Amendments to the Human Rights Ordinance (Chapter 31) – Item 7
The Arlington County Board approved amendments to the Human Rights Ordinance to include Source of Funds discrimination as a prohibited act in housing in Arlington and to allow the Office of Human Rights to investigate these complaints. The inclusion of source of funds as a protected class in the provision of housing in Arlington will provide residents that receive subsidized income, such as Housing Choice Vouchers or Housing Grants, protection against discrimination.

Funding Approval for Arlington Neighborhoods Program – Item 8
The Board approved over $3 million of Arlington Neighborhoods Program bond funds for four priority neighborhood projects to make improvements to the Woodstock Park in Waverly hills, and improvements to specific streets and sidewalks in the Cherrydale, Arlington Ridge, and Boulevard Manor neighborhoods.

The Arlington Neighborhoods Program (formerly the Neighborhood Conservation Program) empowers residents to collaborate on how to make improvements to their neighborhood and then directly engage the County with their ideas. To learn more about the process, please visit the Arlington Neighborhoods Program webpage.   

Neighborhood Mini Grant Pilot Project – Item 11
The Board also approved a pilot for the Neighborhood Mini Grant, a program designed to assist residents, community groups, civic and community-based organizations with engaging residents in their neighborhood in activities that strengthen the community. Applicants will be asked to use the County’s Equity Lens when planning and developing their project/activity. $10,000 in funding will be made available for these grants, with up to $1,000 for each award.

Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board Funding – Item 12
The Board also approved and appropriated $750,000 in one-time grant funds from the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board to support recruitment and retention in the Regional Adult Mobile Crisis Response/Community Regional Crisis program (known as CR2). 24 hours a day, 7 days a week--CR2 provides crisis response and stabilization services to those experiencing an acute behavioral health crisis or co-occurring behavioral health disorders.

Establishing a Firearms Buy Back Program (Chapter 71) – Item 21
The County Board approved an ordinance to establish a voluntary Firearms Buyback Program. The ordinance authorizes the County Manager to establish a firearm buyback program, in which unwanted or unneeded firearms may be surrendered by any resident of Arlington County or the City of Falls Church in exchange for gift cards, cash or vouchers. The ordinance also authorizes the County Manager to work with private entities to fund or sponsor the program. Unwanted or unneeded firearms will be surrendered to and disposed of by law enforcement officers in accordance with federal and state laws.

Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 – Recessed County Board Meeting

Request to Advertise Speed Limit Decreases – Item 18
Finally, the Board approved a request to advertise a future public hearing on an ordinance to amend Chapter 14.2 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) of the Arlington County Code, which will decrease the speed limit — from 30 to 25 miles per hour — in the following corridors:

1. Military Road from Nelly Custis Drive to Langston Boulevard;

2. North Carlin Springs Road from North Glebe Road to North George Mason Drive;  

3. North George Mason Drive from North Carlin Springs Road to Arlington Boulevard;

4. Fairfax Drive from North Kirkwood Road to I-66 ramps; and  

5. 10th Street North from Washington Boulevard to Kirkwood Drive.

These changes are recommended after the Department of Environment Services’ Division of Transportation conducted a study on each of these corridors and determined that a speed limit decrease was needed.

Requests to advertise are not final votes, and residents will have an opportunity to comment on this item at the April 20, 2024, regular board meeting.