President's Report

Thanks to everyone who attended our September presentation on Emergency Preparedness and Community Policing efforts. Barcroft has an opportunity to be the Third District pilot neighborhood. We need an organizer who will reach out to each street in Barcroft for volunteers to put this plan into action. Please contact me if you want more information on this important new project.

Long time resident David George reports that yet another USPS dropoff mailbox has been removed from Barcroft -- this one at Abingdon Street. Mr. George reports that over the years the number of mailboxes have steadily declined within our neighborhood, removing any opportunity for residents to walk a reasonable distance to drop off their mail. If you wish to comment to Postal Service call 1-800-275-8777 and reference Case No. KA12967663.

Kudos to the Barcrofters who attended the Columbia Pike Design charrette. Reports were good on this exercise and we are hopeful that the results will be beneficial to our stretch of the Pike.

Our October 3 meeting will offer info on the sales tax referendum and the County bond proposals. Hope to see you there.

Columbia Pike: A Vision for the Future

Residents along Columbia Pike just completed a week of discussions about how to turn our traffic sewer into a Main Street.

Buildings with welcoming facades and store-front windows would line wide, shaded sidewalks. Upscale shops would be just around the corner from existing family-run and ethnic businesses. Rapid bus or light rail would create a transit hub. Office space and residential apartments would keep the Pike alive and vibrant at all hours.

This is the vision of a re-made Columbia Pike literally sketched out in detail at a week-long planning session sponsored by the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization and the Arlington County Board. Called a ``charrette’’ (don’t ask why), the sessions began with a day of brainstorming by area residents at the Sheraton National Hotel. It was performed under the guidance of urban design professionals, who then spent five days illustrating these visions in a slick, PowerPoint presentation.

Many of the ideas for redevelopment will sound familiar to those involved in the discussion for the past two years – or 20 years for that matter. The difference this time is that the county board by the end of the year may enshrine these ideas into the county land use code for the Pike.

Developers who choose to abide by the vision will be rewarded with the possibility of higher density and expedited reviews. Traditional ideas of separating retail from office from residential, of isolated buildings set in an island of asphalt parking lots back away from the street will be tossed out in an effort to create a streetscape with a character of its own where residents can shop, work and live.

What would be in store for Barcroft's strip of the Pike from Four Mile Run to S. George Mason Drive? It would considered a ``neighborhood center,''with more density than there is now but far less than at Walter Reed Drive. Two-to-four story buildings would line the Pike, with alignment on the west end serving the W&OD trail and park. Sidewalks would be widened, and parking facilities would be erected behind the new storefronts to ease the gridlock that now exists in the dated shopping strip there. The misaligned S. Buchanan-Four Mile Run intersection at the Goodwill would be straightened. But Four Mile Run would be limited to one-way, southbound traffic to stop Barcroft cut-through. A new, northbound cutoff from the smaller Four Mile Run would be built just east of the Goodwill. The Food Star and Hi Cue would succumb to a new multi-use complex with a grocer and condos.

Lots of questions remain. Traffic could become more congested, yet it’s not clear how cyclists will be accommodated. Do residents buy off on the idea of increased density that seems central to this plan? Should the Pike become a showcase for the pedestrian and transit-oriented ``new urbanism,’’ or do we prefer the status quo as we breeze past it in our cars? Can the ``funkiness’’ of the Pike be preserved if development booms? And will developers ever find the Pike desireable enough to make it happen?

Planners will return to the community in late October to show their preliminary draft. Watch for notices about that meeting. One thing became clear from the September meetings: the outcome is in the hands of those who show up.

Barcroft Art Show: Light in October

Light In October will be Saturday October 12 from 1 pm to 8 pm. The evening hours will be very cool as Peter will display most of his metal sculptures in the Barcroft Community House gardens and will light them up!

Check out www.lightinoctober.com for more information.

