Late last month, the Arlington County Board announced it would consider a 60-day temporary snow removal ordinance at its next meeting and instructed the Acting County Manager to consider drafting a permanent ordinance. The Board's action came after County government received numerous complaints that many property owners in commercial and high-density residential zones failed to clear sidewalks in a timely manner during February's historic blizzards."
"The availability of walkable sidewalks is essential to the public health, safety and welfare," the resolution states. "Accumulations of snow and ice that make pedestrian use of sidewalks difficult or impossible present risks to the public health, safety and welfare and constitute a public nuisance."
Risks associated with snow on sidewalks are greatest where there is heavy pedestrian traffic, such as access routes to Metro stations and bus stops and where there are concentrations of high-density commercial, retail and residential uses.
According to County Board Vice-Chairman Christopher Zimmerman, who offered the resolution, "we have designed our community around walkability and transit. When roadways are cleared for cars, people need to be able to walk safely on the sidewalks."
A public hearing on the emergency ordinance is set for Saturday, March 13. If adopted, the ordinance would require managers and owners of buildings in commercial or high-density residential zones to clear snow from sidewalks abutting their properties within 24 hours of the snow ceasing to fall.
Click here to hear discussion of the issue from the February 23 Board meeting. Click here for more on the March 13 public hearing (Item Number 27 on the March 13 Meeting Agenda).
MARDI GREEN? Clarendon St. Patrick's Day Parade to Replace Cancelled Mardi Gras Parade
As we all know, this year's Clarendon Mardi Gras parade was cancelled due to the aforementioned Snowpocalypse. Undaunted, the Clarendon Alliance has decided to hold a St. Patrick's Day Parade in its place. Mark your calendar for 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16, and join Clarendon's St. Patrick's Day Eve celebration by watching green floats and leprechauns parade along Wilson Boulevard, one half of the Clarendon streetscape proclaimed one of the 10 Great Streets of America by the American Planning Association! The parade is organized by the Clarendon Alliance.
Be sure to watch for the WalkArlington/BikeArlington Parade contingent. WalkArlington walkers will be pushing festively decorated pedestrian shopping carts, overflowing with lucky charms, candy, and WalkArlington give-aways to toss to paradegoers. Don't miss the spring roll-out of these pedestrian shopping carts, the latest in "green" walking accessories!
Wear Green and Live Green!
Walking is arguably the most environmentally friendly way to get around, so you've already taken your first steps toward green living. Even so, there's always more you can do. Just about 1/2 mile up Wilson Boulevard from Clarendon and four days after the Clarendon St. Patrick's Day parade is the Green Living Expo, on Saturday, March 20, at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in Ballston.
Sponsored by Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE), the Expo will feature green suppliers, products from local and national businesses, exhibits and seminars from government agencies and nonprofits, and a free Going Green Guide for Apartment Renters!
With exhibitors ranging from REI to Habitat for Humanity, EnviroHome Design to the Recycled Building Network, the Expo provides an important venue to showcase new technology and products available that can help reduce our carbon footprints in Arlington. Of course, WalkArlington and BikeArlington will be there to share pedestrian and cycling resources, Arlington County Commuter Services transit information, and other ideas on getting around without a car!
The family-friendly Expo will also include seminars, a raffle, and plenty of activities for children. It's free and open to the general public, so walk over to Ballston on March 20 and see for yourself! The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) is located at 4301 Wilson Boulevard, near the Ballston Metro and several bus routes.
Who Will Be the Car-Free Diet Skeptic?
Cast Your Vote by March 31!
The application videos are in and there are six Car-Free Diet Skeptics vying to become one of the two chosen finalists. The chosen Skeptics will try to live without a car for 30 days and share their experience on-line. You have until March 31 to vote for your favorite. You can vote once each day. Check out the videos now and vote!
Good luck to all you skeptics! We're confident we'll soon be seeing you on the sidewalks and walking trails of Arlington!
No April Fool's - New Arlington Car Decal Features Footbridge
A photograph by Wakefield High School student Providence Smith will soon grace the windshields of 155,000 vehicles in Arlington. Smith's photo, entitled "Come Together - W&OD Trail" depicts a snow-covered pedestrian bridge along the Washington & Old Dominion Trail.
The image was chosen from among four finalists out of 19 total entries, all from high school students. Arlington residents voted to choose the winner.
Arlington began local licensing of vehicles in 1949, in the form of a metal tag attached to the state tag. The first windshield decal was issued in 1967. In 2000, the County Treasurer's Office realized that a decal with color imagery could be produced at no additional cost. In 2002, Arlington residents were given their first opportunity to vote for that image, and a high school art competition to design the image began in 2005.
Perhaps 2010-11 decal voters were inspired by this February's winter wonderland, or maybe they thought that having the image of a footbridge on windshields would inspire car-free skeptics to get out of their cars and take a walk?
Whatever the reason, congratulations are in order for Providence and her beautiful pedestrian-friendly image!
