County Board - public_hearing

I thought that, I thought.

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Okay. Colleagues?

Good evening.

Welcome to the public hearing for the county's FY2027-2036 proposed capital improvement plan, sometimes known colloquially as the CIP or the SIP, depending on who you're talking to. Here mostly I hear the CIP. We've got everybody in the room, I think. Almost everybody knows and you can see our name tags. All five members of the County Board are here. We will hear public testimony on the proposed capital improvement plan for 2027 to 2036. We're scheduled to consider adoption of the CIP at our upcoming July county board meeting. Over the past several weeks, the board has held work sessions to discuss proposed capital investments and recommendations with various county agencies. Our role this evening is to listen and to hear from the citizens of Arlington County on the plan, and those who want to come in and share their thoughts on capital investments, which are most important to you and to our community. I'd like to address a few logistical items related to our meeting. Speakers, we called in the order that registrations were received, as noted on the speaker list, which you see up, the clerk, Mr. Kushner has provided. Beginning with our remaining, our two-minute speakers, followed by all three-minute speakers. For those here in person, speak directly into the microphone so that everyone can hear you, please. If you are submitting documents, hand them to the clerk with your name and your contact information. For remote speakers, keep your microphones muted and your cameras off until you're called to speak. You will need to unmute yourself using star six if you're on the phone or by clicking the microphone button on the toolbar if you're using Teams on the app or the browser. We will call speakers two at a time. If you're on the next Speaker in line, please come to the front or come on camera and be ready to speak when your name is called. Please end your comments as soon as your speaking time as a lapse. We don't have too many speakers, but repetitious testimony I find often to be, it's discouraged. Feel free to associate yourself with previous remarks by standing or using the ASL expression for applause. If you want to submit written statements in lieu of oral presentations, you may do so at any time by email to countyboard at arlingtonva.us. With that, we are ready to begin. Mr. Clerk, please call the first two speakers.

Of course, our first speaker is Michael Gessel, followed by Julie Rosenberg.

Mr. Gessel, excuse me.

Chair DeFerranti and members of the Arlington County Board, my name is Michael Gessel. I'm president of Citizens for Cherrydale Library, which is a grassroots advocacy group that was founded in 1998 to support, promote, and preserve this cherished neighborhood institution. Thank you for the opportunity to testify about the proposed capital improvement plan, but first, I want to thank the members of the board for voting to keep Cherrydale Library open. We are all aware of the challenging budget decisions, and we know that you had difficult choices. There is probably no county building more beloved than Cherrydale Library. For generations of Arlington residents, it has been a center of books, learning, and community. Citizens for Cherrydale Library requests funding within the CIP to address the accessibility needs of Cherrydale Library so that it is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA. It is that lack of ADA compliance which the county manager cited in his recommendation to close the library. Keep in mind that most of the library is already ADA compliant because the main floor where books, computers, and offices are housed is RAMP accessible. It's only the upstairs balcony where special programs are held that require stairs. We appreciate the county library projects are in the CIP for Central, Shirlington, Westover, and Columbia Pike. This demonstrates the board's commitment to the county library system, and we're thankful that the CIP does include Cherrydale Library as a priority within the fire alarm replacement program. including ADA compliance improvements for the Cherrydale Library in the CIP, will allow the library to better serve the neighborhood and the county and strengthen its long-term viability. Not having a placeholder in the capital improvement plan sends the wrong message about the future of this treasured library. And you're all invited to our celebration of the library this Saturday at 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Gessler.

Our next speaker is Ms. Julie Rosenberg, followed by Sarah Sine. Ms. Rosenberg.

