Mr. Zimmerman:
We were disheartened to hear your comments at last Tuesday's Civic Federation meeting regarding the economic and population growth of Arlington County. Our neighborhoods in state highway corridors are not 'redevelopment opportunities' for out-of-state developers recruited by county staff who don't live in Arlington and facilitated by 'community leaders' recruited by you. Although HOT Lanes and BRAC development should be a lesson and a warning you refuse to answer critical questions regarding future school overcrowding, overcrowding of Metrorail by future Silver Line commuters, overcrowded parks and playgrounds, and a significant increase in traffic caused by increased parking and increased density.
Many of us moved to single family homes in East Falls Church, Westover, and Williamsburg because we wanted to escape your 'vision' for Arlington County: a County totally urbanized and totally redeveloped into luxury housing with a few 'affordable' apartments. The latest manifestation of your 'vision' is your proposed redevelopment of the entire Columbia Pike corridor to demolish rental housing and replace rental units with luxury in-fill condominiums.
We do not need or want another Shirlington Village at the EFC Metro station. Shirlington Village and the surrounding area is becoming a traffic nightmare, thanks to the County Board creating massive commercial and residential infill, a huge number of parking spaces, almost no affordable housing, and a workforce that typically drives 20-50 miles to work.
If you cannot serve the interests of the citizens who elected you we ask you to retire from the County Board and move on. The interests of residents who live in the area around the EFC Metro Station are not served by 'smart growth' redevelopment along the lines of Shirlington.
East Falls Church Homeowner
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