Minutes of the BSCL Meeting
November 6, 1997
The monthly meeting of the Barcroft School and Civic League was
held on Thursday, November 6, 1997 at 7:30 p.m. at the Barcroft
Community House.
President Dave Michaelson called the meeting to order.
Old Business
Barcroft Community House Renovation - Dave Michaelson. The renovation
of the Barcroft Community House is about 90 percent complete,
and the community is running under budget with the renovations.
Committee Reports
Traffic Committee - Elaine Squeri. The Traffic Committee has
so far received 200 responses to the Barcroft traffic survey.
The Committee would like another 200 responses. The Committee
also needs about 3 or 4 more members. The Committee is working
on a traffic plan for Barcroft, which it hopes to present to the
group in spring 1998.
Civic Federation - Randy Swart. The Civic Federation has a package
of legislative issues, a kind of 'wish list' to give to county
legislators, to then be presented to the State legislature. There
are three main items the Federation would like to initiate: 1)
an aggressive panhandling law -inclination is to support this
initiative; 2) open public schools before Labor Day - inclination
is to support this initiative; and 3) a measure to allow groups/individuals
to put forth referendums, the county would put forth legislative
proposals, to push for at the State level - this measure was voted
down by BSCL members, but Randy will abstain on behalf of BSCL.
Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization (CPRO) - Chris Monek.
On November 21, 1997 Chris Zimmerman, a County Board Member,
will meet with CPRO's Board of Directors to discuss what needs
to be done to revitalize Columbia Pike. The meeting will take
place at the Columbia Crossings' Community Room, from 8:00 am
- 9:00 am. Anyone with ideas, suggestions can contact Chris Zimmerman
or Chris Monek.
Other Issues
Dave Michaelson raised the issue that there have been a rash of
crimes (break-ins, vehicle theft) in the neighborhood. Dave has
written a letter to the Chairman of the Arlington County Board
and is waiting for a response. Dave suggested extending an invitation
to the new Arlington County Police Chief to address the group
some time early in the new year.
Dave Michaelson also discussed issues surrounding the sale of
Roy Rogers, on Columbia Pike and South Buchanan, to McDonalds.
McDonalds has gone to the County for an amendment to use permit.
McDonalds wants to tear down the old structure and build a new
one, with a drive-thru window. Current plans show that all drive-thru
traffic will exit onto South Buchanan. The plans will come before
the County Board in December. Dave Michaelson said the neighborhood
will oppose the current design with the drive-thru the way it
is planned.
Guest Speakers
Arlington Hall West
Chris Munson, Landscape Architect for Arlington County, Department
of Parks, Recreation and Community Resources, spoke to the group
about Community participation in the planning process for the
park at Arlington Hall West. Specifically, the County is asking
for a group of citizen volunteers to work with County staff as
a design committee for certain aspects of the park's Master Plan.
Principle items discussed included location of a children's playground,
a picnic shelter, and a restroom facility; paths, signs and landscaping
for the park; and parking lot pavement and drainage improvements.
Funds for the park improvements are available from 1994 &
1996 Bond Referendums. This process will take approximately 5
or 6 meetings with the citizen volunteers, and a presentation
will be made to BSCL, which will have a final vote on the park
design.
Dave Michaelson suggested an area to be set aside for a dog run.
Chris Munson thought that was not a good idea, that a dog run
should be kept within the Barcroft Community and not on public
park land. An alternative is to put a dog run on land that was
owned by PEPCO on South Buchanan. There had been a problem with
PCBs, but this should not be a problem now.
Citizens are concerned with entries to Arlington Hall West, cars
driving through entrances where cars are not supposed to drive,
cars driving fast out of South Taylor, etc. The Community suggested
putting a sign for the park within the interior of the neighborhood,
so people know what/where it is.
Demeter House
Scott Brintzer spoke to the group about a grant that Vanguard
applied for, to do some landscaping on the property. The grant
is about $10,000 and the money would be used to put in an irrigation
system, a picket fence, and other outside property enhancements.
The idea is to get the Community and Demeter House to work together.
Debby Volz, President of Vanguard Services, next addressed the
group about plans for renovations of Demeter House. Currently
eight residents are sleeping at Demeter House, while attending
the Phoenix Program during the day. These residents have been
in the house since June. About one month ago, Vanguard Services
decided to proceed with the renovations and movement of Demeter
House from South Monroe Street to South Sixth Street. Final renovation
plans were sent out for bids about 3 weeks ago. Two bids are
in, Vanguard needs one more. The original estimates are that
the renovations will take 4 to 6 months.
The current design for Demeter House shows that the basement level
will be used for offices, with a play area for children. The
main floor will have a family room, play room, kitchen, dining
room, storage room, and garage. To be added is a concrete slab
(type of patio), covered with playguard foam. The upper level
will have bedrooms and the laundry facilities. Exterior modifications
include the patio structure and landscaping. Debby indicated
that Vanguard wants to get individual ideas and a consensus about
what to do with the landscape, to lessen the impact of Demeter
House.
Scott Brintzer and Debby went over the landscape designs for the
back of the property. The overall idea is to integrate the house
into the landscape so it disappears. Parking will be at the exterior
of the house. There are 40 feet from the back of the house to
the fence line. The patio will be dead center on the property,
right up against the house on the ground level. Trees to be planted
will grow above the fence. There are plans to put in a gazebo,
to be used as a private, quiet area.
The group asked about installation of an irrigation system, which
we were told would be up to the budget. Vanguard has no idea
of the cost of landscaping. The work could be done in one week
- the property (yard) is empty. There is a commitment by Vanguard
to get a landscape plan that the neighborhood can live with -
Vanguard must do what it and the neighbors agree to or the County
will not give Vanguard the use permit.
Projected occupancy of Demeter House is 4 to 6 months, so some
time in April or May. Currently, there are 14 women at the South
Monroe property.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Maria Corey
Recording Secretary
November 10, 1997
This page was last revised on: September 15, 2000.
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