July 2025 County Board Wrap-up

Published on July 29, 2025

The Arlington County Board considered and acted 54 agenda items at its July 2025 Regular and Recessed County Board Meetings. These include the following: 

Saturday, July 19, 2025 – Regular County Board Meeting  

Item 50 – Endorsement of Vision and Goals for the Refreshed Transportation Element of the Comp Plan
The Arlington County Board endorsed the proposed vision statement and goals to refresh the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan and to replace the 2007 Master Transportation Plan. The Board made the following two amendments to the language, to better reflect the intent of the endorsed language:  

• Added the phrase “Access to Nature” between the words “Wellbeing” and “Sense of Community” under the “Livable” goal of the resolution; and  
  
  
• Inserted the word “desirable” between the words “With” and “Choices” under the Vision statement of the resolution.  

This vision statement and related goals were developed through Arlington’s Transportation Future initiative, a three-phase planning process for these updates which began in October 2024.  

The first two phases of Arlington’s Transportation Future are complete and resulted in the vision and goals the Board considered and endorsed. Phase 3 engagement will begin this fall to solicit community input on policies, strategies, and modal priority networks that will guide transportation investment for the next 20 years. The refreshed plan is anticipated to be brought to the Board for adoption in summer 2026. 

Items 51A&B – Ballston One
The County Board also approved a site plan amendment allowing the redevelopment of the site located at 4601 Fairfax Drive known as “Ballston One” (Item 51A) and a related ordinance to vacate a portion of an existing Public Street and Utilities easement (Item 51B). The amendment allows for the construction of a seven-story multifamily building with up to 328 dwelling units. The applicant intends to demolish the existing building but will retain the existing below-grade garage.   

These items advance, or are consistent with, county goals and objectives that include: 

• New Housing: These items allow for the replacement of aging office building with new housing units within a metro station area, furthering the goals of the Commercial Market Resiliency Initiative (CRMI);  
  
  
• Consistent with Ballston Sector Plan: Building heights will be tapered away from the Ballston Metrorail Station and otherwise integrated into, and will be complementary to, the surrounding urban fabric;  
  
  
• Consistent with Chesapeake Bay Ordinance Exception: Streetscapes will be replaced, and additional plantings will be provided within the Resource Protection Area (RPA) on-site, which is consistent with a Chesapeake Bay Ordinance Review Committee Exception granted on June 17, 2025; and  
  
  
• Affordable Housing: A more than $2 million contribution will be made to the County’s Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF) and participating in the County’s Green Building Incentive Program (GBIP) at the 0.25 FAR tier. 

Items 52 – Crystal Drive Adaptive Reuse Site Plan Amendment 
The Board also approved an adaptive reuse site plan amendment allowing for two office buildings in Crystal City to be converted to other uses, one into a 195-unit residential building (2100 Crystal Drive) and the other into a 344-unit hotel building (2200 Crystal Drive). Approved facade changes will modernize the appearance of the buildings, as well as internal programming and design changes to support the proposed new uses. This amendment does not change the height or bulk of the building and will result in a minor reduction in aggregate density for the site plan.  

A key focus of this approved item was to close off two points of access from Crystal Drive to the existing interior pedestrian concourse (aka “the Underground”) to incorporate these areas into hotel and residential lobby space. With these closures, other points of access to the Underground will remain on this block, including a commitment to provide a new access point near 23rd Street South and Crystal Drive with the Crystal Plaza 5 redevelopment project. The County also recognizes there’s a growing need for a comprehensive vision for the Underground’s future, especially as this issue may arise again with future projects. To address this need, a condition of approval was adopted that commits JBG Smith to work with the community to develop and share with the County a clearer plan for the future of the Underground, based on future conditions and stakeholder input. 

This is the 2nd adaptive reuse project approved by the Board. The project furthers the goals of the CMRI Policy on Transformation of Commercial Buildings by repurposing obsolete, nearly vacant, office space to revitalize the block with new housing and hotel opportunities near the Crystal City Metro Station. Permitting the adaptive reuse of the existing vacant office buildings will also provide flexibility in leasing efforts that have been challenged to attract traditional office tenants. 

Tuesday, July 22, 2025 – Recessed County Board Meeting  

Items 3A&B – Shirlington House Site Plan
The Arlington County Board approved a site plan to add up to 73 new dwelling units at the Shirlington House apartments. 59 of these units will be in a seven-story multifamily building at the easternmost corner of the site, and the remaining 14 units will be constructed to resemble townhouses lining the existing above-grade parking garage along 31st street south. To accommodate this development, an associated ordinance to vacate two storm sewer easements and a sidewalk easement was also approved. 

In December 2017, the Board identified the Shirlington House Apartments as having “market-rate affordable dwelling units” (MARKs) and designated the site (along with other multifamily properties around the County) as a “Housing Conservation District” (HCD). This approved site plan advances many goals of that HCD designation, supporting the County’s overall housing strategy, including by:  

• Preserving the previously identified MARKs;  
• Creating new housing types; and  
• Participating in green building practices.  

Of the 73 new dwelling units, twelve (12) will be committed affordable dwellings (CAFs), with six (6) of them two-bedroom units. All 14 dwelling units in the liner buildings will be three-bedroom units."  

