking, but as ex an experience of Penrose and trying to go to the Starbucks and trying to park with all the traffic that Columbia Pike has and trying to get out, it doesn't really provide a rest bit or it doesn't really provide um someplace where you could stay. In fact, I think it welcomes people to say, "Oh, well, this is an area where cars park. Let me double park. Let me put my car here, grab something." Um, it's not I understand what you're saying, but in reality, I don't think it works that way. And it really hinders the traffic on Columbia Pike, which is increasing. Yeah. And becoming dangerous, to be honest.

Okay. Um, then we'll go on. Is anybody else have questions or comments about site location, land use, and site design? Commissioner Shiner, I have one that's loosely related here. So, obviously a lot of the other buildings on the site here are, you know, of the vacant, etc. Um, but there is a Burrito Bros on the corner and I'm curious what the plans are for the Burrito Bros. Yeah, unfortunately I don't think they're going to be able to stick around as part of this project. I'll have to go through their utility disconnects in order for us to begin demolition on the site. Um, but we would love to have Burrito Bros or somebody like that come back into the the property at one of those retail those food and beverage locations.

Have they have they expressed any interest in that or are they just going to look elsewhere? I'm sure you guys have interacted with them at some point. No, not yet. We haven't begun those discussions just yet, but we will be in the new year.

Okay, got it. Right. Thank you. Are there um planned conditions to assist with the their relocation and can you just briefly mention what what services might be provided to them? Yes, we do have a standard condition that's proposed as part of this this application specifically for that one remaining retail tenant um that the applicant communicates with them about the timing of construction and when they'll need to be leaving and then um facilitate facilitates any kind of um uh additional services that Arlington Economic Development can provide um and relocation. I have a question just maybe I I'm also late so it is what it is but the uh there's no entrance on the pike. Is that because of the FBC part or where you ask to put only retail in the front? So, the formbbased code does not allow new curb cuts along Columbia Pikes. And we do um encourage, you know, especially when there's um you know, in this instance, there's a new planned um public street envisioned um for them to use access off of that um new street and off of the alleys prescribed in the formbbased code um for that access. Uh the the formbbased code also does require in this, you know, in this certain location, uh groundf flooror retail and a certain percentage of that frontage has to have um retail uses along it. And

and on that note, the retail only stop it seems to stop midway on the west side. Is is there Oh, along South Cleveland Street. Is that what that is? Yeah, I you could. Yes. Along the along the eastern side of the building. So the the retail wraps that frontage and then turns into um a residential lobby space. Those are residential support functions that are allowed on the ground floor. Um so that's that's where the applicant has chosen to locate those.

Okay. Um we'll move on to building form and architecture which we kind of already migrated into. Commissioner Torres. um in other parts of um first of all I want to say thank you so much for the effort. I'm not I know you guys put a lot of work into this. So um I'm more asking this question for future projects. Um along Lansson we went through a project where a building had a similar aesthetic in in that it was right on the street but they were asking to not have um not have to have a setback. I think they were reducing it from 10 to five. I can't remember. I'm so sorry. Um the foreignbased code on Columbia Pike does not require those kinds of setbacks um to I guess acknowledge the fact that it you know it used to be very low density and then you know if that makes sense.

Yeah of course um so the formbbased code has um these required building lines. So the applicant has to build to that that required building line. The location of those building lines are such that they do accommodate the planned um street cross-section and streetscape elements including you know locations for street trees and on street parking a minimum 6t wide sidewalk. Um with that required building line, the applicant does have the option to modulate the building just for kind of fenestration purposes, but it really is only a fenestration up to three feet in front of and behind that required building line. But it does create um this presence on the street which is the intent um under the formbbased code.

How do you change that? [clears throat and cough] Can you can we talk about that after later? It's something Yeah, it's something we can look at. I'd be happy to go over form based code requirements as well. Thank you. Okay. Um transportation comments or questions about transportation. Mr. uh Commissioner Berkkey.