Hello, I'm Julie Rosenberg, speaking on behalf of the Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, the Arlington Hub. We are pleased that the proposed CIP continues to prioritize investments that advance the county's climate and other environmental goals. Nevertheless, we believe there's more that can be done, and done holistically and cost-effectively, to accelerate efforts to save energy, electrify, and build greater energy resilience in county operations. Specifically, we're asking for greater transparency on energy and climate-related investments for the county to provide detailed information on how proposed projects, individually as well as collectively, advance climate, energy, and environmental goals. We asked the board to provide guidance to the county manager to develop a plan for showing how CIP investments align with county goals. Each CIP project should include an impact statement addressing how the project advances our energy and climate goals. Another request focuses on the county board's 2022 electrification guidance. The 2022 guidance says that county-owned facilities, in county-owned facilities, the county needs to default to using high efficiency electric equipment where feasible, but we're seeing missed opportunities to provide highly efficient, cost-effective HVAC solutions. Therefore, we're urging the board to update the 2022 guidance and direct the county manager to provide details on how the county is phasing out fossil fuels in facilities. Board approval should be required in future cases where the county proposes to use fossil fuel for HVAC investments. There are a lot of cost-effective options that align with the county's climate and environmental goals. We really appreciate your progress to date and ask that you keep the urgency of climate action top of mind as you continue to make your policy. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Rosenberg. Next speaker. Sarah Sineh, followed by Andrew Schneider. Ms. Sineh.

Hi, I have three questions. My name is Sarah Sennai. I'm doing master's in social work at VCU. Currently, I'm intern at Wesley Housing at Strawbridge Housing in Alexandria. Are there any plans to invest in community space that support mental health, youth development, and family engagement? Second question is, how will the county measure the social input of their investment on families and communities over time? Third question, what opportunities will residents have to continue providing input as those projects move forward?

Thank you very much, Ms. Sinead, for your comments and your brevity. We will have concluding comments. We also, very brief, but we'll have concluding comments tonight. But there's also some logistical questions you raised. But we'll go to the next speaker for now. Thank you.

Of course, our next speaker is Andrew Schneider, followed by Mr. Michael Skrosz. Mr. Schneider.

I was counting on her using her full two minutes for me to finish my remarks. I'll do my best. Good evening. I'm Andrew Schneider, the executive director of the Columbia Pike Partnership, formerly CPRO. Just a few notes here. We wanted to first of all thank the county board, the county staff, the county manager, and his team for this 10-year plan. We'd also like to acknowledge our colleagues and friends over at APS for their commitment to the relocation of the Montessori Public School of Arlington and the eventual completion of the parking garage and restoration of green space for our neighbors and neighborhoods. We believe that this is a commitment residents across the Pike not only supported, organized, and voted for, but desperately need to continue to have a really fun, inclusive, and vibrant community on the Pike, so thank you for that. Secondly, we're also encouraged to see continued funding for Penrose Square phase two. As those of you who were at the Blues Festival this year that we hosted at Penrose Square, it was wonderful, but it was tight. When the county originally designed this plan in 2008, it was with the anticipation that we would complete this project with the long awaited and anticipated and delayed at times redevelopment of Fillmore Gardens Shopping Center. So we look forward to working with you, Kennedy Wilson, the developers, and the community to try to align as much as possible the funding and the work on this project to commence and complete as much as possible with the redevelopment of Fillmore Gardens. Finally, we've noted and accept that the Columbia Pike Replacement Library has been removed from the CIP, but we do look forward to working with you over the next two years to ensure that we can create a vision that optimizes not just our libraries, but that optimizes 3108 Columbia Pike, purchased by the county in 22, not just for a new library, but that also takes into consideration and addresses other community and economic development needs. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Schneider.

And our next speaker is Michael Skros followed by Matthew Jones.

