Virtually all residents who responded to the survey deemed it very important to install and maintain natural vegetation, especially trees, in the Williamsburg community. Residents see this as a responsibility to be shared with Arlington County. As one resident commented, "Vegetation and trees contribute significantly to the aesthetic quality of Williamsburg. Even the most banal suburban architecture will be lovable if veiled by layers of trees, shrubs and flowers. These things soften the hard-edged, constructed environment." They provide food for birds and small wildlife, absorb noise, screen outdoor spaces, and provide refreshing shade.

There are several public areas that would benefit from some special beautification measures. These include the traffic circle at Williamsburg Boulevard and Sycamore Street (Williamsburg traffic circle), the Birch-Payne Cemetery, the traffic island at the junction of Little Falls Road, Kensington Street and Yorktown Boulevard, the undeveloped 28th Street right-of-way between Lexington Street and John Marshall Drive, and the pedestrian path between Kensington and 27th Streets.

Recommendations

5. Preserve the Birch-Payne Cemetery by:

5a. Installing new fencing and an appropriate historical marker at the site.

5b. Identifying and marking the locations of the 19 graves where possible. Most of the original headstones have been damaged or stolen.

5c. Installing appropriate landscaping and seating. For example, a serenity garden or a healing garden might allow residents respectful access to the site.

6. Improve the appearance of Nottingham Elementary School by installing additional landscaping around the building and on the grounds. Install additional seating along the street perimeter of the playground.

7. Improve the Williamsburg traffic circle by:

7a. Evaluating the current landscaping and designing a master landscape plan which will provide seasonal interest. The site has a haphazard appearance and lacks unity. The surrounding small traffic islands should be incorporated into the planting scheme for continuity.

7b. Restoring the electrical supply which was severed during maintenance operations several years ago.

7c. Installing a water faucet, which would make it easier for residents to assist with care and maintenance of the landscaping.

8. Preserve as a small green space the undeveloped 28th Street right-of-way between Lexington Street and John Marshall Drive and create a landscaped pedestrian path.

9. Improve the appearance of the foot path between Kensington Street and 27th Street by replacing the current concrete sidewalk with a landscaped pedestrian path.

10. Install additional landscaping on the traffic island at the junction of Little Falls Road, Kensington Street and Yorktown Boulevard.

Under the direction of the Williamsburg Civic Association, residents of John Marshall Drive applied for and received a small parks grant in 1998 to plant hollies and flowering shrubs and trees on the median. The south end of the median already had a small garden of flowering plants created and maintained by a resident. Additional work is needed to preserve the mature trees on the site.

Recommendation

11. Preserve as a small green space the large landscaped median near 3100 John Marshall Drive where the Minor family spring house once stood by:

11a. Installing additional beds of woodland and native plants.

11b. Installing a water faucet to make it easier for residents to assist with care and maintenance of the landscaping.

11c. Removing underbrush and dead trees and limbs.

11d. Preserving mature trees.

11e. Thinning saplings to promote healthy growth among remaining trees.