Neighbors opposing Phoenix Bikes proposed new facility

[DismalScientist]

@dbb 70876 wrote:

A quick look at the Phoenix tax return suggests very modest support from Arlington County (not sure how the current building is reflected as it is County property).

If I read the return properly, Arlington County gave $8000 cash last year and use of a building valued at $1300 per month.

As to the proposed location, the nearest county-supplied restroom would be about 3 blocks down the trail at Barcroft.

As far as the funding goes, Phoenix plans to raise $1 million for the facility.

It looks like the opposition is simply local neighbors not wanting the county to develop land at this corner. I would attribute this to the general level of grumpiness in the county when it comes to any local development issues and would not view this as being anti-bike in motivation.

[dasgeh]

@Kolohe 70831 wrote:

It’s difficult for me to come up with a good heuristic that specifies why certain charities can get this kind of consideration, but others can’t. i.e. you’re not going to be able to grant county land to everyone who asks for it – or even who’s deserving – so you’re going to need a system. And the system for this is ‘having board membership in common’

I don’t think the system for this project is “having board membership in common”. This particular project is a way for ArlCo to put their land to use that would benefit everyone (bathrooms, water, air, hopefully fix-it station and vending machine) some and benefit the nonprofit (which does lots of good in ArlCo) a lot. I believe the system for the County to decide if they partner with nonprofits for projects like this is nonprofits approach the County, and the County evaluates. I don’t believe another nonprofit has approached with a competing proposal.

The County does partner with lots of nonprofits in lots of different areas. So does the Commonwealth. So does the federal government.

[bobco85]

I’m finding it difficult to have a strong reaction to a situation for which we have inadequate information.

All the information we have on this project is this:

• Phoenix Bikes (a non-profit) is proposing to build a new facility at W&OD Trail/Walter Reed Drive.
• Some trees are likely to be cut down.
• The new facility will feature education space, public restrooms, a drinking fountain, a water bottle refill station and an air pump.
• It is expected to cost about $1 million.

Questions still needing an answer:

• How large will the facility be? What will it look like?
• How many trees will be removed?
• What parking will be provided? If yes, will it be on-street or in its own lot?
• Will the public bathrooms be closed at night?

Useful information:

• Arlington County has a policy of planting new trees whenever it cuts some down.
• In general, public bathrooms in park facilities close at night (when the parks themselves close).
• This is a rendering (taken from this thread) of what the facility might look like
  [ATTACH=CONFIG]4206[/ATTACH]

I support the idea of having a the proposed facility for Phoenix Bikes in that location but want to know more information. However, I find the flyer to be quite deceptive with its use of scare tactics and hyperbole. I am planning on attending the meeting, and if I do, I will report back to the forum.

[jrenaut]

This thread has inspired me – I just made a donation to Phoenix through their website. Regardless of the arguments on either side of this new facility, everything I’ve heard tells me they’re a good organization doing good work.

[dasgeh]

Henry presented at Monday’s ABAC meeting. There was a handout with the rendering you show, and a few more sketches. I don’t have them off hand, but IIRC, we’re talking around 3000 sq ft. So smaller than many of the new homes in Arlington.

This project is in the preliminary stages, so there’s isn’t yet an answer to how many trees will be cut down, or how many parking spaces. First, Phoenix needs a commitment from the County, then Phoenix needs to raise more money, then it’ll move to final plans and actual approval by the County.

[KLizotte]

I wonder if the opposition rhetoric would be the same if a library were proposed at the same spot.

[consularrider]

Random thoughts:

As an Arlington resident, homeowner and taxpayer (albeit four miles up the W&OD) I fully support this proposed use of Arlington County land. However, as I consider the proposal, one question I have is, “what is the orientation of the proposed building?” From the rendering it looks like it will front on the W&OD along S Four Mile Run Dr. In order to keep cars from crossing the W&OD, any off street parking would then have to be behind or on the west side of the structure with access from S Walter Reed Dr approximately where the S Walter Reed Dr lateral has its T-juction with Walter Reed. That intersection is already a traffic problem (I’m surprised this isn’t one of the arguments in the opposition flier).

My other thought is that while the ArlNow post quotes the full text of the opposition flyer, there is no attribution or identification of its origin. Maybe it’s from the townhouses on S Randolph St afraid they will lose some of their tree buffer to the light industrial area along S Four Mile Run Dr.

Also, I rarely take ArlNow commentators very seriously, much worse than WaPo.

[dbb]

@jrenaut 70889 wrote:

This thread has inspired me – I just made a donation to Phoenix through their website. Regardless of the arguments on either side of this new facility, everything I’ve heard tells me they’re a good organization doing good work.

That is my impression. When I donated a bike to Phoenix last spring, they got the bike and a cash donation. It is the only store where I look for ways to overpay for a product ’cause more money equals more services. It is also a great place to unload those serviceable bike parts you are storing but will never use.

[dasgeh]

@consularrider 70893 wrote:

However, as I consider the proposal, one question I have is, “what is the orientation of the proposed building?” From the rendering it looks like it will front on the W&OD along S Four Mile Run Dr. In order to keep cars from crossing the W&OD, any off street parking would then have to be behind or on the west side of the structure with access from S Walter Reed Dr approximately where the S Walter Reed Dr lateral has its T-juction with Walter Reed. That intersection is already a traffic problem (I’m surprised this isn’t one of the arguments in the opposition flier).

My other thought is that while the ArlNow post quotes the full text of the opposition flyer, there is no attribution or identification of its origin. Maybe it’s from the townhouses on S Randolph St afraid they will lose some of their tree buffer to the light industrial area along S Four Mile Run Dr.

Ok, we do know more than I posted. On Monday, we were told that the orientation would be facing West (Walter Reed), so that the driveway goes onto Walter Reed basically across from the mini FMR road (look at a map — there are 2 FMRs, one north of and smaller than the other that ends at Walter Reed).

We were also told that, due to elevation change, this project probably would not effect the view from the townhomes.

[dbb]

So the townhouse residents will still be able to view the splendor of the service stations and storage facility? Sweet.

If I was them, that would be the most compelling reason to have Phoenix on the other (service station) side of the street. Something in my sight-line that isn’t ugly.

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