New Sparrow Pond Takes On America’s
#1 Water Quality Problem

On August 24, Arlington chief naturalist Greg Zell led a celebration of an attractive new series of ponds and wetland habitat collectively known as Sparrow Pond. Arlington welcomed the resurrection of a beloved pond and wetland habitat lost since 1996.

The complete story is complex, but here is the condensed version: man builds railroad in 1840s next to Four Mile Run to ensure a ready supply of fuel for steam locomotives. Beavers dam streams that flow into Four Mile Run and create pond/wetland habitat. Modern structural engineers fear high water levels from beaver dams will saturate, weaken, and collapse historic rails-to-trails embankment, severing an important fiber optics cable in the process.

As a result of these concerns, Arlington County staff reluctantly removed the beaver dams that created Sparrows Swamp. Over a six-year journey, community leaders created a solution that satisfied all concerns, and the new Sparrow Pond was unveiled on August 24th.

But lost in the celebration is that this wetland oasis is Arlington’s latest secret weapon in a growing arsenal against the nation’s greatest water quality problem—nonpoint source pollution. Since the 1972 passage of the federal Clean Water Act, pollution from factory pipes and sewage treatment plants has decreased dramatically, yet many waterbodies remain too polluted for safe swimming or fishing. It turns out that the greatest source of pollution comes from the careless everyday activities of -- us“ People pollution” It comes from lawn care enthusiasts who over-apply fertilizer and other chemicals, dog owners who don’t pick up after their pets, human-induced erosion, stormwater runoff contaminated with automotive fluids and artificially heated by blacktop roads and parking lots, to name just a few sources.

The good news is that Mother Nature herself provides one of the best antidotes: wetlands. Wetlands have been dubbed "nature’s kidneys" for their amazing ability to absorb many pollutants and process them into benign by-products.

Sparrow Pond treats nonpoint source runoff from about 80 acres of land, most of it in Arlington Forest, but also along Barcroft’s western edge, as well as a stretch of Arlington Boulevard. The next time you take in the view at the new Sparrow Pond observation post along the W&OD Trail, admire the site not only for its restored habitat, but its water cleansing abilities, as well.

Arlington CROPWALK in October

The annual Arlington CROPWALK will be held on Saturday, October 19, starting at 8:00 AM. The walk follows a 10 km circuit around the central portion of Arlington, beginning and ending at Arlington Forest United Methodist Church. Money raised by CROPWALK goes to Church World Service to fight hunger around the world. 25% of the money collected in Arlington goes to the Arlington Food Assistance Center, which distributes emergency groceries to needy families.

If you are interested in walking for a good cause contact Barcroft neighbor Art Lipman (920-6423), 4409 First Road, or the Arlington CROPWALK Coordinator, Fred Jones, at 536-3280 (evenings), or check to see if your church is participating. If you can’t walk, please sponsor a walker.

Traffic Calming Update

Barcroft Traffic Calming measures on four streets are to be installed by the end of September: speed humps on Abingdon, 3rd and 4th and speed cushions on Pershing/Buchanan. The difference between the two measures is that the cushions permit Fire Emergency Services Vehicles (F/EMS) to go in channels through the cushions because of axle width, not over them. This means no loss of seconds on response time. Both measures are to accommodate 25 mph, the posted speed. There have been resident discussions with DPW/TC Staff about locations to find the best sites for the humps.

We have no notification yet about when the circles might be installed for Wakefield. I would be happy to meet with groups of neighbors with questions about the plan we submitted for Barcroft; just call me to arrange a date/time.

Again, I urge residents concerned in the meantime about speeding vehicles to contact the Police Department which provides the radar units for teams who would like to monitor speed on their streets. It is very educational for those of us estimating speeds and for those traveling who forget what speed they are doing. The phone number I have for the Radar Project is Michael Dunne 703-228-4079 or use the non-emergency number: 703-558-2222 and ask for the current officer in charge of the radar for citizens. To contact Elaine Squeri with any questions or comments, call 920-7014 or email Elaine@bscl.org You can also call Randy Swart at 703-521-2080 or email him at randy@bscl.org. He is a trained radar operator.

