Hello Yupette,
I live in a townhouse near Shirlington Village off Walter Reed Drive. I attended yesterday's meeting at the Shirlington Library about the parking and traffic problems resulting from Shirlington being poorly planned (no affordable housing, massive parking, existing streets inadequate, etc.).
Doing the County's presentation was none other than Terry Holzheimer, Arlington's Director of Economic Development. Who is Terry Holzheimer? He was formerly Loudoun County's Economic Development Director. Like many who make important planning decisions that affect our quality of life Holzheimer lives in McLean.
When questioned by a meeting participant he admitted that Arlington Economic Development is engaged in a major national campaign to market Arlington's neighborhoods as "redevelopment opportunities".
A look at the PR produced by Holzheimer's Economic Development Office indicates that the staff is indeed engaged in a massive attempt to totally urbanize Arlington. Holzheimers's presentation was nothing more than warmed over smart growth drivel, and the basic message aimed at residents yesterday was don't worry, be happy.
Warning to Arlington residents - Your neighborhood is a potential gold mine for developers, as mine was and is. Arlington County Government is focused on totally urbanizing Arlington. Anyone who complains about the traffic, parking problems, noise, degradation in quality of life, etc., resulting from urbanization is a 'troublemaker'. And the out-of-state REITs and developers (like Federal Realty, which redeveloped Shirlington) are laughing all the way to the bank.
Kathy