Uh so I surfaced this at the advisory working group meeting, but I want to I'm going to surface it again. And I think this is more of a staff question. So, um um if we can pull up the presentation, if we can just kind of show the egress, you know, the intersection of Cleveland and Columbia Pike. Um if there's a slide that does that. Um but what I want to surface is it's not really about this application, but it's about what what this will look like when it's completed. So, um I believe that the plan is to prohibit um lefthand turns going eastbound from Columbia Pike on to Cleveland. Do I have that right? And then left-hand turns from Cleveland onto the Pike going going eastbound and then Yeah. Does that make sense?

Yes. Uh good evening. Yep. Um the configuration of the what you're seeing on the screen right now for South Cleveland Street is known to be as a right in right out type of configuration. So left's out would not be possible and lefts in will also not be possible. Um but they will be possible just one block over at South Barton Street where there's a signal that can accommodate that. Um some of the decision-m behind that was there is a eastbound left turn lane. You can kind of see it in light gray here. If we were to um I guess welcome in left turns in uh it would impact this turn lane and also lefts across two lanes on this arterio um you know have to be closely studied. Um so the right in right out was just a more safe type of uh accommodation there and because uh Google images is not up to date with all the construction. Um the there's a new median now. So, is that part of it? Also, like physically you'd be prohibited from making a turn going eastbound. Uh, so the median is is is on the screen right now. That's what's

right there. Okay, I see it. I'm sorry. Okay. Uh, that doesn't really physically like limit you from doing that, but there is this island in the middle of the Cleveland Street and that will h it's a raised curve there. Yeah,

I'm and again I'm you know this is not really an issue for the applicants so just indulge this but this is this is the type of thing that has a major impact right when these things come up because form-based code of course very prescriptive is following the requirements but um we've obviously we we know we've had a lot of issues at Barton right and I think the county to its credit in the last year 18 months has resolved a lot of them with reorienting where parking can and can occur um this will obviously put a lot more emphasis on Barton right as a main kind of egress into the development. So I guess this is a comment it's not really a question. We just got to really make sure we get that right. Um especially on Barton with um you know substantially more car traffic coming in especially knowing that if you were going eastbound on Columbia Piking making a left turn um if there's not a dedicated signal because there's a hill that comes towards you as the cars come up uh as you can tell I'm very familiar with making this turn. Um got to go to Starbucks. Uh, but we need we need to be very mindful. I guess the county does, right, in how that all kind of sticks once this gets online. So, I'm not going to make a motion, but I'm just surfacing it because as this kind of gets built out, if if we're not doing that carefully, we could see that becoming an issue very quickly, right? Uh, you know, in about three years. So, you you can respond to that. You don't have to, but um I just want to make sure we kind of know what we're getting into here. Thank you. Yeah, I'll just respond to one more thing. Uh, the alley is also another uh avenue to to get to the garage or to Cleveland Street or to the connection to uh 9th Street South um further east as well. Um, but the alley is is private, but applicant is proposing uh public access easement along it. Um, and the alley can be accessed from Walter Reed

Drive. Great. Thank you. Um I have a question about the um pathway that is required by um the code. Um it's supposed to be 20 feet and it's instead 15 ft and then down to 8 ft. Um I just wanted to understand why that exemption was allowed. Um cuz it's already a very big building. So it's not like we're working with a really narrow awkward space that like okay we we need to like make some concessions here. It seems like it could have been the full 20 ft. Sure. And I'll pull up some visuals I think the applicant had towards the end of their presentation that may help um illustrate what these conditions will look like. So here's the proposed pedestrian corridor. So the formbbased code does envision when you have long block faces, we don't want a building that occupies that entire block. So the idea is to create this kind of relief um between the buildings. I think you know what the formbbased code prescribes might suggest that you have, you know, two sixstory buildings and a 20 foot separation between those two buildings that provides that pedestrian pathway. I think um in this case, partly because of building circulation reasons, which the applicant can probably speak to better than I can, um it makes more sense to be able to have a kind of covered pathway on part of the portion to maintain that building circulation. A similar um configuration was approved with the previous iteration for this site. Um so given that the applicant instead of having this kind of hallway effect um you know to serve as this pedestrian pathway in order to meet the prescriptive requirements of the

