ARLINGTON COUNTY VIRGINIA AUGUST 1999 NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION PLAN NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION PLAN AUGUST 1999 Dedicated to JOHN WHITE A Bluemont resident since 1961 and former Association president, who has made our neighborhood a better place. Acknowledgments Many Bluemont residents helped create Jane Latta this plan. They include: Carl Laroche Doug Levin Carl Hallinan Jim McElfish (Bluemont Neighborhood Conservation Michele McClellan Plan [BNCP] Committee Chair) Marjorie Macieira Victor McMahon Gerry Procanick (BNCP Parks Subcommittee Co-Chair) (Bluemont Civic Association President and BNCP Commercial Subcommittee Co-Chair) Nancy Malin Louis Martin Ellen Armbruster Adrienne Pilot Robert Atkins Stacey Porro (BNCP Ordinances Subcommittee Chair) Bruce Reynolds Lynn Barton Dan Salsburg Brent Baxter Diane Schwarz Bernard Berne Patti Skinner Frank Bolger Carol Sloan Nancy Bort Barbara Szydla Kelly Christopher Brian Taylor Alicia Clark-Rochac Frank Tetreault Nathan Collamer John Van Doren Judy Collins Naomi Verdugo Worth Cooley-Prost (BNCP Tabulation Subcommittee Chair) Allen Cote Robert Waffle George Farah Charles Walden Ed Fendley Janet Weiner (BNCP Drafting Subcommittee Chair) (BNCP Streets Subcommittee Chair) Rene Gorski John White Joann Gottschalk Talmadge Williams (BNCP Parks Subcommittee Co-Chair) (BNCP Commercial Subcommittee Co-Chair) Pam Greene Lynne Willhoit Rick Hodges Alan Wright John Huennekens (BNCP History Subcommittee Chair) Many Arlington County employees also provided Sam Kubiak crucial guidance or assistance. The neighborhood’s (BNCP Traffic Calming Subcommittee Chair) special thanks go to Robert Collins, Chris Nixon, Jeff Sikes, Jim Allen, Nancy Michael and Jennifer King. Acknowledgements i Table of Contents Introduction ............................................ 1 Parks and Other Open Spaces .................23 Executive Summary ............................. 1 Overview ............................................. 23 Development of the Bluemont Parks and Open Space Map ................. 24 Neighborhood Conservation Plan ........ 1 Waterways and Wetlands ..................... 25 Bluemont Neighborhood Off-Road Trails .................................... 25 Boundary Map ..................................... 2 Parks................................................... 26 Demographic Characteristics .............. 3 Other Open Spaces.............................. 28 History of Bluemont................................. 5 Beautification ...................................... 28 Land Use and Zoning ............................... 9 Wilson Boulevard Commercial Area .........31 Land Use ............................................. 9 Appendix A Ballston ............................................... 9 Recommended Projects ....................... A-1 Zoning Map ......................................... 10 Appendix B Zoning Issues ...................................... 11 Summary of Policy Other Issues ........................................ 11 Recommendations ............................... B-1 Streets and Street Safety.........................13 Appendix C County Board Report and Major Pedestrian Safety Standard Motion .................................. C-1 Neighborhood Street Design ................ 13 Major Pedestrian Safety Projects Map ....................................... 14 Traffic Calming Measures for Neighborhood Principal Streets and Wilson Boulevard ................................. 16 Arterial Intersections and Inappropriate Use of Neighborhood Minor Streets ...................................... 16 Urban Village Action Program ............. 19 Other Issues ........................................ 19 G E O CHAIN BRIDGE R G E W A M S I L H I IN T G A T R O Y N M W A S H I N G T O N D.C. E M O R R D IA F A I R F A X C O U N T Y L D P LV K B W Y KEY BRIDGE OWN G KT B LVD R R U YO LORCOM LANE S B M HWY IA L I L W E LE ) ROOSEVELT G 66 E T- BRIDGE F A L L S C H U R C H O (R R MEMORIAL G WA E BRIDGE SH IN BLVD IN G TE T O FORT MYER POTOMAC RS N 14TH STREET TA TE BRIDGES 66 BLVD G BLUEMONT L E ARLINGTON B ) SON MA E 50 NATIONAL WIL SO (RT N D BLV CEMETERY PENTAGON ARLINGTON D R I V R I V E R E Y W H ) 5 S 9 I F A I R F A X C O U N T Y -3 V I A COLUMBIA PIKE ( R D D NATIONAL R D Y N D W O AIRPORT E H S E R R E F R F E E J WALT Y E L IR Map1 SH LOCATION MAP A L E X A N D R I A Arlington County, Virginia Introduction Executive Summary problem is dangerous streets. When We also make a number of other surveyed in 1998, Bluemont important recommendations. We luemont is a vibrant, friendly residents gave more than six ask that the County generally community of more than hundred specific comments on maintain local land use and zoning B5,000 people in west central various street hazards. Independent designations so that for generations Arlington County. The street design criteria confirm there to come Bluemont will remain a neighborhood’s special attractions is good reason to be dissatisfied. residential