[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6507362,"mediaKeyId","5444686-fb0f14eac4c7e1e35c9fb5ffc6ae5bf7","parentId",5444686,"title","County Board approves 47-item consent agenda; two items pulled for separate hearing","audioSeconds",203,"startMs",4262000,"endMs",4465000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5444686-fb0f14eac4c7e1e35c9fb5ffc6ae5bf7&start=4262&end=4465","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5444686-fb0f14eac4c7e1e35c9fb5ffc6ae5bf7/thumbnail_4262000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6507362/Arlington-County/Virginia/County-Board-approves-47-item-consent-agenda-two-items-pulled-for-separate-hearing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6507362-fe5870b6e7c072262abb4dafab483f3b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770704094&Signature=MKZv7yL2ISwU2TfxPX7j57ehiCqPTuvaNOw58rqHa5VfreUWU5QvygxSs~okX5R0DhGGAnTBnWMftGvJiVADB0g7MDMcTqQ4VwIRl03E6-K7eM1fRccqLHPLI9wzSKTVP9tvbW2ovAW7vYwGh1xRMor4aNFSuyBtCZ9jF~M0XhbWTWSuViVXNeMav37s3X5uTuHL0FrcoN3PIKx5ua7DhqZ-cDgnPim1ZuAGgBtH1-I2g44D9~wfZPCvcbq9kCDe3fW-N64yYV0QSZO5HU720ff76XMGhsFP2JU0659ZbnNrD8v73e7alRG82T-99bH4CPgp5U3dh~31BC--S4qeZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Arlington County Government","date","2025-07-22T19:17:27.257Z","article","The Arlington County Board unanimously approved a 47-item consent agenda on July 19, taking care of a range of noncontroversial matters including site plan amendments, minor permits, grant appropriations and ordinance filings.

Two items were removed from consent for separate public hearing at the Board's recessed meeting on Tuesday, July 22: item 3 concerning Sherlington House at 4242'130 First Street South (a site-specific item) and item 27, an amendment to County Code chapter 14.2 proposing reduced speed limits in certain corridors. The Board instructed staff that the pulled items will be the first public hearings in the Tuesday evening recessed meeting beginning no earlier than 6 p.m.

Other highlights from the consent package cited by the Chair included: an adaptive-reuse approval for 3601 Wilson Boulevard (office-to-residential conversion), zoning amendments to the County sign ordinance to add flexibility for commercial districts, a use permit to accommodate a 120-child childcare center at Balsam Plaza 3 on North Glebe Road, and appropriations for opioid-response staffing and grant-funded veteran services.

Board action: Vice Chair Matt de Ferrante moved approval of the consent agenda with the 2 pulled items noted; motion seconded and passed 5-0.

Why it matters: The consent vote advances multiple development and program actions quickly while signaling that two items raised sufficient public interest to merit a separate hearing. The Board will hear the pulled items at its Tuesday, July 22 recessed meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Arlington County Board Regular Meeting | July 19, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Arlington's County Board approved a 47-item consent agenda 5-0 on July 19 and removed two items for separate public hearing on July 22: a Sherlington House site plan amendment and a county code amendment lowering speed limits in certain corridors.","taxTitle","Arlington County, Virginia","taxId",20560,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6507366,"Board approves Crystal Drive adaptive reuse: two vacant office towers to become housing and a hotel",881,11010000,11891000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5444686-fb0f14eac4c7e1e35c9fb5ffc6ae5bf7&start=11010&end=11891","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5444686-fb0f14eac4c7e1e35c9fb5ffc6ae5bf7/thumbnail_11010000.jpg","/articles/6507366/Arlington-County/Virginia/Board-approves-Crystal-Drive-adaptive-reuse-two-vacant-office-towers-to-become-housing-and-a-hotel","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6507366-37c32dc476b15a37ee4e336658fc86cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770704094&Signature=G2eyMPffPYk0IqXWmPMYLorsXRgsxgHc7XzC5hBEpBBCSAJlkt~anVKZhLuAEWBYuZO2Np38ezliz8g70JLusRuMzf-r0JFd-8v046NNLGbthJEDO1LiZU~uMNfSRBYYtc7XLEdPAgOrtRgbOhnUFpAguFZhAbookB20w5s6wU608BZ7Xw~Ng7uM2Y4RxXcnArFmeMz2za2dgeb-d5UMIrX3nj4kam5tUXuKJv4ZtgloPMgeYtJQ8pQAxg6AgFH7kbjVTb9duXE01aSxoXa-9Ul4NKNIu-PboEW7pLzjG0Z9DaBz1o8Nzhz~ISabkasXdIaaaYcFUkaV0HEtkWfBAQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Arlington County Board on July 19 voted 5-0 to permit adaptive reuse at 2100 and 2200 Crystal Drive, converting two largely vacant 11-story office towers into a 195-unit residential building and a 344-room hotel.