formbbased code has stepped back this space. Um that area above this first story is going to serve as some resident amenity space. Um they're also you know going to have these retail spaces that may have opportunities for outdoor seating. um but does create a lot more light and air in that space than maybe the prescriptive requirements of the formbbased code would result in. Um so we do think that the design you know is appropriate and has been given you know a lot of thought. Um and for that reason we do support that narrower that narrower pathway in order to have the more light and error. Okay. Thank you. Uh okay then let's move on to sustainability and biofilia. questions or comments on that. Commissioner Torres,

if you're going to have a taller building that is supposed to be there, shouldn't we require more bofilic? either if it's a roof garden or um just vertical um bofilic design especially with with it being com such a big building Penrose made sense because it in like half of it at least along Columbia Pike inset and provided such a beautiful plaza but this one's really just taken up the whole space where before there was parking spaces that even though there were hard spaces is it still provided a visual like even sunlight went into the street.

Yeah, I do understand the concern um with formbbased code projects. Um they're required to meet the requirements of the formbbased code. So we can't introduce anything additional. Um but we do have the kind of newly introduced um green building uh standards um that have been incorporated into the formbbased code. And unlike um the GBIP which you know is an an incentive policy um these green building standards are required with every proposal. So the applicant has to you know meet meet all of those requirements. Those do include prerequisites um which does include a biofilic um narrative as part of those as well as bird friendly glass and a number of other requirements um that are also included in the GBIP. Um so as this project does proceed towards you know design and construction um we will be evaluating those in the landscape plan.

Okay. Are we ready to move to motions then? Okay. Commissioner Berkkey.

So I move um that the planning commission Oh, sorry about that. I'll start over. I move that the planning commission recommend that the county board uh approve the subject use permit in accordance with the Columbia Pike formbbased code uh which is article 11.1 of the zoning ordinance appendix A for the development of a six-story mixeduse building with 270 multif family dwelling units and approximately 15,525 square ft of ground flooror retail with modifications for the height of first floor relative to fronting sidewalk elevation required building lines for the location of streets breaks between buildings and streetscape details for street tree street tree spacing subject to the conditions of the staff reports.

Thank you, Commissioner Berkkey. Do I have a second? I'll second it. Seconded by Commissioner Striner. Uh would you like to speak to your motion?

Um no, only that. Um this will be a very positive contribution to Columbia Pike. Um it will add a lot of needed housing. Um this is something that I know the community has been looking forward to. Um and I know a lot of folks are also looking forward to the completion of Penro Square. Um which will be achieved uh through both the the land being provided here and then obviously the county will uh do its thing uh provide uh capital funds and help uh complete that and we'll have a greater public space there. So I'm uh very excited to support this. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, let's go to a vote. Uh, Commissioner Lantelme, I. Commissioner Baggley,

I. Commissioner Gavar, I. Commissioner Berkkey, I. Commissioner Striner, I. Commissioner Robertson. Oh, he is um out for a minute. Commissioner Amado, I. Commissioner Torres,

hey. Nay. and Commissioner Peterson says I. So that's 1 2 3 4 5 six seven I's. The motion passes. Are there any additional motions? Okay. Well, thank you very much for your work. I think we are all excited to see this um particular spot uh become a lot more vibrant than it is currently. Um save for the the restaurant that will close. Um, but we're, yeah, we're excited about this. And I remember when we passed the original project that was proposed a few years ago and then it didn't it didn't um follow through. So, we were all disappointed and now we have something exciting to look forward to. So, thank you and thank you to Miss Santag and the rest of the team for all of the work that you've been doing. Thank you.

Thank you. Okay. So, we are now on to commission business, which is the approval of one more item. Sorry, we have one more item. Yeah, we do. Is it? Uh, madame clerk, can you call the next item?

Thank you. Our last item is SPLA25-000028 for the adaptive reuse site plan amendment 181901 South Bell Street. Our uh SPRC supervisor Matt Feifer will discuss this item this evening. There are no speakers or any commissions representing this item tonight. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Uh, Madam Chair, I will give a very brief verbal update on this. Um, so this is an adaptive reuse site plan amendment for two buildings in Crystal City. Uh, the 1800 South Bell Street building and the 1901 South Bell Street building. Um, we have been working with the applicant on some issues related to the 1901 uh, South Bell Street building. Um we had prepared a staff report uh recommending approval of the adaptive reuse for the 1800 building uh but deferral for the 1901 building. Um uh rec very very recently the applicant did request deferral for both buildings. Uh therefore staff is recommending deferral to a minimum of February 2026. uh which will allow staff and the applicant to continue conversations about additional open space acquisition uh in Crystal City. Thank you very much. Happy to answer any questions.

