The February 2025 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

Tree Canopy – Arlington and Ashton Heights
By Scott Sklar, President, AHCA

We are dedicating our February Ashton Heights meeting to two presentations on Arlington tree canopy. Our lead off speaker is Mary Margaret Whipple. Whipple is a former Democratic member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 31st district from 1996–2012. She was the Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus, and she was the first woman to hold a leadership position in the Virginia General Assembly. 

She was appointed to the Arlington School Board in 1976 and served as chair from 1978–79. Whipple served on the Arlington County Board from 1983–95, and was chair in 1986. While on the County Board, she served as the Arlington representative to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Board in 1985 and from 1988–1995, serving as chair in 1990.

One of her signature issues was preservation and enhancement of Arlington’s tree canopy. Aside from being a force in Arlington and Virginia, I wanted her to bring her insight and history of why this issue is important – and why it has been a force in both Ashton Heights and Lyon Park from the very beginning. I hope to lure our early AHCA leaders to this meeting as well to add perspectives.

She will be followed by Brooke Alexander, who is the Chair of AHCA’s Tree Canopy and Native Plants Committee and is widely known for her expertise. I have encouraged her to share her experience and perspective with Civic Associations throughout Arlington, and of course with the Arlington County Board and various Arlington County Commissions and Advisory Boards.

Tree Canopy has taken on added significance in our modern lives as Arlington becomes more dense and urbanized — and as a result more noisy and more polluted. As I mentioned to you before, when I moved into my one story Sears bungalow in 1984, I was told by Arlington’s arborist to cut down my silver maple because it reached the “end of its life.” Instead, I hired an arborist to come in and root feed the tree. And when I added my second story, I made sure the construction equipment did not go over the roots.

In 2025, this 87 year old tree survived the Arlington Arbortists prediction, living an additional 40 years and going. She drops bushels of seeds, called whirlers, twisters, helicopters, or whirligigs every year filling two green bins.

But let me put on my professor’s hat on and give some facts:

• A large tree can take in from 50 – 150 gallons of water per day – the best and most cost effective approach for stormwater management,
• A large tree can reduce traffic noise and other sounds from 5-8 decibels and evergreens, because they have leaves all year, if they’re planted together can reduce noise up to 15 decibels. Large trees can also significantly reduces street light from cars and overhead street lights.
• A large tree can absorb 0.616 metric tons of carbon (the longest-lived greenhouse gas in the atmosphere)
• Trees planted on the east, west, and south sides of your home reduce home cooling costs. By positioning trees in just the right way around your yard, it can cut up to 25% of a household’s annual electricity usage. This has been validated in my monitored house and rear office building.
• Trees have the ability to directly absorb and sequester pollution and can temporarily catch pollutants in the air. The National Park Service states that “trees absorb gaseous molecules in the air. Tiny pores on the tree leaf surfaces called stomata take in air that includes toxic pollutants. This means that pollutants like SO2, NO2, CO, and ozone are permanently converted inside the leaf.” Trees can also “remove particulate matter by catching them temporarily. With rain or precipitation, the particulates can be dissolved in the stormwater runoff or transferred to the soil.” While no mitigation device solves air pollution, the scale and value of city trees in this regard is dramatic. “ 

And note, there are many studies validating that trees reduce “heat islands” which are becoming a problem in urban areas as our climate warms – especially on streets, parks, parking lots and playgrounds.

And when I added four trees to my existing four large trees, the amount and diversity of wildlife is incredible – especially birds of all types – with the larger birds on treetops and then virtually every other kind of bird that lives or flies through this area. And, of course, squirrels, fireflies, et al. Some of my best times are sitting on my neighbor Patrick Lueb’s back porch in the evening looking at the hundreds of fireflies on his back tree – incredible!

I hope to see you and your family at our February meeting. Tree canopy has many benefits and significantly saves money and adds to the quality of our lives.

Reference articles:
https://www.deeproot.com/blog/blog-entries/clearing-the-air/
https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/using-trees-and-vegetation-reduce-heat-islands

The January 2025 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

The Vision Thing – Arlington 2050
by Scott Sklar, President, AHCA

Our Ashton Heights Civic Association (AHCA) meeting in January will feature Libby Garvey. Libby just served as our Arlington County Board Chair, has served on the board for over a decade after over another decade on the Arlington School Board, where she also served as its Chair.