Mr. Skros. Good evening. Thanks for allowing me time to comment on the CIP. My name is Michael Skros. I'm a resident of Crystal City. And I'm here to address the Crystal City Library, which according to the proposal is not tenable in the next 10 years. I don't disagree with the board's assessment. But I know we have $6 million from JBG Smith that's set aside for this Crystal City Library. We have the Aurora Hills Library that's half a mile from the Crystal City Metro. I walk to it frequently. It's a great building, but could use a little bit of love. Has a pretty limited selection of books right now. And I just want to throw the idea out there of considering directing that $6 million, rather than having it sit for a decade or more, into improving the existing library. The building's already there. You wouldn't necessarily need to increase any operational costs. There's already staff. But I think $6 million could go a long way in renovating the building, potentially expanding it a bit, purchasing a larger collection of books. And I think it would deliver a more immediate benefit to residents of Crystal City, most of whom live within a mile of that library. Just want to throw it out there for the board to consider instead of just having those funds sit there. So thanks for allowing me the opportunity to comment. Thank you, Mr. Scrubs.

And our next speaker is Mr. Matthew Jones, followed by our three-minute speakers, beginning with Jean, excuse me, Ms. Jean Ensoroth.

Good evening, Chair, board members, and county manager. My name is Matthew Jones, and I'm the engagement and mobility manager for the National Landing Business Improvement District. I'm here to express our strong support for continued funding and advancement of the capital improvement plan project serving Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Potomac Yard. National Landing is one of the most connected districts in the Washington region with four metro rail stations, Arlington's only VRE station, extensive bus service, Reagan National Airport, and a growing network of bicycle and pedestrian facilities. As our community continues to grow, it is critical that our transportation and public space investments keep pace. Transformative projects ensuring national landings economic resiliency, such as the Crystal City East Metro entrance, Crystal CC to DCA, the Long Bridge Drive multimodal connection, Army-Navy Drive protected bike lane, Missing Link, and the Arlington View Connector Trail will close critical gaps in our transportation network. improve safety, and strengthen connections between neighborhoods, jobs, transit, and regional destinations. We also support continued investment in capital bike share, complete street improvements along 15th and 18th Street South, and enhancements to parks and public spaces, such as Metro Market Square, Southeast Park, and Virginia Highlands Park. Together, these projects will make national landing more accessible, more connected, and more vibrant for our growing community of residents, workers, and visitors. So thank you for a continued commitment to these investments and for your support of a more connected Arlington County. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Jones.

And our next speaker, speaking for three minutes, give me just a moment, is Jean Hensroth. Ms. Hensroth. That'll be followed by Audrey Clement.

I've got a slide.

Yep, give me just a moment, I'm pulling it up.

Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mason. Hi, Jean Hensroth. Good evening, Mr. Chair, members of the board, and Mr. Schwartz. I'm here tonight to talk about Lee Center. The first time I spoke in front of this board was about four years ago to promote Lee Center within the context of planned Langston Boulevard. and the board changed wording in that plan to allow for more than one community center along Langston Boulevard. That hasn't happened yet. I am here tonight to ask you to move the Lee Center CIP funding from fiscal year 35 to 36 to no later than fiscal year 28, reduced the amount from almost $20 million to $10 million to achieve a realistic and very usable building. On June 23, the board had a work session with DES about facilities. DES made it clear that the board must provide guidance to determine the future of this building, and that included future usage of the building, the building configuration, and how to fund it. In the lease center study that was released last year, section three key findings, page three stated, These findings are provided to help inform community conversations about the potential for the site and other neighborhood needs. Feedback on the study will help inform the future of the Lee Center and will be weighed against other countywide priorities in the upcoming CIP cycle. There have been no county started or initiated conversations about what future use of this building. The only conversations were initiated by Langston Boulevard Alliance and myself. It's very clear that DES, Adil Shahan, I think you say his name, made it very clear that DES has the capacity to manage this project now if the board instructs them to do so. There's huge community support for this building and for its programs, and you've been receiving a lot of letters and emails from the community regarding it. If we wait 10 years, it will not exist. It has a failing roof and failing HVAC, and it would be lucky if it lasts another winter. I have a lot of other comments to say. Let me see how much I have. I have 40. Okay. I was going to ask you to provide space to build community and a community hub. This was a huge community hub. I was walking the other day, spoke to an 80-year-old woman, and she told me about the belly dancing class she took with a 90-year-old woman in it. Langston Boulevard Alliance is eager to start working with you for the community input. So I ask you, that is the highest priority at this time, and to give DES guidance and change the CIP, change the funding to make it sooner. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Ms. Hensroth. Next speaker. And our next speaker is Audrey Clement, if you give me just a moment. Ms. Clement.

