Arlington's Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Resources has begun an update of what the County calls its "Open Space Master Plan." This document, originally adopted on 10 September 1994, lays out (at great length) the open space resources in the County. It also summarizes goals for improving what we have and acquiring more. All 169 pages are available here (in PDF format – meaning that you must have an Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

The Open Space Master Plan is based on the following (quite reasonable) assumption:

Open space contributes to economic value. On the surface, the provision of additional open space may represent a decision to reduce the inventory of taxable property. Ultimately, however, the creation of an urban environment that balances commerce and leisure, concrete and greenery, and buildings and parks will ultimately make Arlington a more valuable place for both residents and businesses.

The report then goes on to assert six objectives. These objectives boil down to the idea that Arlington County should make sure that County residents have an "adequate supply" of open spaces: parkland; recreational areas; and historic, cultural, and natural resources. The standard adopted in the 1994 Open Space Master Plan is 1.2 acres of neighborhood open space per 1000 persons and 2.8 acres of community open space per 1000 persons (Table 1, p. 4).

The bottom line for our civic association: Williamsburg is deficient in parkland and open spaces:

• Sharp Park (our only park) is 1.2 acres.
• Minor Hill is currently being used solely as a water storage facility, with most of the available open space fenced off from residents.

Our deficit in open spaces is particularly striking when you compare our resources to those of the civic associations adjacent to the large pieces of parkland and recreational area around Barcroft and Bluemont Park. Our open space situation also compares unfavorably with those of nearby Chesterbrook Civic Association (with five parks); Yorktown (with three parks), and Arlington-East Falls Church (with 3 parks). (Click here for a list of all parks.)

• One solution to our deficit of parkland is to pursue the goal of turning Minor Hill into a park/recreational area (consistent with the safety of the water supply).

• Another solution is the strategy adopted in the County's Open Space Master Plan: land acquisition. The County would locate properties for sale within our Civic Association boundary lines, buy them (especially if they were adjacent to each other), tear down the houses, plant trees, and install a few benches. Another possibility is to leave one house intact and turn it into a community center.

One possible objection to this latter plan – that it would remove property from the County tax base – is counterbalanced by the fact that our little part of North Arlington is undergoing very rapid redevelopment. Because of our strategic location (i.e., proximity to the subway line, Interstate-66, easy access to downtown DC), land prices have spiraled. In virtually every block, developers are buying up small houses, ripping them down, and constructing large and luxurious homes. Most of these homes are going for at least $800,000 – quadrupling the taxes the County can collect on every property! This means that the County's tax base in Williamsburg is expanding rapidly. The County can well afford to plow some of that money back into our community, which has long been shortchanged when it comes to parkland, recreational amenities, and other goodies.

How You Can Help:

• If you are among those Williamsburg residents who want more parkland in our neighborhood, express that desire to the County point of contact for the Open Space Master Plan update: Carlton Hart, Project Coordinator, at 703-228-7577 or chart@co.arlington.va.us
• The Minor Hill Task Force is working to ensure that this property is used for purposes that meet community needs. To send suggestions, contact Don Gross at 703-237-1059.

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