Her last official act was to unleash an effort called “Arlington 2050”, where she brought certain vision leaders and Arlington leaders together this year to start the process over a dinner at Amazon headquarters. I was invited to this effort, and it reminded me of our early civic association leaders – principally in Ashton Heights and Lyon Park, who drove “The Arlington Way”, the Greenway, and the early historic housing inventory – to build a vision, an awareness, and an approach on how we work together and move forward together.

The Vision 2050 – or more formally “Arlington 2050: Envisioning Tomorrow Together”, is a year-long effort to engage neighbors across Arlington on what the County should look like by the year 2050 and what challenges the County, and its residents foresee. More information at: https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/County-Board/Arlington-2050.

This effort needs Ashton Height’s involvement, vision, and participation. I hope you will join us at the January AHCA monthly meeting at the Clarendon United Methodist Church social hall.

As an Ashton Heights resident since 1984, parent in 1993, founding my international sustainable energy global business in 2000, a GWU Professor since 2011, your AHCA President since 2012, and additionally teaching at GWU’s Graduate Urban Studies program in 2013 – I have a long involvement through many different vision points – and the point is – all of you do too!

Since most of us came to Arlington from other parts of the USA, have diverse backgrounds and professions – we all offer unique perspectives that we can bring together. This has served us well, and allowed us to have a robust tree canopy, an active and interactive relationship with our County in almost every aspect of almost every issue — along with fabulous schools, walkable communities, great bike paths and parks, plus solid police, fire and ambulance services. Yes, always room for improvement – but pretty good so far.

So, I realize we are all busy with family, work, errands, hobbies, traveling, and upkeep – but visioning is important for all of us – our families, our community, and our businesses. Let’s take the time and add our joint visions. Happy 2025!

The November 2024 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

Little Wins Along the Way, but More to Go!
By Scott Sklar, President, AHCA 

Powered by our active North Jackson Street neighborhood about Halloween Safety, we have been able to move more positive action. I talked with Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey and had a meeting with Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) Chief Andy Penn. As a result, we will have two police cars on North Jackson Street during Halloween. Additionally, we are working to get a block party county permit without insurance, so we can actually close the street to traffic in 2025. Everyone is working together, which is good news.

Another issue that garnered concern on the listserv, was that of an attempted battery early in the morning of an Ashton Heights resident at Columbia Gardens Cemetery. While the ACPD reported it through their daily criminal report, no effort was made by ACPD to inform AHCA residents of the incident, or more importantly, provide guidance to morning joggers and students walking to school of any threat assessment. Nor did we have a dialogue with our ACPD liaison with AHCA. Christine Schultz, who Chairs AHCA’s Security & Safety Committee will be in further discussion with our designated ACPD liaison. In my ACPD meeting with Chief Penn, I have solid assurances that they will reinvigorate communication, and he plans to come personally to a future AHCA monthly meeting.

As a footnote, Arlington County has put some modern firetrucks off duty due to staffing and budget concerns, and the ACPD is understaffed. In April 2024, WTOP highlighted the chronic problem of 16 hour shifts by police and fire first responders and chronic under staffing. Also, the fire and police unions asked for a 1 cent increase in taxes to address the shortages which the County Board refused to do. And on October 21st, ARLnow highlighted the Ballston Fire Station, engine 102 (the busiest station of the year) dropped out of service due to staffing shortages. We need to ally with our other civic association partners on this issue – since safety and security are extremely important “quality of life” issues.

Still in progress, dialogues on “The Greenway” between North Ivy and North Jackson Streets behind WBM. A huge amount of time has been put in by our AHCA Tree Canopy & Native Plants Committee Chair Brooke Alexander and I am now involved to accelerate compliance. I will report back through the AHCA listserv with an update.

We have a great AHCA listserv discussion about bushes and trees on private property on corner lots that block clear view of traffic at their corner. Since I teach one of my three GWU courses under the GWU’s Graduate Urban Studies program, I am enlisting graduate students to take pictures of these corners to highlight the blockage, publish the with pictures, and see if we can get compliance passively (with love and praise), or, if necessary, hand to the County to prod compliance to code (see below). We will ask for sites on the Ashton Heights & Lyon Park listservs in November.

