BALLSTON-VIRGINIA SQUARE

Civic Association Newsletter

May/June 1996 - Volume 19, No. 9

1996 JOURNAL CUP AWARDED TO BVSCA PRESIDENT

The Chairman of the Arlington County Civic Federation's Awards Committee, David Foster, announced the award, and praised BVSCA President Ragland for his work as editor of the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association's widely acclaimed Newsletter, and his efforts in leading the development of the Association's home page on the Internet World Wide Web (see "http://www2.dgsys.com/~bvsca/"). Also, the Federation's Chairman noted that President Ragland has been his Civic Association's delegate to the Federation since 1993, and previously served as vice president and secretary of his Association. On behalf of the newspaper, the trophy award was presented to Ernie Ragland by Alan Fogg, Opinion page editor of the Journal Newspapers.

Also, at the banquet, two delegates were awarded the Distinguished Meritorious Service by the Arlington County Civic Federation. Roye Lowry, was honored for his volunteer work on behalf of Glencarlyn Elementary School, and for his service on the Arlington County Board and many Federation committees. Scott McGeary, the current Civic Federation president, was honored for his work with the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the Arlington Symphony, the Arlington County Taxpayers Association, and other organizations. Further, three delegates were awarded certificates of appreciation by the Federation for outstanding service to the community. These included: Rebecca Gray and David Jones from the Arlington Ridge Civic Association, and John Nicholas from the Boulevard Manor Civic Association.

The Federation's 80th Anniversary Banquet was attended by 174 people, including many of Arlington's political leaders, such as: Congressman James Moran; Edward M. Holland (former State Senator); State Senators Janet Howell, Patsy Ticer, and Mary Margaret Whipple; Delegates Judy Connally and Karen Darner; Board Chairman Jim Hunter; and Board Members Ellen Bozman, Paul Ferguson, and Chris Zimmerman.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT & ELECTIONS FOR 1996-1997

Committee Chair, Rohan Samaraweera reports the Committee's nominees for the Association's 1996-'97 officerships and other representative positions, as follows:

President: Ernest Ragland

Vice-President: Deem Gillmore

Treasurer & Secretary of Member Records: Richard Ellis

Recording & Corresponding Secretary: David Ryan

Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee ("NCAC") Representative: Nancy Iacomini

Alternate NCAC Representative: Jeff Green

Executive Committee: Rohan Samaraweera, Past President; Dorothy Sticken, Hayden Bryan; and the 4 Officers and the NCAC Representative and Alternate NCAC Representative

Arlington County Civic Federation Delegates: Richard Ellis; Deem Gillmore; Ernest Ragland; and, Rohan Samaraweera

Arlington County Civic Federation Alternate Delegates: Jeff Green; Nancy Iacomini; David Ryan; and Dorothy Sticken

As the 1996-'97 Association year begins in June, the elected officers and other representatives will assume their responsibilities beginning June 1, 1996. The elected Arlington County Civic Federation Delegates and Alternate Delegates will assume their responsibilities at the beginning of the Civic Federation's new membership year which commences in September 1996.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERSHIP

On the subject of continuing activities: The Association conducted its third annual fall membership survey this past year, which former President, Bob Sherretta, first initiated in 1993. Last fall, we received 65 member responses which helped guide the Executive Committee's actions and positions on issues throughout the year. The Association's outstanding Newsletter has continued to gain accolades, readership, and recognition around the County, as reflected by the Arlington County Civic Federation's award of the 1996 Journal Cup to President Ragland, in part, for his editorship of the Newsletter. Also, many citizens from Arlington and outside the County now read the Association's Newsletter via the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association home page on the Internet World Wide Web ("http://www2.dgsys.com/~bvsca/"), which was successfully launched in July 1995, and monthly updated since that time.

Behind the scenes, keeping all of our records straight, our Secretary of Members Records and Treasurer, Richard Ellis continues to handle a mountain of bookkeeping and paper work. In addition to President Ragland, our Vice-President Deem Gillmore; NCAC Representative Nancy Iacomini; and Executive Committee Members, Hayden Bryan, David Ryan, and Dorothy Sticken have represented the Association, as our designated speakers, at various Planning Commission and County Board hearings this past Membership year.

The Member Information Line Telephone Number, 528-1887, a.k.a. MILTN, which was first initiated as a 4 month test in 1994 by Rohan Samaraweera, is an effective communications tool for notifying our members of upcoming events and changes in schedule. Members and other citizens regularly call it to leave messages about matters of concern, and to listen to the many announcements that the Association has made this year. Also, more and more of our members are beginning to use electronic mail to communicate with our Association (e-mail address: "bvsca@dgs.dgsys.com"). Hayden Bryan will continue his efforts as our Association's GMU Expansion Committee Co- Chair. The third annual Christmas party, last December, was a smashing success with 64 members and guests participating.