Yes, welcome members of the board and the county manager, I'm Audrey Clement, independent candidate for county board. I'm speaking strictly on my own behalf as a member of the Arlington Neighborhoods Advisory Committee, otherwise known as ARNAC, about my concerns with the FY2027 CIP's spending priorities. ARNAC recently sent you a letter objecting to the fact that while the county plans to allocate $45 million of future bond issues to ARNAC projects, none of that will be available for at least two years. Instead, previously allocated bond money will be spent on ARNAC's backlog of priority projects. The result, according to Arnack, is that, quote, ultimately, neighborhoods that participate in the program and propose projects are discouraged from doing so when they can only watch their priority projects languish in the queue for lack of funding, end of quote. By contrast, the FY2027 CIP allocates $16.7 million in bond money for the new Roslyn Boathouse, of which $9.5 million appears to be allocated from the FY2027 bond referendum. Another 7.2 million is slated to be allocated from a future bond issue. According to the FY2027 CIP, the project involves a lower Roslyn site adjacent to the Potomac River for direct water access and an upper Roslyn site for support facilities on land that the county already owns. The CIP indicates that the future 7.2 million is for the upper facility. According to the ArlingtonBoatHouse.org, the upper portion will host locker rooms, workout areas, offices, and meeting spaces. This is a waste of money that could be better spent on other projects. I'm an avid kayaker and I agree lockers are a necessity, but a locker room should be located along the river for safety and convenience of the boaters, not adjacent to a major highway interchange as is currently planned. As for the other spaces contemplated in the upper facility, all of them can be accommodated at much less dollar value and environmental cost among Roslyn's stable of vacant offices. Consider also that construction of the upper facility will require clear cutting the only remaining stand of trees adjacent to Key Bridge. This will not only impact air quality, it could precipitate flooding on GW Parkway below during significant rain events. Please scale back the excessive and ill-thought-out boathouse support facility and reallocate the savings to Arlington neighborhood projects waiting for years to get funded. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Clement. And our next speaker is Joan McIntyre, followed by Mr. David Brickley. Ms. McIntyre.

Good evening, I'm Joan McIntyre speaking on behalf of EcoAction Arlington. EcoAction Arlington appreciates the county's ongoing commitment to prioritize investments that advance the county's climate policies with sustained investment in rooftop solar, energy efficiency and resiliency, stormwater management, and natural resources including the invasive management program. We believe, however, that the CIP misses opportunities to accelerate efforts to save energy, electrify, and build a greater energy resiliency in county operations. First, it's unclear that ongoing projects for replacements of HVAC equipment fully comply with the county board's directive that high efficient electric HVAC system be the default. The future is electric, powered by clean, renewable energy. The county should be making every effort possible to prepare for this future, documenting the progress annually and offering detailed explanations when electric is not feasible. Second, there may be opportunities to accelerate decarbonization efforts by integrating plans more closely with rooftop solar energy efficiency improvements and energy resiliency planning and other as well as the other ongoing projects. For example, use of battery storage as a primary backup for planned critical system infrastructure could serve as a distributed energy resource to support virtual power plants and other demand response programs. In addition, use of energy saving performance contracts or other financial mechanisms can allow for more extensive energy efficiency improvements of aging facilities than currently planned and allow for increasing investment without increasing the investment of the county funding sources. Finally, greater transparency in the CIP would offer a clearer explanation of how investments are advancing the county's climate and environmental goals, including a brief climate and environmental impact station for each project and creating a dashboard with energy profiles of all county facilities would offer insights into the county's progress on energy, climate, and other environmental goals. The capital improvement plan is a key vehicle for advancing a whole of government approach to addressing the climate crisis and every effort possible should be made to ensure a holistic approach to investment spending to maximize county goals within the broader context of necessary investments to keep facilities in a good state of repair as well as renovate and improve them to meet changing needs. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. McIntyre. And our next and final speaker is David Brickley. Mr. Brickley.

