Arlington council extends Island Crossing moratorium as city completes environmental review

The Arlington City Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance extending a moratorium on the issuance of development permits for the Island Crossing subarea while staff completes a planned-action ordinance and an environmental impact statement for the area.

The extension, approved by voice vote and authorizing the mayor to sign the ordinance, aims to finish the environmental, transportation and economic analyses that city staff say are needed so future development proposals can be processed more quickly under the subarea plan.

City planning staff member Mark Hayes told the council the first moratorium period was used to create the Island Crossing subarea plan. "What we're asking for tonight is for an extension of that moratorium in order to complete what's called a planned action ordinance and an environmental impact statement on the properties of the Island Crossing in totality," Hayes said. He added the planned-action approach would allow the city to "expedite that development" once the studies and ordinance are finalized.

Two property owners spoke during the public hearing, saying the moratorium has delayed sales and estate settlements. Resident and Island Crossing property owner Rebecca Goodell said she was told at a prior meeting that the work would take less than six months and that the moratorium has now been in place more than two years. "Dragging this on beyond 2 years now is really not fair or acceptable to the landowners," Goodell said.

Phil Kazin, who said he owns a 10-acre parcel at the corner by the fire station, said he has been trying to sell the land since his mother died in 2021 and that the extended moratorium is making estate settlement difficult. "I've got 2 estates to settle, and you're asking for 6 months more on top of 2 years. We would like to be able to do something," Kazin said.

Hayes responded to concerns by saying the moratorium does not prevent property owners from selling. "The moratorium does not preclude you from selling your property whatsoever. You can sell your property," he said, adding the moratorium is intended to define allowable uses and ensure development is ‘‘conducive to economic viability and the aesthetic viability of the city of Arlington.''

After brief council discussion — including a statement that the topic had been considered at a prior meeting — a council member moved to approve the ordinance extending the moratorium and authorize the mayor to sign it. The motion carried by voice vote; the council did not record individual roll-call votes during the action.

Council staff later noted the moratorium extension is intended to complete the EIS and planned-action ordinance so future developers will face an expedited review process once the subarea plan and environmental review are finalized.

The council meeting packet and staff comments indicate the moratorium and the planned-action/EIS work are part of the city's effort to shape the type, design and environmental mitigations for development near the Interstate 5 corridor in the Island Crossing area; details on the length of the extension were discussed by speakers as six months but the ordinance text approved at the meeting was not read aloud in full during the public record.