Okay, thank you very much. Um do we have any questions or comments from the commission? Okay, great.

Okay, so then uh we can move to a motion. Commissioner Bagley, can you hear the motion for us? I move the planning commission recommend the county board defer to future planning commission and county board meetings held no earlier than February 2026 the subject adaptive reuse site plan amendment application to convert two office buildings to residential use with ground floor retail use with modifications as necessary to achieve the proposed adaptive reuse of the buildings located at 1800 and 1901 South Bell Street. Do I have a second?

Second. Commissioner Amado seconds. Uh would you like to speak to your motion? Okay, then we will move on. Uh Commissioner Lentel, I. Commissioner Baggley, I. Commissioner Gavar, I. Commissioner Berkkey, I. Commissioner Striner, I. Commissioner Robertson, I. Commissioner Amado I um we have someone absent and I will also say I so 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 that passes 8 to zero. Thank you very much for your continued work on this project. Um okay madame clerk. Do we have any other agenda items?

We don't. But I have to say you all just did a good job. You made me so proud to get through that so quickly. Thank you so much. Okay. Well, we still have a little bit more to do. [laughter] Can't go home yet. Okay. So, commission business. Uh we have minutes to approve the November 3rd, 2025 minutes. Um we usually do this u by unanimous consent. So, colleagues, I ask for your unanimous consent to approve the minutes. Hearing no objection. So, moved. Um Mr. Feifer, do you have any uh staff updates for us? No staff updates at this time. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you very much. Uh I believe we have three rosters. Um well, let's do I guess uh we do not have um a LRPC update. So why don't we do the LRPC roster with Commissioner Baggley. So Commissioner Baggley, do you want to give us an SPRC update and then we'll do your rosters with um Commissioner Steinberger's roster? Uh I did send out a report um on the current chairs and projects coming up. So it's a pretty healthy outlook for us. Um there are three rosters. Uh two are just to update. Um and one is for the Alexa project which uh Commissioner will be chairing and Commissioner Robertson will be co-chairing. So those three rosters in terms of SPRC's this Monday uh December 8th from actually as of right now through December 10th there's online engagement for uh Waverly Ridge. Um on the 8th there is a walking tour of Waverly Ridge. Also on the 8th is um Lucky Gardens number two. Correct. Correct. Yep. And on uh the 18th, it's Walgreens number two. So, so um I seek unanimous um approval of uh the three rosters, I guess.

Do we have to do them one at a time? One at a time. I think technically you have to adopt them one at a time. So, we've got the first one. Okay. So, I seek uh a unanimous approval of the Alexa roster. So moved. Go to the next ones. I seek unanimous approval of the Waverly Ridge uh updated roster. So moved. And I seek uh your unanimous approval of the updated Walgreens um roster. Can I ask a question? Just the why we're highlighted. Oh, because it's a change to an existing roster. So you all are being added. Just because we're right. Yeah.

And you're special. And you're special. Okay. That one has been moved. Uh so moved as well. Okay. Thank you very much for your update. Uh do we have a ZOK uh update? Yes. So as far as Zoko goes, um we just haven't had enough items to really justify a meeting. So we're going to have one January 20th of 2026. So we are done for the year in terms of Zoko. Great. Commitments. Uh MTP update.

Yes. Uh so thank you to all of you who submitted comments for the last homework assignment from us. Uh our most recent homework, definitely not the last. Um we have a meeting on the 11th where we're going to go through that and we're going to move through the next phase. And as I've been saying, we've just been narrowing the the specificity further and further along. And so I will be back with another update after that uh meeting. Okay, great. Um, Commissioner Berkkey form base code AG.