neighborhood of prima- include prize-winning flower Four out of every five through- rily detached homes. Land use and gardens, a wetlands refuge and streets are missing sidewalks on zoning patterns are especially beaver pond, streams, stands of one or both sides. Most streets are important to the many of us who heritage trees, noted schools, far wider than necessary, which are carefully watching the Ballston historic sites, a university campus, encourages speeding and increases development boom. In this docu- unique shops, and some of the the risk of injury-causing accidents. ment, we also make suggestions for finest bicycle trails in the Eastern Finally, almost every minor-street maintaining or improving our fine U.S. When residents were asked intersection in Bluemont is de- local parks and for making the what they liked most about the signed to favor fast moving through- Wilson Boulevard Commercial Area neighborhood, though, the most traffic instead of the needs of local more attractive and more acces- common response was parks. residents. sible. Indeed, no fewer than six popular County parks are wholly or partially These unfriendly streets are out of Finally, this conservation plan located in Bluemont. character for a progressive and introduces Bluemont. Until 1998, affluent municipality like Arlington. our neighborhood was known as In contrast to neighboring Ballston, They stand in particularly stark Stonewall Jackson. We now have a ninety percent of Bluemont’s land is contrast to the vision presented by new name and an invigorated civic devoted to low-density residential the Arlington County Board Chair in association membership. With this development, low-density commer- his January 1998 quality of life plan as a blueprint, we’re moving cial development, or parks. Neigh- initiative, which is based on “good forward. borhood residents want this land urban design, with walkable use pattern to continue. Detached residential areas and pedestrian- Development of the homes of varying ages and styles friendly commercial centers.” give Bluemont its predominant Bluemont character. There are also a number A primary purpose of this neighbor- Neighborhood of apartments, including one high- hood conservation plan is to help rise building complex, which us, the residents of Bluemont, to Conservation Plan provides one out of every seven reclaim our streets. We ask the Many Bluemont residents were housing units in the neighborhood. County’s support in building the actively involved in creating this Like many traditional urban infrastructure of a true urban plan. Indeed, it was a former neighborhoods, Bluemont has its village, featuring fluid but slow- neighborhood leader, Hal Gibson, own commercial district of small moving traffic and a network of who decades ago was instrumental shops and stores. Bluemont’s sidewalks that encourages people in the founding of the Arlington second commercial area, part of the of all ages to walk anywhere in the County neighborhood conservation Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, contains neighborhood. The specifics of such program. In February 1992, the higher-density development. a program are laid out in the neighborhood formally committed section on Streets and Street Safety On balance, Bluemont is a great itself to formulating a conservation and in Appendix A, Recommended plan. The neighborhood reactivated place to live. But the community Projects. faces challenges. The most pressing this commitment in 1997, forming a Introduction 1 I N W O&D Trail O&D T E R S T A T E K 66 ROUTE AIR PAR FOUR MILE RUN BON K ON ST. ONT PAR N. LEXINGT EM 9 BLU 9 th t 4th STREET N. h S R D T . N. KENTU ST. CKY N VEPCO COUNTY BOARD 8th ROAD N. N. KENSI Map 2. N TON ST Bluemont N. KENSINGTON ST. G ERSONST. Neighborhood TRAIL CUSTIS F Boundaries 8th STREET N. W F 7th STREET N. ILSO N. JE 6th STREET N. 5th S 2 9th ST. N. IVANHO N BLVD N. JACKSONVILLE ST. E ST. Introduction N TR . F . 8th PL. BLVD. WASHINGTON N. E A 9th RD. ET N IR N. INGLEWOOD ST. F . A . N. JEFFERSON ST. X BLUEMONT JUNCTION TRAIL PARK N. ST. 10th D 8th RD. N. ILLIN Arlington R OIS ST. Forest . Club N. ILLINOIS ST. N. HARRISON ST. RISON N. HARRISON ST. R N. RD. 11th HA N. ST. 12th 11th ST. N. ST. 11th Cemetery 8th N. Rd. St. Anns N. HARRISON ST. Church NORTH N. GREENBRIER ST. G R BLUEMONT 1 EEN N. FREDERICK ST. 0 BR th IER N. FLORIDA ST. R CARLIN SPRINGS ROAD Lacey D Woods 10th ST. N. ST. 10th . N . 5th STREET N. ST. FLORIDA N. FREDERICK ST. EMERSON Park . 8th R DRIVE N. 9th ST. 8th ST. N. GEORGE MASON DR. MASON GEORGE N. FLORIDA N D . FR . N E D E R IC K S . T . N. EMERSON ST. EMERSON N. N. EDISON ST. TraditionalArlington FREDERICK School N. EDISON ST. CONSTITUTION GARDEN 6th ST. N. 5th S GEORGE MASON DR. MASON GEORGE Fields T STATION FIRE- DR. FAIRFAX . N Park 9th ST. N. 9th ST. N. BUCHANAN ST. IN BALLSTON 8th RD. T 7th ST. 7th 7th RD. 7th BURLINGTON BEAVER E POND R S BUCH T ANAN N. BUCHANAN ST. A ST. AL 8 T B t LUBBER RUN EMARLE h E R D ABINGDON R N. ABINGDON ST. O CARLIN SPRINGS RD.