Attend one of two public meetings to learn more about potential sites for a temporary Fire Station 10 in the Rosslyn Area - Flyer attached below:

8/25/2016 7:00 pm - 9:00pm at Francis Scott Key Elementary (Multipurpose room/cafeteria)

9/7/2016 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm at Francis Scott Key Elementary (Multipurpose room/cafeteria)

Printable Flyer
https://arlingtonva.s3.amazona...16/08/FS10_Flyer.pdf

Project Web Page: https://projects.arlingtonva.us/fire-station-10/

All,

Anna Duran copied me on the following missive from Friends of Rosslyn Highlands Park to Jim Schwartz, Deputy County Manager, concerning choices that Arlington County has set before the community concerning the construction of a ‘temporary’ fire station.

Rosslyn fire station 10 survey is incomplete/ misleading?

Hi Jim,

I see you are the project lead on the Fire station 10 relocation project. Thank you for your work.
Just a couple of questions. I feel the current survey can't really be accurately answered without my knowing the following:
1) Maybe I missed something; why are there only 3 site options left on the survey when the project feasibility page lists 9 options? Are the other 6 options now closed? Why? Since when? I can't find that information on the project page. Could it be noted somewhere in the survey webpage why only the three options are listed?
2) It's extremely difficult to tell from the linked map where the Holiday Inn site actually is. Is there a way to better pinpoint that on the map? Rhodeside, for instance, is clearly visible and labeled when that link is followed.
3) The Holiday Inn site, which seems to be among the top three remaining sites, seems too small, and the survey states "and cannot accommodate all of the temporary fire station needs at this location." The survey also mentions topography concerns, including grade and elevation changes. There is no mention of a secondary "overflow" option for this site if the fire station needs cannot be accommodated. So, a) why is this site still in the running as opposed to the other 8 sites on the project page; and, 2) if there is an overflow option, why isn't that noted? Without the above information, I feel the survey is misleading and not helpful to gathering accurate community response. I have cc'd some neighborhood friends that are tracking this issue with me, as well as my husband, and I plan to bring it to the attention of other individuals as well.
I would appreciate a timely response on the matter as the survey is currently live.

Best regards,
Anna Duran
Rosslyn Resident of 8+years, mom to 4 kids
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Peace,
Mark Antell

PS. Also, I take this opportunity to publicize a suggestion concerning the ‘temporary’ fire station, (this from a source who asks anonymity), that Arlington look into a medium-term rental of one of the large and underutilized commercial parking lots in Rosslyn. Locating the firehouse in an existing large building would preserve green space, and it would be consistent with the stated ‘temporary’ nature of the firehouse.

Thank you for these posts.

During the WRAPS process the 18th street and Quinn site for a fire station was dismissed as topographically challenged. I am wondering why, if Quinn and 18th can now serve as a temporary site, why can't the Holiday Inn site serve as a temporary site.

I am also wondering why, during the WRAPS process one of fire station's requirements was to be able to "pull/drive" the Tech Response "semi" into the fire station without backing in. However, now, in my mind, the Tech Response truck (at the Quinn and 18th) can be backed into the station.

And lastly, if bartering away the Fire Station's current land implies that the only place to put a fire station is on other green space, then perhaps green space is really valuable in Rosslyn and all the current green and open space (this includes the fire station land) should be "kept" and should be able to be used by the residents.

Peace, Paul Mulligan

I forward to NRCA an Atrium communication concerning our community's loss of green space.
Mark Antell

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Good morning Atrium Residents and Owners,

I just want to remind you that tonight is the final community meeting on the location of fire station ten, located behind us.

Where: Key Elementary School at 2300 Key Boulevard
When: TONIGHT at 7-9pm

I have learned additional information since the last meeting. The County Staff put forth 9 locations for the AC Board to consider. The AC Board, over the insistence of its Staff, eliminated 6 of those locations. The AC Board insists that the temporary location of the fire station be in the immediate vicinity of its current and final location. Moreover, the AC Board has not determined who (Arlington County taxpayers or Penzance [who is receiving an unprecedented re-zoning of its property in exchange for building the new firestation at 4 times the original cost] will pay for the relocation and its associated costs. This is extreme import as Western Rosslyn has lost its character in the AC Board's unprecedented move to re-zone the area in absolute contradiction to the layout of the corridor where such high density building are to be built around the metro stations (Rosslyn, Clarendon, and Ballston). This type of opaque machination continues to characterize the Arlington County Board.


I know many of you cannot make tonight's meeting. I therefore ask that you fill out this survey Online Survey here expressing your distaste
(1) in how the county has handled the entire WRAPS processing, ignoring and bypassing concerns of area residents;
(2) for how the County has not and will not explain why the 6 other locations offered by County Staff continues to be ignored and not offered as re-location sites; and
(3) regarding the clarity as to who will pay for re-location construction and associated fees.

I thank you for your time and consideration. I hope you will help us work for a better Rosslyn.

Kind regards,
Neda Bolourchi
Board VP

Neighbors,

Please note that the survey closes tomorrow (9/8) at 5pm.

Here is a link to the survey if you haven't taken it already:
https://projects.arlingtonva.u...e-station-10/survey/

Please also note that the survey makes it sound like the Holiday Inn site isn't feasible. According to Jim Schwartz, the Deputy County Manager, "it is not impossible to use the site but it would take a significant amount of money to accomplish." This, however, should be paid by Penzance since it was their decision to build the temporary fire station instead of proceeding with their development in phases as originally planned.

Also, please save the date for the County Board meeting where they will make a decision on this topic, scheduled for Saturday, 9/24.

Thanks,
Laura

This is not accurate. The preparation for the site will be at county expense. This will include moving a 48" water main, multiple major utility lines, eliminating the 13' grade change, building a retaining wall, paving the surface and getting VDOT to agree to all of the above. This is a multi million dollar county expense. It will be up to Penzance to return the site to it's original condition.

At tonight meeting the County staff went through a dozen or more sites and explained why they did not meet the criteria for siting this temporary station. All the locations are listed on the County site for temporary fire station #10, if you wish to see them.

Terri,
Thanks for the clarification. At the July County Board Meeting it was stated that Penzance would cover the costs to build and restore the temporary fire station site that was chosen. It sounds like the County has changed their story once again.

Click here to access Arlington County information about Fire Station #10. Keep in mind that Fire Station #10 also provides emergency medical services and ambulance transportation. The location of this facility is critical when providing response to medical situations such as cardiac arrest and stroke where minutes and seconds to treatment determine survival.

No the story is the same, it just is more complex. Penzance will build and un-build the fire house. They will also restore the property to its original condition (make a park a park again). But the County must prepare the location (pad) for the temporary structures, if it is not the Wilson school field site.

Minutes matter in medical and even fire emergencies. I believe that the congestion on Lee Highway is such as to compromise response time. There are days I can not get out of my driveway on N. Nash with cars stacked up trying to get access to Lee Highway. This is an impediment to quick response time.