No, we've we we have done all the the barcraft. We did fill more gardens and I I think I speak for all my neighbors on the pike. We're very excited for this construction to soon be over, right? So hopefully we'll see that soon, but no updates. Thanks. Thank you. Uh, Commissioner Bagley, PFRC update. No updates at this time. Okay. Um, then I think that takes us to our elections. Is that right, Madam Clerk? Nothing else I'm supposed to do. All right.

Okay. Great. So, first I wanted to say uh that this is my final uh hearing as the chair of the planning commission. Um so I wanted to take a moment to express my deep gratitude. Um to my fellow planning commissioners, thank you for the time, intellect, and heart that you bring to this work. For every hearing, every subcommittee meeting, every logistics meeting, you show up prepared, thoughtful, and open to new ideas. Arlington is very fortunate to have volunteers who care so deeply about the details and our long-term vision. Um, and it's an honor to serve alongside you. Uh, to our county staff, um, your expertise, patience, patience, and dedication make everything that we do possible. Uh, you translate community goals into real buildable plans. Uh, you surface tradeoffs. You help us understand the why behind the what. Um, and more importantly, you do it with grace, humor, and a genuine commitment to public service. So, thank you for being our partners. Um, and to the uh many commissioners who I'm sure are watching online, uh, who join us at our, uh, commission meetings, our subcommittee meetings, your collaboration strengthens our civic process. Uh, planning is never done in isolation, and I'm grateful for the spirit of teamwork that allows Arlington to grow and adapt while still honoring our shared values. Um, and finally to the members of the public who also I know are watching right now for our eighth hour of hearings this month. Um, and for those who speak up at meetings, write emails, attend open houses, and pay attention. Thank you. Your engagement is what keeps our work grounded. You remind us that every site plan, every zoning change, every study ultimately shapes the daily lives of the people who call Arlington home. Uh when I look back on this year, um what makes me proudest is how consistently we've centered the values that make Arlington

a great place to live, to work, to raise a family, to go to school, to enjoy a park or a walk or a bike ride, to meet new people, or to start a business. Uh together, we've kept our focus on things that matter. Uh we've pushed for more affordable, attainable, and familiesized housing, recognizing that a thriving community must welcome people of all ages, incomes, and backgrounds. We have supported a more biophilic Arlington, where nature isn't an afterthought, but a core element of how we plan because access to green space, tree canopy, and a healthy environment is essential to our well-being. Um, and we've championed sustainability knowing that the decisions we make today reverberate far into the future. and we have worked to ensure that progress is responsible and resilient. And above all, we have approached our work with a commitment to equity, making sure we're taking care of each other and expanding opportunity. So, serving as chair has been one of the great honors of my civic life. Thank you for the trust that you've placed in me uh and for the hard conversations, the shared victories, and for your unwavering dedication to this community. Um, I look forward to continuing this work together because Arlington's story is still being written and it's a privilege to help shape it with all of you. So, thank you. Um, it is now my honor to nominate Commissioner Nia Baggley to be our 2026 chair of the Arlington County Planning Commission. Nia and I have worked together for more than six years. We were both appointed at the same meeting um in 2019. Um, our dearly departed county board member, uh, Eric Gutshaw recruited her and appointed her because he could see how deeply she cares about her neighborhood and the broader community. On projects, Nia makes sure all of the voices are heard and that the staff and applicants are responsive to community needs. In every meeting that I've had with her, she shows how deeply she cares about transparency and open dialogue. This year she served as both the vice chair

of the planning commission and the chair of the site plan review subcommittee. She has done an amazing job at both of these. Um Nia has lived in Arlington for more than three decades. Uh she's the former president of her civic association and very active in real estate. She's been involve involved with park advocacy and has a certified backyard wildlife habitat. And we all know that she's been a longtime champion of butterflies and birds on the commission. Um, so please join me in supporting Commissioner Baggley to be our next chair. Um, I move that Commissioner Nia Baggley serve as the 2026 Arlington County Planning Commission Chair. Can I get a second, please? I'll second.

Seconded by Commissioner Lantel. Think we vote? Do you? Okay, we'll vote and then you get to make remarks. Okay, so we will vote. Let me get my roster. Let's see. Where did my pen go? There it is. Okay, Commissioner L, tell me. I Commissioner Baggley. I [laughter] Commissioner Gavara. I Commissioner Berky. Very much an I. Commissioner Steiner. I Commissioner Robertson. I Commissioner Amado go blue eye. Oh, [laughter] Commissioner Torres. I.

