June 2025 Arlington County Board Wrap-up
Published on June 20, 2025
The Arlington County Board considered and acted on dozens of items at its June 2025 Regular and Recessed County Board Meetings. These include the following:
Saturday, June 14, 2025 – Regular County Board Meeting
Items 1A&B – Village at Shirlington Streetscape Improvements
The Arlington County Board approved a minor site plan amendment and a phased development site plan amendment (Item 1A), to facilitate travel way, streetscape, and plaza improvements at the Village at Shirlington. The Board also approved an ordinance to vacate portions of county right-of-way for Campbell Avenue, South Randolph Street, and South Quincy Street for public sidewalks and utilities purposes associated with the site (Item 1B).
Items 19&20 – Use Permits for Barcroft Apartments
The County Board also approved two use permits that will allow for the preservation and renovation of several sections of the Barcroft Apartments.
- Item 19 allows for renovations to 224 units in sections 6 and 7. Some existing units in these sections are being converted to family-size units (two-bedrooms or greater), reducing the total to 223 units for this specific phase. The use permit also includes the conversion of several existing units into three (3) accessible (Type A) dwelling units in building #44, comprised of one (1) one-bedroom unit, one (1) two-bedroom unit and, one (1) three-bedroom unit.
- Item 20 allows for renovations to 307 units in Section 4. The use permit also adds five (5) additional units to enable the inclusion of dwelling units with two (2) or more bedrooms and Type A accessible units, bringing the total to 312 units for this specific phase. Several existing one-bedroom and two-bedroom units are proposed to be converted into five (5) accessible (Type A) dwelling units in buildings #1, 2, and 7, comprised of three (3) one-bedroom units, one (1) two-bedroom unit and, one (1) three-bedroom unit.
In both cases, the applicant was able to achieve additional units by reconfiguring existing inefficient unit layouts and unused maintenance space. These are the fifth and sixth use permits for preservation and renovations of the Barcroft Apartments buildings that will be considered for approval by the County Board since July 2023.
Item #25 – Local Historic District Designation of the Brennan House
The Board also approved the recommendation from the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board, designating the Brennan House, located at 2002 N. Stafford Street, as a Local Historic District.
The Brennan House is a Craftsman dwelling with a bungalow form in the Cherrydale neighborhood. It has been well preserved and serves as an extant example of one of the most prolific building forms used for residential architecture in Cherrydale during the early 20th century.
Item #28 – County Code Chapter 17 Amendment
The Board also amended Chapter 17 of the Arlington County Code to expand the list of County parks where alcoholic beverages are permitted to be served and consumed during permitted special events to include Thomas Jefferson Park.
Thomas Jefferson Park was selected for this expansion because of its unique role as the site of the Arlington County Fair. It is anticipated that this change will positively impact the County Fair by improving safety and event logistics as well as alleviating community concerns about traffic, noise, and trash during the fair and any other special events permitted at the site in the future.
Item 34 – Neighborhood Complete Streets Capital Projects
The Board also approved over $1.5M of funding within the Neighborhood Complete Streets (NCS) Program to advance the design and construction of two capital projects. These projects will:
- Construct one block of missing sidewalk with accessible curb ramps, curb and gutter on 8th Road North between North Kensington Street and North Jefferson Street in the Bluemont neighborhood.
- Construct new curb extensions, accessible curb ramps with curb and gutter and two improved pedestrian crossings at the intersection of South Dinwiddie Street and 22nd Street South in the Claremont neighborhood.
Project requests are solicited from the community, prioritized based on objective data, and selected with consultation and oversight from the NCS Commission following a public engagement period consistent with the County's Six Step Guide to Civic Engagement.
Item 40 – First Responder Wellness Grant Acceptance
The Board also accepted and appropriated $30,000 in grant funding from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice to improve the capabilities of county public safety Peer Support Teams. This funding will provide staff with specialized training in the Acute Stress Adaptive Protocol (ASAP) critical incident response method. ASAP is a new primary debriefing model used to support first responders in the immediate aftermath of a critical incident.
Item 52 – AHIF Loan for Barcroft Apartments Renovations
The Board also approved an up to $7,739,293 in Affordable Housing Investment Fund loan to help facilitate the renovation of 73 units at the Barcroft Apartments, located 1320 S. George Mason Drive. The renovated units will be affordable for 99 years less the time elapsed since the original covenant recording in December 2021. There will be nine units affordable up to 30% AMI (12% of the total CAFs). The affordability of the remaining 64 units will average 60% AMI.
CONSENT RTAS
The Board also approved 6 Requests to Advertise, which authorize future public hearings on various topics.