Mr. Chairman, members of the board, Mr. Schwartz, it's a pleasure to be here, especially in a wonderful building named for a fantastic public servant that I had generations ago the privilege of serving with when I was with the General Assembly putting in the legislation for the Virginia Railway Express. Ellen and the entire board were just fantastic partners. and I know that that continues to this day. I'm here representing the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance. You've got a pack that I presented to you prior to the start of this meeting. The 9-11 Trail is congressionally authorized. It's a 1500 mile trail and greenway connecting the three 9-11 sites. The trail serves as a memorial that honors the victims and heroes of September 11, 2001, that's 25 years ago, while promoting the remembrance, education, resilience, and community connection. The General Assembly gave you a gift when it just adjourned. with $160,000 for you to serve as a pass-through agent to the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance, plus a million-dollar contribution as a pass-through, again, for working with others in establishing the new proposed visitor center for the Pentagon Memorial, which will be just a fantastic facility when it's open. In the packet, I presented, gave you a copy of the map showing this fantastic thing. We've got 27 cyclists right now to speak who started out at the Pentagon and are now on the way from New York City through that hot weather that they had and rain coming back down to the Pentagon this coming Friday. So we'll look to welcome them. You've got that. The legislation was supported by and sponsored by Congressman, God, I'm drawing a blank now, He's a good friend of mine, too, from Connolly, Jerry Connolly. Gosh, I used to be with him all the time. His co-sponsor was the then Congresswoman, who's governor now of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Don Beyer, who's a great friend of mine. The National Park Service has been very supportive of this project. They're planning on signage. There's a copy of one of the signages going to be along the LBJ Grove boundary. as an example for what the National Park Service is doing. Last year, we have a ride every year or a walk. We had trail, tour to trail, the Pentagon Memorial. Your esteemed sheriff was one of the speakers last year. And so we really look forward to working with you, with the administration, if I might say, in developing a program for ensuring that we've got signage and recognition of the 9-11 Trail through Arlington County as well as, of course, through the rest. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Brickley. Mr. Kushner, I believe that's all the speakers. That is correct. There are no other speakers. So my colleagues didn't know that I was proposing. We're going to pass a motion in a moment that will close the public hearing, and then we will do deliberations at the July meeting, which I talked about. do hope that someone will start a clock and three minutes or less is all I get. But I do feel that being responsive is good. I'll treat this like a Saturday morning. If you feel like you wanna add something, great. If you feel like I am, pittering on too long, you can tell me once we're off the dais, if that's okay. Mr. Gessle, thank you for mentioning the work we did in the budget and also this Saturday's event. There's a number of events at that time. Mindful of the cost, it is a challenging problem that we have. I guess we are in a good situation that The board did listen to the many, many people who spoke this past budget season. There's work ahead of us to do on the questions. We need to know precise cost. There's a lot there. Ms. Rosenberg, thank you for being specific on the guidance with respect to the impact statement of actions in the 2022 guidance, which I was reminded recently that I was integrally involved in passing, which I remembered, but being reminded was good too. I guess I would say that my biggest thought in this area is that we need the board, me included, to get educated, bring the distance between staff and our community on what is actually possible on an electric HVAC system. So that is an area that I will follow up either in guidance or I'm not quite sure yet where that lives, but we all need to be more educated because staff says, can't do it in a seven story building. I don't have any context to say, I disagree. So Ms. Sinead, I wanted you and we'll give everybody a chance at the end to just pick up where I missed. I just want to make sure that Mr. Kushner, we need her email so that we can follow up and treat it like an email that's come in. We can't quite do it now, but you asked good questions and I think it's appropriate for us to try to respond, but doing so in this context is beyond me at this moment. Mr. Schneider, you know that this area is an area of particular interest for me in the in the capital improvement plan. We have work to do, colleagues, this week as we try to organize our thinking. And