And I will also say I. So that passes unanimously. Congratulations to our 2026 chair.

I just have a couple of brief comments and then I will nominate our chair and then we'll get back to her. Okay. So, um I just jotted a couple of notes down. I really thank you all for the opportunity and your trust in me. I've enjoyed working with you. You know, I attended a meeting about parking somewhere 15 to 20 years ago and spoke up about it, but I never imagined where this journey would go. Uh the then president of BBSCA, Boston, Virginia's Way Civic Association came up to me and said, "We need someone like you." And so that was the call. So looking back um I was blessed to have PC mentors Nancy Yakamini, Elizabeth Garin, and of course the late Eric Gutshaw. When he was elected to the county board, he asked if I would be interested in the planning commission and saw that process through, including calling to say it's time to apply. Um, and I hope I've made him proud up until now and will continue to do so throughout the rest of my service as a planning commissioner to Arlington County. So, thank you. So, next I want to go ahead and nominate uh, and again, when I started the planning commission, it's so funny. I had somebody look at me and say, "You're not going to be chair for a while." And I'm like, "Okay, thank you. Welcome."

[laughter]

Okay. I didn't really know the drill. Um, so the drill is there is a succession based on, you know, your tenure, etc., etc. So, um, our next in line would be Commissioner Guvara, who is joining us online tonight. And, um, just some brief observations and comments about having worked with her since she joined the commission, I guess probably two plus years ago, maybe at this point. Um so in addition to her work on international security and foreign affairs projects all over the world which gives her uh another layer of insight uh on the commission. She also strikes me that she speaks up for those voices who sometimes may not be as well heard. I guess this comes from having grown up here in what was likely then a very unrepresented commu uh community. Um she speaks with empathy and passion and you know usually on behalf of those voices and I think that's a a special thing that we have on the commission that um we can do. I heard a little bit of that tonight. So, um, and I do believe that, uh, she will be our first Hispanic, um, vice chair for the commission, which is also another milestone. And the reason that she's not here tonight is because there was an emergency foster situation in a kill shelter, and she stood up, took care of it, and uh, the animal need needs medical attention and cannot be left alone. So again, it's just a there's just something very special about her with her empathy um and her sensitivity to people and situations

that I think have brought um a special voice to the commission and I'm honored that she is excited about taking on this role. So, with that, I would like to um nominate uh Commissioner Humavara as our vice chair for our 2026 planning commission. I'll second. Thank you very much for your nomination. Seconded by Commissioner Berky. Uh we will go to a vote. Commissioner Lantel. I. Commissioner Baggley. I. Commissioner Guavara. Do you I suppose [laughter] Commissioner Berkkey? I. Commissioner Striner I. Commissioner Robertson I.

Commissioner Amado I. Commissioner Torres I.

And I also say I. That passes unanimously. Wonderful. To our new uh 2026 chair and vice chair. Commissioner Guavara. Would you like to make any comments? Um [clears throat] I am just so incredibly thankful um to you guys for just having um elected me. Uh one of the things that um brought me to the commission was actually missing metal. And one of the things that I often think about you know when we have these long nights there why do we do this? Why why so much time and commitment after work? Um, and I think the thing that's really that I've learned from being it's just how much I value the camaraderie that we do, even though we argue sometimes and we don't see uh eye to eye, it's just that I I feel so incredibly lucky to be among a group of people that are so talented and, you know, inspire me to grow. Um, and and even though I've lived in Arlington for a long time, being at the table and getting others perspectives and just making sure that people are being heard, I think it's really important and I couldn't choose a better group to do that with. So, thank you.

