Hoo boy, so much going on!  Who said that in the summer things slowed down.  And COVID-19 may have even speeded many things up.  Your President is tired and needs to go on vacation.  So read on, folks!

1.  Livability 22202 Follow Up:  What a great meeting July 30.  Thank you to the many folks who joined our meeting where we presented the work that has been done since January.  Here are the links to the presentations:

1. Presentation of Livability 22202
2. Housing Presentation
3. Open Space Presentation
4. Underground Presentation
5. Route 1 Update Presentation
6. Fall Planning

As stated in our meeting, community engagement and support are essential to our moving forward.  We are therefore following up the July 30 presentation of updates, actions, and proposals from the Livability 22202 working groups.  The response period is now open and you can send your questions/comments to https://livability22202.org/livability-22202-feedback-form/ .  We will also be holding a CCCA Zoom meeting on August 6 for participants to talk with workshop group members directly, ask questions or for more details, and comment.  We will be scheduling another combined follow-up meeting towards the end of August for all three civic associations for final consultation on the path to move forward in the Fall.  Here is the Zoom link for the August 6 CCCA meeting.

Call for Volunteers: We need more volunteers to join our ongoing working groups:  Housing, Open Space, Future of the Underground, and Route 1:East/West Access.  Plus, several folks noted the need for a working group on schools and we would love for folks to step forward to create this group.  There will eventually be other groups, including perhaps an arts and cultural group (including the library and a potential Black Box theater).  Email your interest to [email protected].

 CCCA Meeting August 6:  In addition, we are scheduling a virtual CCCA meeting August 6 from 7-9 pm to:  1) Answer questions and receive feedback and 2) Provide information on what’s happening in development in our area right now (especially 101 S. 12^th Street and the 2000/2001 S. Bell Street and 223 23^rd Street/2300 Crystal Drive  projects.  Here’s the link to join us.

2.  SPRC Process for 101 S. 12th Street:  The County has now hosted two community engagement sessions for the Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC) on JBG Smith’s proposed site plan for a building at 101 S 12th Street. The first was July 1-10 and the second is ongoing July 27-August 2.   You can comment in a feedback form on the project page.  There were 82 pages of comments and staff responses to the first session which you can now download from the project page. 

3.  SPRC Process for the Crystal Plaza Block:  As you may have seen, we have begun our public review of JBG Smith’s next two site plan applications.  Since these are both located within the same block in Crystal City, our review will consider both applications as part of a broader discussion of this large block plan with the LRPC.  This will begin with an online feedback form and subsequently have a virtual LRPC meeting in early Fall.  Once that takes place, each site plan will proceed on its own (independent) SPRC review process.  Given this is more complex than the 101 12^th Street example, we have posted all of the content early so that folks have additional time to review.  As a result, I’m sharing the following links to each project page which share a similar online feedback form that will initially just focus on the block plan analysis. 

1. 2000/2001 S. Bell Street
2. 223 23^rd Street/2300 Crystal Drive  

Your President
Carol Fuller

Read the August Newsletter here.

In the midst of so much turmoil, our Newsletter remains stable to provide essential local information.  Welcome to Phase One.  Even if we go to Phase Two, it looks like that may last a long time and we are going to be “virtual” for some time to come.  Stay tuned for plans of upcoming virtual meetings. 

Newsletter highlights:

1.  Elections:  All you need to know about the June 23 and July 7 elections can be found on the attached URL for the County’s Election #5 Update, including how to request an absentee ballot and where to drop it off.  Voting by mail is recommended and you can drop your ballot off at the Aurora Hills Library at certain times.

2.  Pre-Briefing on 101 S. 12th Street:  In advance of the expected SPRC meeting to be held by the County on JBG Smith’s development plans for 101 S. 12th Street, JBG Smith is offering voluntarily an informal briefing open to the public for information purposes and questions.  The Crystal City Civic Association is sponsoring this meeting since the development will be done in Crystal City in order to ensure substantial outreach to the community during the COVID-19 crisis which has made face to face meetings impossible.  JBG will be hosting this virtual meeting on WebX June 8 from 7-8 pm with a 20-25 minute presentation by JBG Smith followed by a Q and A period.  The participation will be by pre-registration only for security purposes and is open to 22202 residents and other invited guests, including County planners.  In order to attend, please register on the link below included in the Newsletter.