4. Visual clearance (corners)(a) R and RA districts

On any corner lot in an R or RA district there shall be no planting, structure, retaining wall, fence, shrubbery or obstruction to vision between a height of three feet and a height of 10 feet above the curb level within the triangle formed by the street right-of-way lines and a line connecting said street lines 25 feet from their intersection.

Finally, I have been advised that a porch repair on the 700 block of North Ivy St, which required no changes to size or electricity, and utilizing the old lumber has been stalled by the County for SIX months with little support by the County code officials.

Aside from AHCA putting in a letter at the hearing stage, I plan to use this as an example to open the process, provide more “written advisement by staff,” develop a more user-friendly web site – etc. I will be collecting stories in December by those of you not doing major renovations, just basic repairs, so see “the lay of the land” for conversations with the County.

I want to thank many of you in the Ashton Heights community for helping gather other neighbors, provide information, and work with our AHCA Committee chairs & co-chairs to solve problems, provide insight, and move the needle forward. That’s what civic associations were designed to do.

November’s AHCA monthly meeting is our last for 2024, please come, and acquaint yourself with Arlington County’s Vision Zero — this traffic safety program and how will it change Arlington and at 8:30 p.m. “How to report hazardous road conditions, and what kind of results can you expect?” I look forward to seeing you.

The October 2024 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

When it Rains, it Pours
By Scott Sklar, President, AHCA 

We have lots of activity in September, and I have excerpted from the listserv, media and county communications to give you some flavor.

On September 10th, Arlington police surrounded the red brick apartment house at 922 N. Ivy Street with guns and dogs. The SWAT team set up a perimeter around the building and camped there from ~9 p.m. onward. Police ordered an individual inside Apt 1 with a bullhorn that they had a search warrant and he had to come out with his hands up.

Around 1 a.m., they broke the window and arrested him. Police recovered two firearms, including an AR-style rifle, and numerous rounds of ammunition after responding to a reported domestic dispute.

On September 6th, Arlington County contacted us about permit renewal for Darna. I pulsed residents on North Ivy, North Jackson and North Kenmore Streets near Wilson Blvd and received nine responses on loud noise at night. I informed the county that AHCA does not support this permit renewal until the Darna noise issue is resolved.

Beginning on September 9th, I received four reports from residents on North Kenmore Street regarding tractor trailer trucks coming from CVS going through our residential streets rather than going back onto Wilson Blvd. I just received two other such reports on September 12th. AHCA’s Transportation Committee Chair Patrick Lueb is discussing with county staff.

In early September, AHCA Safety & Security Committee Chair, Christina Schultz, reported lack of response of the Arlington County Police Department liaison office on advising AHCA on crime events status. This was spurred by the August 10th event at 7:15 a.m., where a woman walking on the N. 2nd Rd entrance into Columbia Gardens Cemetery was attacked from behind by a male wearing a white t-shirt and dark shorts. The suspect attempted to grab the victim from behind but she wiggled free. The victim recovered and chased the suspect south bound on N Jackson St. to attempt to take a picture. Police were called and they responded around 7:20. a.m. There is video of the attack and of the suspect from a building camera. Video was provided to Arlington Police. But not a peep on status from ACPD of a violent event in our neighborhood. I have upgraded dialogue with Chief Penn, of the Arlington County Police Department.

And County actions on Macy’s and the four buildings in Clarendon are winding their way through the County approval process followed by our AHCA Development Committee chairs Jack Spilsbury & Alexander Tuneski, who I hope will give us an update at our AHCA Monthly meeting.

On September 9th AHCA’s Tree Canopy & Native Plants Committee chair Brooke Alexander met with Melissa Gildea, Arlington Urban Forester to review the county proposal for aerating Gumball Park. Aeration is needed for the health of the trees, in addition to the grass on the park. As it turns out, the tufts of “grass” that are growing there on the southern end are actually a reed which only grows on soil with low oxygen. (Note, per Brooke, aeration will increase the oxygen available to the roots, in addition to water penetration into the soil. Tree (and grass) roots need (alternatively) oxygen and water. When the soil is compacted, neither is available in sufficient quantity to support healthy roots. This aeration project is planting a fast growing root plant that penetrates into the soil 6-8 inches that will make holes 1/2-1 inch in diameter. Then the plants will be allowed to rot. This will leave holes in the ground that will allow oxygen and water penetration. This is a biological solution to the needed aeration.)