The project was filed under the county's adaptive reuse provisions, adopted in late 2024 as part of a commercial market resiliency initiative to give owners a streamlined pathway for converting underused office stock to housing, hotels or other uses. Staff and the applicant said the buildings are well-suited to reuse: the existing structure, parking and floor plates enable a faster conversion than ground-up development, avoid demolition of embodied carbon and add housing and hotel capacity close to the Crystal City Metro station and new public investments.

The Board heard public comment on the project and questions about the future of the Crystal City 'underground' pedestrian concourse. The application includes closing two access points from Crystal Drive into the underground concourse to make space for hotel and residential lobbies; staff noted five other access points on the block will remain. County staff committed to study the long-term viability and options for the underground and to bring findings to the Board prior to certificates of occupancy for the residential building.

Parking and loading will use the existing below-grade garage; the applicant committed to a 0.3 spaces-per-unit parking ratio consistent with the county's residential parking guidance. The applicant also described plans to reuse the existing garage and to pursue LEED and other measures to limit embodied carbon.

Why it matters: Staff said the conversion would remove roughly 523,000 square feet of vacant office space from the county's market and could drive the countywide office vacancy rate down by roughly 1.1 percentage points. The conversion also creates housing near transit and adds hotel capacity in a neighborhood where room supply has declined since the pandemic.

Board action: Motion to adopt the adaptive reuse ordinance moved by Susan Cunningham, seconded by Julius 'JD' Spain; approved 5-0.

","The County Board unanimously approved an adaptive reuse application to convert two nearly vacant office buildings on the Crystal Drive plaza block into a 195-unit apartment building and a 344-room hotel. The approval uses Arlington's recently adopted adaptive-reuse pathway and keeps most existing below-grade parking.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6507370,"Board approves Ballston redevelopment to convert office tower into 328-unit residential building; garage retained",1147,5998000,7145000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5444686-fb0f14eac4c7e1e35c9fb5ffc6ae5bf7&start=5998&end=7145","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5444686-fb0f14eac4c7e1e35c9fb5ffc6ae5bf7/thumbnail_5998000.jpg","/articles/6507370/Arlington-County/Virginia/Board-approves-Ballston-redevelopment-to-convert-office-tower-into-328-unit-residential-building-garage-retained","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6507370-4f937dbd18fd0166460db699ccd45cd6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770704094&Signature=mpaJP3H0-D4BHUVpRXob7dCKRQ4h4Y8L9uzyB9ThmizYuE2KQMMn7pBF80cMwru3Hjd~4Le3xa~qf1IMyreqbq74wZRROnxrhDk9KZDrZ2h92-JcN6a3T7AOh52jdQJNovPtfDvuTvCYTMde5gWfRCJpzG36-VWM2Ymx11in~uYBLchMTsAmPRY62h64c7JxuD6pl6NUkW6a5X87VK8JowUEq13A0kbmHtfUj2BCbrt0NWDMbugf~maxTCaNdOsWJ65nkvkYOhR8eraPU3EVnRkhXXGB9-AngRHl6~69IwtJdfuSmd0d1CMQCvkyslO5jru7oWeGsIAh2adIuATNdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Arlington County Board on July 19 approved a major site plan amendment for 4601 Fairfax Drive, a Ballston property that will replace an aging 12-story office tower with a seven-story residential building containing up to 328 units while retaining the existing below-grade parking garage.

The amendment passed 5-0 after staff and the applicant described measures intended to mitigate trade-offs created by retaining the garage: on- and off-site plantings, a continuous soil panel for trees under the sidewalk on North Wakefield Street, restoration within the Chesapeake Bay resource protection area (RPA) and a $2 million contribution to the county's Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF). Staff estimated that the AHIF payment could leverage 17'18 off-site affordable units.

Matt Pfeiffer of the county's planning division and applicant representatives said the garage's structural constraints limit tree pit depth and certain surface improvements, so the project will employ suspended soil panels and off-site plantings to approach county canopy goals. The developer, Penzance, committed to participate in the county's Green Building Incentive Program (GBIP) at the 0.25 FAR tier and to LEED Gold certification measures.