Below is a summary of each of these items, with associated hearing dates:
Item #46 – re ACZO new Phased Development Use Permit
This will be to consider amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance to implement the use of a new Phased Development Use Permit application and update the Administration regulations found in each code to address changes in the Columbia Pike Commercial Form Based Code. This item will be heard at both the Planning Commission and County Board’s July 2025 meetings.
Item #47 – re ACZO (Chapter 13, Signs) Amendments
This will be to consider amendments to Chapter 13 of the County Zoning Ordinance to include additional flexibility for certain sign types and other edits for clarity and organization, with the goal of facilitating economic resiliency. This item will be heard at both the Planning Commission and County Board’s July 2025 meetings.
Item #48 – re Minor Corrections to the adopted FY2026 Planning and Zoning Fee Schedule
This will be to consider editorial, typographical, and other clarifying corrections to the adopted FY 2026 Department of Community Planning, Housing, and Development (CPHD) Planning and Zoning Fee Schedule. This item will be heard at both the Planning Commission and County Board’s July 2025 meetings.
Item #49 – re ACZO (Chapter 18, Plumbing and Gas Codes) Amendments
This will be to consider amendments to Chapter 18 of the County Zoning Ordinance to provide an exception for existing structures and proposed residential, commercial, and public buildings to be constructed above pipe segments of public sanitary and storm sewers deeper than 60-feet deep below existing surface grades and when the traditional excavation methods are not required to maintain, repair, or replace the public storm or sanitary sewers. This item will be heard at the County Board’s July 2025 meeting.
Item #50 – re ACZO (Chapter 14, Motor Vehicles and Traffic) Amendments
This will be to consider amendments to Chapter 14 of the County Zoning Ordinance to lower the speed limit to 20 miles per hour on streets in business or residence districts, where the existing posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour, and that the County Manager has designated as a “bicycle boulevard”. This item will be heard at the County Board’s July 2025 meeting.
Item #51 – re ACZO (Chapter 14, Motor Vehicles and Traffic) Amendments
This will be to consider further amendments to Chapter 14 of the County Zoning Ordinance to decrease the speed limit on the following five corridors from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour:
1. Fairfax Drive from Little Falls Road to Langston Boulevard
2. Washington Boulevard from Kirkwood Road to North Glebe Road
3. South Carlin Springs Road from Arlington Boulevard to the Arlington County Line
4. South Arlington Mill Drive from South Walter Reed Drive to Shirlington Road
5. South Four Mile Run Drive from Columbia Pike to Shirlington Road
This item will be heard at the County Board’s July 2025 meeting.
Wednesday, June 18, 2025 – Recessed County Board Meeting
Items 5A&B – 1401 Wilson Boulevard Site Plan
The Board extended (Item 5A) the term of validity for the 1401 Wilson Boulevard site plan (SP #429) for an additional three (3) years (June 30, 2028), subject to all previously approved and amended conditions of the ordinance. The Board also extended (Item 5B) the expiration date of the previously enacted Ordinance until June 30, 2028, for multiple encroachments on this property.
These extensions provide the applicant additional time to commence construction of the residential and office development, which was first approved in 2014.
Item 54A&B – Rosslyn Gateway (One Rosslyn) Site Plan
The Board also extended the term of validity for the Rosslyn Gateway Phased Development Site Plan (Item 54A) for an additional three (3) years (June 30, 2028), subject to all previously approved conditions and amended Condition #21. The Board also approved the re-enactment of two Ordinances of Vacation (Item 54B) to extend the deadline to fulfill all ordinance conditions to June 30, 2028.
These extensions provide the applicant with additional time for this project (renamed “One Rosslyn”), which was first approved in 2012, to proceed with a proposed site plan amendment anticipated to be considered by the County Board in July or thereafter.
Notice of Funding Availability for Ranked Choice Voting Education and Outreach
The Board also released a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) offering $60,000 in one-time funding to support public education and outreach efforts related to Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) ahead of the November 2025 General Election.
The Board is seeking proposals from nonpartisan organizations with demonstrated experience in civic engagement, education, and community outreach. The goal of the initiative is to ensure voters are informed and confident using Ranked Choice Voting. Particularly those who have historically faced barriers to participation. The funding must be used for in-person engagement, focused outreach, and after-action analysis. Proposals must include plans to reach underrepresented populations across all of Arlington and reflect an understanding of accessibility and equity in voter education.
Applications are due by 5:00 PM on Friday, July 18, 2025.
A virtual pre-proposal session will be held on July 7, and a final report on outreach results will be presented to the County Board in early 2026.
More details, including eligibility and submission instructions, are available here.
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.
Members of the public are also strongly encouraged to subscribe to the County Board's News and Updates service to be alerted when meeting agendas are posted. Board meeting and agenda information can be accessed on the County Board's webpage.
Visit 2025 County Board Meeting and Procedures on the County website to Learn More.