There’s more, but I focused on these highlights on the diversity, urgency, and frankly the amount of personal time any of you are making to help this community. This is what a civic association is all about — everyone doing what they can, when they can, to make our neighborhoods safe, secure, and increase our collective quality of life.

Hope to see you at our monthly Wednesday night (3rd Wed of the month) for October and November at the Clarendon United Methodist Church social hall at 7:30 p.m. A most Happy Autumn to you all.

The September 2024 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

Juggling Challenges and Opportunities
By Scott Sklar, President, AHCA 

We start fall coming through a summer drought and Arlington is full of beautiful flowers and wildlife. I am seeing more and more walkers, joggers, and bicyclers throughout our community. Ashton Heights residents are working in their yards and children are playing on lawns and at our many local parks. How lucky we are, living here in Ashton Heights. 

This fall we have many issues we’re pursuing.

Christina Schultz, chair of the AHCA Security and Safety Committee is talking with Arlington County Police on two events here in our area – an attack on a morning jogger in Columbia Gardens cemetery and a recent home break-in on North Jackson Street. We will be reporting back on both in our newsletter and at our September AHCA meeting.

Jack Spilsbury and Alexander Tuneski, co-chairs of our AHCA Development Committee are juggling an overview of many projects – mostly zoning approvals on four large buildings on our borders with Clarendon. Patrick Lueb, chair of the AHCA Transportation Committee always monitoring street safety, speeding issues, and County benchmarks on parking spaces in new buildings. Brooke Alexander, the AHCA lead for tree canopy and native plants, has put messaging out for care for our trees in drought, and planting of trees. 

Christine Lewicki, the AHCA water management lead has been active in county efforts on the Spout Run watershed. Chris Horvath, chair of the Open Spaces, Parks, Playgrounds and liaison with Arlington’s Neighborhood Conservation program talks with the county about sidewalk, road and park improvements. Our other committees are also assessing issues and inputs. Please contact any of these gracious volunteers with your ideas (contact info on page 2). 

Hats off to Amy Miller, our newsletter editor, and Julie Mangis and Bea Camp our newsletter delivery coordinators on the great work they do. Finally, I want to express my thanks to Glynis Lough, who has taken over as AHCA’s listserv moderator, while our longtime moderator Betsey Lyon is taking some leave. Glynis, welcome aboard and thank you for your willingness to step in.

The listserv is the most important glue for the AHCA where residents can discuss issues, interact with each other, and build consensus. Keeping the conversation civil and appropriate within the bounds of our charter is paramount to make the listserv work. Betsey has done an amazing and important job to keep this facet of our association functioning, even with contentious issues like the gun shop, Missing Middle and sidewalks on Oakland Street.

Our monthly AHCA meetings at  the Clarendon United Methodist Church, our committee meetings and conference calls, and our association events round out the activities. 

It truly takes a village and thank you for giving time for your community while juggling work, family, errands, property upkeep, and more. Best to all of you in Ashton Heights as we enter fall 2024!

The May 2024 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

As Arlington and Ashton Heights Evolve
By Scott Sklar, President, AHCA 

I was thinking about the issues we faced as a community in 1984 when I bought my home, and now. And while there are a few similarities, most are not the same.

Zoning, codes, and urbanization were the emerging issues back in 1984. In the 1960s, Arlington County leaders had successfully pushed for a Metro alignment that served the Wilson Blvd corridor and the Orange line opened in 1979, but a time traveler from 2024 would barely recognize anything above ground. Except for Tower Villas at Oakland and Wilson, no building was above four stories; 10th Street North was a row of used car lots; Ballston was a 1950s style strip mall called Parkington; Kann’s Department Store and Virginia Square Shopping Center was about to close to become FDIC and the nucleus of GMU’s Arlington campus, and Sears’ auto and tire center spanned the property that is now Clarendon Common Market. 

So, the world has changed, this region has changed, and our neighborhoods have changed. Arlington is lauded for the “smart growth” that has taken place along the Orange Line, and now the Ashton Heights Civic Association focuses on building heights, density, set-backs, tapering, native trees, parking requirements, roof top uses and noise. Urbanization – densification – has brought much good, but also much in the way of challenges to our local quality of life. Here are some:

Crime – while we are not a ‘high crime’ area. Crime is slowly edging up.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Change – the County has adopted an ambitious plan and has a solid set of activities to significantly reduce GHG emissions that had risen with more buildings and traffic.