Thank you so much. Appreciate that. Well, that takes us to the end of our uh marathon December hearings. We're on our go that we're not we're not we're not doing that. [laughter]

I'd like to actually say something first and again these are just jotted down notes but as uh Tenley mentioned um she and I were appointed at the same time and I believe she was pregnant at that time too and our very first SPRC together as we were sitting there wideeyed was Amazon which were probably 50 people in that room. So it was like And I remember one of the commissioners looking at me, experienced commissioners, saying, you know, I didn't say anything at an SPRC for like the first, you know, 3 years. And I thought, why not? But so she and I were both, I mean, it was just like natural and everything. So, you know, I'm not going to belabor all of the accolades and all of her background and the the various things that she's achieved. Um she definitely has made her mark in um all of her civil roi civic roles roles here and is extremely um well respected. Um she approached me in the summer of 2023 to see if she could go ahead into the vice chair to work with commissioner Steinberger. Commissioner Seinberger did the same thing for Commissioner Patel. And um lo and behold, then the next year runs for the county board. And for those who have ever thought about the county board or been asked about it, um it really requires about a year and a half planning. She didn't have the benefit for that and yet made a heck of a run for it. And I don't think we've seen the last of that yet. That's just a wild observation. But at any rate, you know, to the commission, she has brought a level of professionalism and, uh, efficiency, openness, um, and, you know, a welcoming type of spirit. And I guess on a a larger note for me, the example

that she's setting for her three children about giving and serving the community and trying to, you know, take time to make it better for somebody who comes after you. And then also um as somebody who loves the world and wants to embrace it and travels, you know, adventures into places that other people would be, I'm not going there. Um cuz she finds that that's really neat and she's got that same sense already, you know, instilled in her children, which is just to me that's really fantastic. I know a lot of people want to say things tonight. Also too, she brought in two new commissioners which you know and have been great additions to the team. So thank you so much Chair Peterson for all of your contributions.

Thank you. a senior member. I do when I was first appointed Jay Facet sponsored me or asked me and one of the things he said because at the time I was president of my civic association was you know if you're on planning commission you have to look out for the entire county and I always remembered that and that is something I've always looked for in my fellow commissioners and that is something that almost exch Chair Peterson always kept in mind um while at the same time always having a strong respect and sensitivity for the community members who've come before us to make in many cases very heartfelt comments and concerns and questions. Um she always took those seriously as she should have and she always made sure that they were heard. As much as a lot of them don't believe it, they have been heard here. Um, and it's often difficult to balance the requirements of the comprehensive plan and the countywide policies with the needs of individual neighborhoods and individual persons. She always kept those in mind and trying to balance those and keep those in always there. she unfailingly did that and I deeply respect that and it was a total pleasure to work with you as chair. So, thank you so much for your service and I look forward to continuing on planning commission because one thing I learned as being chair for a while once you've done that it's easy afterward. [laughter] So, thank you again.

Thank you very much.

I'm gonna chime in here. Um yeah, associate myself with all those comments. Just just two thought I mean I have many thoughts but I have two thoughts uh that kind of stick out. So uh Kim Sherland tell me was talking about how easy you've been to work with and I mean that's absolutely true. Uh and you were SPRC chair before uh and did that for for a while and that's not an easy job as well. That's probably one of the more difficult roles that folks take on in the commission. So thank you commissioner Baggley as well for that. Um, but it's it's really the sense of teamwork. This is a team sport. We get up here, we have lively debates. I I was talking to Commissioner Amido about this, you know, the other day. It's like you got to be able to get along. You read the packets. We support each other. We'll get up on the DAS and then we'll vote against each other sometimes, right? And it's all good, right? That's sort of how it's supposed to be. But but the sense of teamwork you have and coordinating everybody who's doing their thing, you know, different perspectives, um you know, the lived experiences we're bringing, uh it just makes it so much easier to serve, especially when we have a a three meeting month. Uh so that is appreciated. But something specific too, uh because you and we were talking about this the other night, you know, you have been very effective at at achieving some things. And I I will say, and it's you're not the first, but you're certainly one of the most prominent people to bring up the three-bedroom units. We're seeing a lot more projects recently, as you've noted, where they're proposing three-bedroom units, a lot more, especially a certain one that has an SPRC coming up. So, I really hope you take that with a sense of accomplishment that you've done a lot of good, but there are very tangible things that you've also accomplished in both your service on the commission as well as chair. So, I think that's great. and um I'm sad to not see you as chair anymore, but I'm obviously very excited to work with uh uh now uh incoming chair Baggley and our vice chair uh Gabbat. So, thank you.

