We Need A Greener Arlington


Arlington County government promotes itself as “progressive”, but there is nothing progressive about its principal planning paradigm “Smart Growth”.

Smart Growth signifies high density development along transit corridors as an alternative to suburban sprawl. While Smart Growth has encouraged the development of walkable, transit-oriented communities, its impacts, including:

  • gentrification
  • traffic congestion
  • overcrowded schools and
  • loss of green space

render the advantages of Smart Growth meaningless. County Board routinely papers over these impacts, preferring doublespeak and credit claiming to actual mitigation.

It routinely tramples on community concerns in its quest to approve revenue-generating redevelopment projects throughout the County. All along the R-B and Route 1 corridors, massive developments are underway that will reap millions of dollars of revenue for the County, untold profits for developers, and devastating impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.

In effect the County government operates as a machine to tyrannize its constituents in the name of “Smart Growth”.  Smart Growth as presently understood will replace residential neighborhoods with upper middle class slums. Most of us know we can’t afford the rent in the R-B corridor high rises already. What we don’t appreciate is that we can’t afford the impacts of Smart Growth either. Enter the Campaign for a Greener Arlington.