Leaf Blowers – with more buildings crowded together and more people, there are now more amped up professional gasoline-powered leaf blowers in early morning and dinner time. Moves to constrain allowable times, and promoting use of rakes and battery-powered leaf blowers are being adopted by more and more US municipalities.

Night Time Noise: Bars, Restaurant and Traffic – AHCA now has a noise committee dealing with night time music from restaurants and bars, and also many complaints from cars without mufflers in the middle of the night. More cement and hard surfaces make sounds echo, while tree canopy (which we are losing) muffles the sound, block light, and reduce pollution.

Parking – around metro stops we have neighborhood parking on weekdays, but as more rentals and duplexes are available, overly crowded streets are happening throughout the county. Moves by the county to reduce parking in buildings, also exacerbates this problem. We need places friends, family, service workers, and consumers coming from outside Arlington coming to our homes and to our restaurants and stores have a place to park.

Parks, Playgrounds and Pets – as we grow the quality of open places for children, adults and pets to play, we are threatened. Off-leash dogs have become a problem. We need to work together to expand, preserve and broker use of our open spaces, safely and equitably.

Pollution – buildings are the biggest users of energy followed second by transportation. What comes out of our chimneys and tailpipes cause a huge amount of pollution that have huge negative impact on our health and well-being. Pollution harms wildlife, plants, and buildings and car. Higher density exacerbates these problems.

Preservation – we have a large and varied building stock, many beautiful old trees, and other artifacts of our past worth preserving. On our National Archives is emblazoned “What is Past, is Prologue”. Ensuring preservation adds to our community identity.

School Crowding – it surprised the county some years back, but more than half the schools have out-buildings and trailers – as housing densifies, so will school attendance – more housing density will accelerate and exacerbate this problem.

Stormwater Management – significantly more construction and pavement leave higher-downpours of rain water with no place to go. Arlington has just established a new tax and some codes to help alleviate as well as and pushing trees and native plants to address the issue.

Traffic Calming and Pedestrian Safety – more cars = crowded roads, more pedestrian and bicycle accidents, and more noise. The county now bumps out sidewalks for shorter intersections crossings, and strobe lights for pedestrian crosswalks. A good start! But, new approaches to reduce traffic speeds and redirect large trucks away from residential neighborhoods is seriously needed.

Tree Canopy – Arlington is losing tree canopy – the bigger-taller buildings, bigger houses, and now duplexes are all contributing severely to this loss.

These twelve issues addressed above have intensified and have gotten worse directly due to densification. And, they may worsen, be moderated in the future, or stagnate. That is up to US.

I believe the goal of the Ashton Heights Civic Association and our other Arlington-based civic associations is to work to together to moderate, set boundaries, and interact with the county government, business community, and non-profits to ensure our quality of life, comfort, and safety & security of our families. It’s no easy job, and I appreciate everyone’s earnest efforts to steer us to a better future.

The April 2024 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

Spring has Sprung and Ashton Heights is Amazing!
By Scott Sklar, President, AHCA 

I have been around a broad swath of Ashton Heights admiring the great trees and flowers in everyone’s yards. Camellia trees and cherry trees in bloom. Lenten Roses, daffodils, crocuses – all in flower!

My bird houses have young birds chirping, and the squirrels are plentiful. You can smell the beginning of Spring and it is invigorating.

Brooke Alexander leads Ashton Heights’ effort to protect tree canopy and native plants. As Arlington loses tree canopy, this is the season to replant, repair, and replenish our plant life. Brooke is listed on the inside page under our Committee Chairs if you need to reach out to her.

Spring is our rainy season, and as you know, our rains are becoming more frequent and at greater intensity. Water runoff is an issue and trees and ground cover are the best remedy. This year we begin to be taxed on our runoff, and remedial actions like rain barrels and pervious payments allow some tax forgiveness. Chris Lewicki is our AHCA lead on stormwater, please reach out if you need assistance.