Item 27 – Amendment to Chapter 14.2 of the Arlington County Code 
The Board approved an amendment to Chapter 14.2 of the Arlington County Code, which reduces the speed limit from 30 to 25 mph on the following corridors:  

• Fairfax Drive from Little Falls Road to Langston Boulevard 
• Washington Boulevard from Kirkwood Road to North Glebe Road 
• South Carlin Springs Road from Arlington Boulevard to the Arlington County Line 
• South Arlington Mill Drive from South Walter Reed Drive to Shirlington Road 
• South Four Mile Run Drive from Columbia Pike to Shirlington Road 

These corridors were recommended for speed limit reductions by engineering studies conducted by the County’s Department of Environment Services, Division of Transportation. These studies compiled data on roadway environment, functional classification, roadway characteristics, geographic context, adjacent land uses and development patterns, transit use, parking practices, pedestrian and bicycle activity, traffic volumes, speed statistics and collision history.  

Items 53A&B – One Rosslyn
The Board also adopted several items that will allow for the redevelopment of the site located at 1901 and 1911 Fort Myer Drive known as “One Rosslyn”, allowing for the construction of three new residential towers (up to 957,306 sq ft) above a mixed-use podium with retail (up to 14,584 sq ft) and parking. In total, 845 new dwelling units were approved, with the Northeast Tower anticipated to be a condominium.  

To following actions were taken to achieve the subject development: 

• Rezoning a small portion of the site from “S-3A” Special District to “C-O Rosslyn” Mixed Use Rosslyn District, consistent with the existing General Land Use Plan (GLUP) Map designation of “High” Office-Apartment-Hotel (Item 52A);  
  
  
• Discontinuing the existing Rosslyn Gateway Phased Development Site Plan as the new proposal would be developed in a single phase and thus a PDSP is no longer needed (Item 52A);  
  
  
• A site plan amendment to expand the site area by approximately 2,058 sq. ft. and to construct this mixed-use development with modifications of zoning ordinance requirements including: additional density, reduced parking requirements, density exclusions, and other modifications (Item 52A); and  
  
  
• Vacating related easements for public street and utility purposes on portions of the properties located around the site area (Item 52B).  

The project advances several key County goals and objectives, such as:  

• Affordable housing: The monetary AHIF contribution fulfills the Sector Plan Implementation Action to “ensure that up to 30% of the total value of community benefits for additional density … goes towards creating or preserving affordable housing.” 
  
  
• New housing: The creation of 845 new dwelling units in the transit-rich and multimodal transportation environment in the Rosslyn Metro Station Area, which supports GLUP development and growth goals.  
  
  
• New retail: Approximately 14,000 sq. ft. of new, ground-level retail  support the Sector Plan, Vision Principle 3 to have “life’s everyday needs within a short walk” and Vision Principle 4 to provide “shopping, entertainment, and recreation opportunities that benefit the entire Rosslyn community.” 
  
  
• Pedestrian realm and streetscape improvements: The building edges would expand to replace existing service roads, pedestrian bridges, and slip lanes with new, wider sidewalks with street trees to make the pedestrian environment safe and accessible for all users.  
  
  
• Sustainable design: These buildings will achieve LEED Gold certification, 20% energy performance improvement, and additional sustainability commitments in support of the Community Energy Plan (CEP) goals and Sector Plan: Urban Design, Land Use, and Sustainability Goal #3 to “maximize environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.”  
  
  
• Urban design: World-class architecture and building design supports Sector Plan, Vision Principle 1 to create a “dynamic skyline” offering varying building heights and forms, and Vision Principle 4 providing “building heights and forms that respect the scale” of neighboring buildings. In addition, the building supports biophilic features, such as living green walls and integrates with the adjacent Gateway Park through vegetated canopies along the Langston Boulevard façade.  
  
  
• Contributions towards nearby public space and transportation improvements: The monetary contributions towards nearby, off-site public spaces and transportation infrastructure improvements will further Sector Plan, Vision Principle 5 to create an “urban district that celebrates the experience of nature and recreation through its diverse network of public parks, open spaces,” and Vision Principle 2 to make Rosslyn “accessible via exceptional transportation connections and choices,” respectively. 

Items 54 – Amendment to the FY2026 Race to Rebuilding Trust & Community Grant Agreement with Aspire! Afterschool Learning
The Board also approved an amendment to the Aspire! Afterschool Learning’s RACE to Rebuilding Trust & Community grant agreement, awarding an additional $16,600 to support the programming described in their grant proposal. Aspire!’s program aims to close opportunity gaps by providing evidence-based literacy support, social-emotional learning, and family engagement activities.  

In March 2025, the County Board approved the FY 2026 RACE funding awards to organizations demonstrating strong equity-focused programs. Aspire! Afterschool Learning was awarded $149,064 in FY 2026 RACE funding to support its expanded academic and enrichment programming for 150 3rd-8th grade students during the school year and 120 students during summer. In early 2025, Aspire! was informed that it would lose anticipated AmeriCorps program funding for the 2025-2026 school year, which had previously supported 15-20 AmeriCorps members critical to staffing their afterschool program as tutors and mentors.  

This additional $16,600 in funding will partially offset the staffing shortfall caused by the loss of AmeriCorps volunteers and help maintain academic interventions, enrichment activities, and family engagement services planned under the original RACE grant. Addressing this shortfall promptly will enable Aspire! to adequately prepare staff for the upcoming 2025- 2026 school year 

Registering to Speak at Future Public Hearings
Registration to speak on an item with a scheduled public hearing opens approximately a week before the meeting, and members of the public can either register online or call in at 703-228-3130. Those wanting to participate in these hearings can do so in person, virtually, or by phone and will receive instructions on these options once they have completed their registration. Members of the public wanting to speak on a Consent Agenda item may do so by notifying the County Board Office before 10 AM at Regular Meetings to request the item be pulled from the agenda. Members of the public may then register to speak on pulled agenda items at the upcoming Tuesday Recessed meeting. Agendas will note which consent agenda items are subject to public hearing requirements and which require Board member consent to be removed.  

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