Business owners in the Renew Arlington Community Redevelopment Area and its advisory board are trying to work out their differences.
A workshop Oct. 8 could be where the two groups find a compromise about how much financial assistance will be made available to commercial property owners preparing to comply with design standards under the Renew Arlington Zoning Overlay.
City Council passed Ordinance 2019-0239-E on June 25, approving the overlay that included commercial property requirements for landscaping buffers, building and signage height and fencing materials on existing buildings, as well as building setback, finishes and frontage design standards for new commercial development.
The updated zoning is designed to combat blight in Arlington and create uniformity in the building codes to attract new development.
Three major business corridors will be impacted by the overlay changes: University Boulevard from the Arlington Expressway to Fort Caroline Road; Merrill Road from University Boulevard to Interstate 295; and a section of Arlington Road from University Boulevard to Rogero Road.
The requirements can vary among the five “character areas” outlined in the overlay.
Business owners like Mike Anania, owner of CAM Automotive at 5921 Arlington Road, have been debating the details of the overlay with the city Office of Economic Development since public meetings began in October 2017.
Businesses are concerned about how much it could cost to comply.
At the Aug. 27 Renew Arlington advisory board meeting, Anania said the concern is that landscape architect, engineering and design services to determine compliance will cost more than materials and labor.
“There’s no one on the advisory board who are commercial property owners or developers that understand these hard costs versus soft costs,” Anania said.
The Renew Arlington board and city leaders have made concessions, including increasing the time business owners have to comply with the adopted standards.
Before the bill’s passage, District 1 City Council member Joyce Morgan, who represents Arlington, introduced an amendment allowing commercial property owners until Dec. 31, 2024, or five years plus 90 days after the grant program is approved by the Renew Arlington board, to come into compliance.
Morgan co-sponsored the overlay legislation introduced by then-Council President Aaron Bowman.
On Aug. 26, Morgan said the Renew Arlington board is considering full reimbursement of landscape architectural fees for businesses trying to come into compliance.
Bill Cesery, whose family has owned the Lake Lucina Shopping Center since 1960, has pushed for modifications to the zoning overlay.
He said the design of many commercial properties in Arlington dating to the 1950s and ‘60s place utility infrastructure within new required buffer areas that will make compliance difficult.
“There are spots on my property where, I said, I can’t do what they’re asking. I can’t do a 4-foot landscape buffer back where I have an alley where all my dumpsters are, sewer lines and the electric meters,” Cesery said. “So I’m going to have to ask for an administrative deviation for relief from that.”
Preliminary estimates from the Office of Economic Development show businesses in the Arlington Community Redevelopment Area could face a total cost of $6.24 million to come into compliance.
Office Executive Director Kirk Wendland said the estimate is based on discussions between people in the construction industry, the business owners and the city to determine the average cost per property.
Wendland said the cost estimates were not from professional engineers.
According to the office, 123 parcels in the Community Redevelopment Area need new signage to comply with the overlay standards at a potential cost of $2.03 million; 95 parcels need fencing at $522,500; and 112 parcels need landscaping at $3.7 million.
When City Council approved the overlay, Morgan and Office of Economic Development officials said a facade program to accompany the legislation could provide a 2-to-1 match, allowing business owners to apply for up to $20,000 if they invest $10,000 to comply with the standards.
As of Aug. 27, the Renew Arlington facade grant program had $771,373 available. As the program is finalized, the advisory board and the Office of Economic Development are considering making the grant a 3-to-1 match.
Wendland said it’s not feasible for the CRA to pay the total cost for every business needing improvements.