I am getting contacted on noise mostly from lawnmower and leaf blowers being an issue. A personal ask is to make sure whether you do your own work or hire yard workers, they start after 10 a.m. Consumer Reports rates leaf blowers on noise, battery length, and durability. And Consumer Reports also has an article on the Best & Worst Battery Lawn Mowers.

These issues and actions directly impact the quality of life in our neighborhoods.

When everything starts blooming and growing, we have had numerous conversations on the AHCA listserv about branches that block stop signs and make it difficult to see at intersections in our residential neighborhood for walkers, bicycle riders and automobile drivers. Please trim your branches and politely cajole your neighbors to do so. Say “AHCA President Scott Sklar asked me to” and show them this newsletter article.

As a teenager, I hate when my parents would say this, but “while you’re at it,” working outside on your yards, lawns and gardens — look around for flower pots, pails, tires, and other items that collect water and become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. This is the time to begin mosquito prevention early. 

I also have bird baths and I change my water every other day. Mosquito eggs hatch in 48 hours and one female mosquito lays over 200 eggs at a time. Also mosquito dunks for birdbaths last for 30 days, and most contain BTI, a bacteria that is only toxic to mosquito larvae. BTI is harmless to people, plants, pets, birds, beneficial insects and ONLY hurts mosquitoes.

While a few of us in Ashton Heights have solar-battery systems, where we never lose electric power, everyone else needs to have their tress trimmed so that in these times of heavy winds or heavy rains they do not break the electric lines running from the pole to your house, or your cable or telephone line connections. Intense winds and heavy rains are occurring more frequently. While the electric company has crews trimming along high-voltage electric lines (something you should NOT do), lower voltage wires for electricity, cable and telephone/Wifi that run onto your property needs preventive protection.

So the arrival of spring is just a great time, but we all have some planning and work to do. I know you’ll enjoy it. And I wish you an exhilarating and wonderful Spring 2024!

The March 2024 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

Looking at the End Game
by Scott Sklar, President, AHCA

I usually contribute very upbeat President columns.

I am very upbeat on this community and on the civic association. I am very upbeat on all of you I meet in our neighborhoods. And many of you who know me, know that I love teaching at the university, truly enjoy my 23 year-old global sustainability business, and giving weekly tours to engineers, architects and international visitors at my two self-powered buildings on N. Ivy Street, where I have lived now for 40 years.

I am starting off this way, because I am going to be grouchy, but not because I am unhappy. I feel very blessed, but am unhappy on some external and internal issues that are impacting our lives here in Arlington. And I want to articulate it, mostly to spur positive dialogue and discussion. I am not lobbying for anything.

When I moved here in 1980, I did so for several reasons. I wanted to be close to Washington, DC where I worked and socialized. I enjoyed DC’s museums, restaurants, and cultural offerings – and still do. So, I bought a house in an area with trees, littered with parks, and at the time, Clarendon had varied restaurants and small owner-owned shops. I was happy the Metro was opening in the corridor, and that there were lots of bicycle shops. I also enjoyed that the houses were old and varied – definitely not little boxes all looking alike. And I truly enjoyed people building onto their houses, as I did, as their families grew. Raising a daughter here was amazing, and aside from parks and great schools, there were fabulous families and lots to do both in Arlington and Washington, DC.

But as we leave the first quarter of the 21st century, some of this sheen is wearing off. Traffic is more congested, drivers are less patient and courteous, as are pedestrians and bicyclists plowing through in front of green lights. Loud horns and vehicle revs are more common in the middle of the night.

And now housing is getting bigger or multiple units cover the lots – old trees being dragged down, less lawns for kids to play and hold neighborhood barbecues. Aside from the market forces, I have been unnerved that County professionals have played into these trends of losing tree canopy and getting more congested. And then finally, I’m frustrated with the Arlington County Board, specifically the process of missing middle which morphed into EHO – it became clear “the Arlington Way” that many of us were most proud, had vaporized away.

Arlington has also set historic building goals, and I see moves to knock down historic buildings and not incentivize individual owners to keep our varied rich architecture. I am not talking about keeping the façade of Joyce Motors in a multi-story building, but rather stand-alone buildings of varied significance.

I am proud of Arlington’s quality education, adoption of a strong greenhouse gas emissions reduction and green energy CEP plan, but the transformation to electric buses and more EV charging stations is way too slow, which is a disappointment.

