Participation in the Neighborhood Conservation Program requires that an Arlington County neighborhood complete four steps:

Letter of Commitment: The 1964 County Board resolution establishing the NC Program states that any neighborhood of at least 25 acres becomes eligible for the program by "demonstrating its wish to engage in a program of self improvement." The neighborhood's "Letter of Commitment" identifies a delegate to the NCAC and states that a plan development effort is underway. Williamsburg Neighborhood completed this step in March 1997, when the Association sent a letter of commitment to the county and joined the Arlington County Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee.

Plan Preparation: The neighborhood organization, typically the civic association, is responsible for preparing the Neighborhood Conservation Plan. Technical, clerical and design assistance is available to the neighborhood for all steps of plan preparation through the NC Program staff. The neighborhood develops a questionnaire for distribution to all households to determine the neighborhood's assets, needs, and objectives. In additional, the neighborhood undertakes an inventory of its existing conditions, including land use, zoning, curb, gutter, sidewalk, drainage problems, street lights, traffic, housing, park and recreational facilities, schools, libraries, and other public facilities. The results of the questionnaire and inventory become the foundation of the Neighborhood Conservation Plan. A draft of the Plan is submitted to County staff for comments and suggestions. The neighborhood may revise the draft Plan before final neighborhood adoption, based upon the comments of County staff. Williamsburg fielded its neighborhood survey in 1997.

Plan Acceptance: The neighborhood submits its Plan to the NCAC and Planning Commission, which review the Plan and make recommendations to the County Board. The County Board then considers acceptance of the Plan. The County Board approved the Williamsburg Neighborhood Conservation Plan in the summer of 2000.

Plan Implementation: This is where we are now. An accepted Neighborhood Conservation Plan qualifies the neighborhood to seek Neighborhood Conservation Program funds for specific projects. Soon after the County Board approved our Conservation Plan, we began to develop NC projects. Our Neighborhood Signs Project, which does not count as a full-fledged projecct, was approved in the fall 2000 funding round. We have two projects competing in the spring 2001 funding round. More Information on Williamsburg NC Projects

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