On the subject of issues that we dealt with: The following is a summary of, or an index to, the highlights of your Association's past year's activities, as reported in prior BVSCA Newsletters during the past Membership year. If you have not saved the prior Newsletters, one may download back issues in in ASCI standard form from the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association home page at "http://www2.dgsys.com/~bvsca/", or one may contact MILTN, the Member Information Line Telephone Number (703) 528-1887, and the Association will try to locate a back issue for you.

• In our newsletter for August/September 1995 we reported the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association's participation on, or information about: (1) the London and Leeds Site Plan Amendment; (2) the Ballston Village Limited Company's proposed site plan for 18 townhouses to be located in the 1100 block of North Stafford and North Stuart Streets; (3) the Joint GMU/Arlington County Advisory Board and the status of GMU's efforts to expand the Virginia Square Campus; (4) the Board's action authorizing Pizza Hut to provide delivery service from the Pizza Hut, located at 3811 Wilson Boulevard; (5) FBI answers BVSCA inquiry about Arlington's status as a city in the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Semiannual and Preliminary Annual Releases, and FBI responds to BVSCA President, that after reviewing the matter, Arlington will be listed as a suburban county in the future, and crime figures will only be published annually in Crime in the Unites States; (6) Arlington's proposed expansion of the County's sewage treatment plant incinerator; (7) the launching of BVSCA's initial home page on the Internet World Wide Web (WWW), located at "http://www2.dgsys.com/~bvsca/" and the Association's new e-mail address at bvsca@dgs.dgsys.com; (8) the Executive Committee's results of review of the County's Human Services Commission draft report dated June 8, 1995, and recommendations to help establish a more effective, focused, realistic, and fiscally responsible approach for providing County human services for the future; (9) the Clyde Beatty-Cole Brothers Circus return to Quincy Park in September 1995; (10) the planned renovations at St. George's Episcopal Church, located on Fairfax Drive between Oakland and Nelson Streets; and (11) the Association's recommended proposal on aggressive panhandling.

• In our newsletter for September/October 1995 we reported the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association's participation on, or information about: (1) the third annual BVSCA neighborhood survey of our members on issues ranging from crime and traffic to development and taxes; (2) the Candidates Night session sponsored by our Association at the Renaissance Arlington Hotel; (3) the Ballston Village Townhouses site plan application; (4) the sludge incinerator expansion update; (5) the County's published report titled "Human Services for the Next Generation, the Report of the Arlington County Human Services Commission;" (6) Sheriff Thomas Faust's new Inmate Work Program; (7) Internet access started at the Arlington County Central Library, 1015 North Quincy Street; (8) the Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee (NCAC) streetlight project; and (9) BVSCA delegates participate at Arlington County Civic Federation's Candidates Night.

• In our newsletter for October/November 1995 we reported the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association's participation on, or information about: (1) local income tax (proposed) and GMU parking listed at top concerns in survey; (2) highlights of the second GMU/Arlington Joint Advisory Committee meeting; (3) BVSCA invites VEPCO and County Staff to help resolve longstanding problems near the Virginia Square substation and surrounding areas; (4) information about the County's leaf collections; (5) Neighborhood Services Area Team 2; (6) the Community Relations Chairman for the Arlington County Civic Federation, Dave Foster, visits Association and describes Federation's activities; (7) Arlington County Police take firm stand to renew commitment to improve the quality of life in the Clarendon area by focusing on a program of strict enforcement of state and County laws that pertain to inappropriate and unacceptable behaviors, such as public drinking, intoxication, littering, urinating in public, among others; (8) BVSCA survey results and legislation needed/passed in recent years; and (9) the Arlington Journal's interesting article titled "Safe? It's your choice." Ms. Gigi Whitley writes "Arlington is either being terrorized by crime or is one of the safest places in America, if you listened to the debate between Arlington Republicans and Democrats."

• In our newsletter for December 1995 we reported the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association's participation on, or information about: (1) the Association's third annual Christmas Party for BVSCA members and guests, at the Monticello Room of the Jefferson; (2) the Brompton's at Ballston townhouse development project in the block between North Stafford and North Stuart Streets, and bounded on the north by 11th Street North and on the south by the Summerwalk Condominiums; (3) Arlington's hearing on the staff report titled "Sludge Management Alternatives Study;" (4) Arlington's 1996 Legislative Package; (5) local income tax (proposed) update; (6) the Emergency Winter Shelter to open nightly during the coldest winter months; (7) County Board approves $71,000 to rename Ballston Metro Station "Ballston-MU;" (8) Human Services Commission Report's "Guiding Principles" Become County Policy; and (9) the Arlington County Civic Federation 1996 Legislative Package, adopted on November 14, 1995.