Schedule of Events

Please check our calendar page on the Web for updates.

Submission to the Barcroft News

If you are interested in ad space, contact our ad manager Jim Kerr at Jim@bscl.org

Check out our Barcroft Website for the latest news! www.bscl.org

Advertisements

Barn Dance

Traditional American dancing (contras, squares, and circles) for everyone. Liz Donaldson, caller, will teach all the steps and dances, so non-dancers can participate immediately. Live music provided by JumpStart (Julie Gorka, piano and fiddle, Kathy Kerr, fiddle, and Jim Besser, guitar and concertina).

Just Sold for $327,800 - 4633 S. 2nd St.

The Casey O’Neal Team at RE/MAX Horizons

Casey O’Neal and Rosemarie Johnson

(office) 703-824-4800 www.HomeSaleAdvisor.com or www.caseyoneal.com

PS: If you or someone you know could benefit from expert buyer or seller representation, please call or email so we may be of service.

Home Remodeling

Additions, Kitchens, Baths, Patios, Painting & Handyman Services

Fast, reliable service.

703-553-TODD (8633)

"Todd did an outstanding job in helping my clients achieve top dollar for their home. He and his crew transformed a run-down property into a model home, all in record time!"
Casey O'Neal, Associate Broker, RE/MAX Horizons

"Thank you, Todd for all you did to rehabilitate and prepare my house for sale. The hundred tasks you completed in less than a month made it possible. I note your leadership and construction skills, and am very glad you were available and willing to do the work for me. Thanks"
Ray ..\ Granada St.

"Thanks for the very professional renovations preformed on my house - fast, reasonable and well designed. Hard to find attentive service like you provide!"
Bill, S. Pershing Ct.

All Barcroft News phone numbers are area code 703 unless indicated.

Barcroft News Staff

Editor - Christina Cavoli, 703-271-0631 editor@BSCL.org
Publisher/Mailing - Susan Hunn, 703-892-6179
Contributions - Mark Wigfield, 703-979-0339 mark@BSCL.org
Advertising Manager - Jim Kerr, 703-892-6458 jim@BSCL.org
Neighborhood News - Kathy Kerr, 703-892-6458 kathy@BSCL.org

BSCL Officers for 2001-2002

President - Pat Williamson-Edwards, 703-521-1082 pwilliamson@weta.com
Vice President -- Eric Harold - 703-486-0879, eric@BSCL.org
Recording Secretary -- We need you!
Treasurer - - Gary LeFebvre - 703-521-0184 gary@BSCL.org
Corresponding Secretary -- Eric Parker -- 703-486-3649, ericp@BSCL.org
Membership Secretary -- Peg LeFebvre - 703-521-0184 peg@BSCL.org
Board Members
Jim Kerr jim@BSCL.org
David Michaelson david@BSCL.org
Mike Behringer
Shirley Gay

Facility Managers - Steve Reiss, 703-553-0909 and Lori Fitchett 703-979-3920


email: rentals@BSCL.org
Restoration - Jim Kerr, 703-892-6458 jim@BSCL.org
Fundraising - JoAnne Barnhart, 703-920-0821
Landscaping - Scott Brinitzer, 703-892-0308 scott@BSCL.org

Arlington Mill Community Center -- Bill Lykes, 703-892-4422
Columbia Pike - Bryant Monroe, 703-271-0944 - bryant@BSCL.org
Crime - vacant
Demeter House Liaison Committee - Darlene Mickey
Parade -- Andrew Hunter, 703-979-8247
Parks -- Shelley Fichtner, 703-486-0856 shelley@BSCL.org
Traffic /B> - Elaine Squeri 703-920-7014, elaine@BSCL.org
Volunteers - Scott Royal 703-553-0909 volunteers@BSCL.org