3.  Census 2020:  Once again, the Crystal City area has one of the lowest response rates in the County because of the nature of the multifamily buildings. Overall, Arlington County has a 69.4% response rate whereas Crystal City has 58.6%.  Those households that have not yet responded to the census will receive an in person visit by a census taker to collect their information later this summer. 

4.  Livability Updates:  Because of the COVID-19 shutdown, our two remaining workshops have been postponed indefinitely.  But the planning committee for the Underground Workshop came up with a new idea.   Have either a writing, photography  or videography interest? The Crystal City Underground workshop planning group is planning an “Underground Challenge” to spark creative thinking and conversation about the future of this space. We will be announcing several different creative exercises during the month of June and perhaps a full CCCA meeting on Zoom to include the results of both the Housing and Open Space Workshops and the way forward.

Your President
Carol Fuller

1.  Share Your Thoughts on the Design for Met Park:What do you want Met Park to look like?  Check out the two new draft design concepts for the Metropolitan Park Public Space!  Watch a video presentation on what we learned from the first engagement opportunity earlier this year and take a look at the two draft design concepts your comments helped inform: The Social Gardens and The Forest Walk.  After you’re done, share your thoughts on features, park themes, recreational uses and more! Your feedback helps in the development of the Park Master Plan and design guidelines for this wonderful new community space.
GET STARTED NOW!  (Engagement open now through May 14)

2.  Share Your Thoughts on Crystal City Parks:  Do you care what they will  look like?  JBG Smith is beginning a virtual community engagement process for our Parks and Open Space redevelopment work in Crystal City. The Open Space plan includes the redevelopment of 5 parks in Crystal City, which aim to bolster the vibrancy and livability of the community, as envisioned in the Sector Plan. We look forward to continuing the momentum generated by the community dialogue at the 3 civic associations’ Open Space charette earlier this year.  As a part of this virtual process, they have created an online platform, CoUrbanize, to create a new community engagement experience by allowing everyone to directly comment and follow the conversation. 
Get involved.  Respond to the CoUrbanize surveyand make known what you want our parks to be.

3.  Elections: The June 9 Primary has been moved to June 23 by order of Governor Northam.  Arlington County is encouraging absentee voting to prevent exposure to COVID-19.  At this point, polling stations will be open, but the County is working on many preventative measures to protect both poll workers (of whom your President is one) and voters.  The Virginia Supreme Court established July 7 as the date for the Special Election to the seat vacated by the April 16, 2020 death of Vice-Chair Erik Gutshall.  On April 30, the County petitioned the Court to allow an extension of the July 7, 2020 special election to August 4 or later.   We should know more by the time our June Newsletter goes out.

4.  Census 2020:   Don’t Forget to Respond: 2020 Census Reminder Postcards Arriving starting April 27. 
The U.S. Census Bureau is beginning to send reminder notice postcards to an estimated 69 million households that have not yet responded to the 2020 Census.  Arlington County’s response rate as of April 30 was 63.5%, but Crystal City was only 54.3%.  Our area is one of the harder to count areas in Arlington because of the nature of the multifamily buildings.  Those households that have not yet responded to the census will receive an in person visit by a census taker to collect their information later this summer.  It’s easy: Click  the link below to respond.  It includes information on “How the Census Bureau Protects Your Data,” and provides extensive guidance on “Who To Count” (such as foreign citizens, college students, the military, people who live or stay in more than one place, etc.).  https://2020census.gov/en.html

5.  AFAC Food Drive:  Our food drive co-sponsored with the National Landing BID and supported by Flare Rides  continues every Wednesday.  Since February, the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) has seen the number of active referrals to AFAC increase by 30%. The BID is offering a pizza party to the multifamily building providing the most food during the campaign. Crystal Park (1805 Crystal Drive) is beating everyone hands down so far with a full box every week.

Your  President,
Carol Fuller