Spring 2005 CVIII NEWSLETTER
Management Office 703-525-5557
Volume 14, Issue1
A “Super-Sized” Condo Is Coming to CVIII’s Neighborhood
Elm Street Development, Inc. is asking Arlington County to rezone the land occupied by Dr. Dremo and Taco Bell so that it can build “2000 Wilson Boulevard” –– a ten story, 167-unit condominium with 36,000 sf of commercial space. Members of the Site Plan Review Committee, county staff, representatives of the Radnor/Ft. Myer Heights and Clarendon-Courthouse Civic Associations have all pointed out that the height and mass of “2000 Wilson Boulevard” greatly exceed guidelines approved by the Arlington County Board for redevelopment of this site. Questions have been also raised about the impact of this building on neighborhood parking and how well it is connected with Colonial Village. CVIII’s board has written Arlington County officials to say that Colonial Village III is very much in favor of redeveloping the Dr. Dremo-Taco Bell site, but it cannot support Elm Street Development’s proposal for “2000 Wilson Boulevard” until it meets the following conditions: (i) it conforms with guidelines in The Rosslyn to Courthouse Urban Design Study for height and mass for this site; (ii) it is neutral in its effects on street parking in adjacent neighborhoods; and (iii) it links itself to Colonial Village by incorporating a landscaped courtyard in its design. Elm Street Development and its architects have accepted an invitation from CVII and CVIII to make a presentation on “2000 Wilson Boulevard” followed by a question and answer session at 7:00 p.m. on Monday May 2nd in the meeting room in 1701 N. Troy St. If you are concerned about the impact of 167 additional households on CVIII’s parking problems and what Colonial Village’s neighborhood will look like in the future, then you should attend this meeting!
Arlington County’s Residential Permit Parking Program
Arlington County staff has proposed changes in the county’s Residential Permit Parking Program based on public discussion at a series of citizen forums held over the past two years. These proposed changes would reduce the number of vehicles eligible to park in zones by establishing a maximum of three (3) permits for each residential address. At the present time there is no limit on the number of permits for vehicles registered at eligible households. Fraud will be reduced by creating short-term and long-term visitor passes that cannot be easily reproduced and that display an expiration date. Each short-term visitor pass would be for twenty-four hours, and each household would be allowed 100 short-term passes a year. Long-term visitor passes would be issued for a specific numbers of days ranging from 10 to a 60 day maximum, and each household would be allowed 90 days of long-term visitor passes a year. A user fee of $20 per year will be charged for each decal. Eligible households will get ten short-term visitor passes for free, but will have to pay $1 each for additional short-term passes. Each long-term pass will cost $20. Enforcement will be improved by reducing the number of different sets of hours of restriction. Restrictions on the number of permits per household for current residents of parking zones will go into effect in 2008. New residents of parking zones after the date the County Board approves these changes will be allowed only three permits. User fees for decals and visitor permits for current residents of parking zones will be phased in over the next five years. New residents of parking zones after the date the County Board approves these changes will pay these user fees in full. A process that will allow residents to apply for and renew decals and obtain short-term and long-term visitor passes online, by phone or mail and in person will be instituted. These changes will be submitted to the county board for their consideration some time this summer. You can go to www.parkarlington.com for more information.
Update on the Security Fence and Gates
CVIII has received the permits and approvals from concerned Arlington County agencies needed to build a metal fence with a locking gate between 1816 and 1817 Queens Ln. and replace the Wilson Blvd. gate. Mr. Hedrick and the board, with George Hinkin’s much appreciated help, are currently working to refine proposals from contractors to get the fence and these gates supplied and installed as designed. It will be at least two more months before a contract is awarded, and several months to actually build the fence and install the gates. Good things are worth waiting for.
Stanton Stafford Leaves the Board
Stanton Stafford resigned from CVIII’s Board of Directors effective 11 April 2005 because he planned to sell his unit. Stanton joined the Board in 2001 and served as President of the Board from October 2003 until earlier this month. Major improvements in CVIII’s storm water drainage system and landscaping and much of the preliminary work on the security fence and gates were accomplished while he was President. Stanton’s efforts as a board member reflected his desire that CVIII be an attractive and affordable place to live. The Board takes this opportunity to thank him for his service. The board is looking for a unit owner willing to be appointed to this seat until they, or whoever gets the most votes, is elected at CVIII’s 2005 annual meeting to fill the remaining year in the term to which Mr. Stafford was elected. If you are interested, please contact George Hedrick.
Eric Nicoll Elected President of CVIII’s Board of Directors
CVIII’s Board of Directors unanimously elected Eric Nicoll President effective Mr. Stafford’s resignation. Eric is a Deputy Assistant Secretary at the United States Energy Department and brings excellent management skills to the job. He has served on CVIII’s board for just six months, and he already has completed a thorough review of CVIII’s insurance coverage.
Internet Distribution of CVIII Info to Owners and Residents
If you would like to receive email notices containing information such as warnings of applications of chemicals to control weeds and pests, water cutoffs, holiday office closings, etc. from CVIII’s management office, then let the Website Committee know via colonialvillageiii@hotmail.com. Notices of Board of Director meetings, the minutes for those meetings and other information relevant to the day-to-day and the long-term operation of CVIII will also be available. You can use the subject line to indicate how much or little you would like to receive. Your address won’t be shared with any other party. You won’t receive “Spam” or advertising from CVIII.
2005-2006 Parking Stickers
Parking permit stickers for 2005-2006 are now available at the management office at 1903 Key Blvd between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Each unit is entitled to one sticker. Please complete the application form left at your unit’s front door, and bring it along with your vehicle’s state registration form when you come to pick up your 2004-2005 sticker. Tenants must bring a copy of their lease. 2004 stickers will expire at midnight on 30 April 2005. Cars with expired stickers will be towed. Please make sure that you get a new sticker!
Spring Cleaning Projects
If you would like to have the exterior sides of your unit’s windows cleaned, please be on the lookout for a notice from our management office giving dates when this work will be done. As has been the practice in past years, you indicate which windows you want cleaned by removing their screens. The board also plans to have hallway carpets cleaned this spring. Mr. Hedrick will distribute notices as soon as dates for this work have been determined.
CVIII’s Board of Directors
Eric Nicoll, President
Michael McGregor, Vice President
Melissa Bailey, Treasurer
Dennis Gerrity, Secretary At Large, Vacant
CVIII’s website is www.colonialvillageiii.com
Email the board directly at colonilvillageiii@hotmail.com
CVIII’s Management Office
George Hedrick, Association Manager
Lee Moore, Administrative Assistant
Stan Kiman, Maintenance Engineer
1903 Key Blvd.
703-525-5557
703-525-5558 (fax)
Email: colonialvillage@netzero.net