I have great concerns that Arlington is moving to super-density in Clarendon, more cement than trees and open spaces. My personal concern is that it will change the nature and quality of life of our neighborhoods. More noise, pollution, light, and people. We know there are solid options to mitigate these stressors. And I do believe our Civic Association is poised to face these challenges head-on.

Through all of these challenges, AHCA has stayed surprisingly consistent. We have a strong effort in County involvement in preserving tree canopy, stormwater education, promoting bicycle lanes and traffic calming. We have had a long-term positive relationship with the Arlington County Police. AHCA’s focus and organization around development, land-use planning, and project approval is strong, and top-of-the-line. And as issues come up, our committees on schools, housing, open spaces, and neighborhood conservation have strong leads who closely track on these issues.

To be clear, I feel we have some serious challenges on the array of issues we have identified as central to our community. But I am also confident that AHCA is structured to address them head on. And special thanks to the many who lead and staff our committees and follow these issues. Even more thanks to those who contribute to our newsletter and participate on our listserv. We have much to be thankful for, and we have some serious challenges. I look forward as we work together to face them, change them, and make our community the best it can be. Yes, “it takes a village”. Happy Spring!

The February 2024 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

Crime, Development and Transportation
by Scott Sklar, President, AHCA

Issues rise and fall within the Ashton Heights Civic Association (AHCA) over the years, but these crime, development and transportation always appear at the top of the list. 

In planning for the Washington Metro and its corridor development, Washington, DC commuter traffic through Route 50, Langston Blvd-Lee Highway changes, and even Wilson Blvd, we have to address the commensurate crime issues that Metro, commuter traffic, and more densified development naturally bring along.

AHCA has worked with Arlington on bike lanes, more prominent signage and lighting for pedestrian walkways, bump-outs at intersections for shorter crosswalk distances, narrowing Wilson Blvd to reduce its use for rush hour commuters, and more prominent signage along Langston. All of this has had positive impacts, but there will still be more people commuting and housing density will increase, especially now after the County Board’s Expanded Housing Option (EHO) vote.

As mentioned earlier, our AHCA Safety and Security Committee chaired by Christina Schultz, keeps in contact with the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD), as well as our AHCA Transportation Committee chaired by Patrick Lueb on interfacing on traffic calming and data analysis and efforts with the community on North Jackson and North Kenmore Streets. The AHCA working group on bar/restaurant noise chaired by Martha Casey also talks routinely with ACPD. At our upcoming February AHCA monthly meeting, we will have an ACPD representative on security and crime along with a speaker from the local insurance industry on actions homeowners, condo owners and renters can do, to reduce certain types of crime and property loss or damage.

As mentioned in almost every newsletter, our most busy committee is the AHCA Development Committee co-chaired by Jack Spilsbury and Alexander Tuneski, which covers Clarendon redevelopment, a range of high-rise commercial and residential projects about to be built, tracking EHO policies and projects, and coordinating with other civic associations. I also have commandeered long-time AHCA ExCom member Ken Matzkin to work with the other civic associations on these issues.

As an aside, but very relevant, as you can see from our listserv traffic, we have various thought leaders within our community with different perspectives and visions on missing middle housing (MMH) that now has evolved into EHO Development (https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Building/Permits/EHO) allowing duplexes and other multiple housing approaches on residential lots. I do appreciate AHCA ExCom member David Phillips putting out ideas on “common ground” to begin a discussion on some AHCA consensus. I would like these efforts to continue, hopefully in parallel with our Lyon Park Citizens Association partners.

From my own perspective, I moved here as a missing middle single home buyer in 1984, purchasing a Sears kit bungalow before the Metro stops were fully opened, because it was affordable, close-in to Washington, DC where I worked, great tree-canopy and a plethora of local parks – and most importantly great people. As I had my family, the great school quality and amazing neighbors just added to this positive experience. And in my 70’s, all of the above – including access to high-quality health care, local vendors and restaurants just add that extra layer of pleasure.

I believe our conversations are healthy, as we build our common views, share concerns, and hopefully row in the same direction on how we guide the County Board, run with our sister civic associations – all with the same vision and goals, to sustain and evolve Arlington and especially our community into the great place where we all live.

Dialogue is healthy, different viewpoints are expected, but lastly I want to state that respect for diversity of viewpoints is welcome and required. So, let us agree in 2024, not to follow behaviors by the national politicians, and work on common goals, share perspectives, and move forward together with a common vision of attributes our community should encompass.