Great. Thank you. Well, now I want to say he's [laughter]

um Oh, sorry. Um well, first of all, you were the first planning commissioner I ever met. Um and so it it was interesting. I was working in DC government at the time. So, you know, we had all these projects going on across the river and I was all invested in them and and and through the meeting I had with you and other members of the commission. Um, I I put two and two together and I was like, "Wait a minute, I could do the same thing but at home." And it's just, you know, you've been the sort of you were sort of the gateway to me thinking about wanting to come on this come on this commission and and bring the knowledge that I had from across the river and and add it here. And I just think and working with you as chair and vice chair has been great because you've been very receptive to all of our ideas and and you know you've been able to work I think the the the body of work that we've done this year is very representative of all of our various viewpoints and I think you're in large part a reason for that. Um, and I think that this body works together as one unit with many different viewpoints and views of the world and you're sort of like the conductor uh in front of an orchestra making it all work well together. So, when you said uh earlier that this is your last meeting, it kind of took me by surprise. I was like, wait a minute already?

[laughter] you know, it's been a great year and um and so it's, you know, like everyone else has said, it's sad to see it end, but you know, of course, we're going to have really good things going um in 2026 as well. Um Commissioner Bagley and I have worked together on some some projects over the last couple years, and so I'm excited to see what we can do there. So, so thank you for your time and service and the two of you for getting all all of our activities coordinated and aligned and all of our feedback where I feel like I've been heard in this commission. So, I appreciate that.

Thank you. Appreciate that. time I was here, I really wanted to thank you for immediately being so welcoming and for mentoring me and for really easing me into well what looks like a bunch of softies here. [laughter] Just you wait. Thank you so much. Thank you. I can say something. Go ahead.

Um I'm so very glad that I've met you. It's very rare to find someone that's um so smart, intelligent, prepared, and professional. I see you come in um and say hi to everyone. And um I was on the fence and didn't know what I was getting into, but you made it feel like this was the right choice to to to take on. So, thank you very much for that. I'm luckier than anyone else on this dis because I got the opportunity to work with Tinley Peterson on the fiscal affairs advisory commission long before when she was chair uh during my first two years there. Uh and when Christian Dorsy approached me about serving on the planning commission and I began to do a little due diligence, everybody said, "Are you out of your mind that there is too much work? there's not enough time to do it. You must be crazy. And I said, "But I get to work with Tenley Peterson again." And they said, "Oh, okay." Um, and about um our incoming chair, Miss Bagley, uh, you have a an an intellect and a talent and a and a uh devotion to this that I've only seen uh equaled by Daniel Weir. and there is no higher compliment that I can pay to a member of this panel. So, I really look forward to working with you as chair. [clears throat]

And last but not least, [laughter] uh Tenley, you're infectious. I mean, when I you told me you were running for uh office, I immediately jumped on board and I was like, "Okay, what do you need?" Um, and you know, we're all busy. And I think for some for you know, the fact that you um made me want to do that for you, it just speaks to how amazing you are because with limited times and resources that we have and the fact that I just wanted to jump in and, you know, do whatever I could to get you elected. Um, like Nia mentioned, I hope that's not the last we're going to see of that. And hopefully we can continue working in the future on something. And Nia, um, I I'm so looking forward to working with you. I I think it's going to be fun. And, um, both of you I see as mentors and I love strong women and so I I I I just feel very fortunate to just be um, with you guys. Well, thank you all so very much. I'm so excited to work with you for another couple of years. Um, as Nia and I uh finish out our planning commission terms, you're not getting rid of us anytime soon. So, um, I'm I'm so uh grateful for all of your very kind words. And I'm going to go home and get my three kids on the couch and play the recording of this so they understand what I do at my meetings when I am gone all the time. So, um hopefully they will also uh be touched um for everything that you said. That was so nice. So, um I guess we can uh hammer the gavvel. Is that right?

Okay. Uh thank you to everybody. Uh tonight's hearing summary will be presented at the county board at their upcoming meeting by Commissioner Bagley. This meeting is adjourned.