MINUTES OF THE NORTH ROSSLYN CIVIC ASSOCIATION GENERAL MEETING May 23, 2012
The meeting was called to order by President Jennifer Zeien at 7:35 PM. Board members in attendance were Jennifer Zeien, Mark Antell, Terrence Brown, Mort Friedman, and Landis Jones.
Lauren Keenan and Jonathan Kinney, attorneys representing the B.F. Saul Co., presented their plans for the Colony House site. B.F. Saul intends to construct a Hilton Homewood Suites extended stay facility, priced consistent with government per diem rates. The building will be LEED Gold, with a green roof. There will be two levels of above-ground parking facing Lee Highway. Among the amenities enumerated by Mr. Kinney were a pool and a shuttle to the Rosslyn Metro. All entrances to the building will be on Quinn Street. A number of parking spaces equal to 60% of the number of rooms will be available to residents. The site plan will be consistent with County stormwater management guidelines. The project is currently undergoing site plan review, so the needed zoning change has not yet been approved, but the County Board has indicated that it will be approved. The developers are working on modifications to the design of the Lee-Quinn intersection that will slow traffic in the area. The community benefit package associated with the redevelopment has not yet been negotiated; many possibilities were discussed.
A motion to approve the minutes of the March 21, 2012 General Meeting without change was made by Mark Antell, seconded by Terrence Brown, and approved unanimously.
In Paul Derby’s absence, the Treasurer’s report was not presented orally. It has been posted on the NRCA website.
Jennifer Zeien presented an update on the Rosslyn Plaza redevelopment. The number of residential units on the site will increase 3.5-fold, to 700 units. There will be 45,500 ft2 of retail on the site. The redevelopment will not be complete until 16-20 years from now. The County requested that the developers include a cross street from Kent Street to Arlington Ridge Road. Neither we nor the developers favor the street, which would bisect the property, because it will reduce the amenities on the site. Ms. Zeien offered to send a letter to the County Board opposing the requirement of the additional street. Mort Friedman moved that said letter, a draft of which had been distributed to the NRCA Board, be endorsed; Ann Spiesman seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Ms. Zeien is a member of the Rosslyn Sector Plan Update Process Panel, which is charged to examine, and make recommendations regarding, the process of producing the update. The geographic area under study incorporates the entirety of NRCA’s district as well as a large portion of the Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights (RAFOM) Civic Association district, and a portion of Colonial Village; however, the recommendations are expected to focus on the Rosslyn Coordinated Redevelopment District (RCRD), with the peripheral areas being considered when making recommendations regarding building heights and tapering, street networks and open space planning. Parcels of particular interest that are subject to study include the Holiday Inn site, the buildings on the block bounded by Ft. Myer Drive, Wilson Boulevard, Oak Street and Key Boulevard, and the parcels along Wilson Boulevard behind the Atrium. Notably, the Rosslyn Plaza, Central Place, Rosslyn Gateway, and 1812 North Moore Street developments will not be subject to the conditions of the Sector Plan Update.
Landis Jones described the status of the Rosslyn Gateway redevelopment. The site plan review is complete, and the review committee recommendations have been forwarded to the County Planning Commission. The developer, The JBG Companies, was responsive to the Site Plan Review Committee. Arlington County would like to use the community benefit money accompanying the project for affordable housing elsewhere in the county, rather than to improve Gateway Park. Ms. Zeien has written a letter to the Planning Commission arguing that the benefit should be used for park remediation. The Planning Commission meeting time has not yet been announced.
Ms. Zeien reported having received a voice mail from Deirdre McLaughlin, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Management at Arlington Public Schools, stating that the vendor was to have removed the last of the trailers from the Wilson School site on May 21, but there was a weather delay. Ms. McLaughlin said that she expected removal would occur "in the next day or two.", and that the "facilities people" have been alerted so they can clean up the site as soon as the trailers are gone.
Mark Antell reported that the Arlington County Civic Federation has not taken a final position regarding raising chickens in Arlington. He recommended that the NRCA not get involved in the issue, since any affirmative decision will not apply to our residential zoning areas.
Ms. Zeien announced the availability of a position on the NRCA Board, noting that she had hoped to find someone from the community east of Nash Street. She invited parties interested in the position to contact her.
Carroll Colley, a resident of Highgate, complained about excessive airplane noise in the area and inquired as to the best way to address this. Evidently, under the new flight control system, the outbound flight path to the north was supposed to be over the river. Mr. Antell recommended that Mr. Colley contact Representative Moran. Mr. Colley will draft a letter that the NRCA could send in support. Ms. Zeien suggested that Mr. Colley contact the RAFOM Civic Association to determine their position on this issue since that group had arranged for speakers on the subject at one of its meetings last fall.