I am excited about the new year 2024. I appreciate all the work our ExCom, committees, special working groups, and our members put into the civic association and our community. It all matters. So again, Happy New Year, enjoy the snow and winter weather! 

The January 2024 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

Welcome 2024 —Opportunities and Challenges for the New Year
by Scott Sklar, President, AHCA

A Happy New Year to all and a hope the holiday season gave us all a time to reflect how lucky we are.

I read The Richmond Times Dispatch, Virginia Mercury, and The Washington Post regularly. And while our area of Arlington has some stresses, we are so lucky to live in an area with tree canopy, relatively low crime, great neighborhood parks, fabulous schools, a trained and capable police force, and great neighborhood cohesion. It is a blessing.

I don’t see any serious changes to this scenario this coming year – but we have stressors that AHCA needs to deal with. 

Traffic is increasing, so we are seeing more accidents, pedestrian near misses, and speed in local neighborhoods. AHCA Transportation Chair Patrick Lueb, has developed some sophisticated analysis that he has shared with the county (and he will be happy to share with any of you that are interested) on the streets where Arlington police have set-up monitors. We have briefed Arlington County Board members and police staff, and we plan to sustain and increase this dialogue — looking at ways to calm traffic, redirect traffic, enhance visibility, and maintain dialogue with the on-going State of Virginia process regarding turnoffs from Route 50 and within Arlington at the County Board and Police department.

Development challenges on height, land coverage, density, EHO (formerly missing middle), Clarendon redevelopment are all high on our list. AHCA Development Committee co-chairs Jack Spilsbury and Alexander Tuneski attend meetings, participate in coalitions, and strategize on county input to maximize AHCA’s stated positions. Input from Ashton Heights residents is always welcome.

Tree canopy, native plants, and Stormwater Management have also come to the forefront. Our AHCA Tree Canopy – Native Plants Committee Chair Brooke Alexander is an effective advocate, educator, and practitioner – always the vanguard on the benefits to the health and quality of life to our community.

Chris Lewicki who chairs the AHCA Stormwater Management effort represents us at the relevant meetings, also an advocate and educator, and guides input and involvement on Arlington’s new stormwater programs newly applied tax in 2024. Both chairs work together to further the mutual benefits of trees and stormwater management.

While the above issues are continually “front and center”, our other AHCA committee chairs and co-chairs are very active. They are listed on page 2 of the newsletter. Feel free to contact them, join the various AHCA committees, and guide strategy and response that so significantly impacts our community.

Our AHCA officers also put in much behind the scenes time but deserve continual acknowledgment on what they do for our association and community. 

Dave Schutz, our VP of Programs, is responsible for scheduling speakers for our AHCA monthly meetings. WE ARE ALWAYS looking for input. Please contact Dave with your ideas, contacts, and issues of interest. And “yes”, this is a homework assignment. 

Jim O’Brien, has been our longtime VP for Membership, soliciting members and collecting our tiny dues payments. Please log onto to our AHCA website (https://ashtonheights. org/about-ahca/join-ahca/) and submit the $15 annual family dues payment. Or contact Jim to inquire about your membership status. 

Doug Williams has been our AHCA Treasurer, a thankless task, but a long and capable volunteer for many years. 

Chris O’Brien, the AHCA Secretary, who you see taking minutes at our monthly AHCA meetings on the third Wednesday of every month in the Clarendon United Methodist Church social Hall. He also oversees our website in conjunction with our AHCA newsletter editor Amy Miller, who puts in a huge amount of time coordinating and laying out our AHCA monthly newsletter, hand delivered and posted to our website eight months during the year. 

On that note, please contact our Editor Amy Miller with ideas and articles for our monthly AHCA newsletter. And lastly ongoing thanks to Betsey Lyon who serves as our AHCA listserv moderator. A thankless job, but so essential for our association. 

As always, I apologize to many others I did not mention, but deserve our community praise. I promise to continue the public acknowledgment to everyone who gives their time to help our community. 

Thank you all, each and every one of you. 

And finally, thanks to everyone in our Ashton Heights community for your time, interest, and commitment in making Ashton Heights a vibrant place — a wonderful community to live, work, and play. Happy 2024!