• In our newsletter for January/February 1996 we reported the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association's participation on, or information about: (1) the Special Election Candidates Night session sponsored by our Association at the Renaissance Arlington Hotel, featuring the candidates for the January 30th election to fill the 3-year unexpired term of Mary Margaret Whipple, who resigned from the County Board to assume a seat in the Virginia Senate; (2) Arlington's snow removal process in response to the Blizzard of 1996; (3) Public Safety follow-up, and the Arlington Professional Firefighters Association's filed Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) complaint over fire engine failures and understaffing; (4) local income tax (proposed) update, and the considerable debate and discussion over Arlington's and other Virginia jurisdictions' authority to implement a local income tax; (5) Initiative and Referendum in the 1996 State of the Commonwealth Address by Governor George Allen; (6) 1996 Civic Federation County Board Special Election Candidates Night; (7) Major League Baseball interested in exploring sites in Arlington; (8) Transportation Planning Board Announces Vision Planning Process; (9) Arlington property assessments decline; (10) highlights of BVSCA December 1995 Christmas Party; (11) sludge study hearing update; and (12) used car capital of the region update.

• In our newsletter for February/March 1996 we reported the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association's participation on, or information about: (1) 1996 General Assembly commends the Arlington County Civic Federation for its years of service and the 80th anniversary of the Federation's founding; (2) a major site plan amendment, SP #256 Stuart Park Apartments, was filed with the County for the residential portion of the approved Stuart Park site plan one block from the Ballston Metro Station; (3) Brompton's at Ballston Townhouses update for SP #320; (4) advertisement of proposed real estate tax rate increase and recent County real estate tax increases and budget trends; (5) a possible public-private venture between the County and Marymount University to upgrade the Quincy Park soccer playfield; (6) Pizza Hut food delivery services from 3811 Wilson Boulevard update; (7) Baseball Stadium Authority update, and the County Board's actions to create an Ad Hoc Baseball Stadium Advisory Committee and fund $100,000 to study the feasibility of constructing a professional baseball stadium for the Twin Bridges Marriott area north of Crystal City; (8) 1996 Virginia Baseball Stadium Authority Legislation; (9) Virginia Senate Joint Resolution (SJ) 91, Constitutional Amendment on initiative and referendum, which makes it our of Committee for the first time in General Assembly history (efforts to pass initiative and referendum measures in Virginia date to 1902); (10) Quincy Street extension update (information from County shows groundwater contamination in the area of the proposed extension, and Arlington estimates that project will be completed by Summer 1997); and (11) the Arlington Courier's interesting article titled "Serious crimes increase in County." Eric S. Brunner writes "Serious crimes in Arlington increased significantly last year after a three-year slump, likely assuring the most densely populated county in Virginia is again the most dangerous."

• In our newsletter for March/April 1996 we reported the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association's participation on, or information about: (1) the need for increased specificity and formalization of the proposed public-private between the County and Marymount University to upgrade the Quincy soccer field, especially because of the possible loss of this playfield for casual use by our community after the upgrade and the fact that Quincy Park is the largest open area in the Rossyln-Ballston corridor; (2) proposed changes in Arlington's zoning and subdivision ordinances; (3) the proposed joint venture between the Arlington Hospital Association and Columbia (HCA) Health Care Association to form a Virginia limited liability corporation that, in turn, will own and operate the current Arlington Hospital as well as the Reston Hospital, Dominion Hospital, Reston Imaging Center, and Fairfax Surgical Center; (3) the Stuart Park site plan update, and the Membership's determination that the proposed 437 parking spaces is insufficient for the needs of the 437 apartment units (557 bedrooms) and the anticipated long-term guests and short-term delivery and short-term guest needs; (4) public safety update, and follow-up on the Arlington Professional Firefighters Association's OSHA complaint over fire engine failures and understaffing; (5) various Arlington organizations recommend holding line on County tax increases; (6) County Board votes to include the proposed Near-Term Vision 2020 projects for consideration as part of the County's multi-year Capital Improvements Program; and (7) update on GMU-Virginia Square issues (noting that the construction documents are nearing completion for the Phase I construction of the GMU- Virginia Square campus building, which will house the Law School on the first three floors and the International Institute and other academic programs on the fourth floor).

• In our newsletter for April/May 1996 we reported the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association's participation on, or information about: (1) the Quincy Soccer Field update, and the Association's resolution that we would like in writing the assurance that access to the field would be maintained for the casual use by the community, as well as the long term users of the field like Washington Lee High School baseball, American Legion baseball, and other baseball groups; (2) Stuart Park Site Plan update, and recommended deferral to the County Board; (3) the Arlington County Delegates meet with Arlington County Civic Federation to discuss the highlights of the 1996 General Assembly and to answer Federation questions; (4) County Code modifications to create a "Tree Ordinance;" (5) exchange of County property for WMATA property for the North Quincy Street extension project; (6) Major League Baseball interested in Arlington update; (7) questions and answers prepared by the Ad Hoc Baseball Stadium Advisory Committee; (8) "Financing A Major League Baseball Stadium in Virginia: The Commonwealth's Number One Economic Development Prospect" by the Virginia Baseball Club January 1996; (9) Moody's Investors Services on stadiums; (10) member comments on proposed professional baseball stadium at the Twin Bridges site in Arlington; and (11) baseball stadiums on the Internet, including the results of an independent study which found that very few stadiums, even if privately built and financed, achieve a positive net accumulated value.