PLANNING PROGRAM

PROGRAM MISSION: To plan, program and implement infrastructure and transportation options in collaboration with neighborhoods, the County and region to foster a livable community�now and in the future.

The program mission is accomplished by the combined efforts of the following sections in the Planning Bureau: Transportation Planning, Neighborhood Traffic Calming (NTC), Subdivision and Bonds, and Development and Plan Review.

• Transportation Planning oversees development of long-range plans for transportation infrastructure; development and management of capital programs for streets, sidewalks and bikeways; coordination with State and regional transportation agencies; review and approval of major private development projects, enforcement of the subdivision ordinance, and support for four of the five County transportation advisory groups (Transportation Commission, Transit Advisory Committee, Bicycle Advisory Committee, and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.) Planning staff program and manage projects in four Capital Improvement Program areas (NTC, Streets, Bikeways, and WALKArlington). Capital project management will be increasing as staffing allows. Other efforts include County regulation of taxicabs and development of the web pages for DES in transportation.
  
  In FY 2005-2007, the major planning activity is the Master Transportation Plan. In FY 2005, the Arterial Transportation Management (ATM) study was completed as an initial stage of a new street master plan. The ATM study focused on forecasts of future traffic levels, street functional classification, and measures to reduce speeding and improve bike and pedestrian travel for major streets. FY 2005 also included development of a revision for the Bicycle Transportation Plan. In FY 2006 work will include completing multi-modal plans for corridors already under study.
  
  Multi-department and regional planning efforts in FY 2005 and FY 2006 include Columbia Pike, Rosslyn, Clarendon, Nauck/Shirlington/Four Mile Run, Ft. Myer Heights, VTrans 2025 (long-range planning effort to create a more integrated, convenient, and efficient transportation system for all of the Commonwealth's travelers), and Northern Virginia 2030 plan.
  
  Efforts continue on marking of 23 miles of new bicycle lanes, as a result of the adopted bike lanes plan element in the Arlington Bicycle Transportation Plan. Staff continues to implement the new bike lanes by securing funding, working with affected communities and developing the lane marking plans. Continued priority is on completion of the more than 50 pedestrian, bicycle and street projects already funded. Also, the WALKArlington initiative will continue, building on the pilot study for the Ballston end of the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor.

• Neighborhood Traffic Calming, as part of an overall effort of DES, Police and the Neighborhood Traffic Calming Committee to manage volume and speed of traffic in residential areas, coordinates the planning and consensus-building process for particular neighborhood streets rated as having the most severe speeding problems.

• Subdivision and Bonds manages the County's review and approval process of subdivision plats, condominium plats, and public and private easement plats by applying state and County subdivision code requirements. It also administers a public improvement performance bond program that ensures construction of public improvements required by Board-approved site plans and the Subdivision Ordinance, and collects fees for plat review and bond processing.

• Development and Plan Review prepares the input to the Planning Commission and the County Board on major site plans and rezoning projects, use permits, General Land Use Plan (GLUP) amendments, and Board of Zoning Appeals variances. It coordinates DES review of street and sidewalk improvements, water, sewer, utility undergrounding, stormwater management, Chesapeake Bay Ordinance, and streetlights. Fees are collected for major development engineering plan reviews.

SIGNIFICANT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

• The personnel budget increase is due to step increases, reclassification of positions and three FTEs transferred to this program, 2.0 FTEs from the Transit Program and 1.0 FTE from Solid Waste.

• The decrease in non-personnel budget is mostly a result of decreases in telephone charges ($9,131) and office supplies ($6,000).

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

FUTURE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS:

• Federal, state, developer and County funding for pedestrian, bicycle, transit and major street projects continues at a level of $10 million to $15 million annually. Filling staff vacancies in FY 2005 will help get some funded projects underway, but staff resources to manage projects are insufficient for the level of funding.

• Completing the Master Transportation Plan (MTP) in 2006 (FY 2007) as directed by the County Board will require additional funding in FY 2005 and FY 2006 for Rosslyn, and will depend upon staff resources for transportation planning being devoted to the MTP without substantial diversion to multi-departmental and regional efforts.