there's plenty of that work to do. But finding the right guidance and the right balance is something I mentioned to the manager, but we have to follow up. Michael, I believe, is your first name. I'm not clear whether I was totally butchering your last name, which happens to me quite often. So I'll just say, Michael, thank you so much for a creative and good idea. I'm not sure that that's one. You know, the cost of changes to the existing library, we probably, over 20 years, may need to knock it down. But I'm not certain. But the $6 million is set aside. I think you've raised a fair question. I'll welcome colleagues' ideas. But it's just inspiring to hear a good idea for how to use and actually serve people brought forward. Hang with us for a little bit so that we develop maybe an email or some thoughts about how we can actually operationalize your idea. Mr. Jones, thank you for coming and for all the comments, and we're mindful of the shared priorities. I think all board members are aware that CC to DCA in particular has some additional work to do, but the investment Unexpected every day is my recollection of the new tagline, and so I appreciate that. Ms. Hensroth, you have reminded me of four years ago when we were so integrally involved. There's work to do. There's components to that work. There's the scoping, which is a study, and then there's the big request that you have made on the timing of a lot of money. And there are other projects, as you know, that have been left out of the 10-year plan. I know that, amongst others, Mr. Spain, who's liaison to the Langston Boulevard Alliance, has already picked up this, but I'm going to engage with it. To some extent, we need a plan for what to do, and that is a challenge that we really need to focus on, and that's where a lot of my energy will be. I'm not here to say that the funding is easy to fix. Ms. Clement, thank you for coming in and for sharing your concerns. I don't, oh, there you are. The boathouse has been some discussed, but not overall discussed. Appreciate your concerns. I'm not sure I'm there with you, but I, I remember keenly and today how important it always is. Civility is not an easy thing right now, so I'm glad, grateful that you're, for your service on our NAC and for you raising the concerns. Ms. McIntyre, I think some of the points I made with respect to Ms. Rosenberg I think apply, but I also wanna read your, I think there's a copy of what you shared, but also your letter to pick that apart a little more. Narrowly. Mr. Brickley, thank you very much for sharing. You actually knew Ellen Bosman. I did not. But the stories that I've heard, what a giant and what a trail, just an incredible leader and trail breaker. I don't know why you would possibly live in Woodbridge as opposed to Arlington, but that's separate. I do have to say that I've been working in the last 48 hours on your specific question. I think you have a trail markers question. And Route 27 is actually not... I need to understand what the $160,000 goes to, because both pockets of the money, from a conversation yesterday, can't go to nonprofits. They have to go to us and then to, under what I understand to be Virginia law, but... I've been working on your question. Our Department of Transportation didn't seem to say that it's our land, 27 and the two pieces of where the trail goes. Let's just have a conversation in addition to me trying to talk with the Department of Transportation on this issue. Colleagues, I ask for your grace, that's more than three minutes. Open the floor and and mindful that we have other things that we can be doing after a five-hour closed session today So I do not see lights, but I'm not trying to you know belabor it And I'll just ask for grace and apologies for everyone I hope that responds to you being responsive Seemed like it seems like a good thing to do in governance as a whole with that I will move colleagues that We find that we close the public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2027-2036 capital improvement plan and carry over action to the July 2026 county board meeting. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. All in favor of the motion, say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion passes on a vote of 5-0. I will say to those here, just a final note, whatever we said, follow up is actually what's gonna give you a chance at getting your ideas. It's great and super important that you're here, but I find a combination of speaking and then emailing is what actually gets you a chance at getting what you want done. So I'd like to thank everyone who joined us to speak this evening. We will see you next in this room this coming Thursday to hear from our commissions and advisory groups, followed up by our wrap up work session next Tuesday. You can also email to that email point, countyboard at arlingtonva.us. That's what I'd recommend. Mr. Clerk, are there any other items to come before us this evening? No further items. Thank you. Colleagues, the board.