The site falls partially inside the Chesapeake Bay preservation area; the Chesapeake Bay Ordinance Review Committee granted an exception with conditions including maximizing on-site canopy and a specified phosphorus-load reduction. The Planning Commission had forwarded a recommendation of approval with a suggestion that a five-year term of validity would be reasonable; staff recommended the standard three-year term of validity for site plans. The County Board approved the site plan with staff conditions and a standard three-year term.

Why it matters: County staff said the project transforms a large, underused office asset into housing and supports the county's commercial market resiliency goals while balancing environmental and urban design requirements. The project also includes a new northbound bike lane on North Wakefield Street and a shared-use path improvement on Fairfax Drive.

Board action: Motion to approve site plan amendment and easement vacation moved by Matt de Ferrante, seconded by Susan Cunningham; vote 5-0.

","The County Board voted 5-0 to approve a major site plan amendment at 4601 Fairfax Drive (Ballston) allowing demolition of an office tower, construction of a 328-unit residential building, and retention of the below-grade garage, subject to conditions including a $2 million affordable housing contribution and green-building commitments.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6507374,"Arlington County board endorses refreshed transportation vision, adds language to stress desirable non-car choices",3063,3293000,6356000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5444686-fb0f14eac4c7e1e35c9fb5ffc6ae5bf7&start=3293&end=6356","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5444686-fb0f14eac4c7e1e35c9fb5ffc6ae5bf7/thumbnail_3293000.jpg","/articles/6507374/Arlington-County/Virginia/Arlington-County-board-endorses-refreshed-transportation-vision-adds-language-to-stress-desirable-non-car-choices","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6507374-0bf0cb30731b4f1cf7c18e469c752090/orig.mp4?Expires=1770704094&Signature=Pc6lvmECBFhiVSgej6ruQRDZZtGK2FshdSbjr9sGJiyPwcrJq2TQcRZ3j7TnLqqH1xNYpSEVDoq131NOfy3DIt~J-RRtBiz8e-asKOc06bUmdisOYW1FIa-56noHWjFvkZGY2sYEx0r0NV-3-HKQjQPhxLD5x7i0eTb55d~4Kfi04md1ivlzQWwa7SaNGAtzRq8-S9WWdJm8FsUYxc3QLa4QH47o7ylXRFOo~rUto3I5QiVJTRZV9sCxepwugV4MAqvBRZyJuymp6mzU3WCDL4sPRAyXvskqUSleeXxSXfBIrMZHqYVHN1vPUig2sfMan77szXmVbpikmHuzL9hHfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Arlington County Board on July 19 endorsed a refreshed vision and goals for the county's transportation element, a foundational step in a multi-stage update of the Master Transportation Plan.

The resolution, adopted 5-0, establishes a people-centered policy framework that emphasizes safety, reliability, equity and sustainability and directs staff to draft specific policies and modal networks in coming months. Kristen Calkins, who led the transportation team, told the board the document is the product of 10 months of community outreach and 'will guide how staff drafts policies, what modal networks look like and what strategies we use to reach our transportation future.'

Board discussion focused on a single phrase in the vision intended to signal a shift from car-dependent travel. Staff's draft used the wording '\"without having to depend on a car.\" After public comment and discussion at the advisory group and commissions, the Board accepted an amendment proposed by Board Member Maureen Coffey to change the phrase to '\"with desirable choices beyond using a car.' Coffey said the revised wording frames the plan around what the county will add to people's lives rather than what it would remove.

Board Chair Takis Karantonis said the plan will not list projects but will set priorities to guide corridor studies, site reviews and future investments.

Kristen Calkins said the review will remain iterative: staff will take the endorsed vision and goals into a fall round of public engagement on modal networks and recommended strategies, return a draft plan for review in spring 2026, and seek final endorsement in fall 2026.

Why it matters: County officials said the update is intended to bring the Master Transportation Plan into alignment with recent county commitments on climate, equity and Vision Zero safety work. Staff presented engagement metrics showing more than 12,000 contacts, 2,500 online feedback responses and outreach at 52 events.

What's next: Staff will begin a third phase of community outreach in the fall on networks, policies and implementation strategies, then present a draft plan for public review in spring 2026.

","After 10 months of staff-led engagement, the Arlington County Board voted 5-0 to endorse a refreshed transportation vision and goals that prioritize safety, equity and sustainable travel options, adding a clarifying word to emphasize that alternatives to driving must be desirable and viable.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County Board approves 47-item consent agenda; two items pulled for separate hearing

Board approves Crystal Drive adaptive reuse: two vacant office towers to become housing and a hotel

Board approves Ballston redevelopment to convert office tower into 328-unit residential building; garage retained

Arlington County board endorses refreshed transportation vision, adds language to stress desirable non-car choices