Is There Any Plan for Anything in Vienna in 2008?

1. Vienna Town Council, working in conjunction with local, state, and Federal authorities, will employ all resources at their disposal to ensure the fundamental safety of its citizens.

2. Vienna Town Council, working in conjunction with local, state, and Federal authorities, will expend all personal and political capital to enforce our existing laws and ordinances regarding immigration, housing, parking, and moving violations.

3. Vienna Town Council, working with with a theme of accountability and transparency, will ensure they are the model of open government, and will set the standard nationwide for prudent use of public monies, doing what is in the best interest of the majority of its citizens, in order to provide the best value in government services per public funds expended.

4. Vienna Town Council, working in conjunction with local, state, and Federal authorities, will do everything in their power to ensure that all citizens have a convenient opportunity to vote for their elected representatives in a timely and documented manner when they elect their other national officials, most notably in Nov.

5. Similar to the Officers of Publicly Traded Companies, mandated by Sarbanes-Oxley, Vienna Town Council leadership will sign and attest to these principles, stating their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor on said principles, or resign immediately.

Stephen, what you outlined is what they did last year. Really some of the statements do not even ring true. Keywords: transparency, parking. Otherwise the omissions of responsibility are relevant. Why have you failed to mention econmic development generated by the TG and the rental of Hollywood rental store and the empty fabric store?

Vienna Town Council leadership will sign and attest to these principles, stating their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor on said principles, or resign immediately.

I wish. Then, none of these TC losers would have any money, and would be ousted immediately. Its 2008 already, can we start getting rid of them now?

Wyltn:

You forgot to mention the empty gas station and our two new banks! We are cruising right along to 1985.

Need I mention again that something cool better happen where the Flea Trap is located?!

If they did even one of those 5 things, it would be a good start.

Vienna Mommy - could you please explain your reference to 1985? I wasnt born yet, but Im curious as to what you mean. Thanks :)

BTW, what ever happened to the redevelopment plans proposed by the Marco Polo group?

What is the town going to do to rectify the Southern States complex from servicing their shops by tractor trailers sitting in the Safeway driveway. How did this fiasco happen when even Mrs Damon had questions about parking spreading to the Safeway lot. It is time to change the town ordinance to disallow shared parking to comply, especially when the parking is across a busy street. This will be hard to justify since the town, in order to be in compliance, has arranged for shared parking by the police at the adjoining church parking lot and the town hall employees park on the Magruders complex lot.

1985 - just a random date in our past. I could have easily said 1978. We're not progressing forward because we are not adding businesses which make town living pleasant or viable. We're adding real estate place holders for large banking institutions.

Actually, come to think of it, 1985 was probably a better year in Vienna. We still had Full Cry, Vienna Movie Theater and Kemp Mill.

I attended a children's performance at Arlington Cinema and Draft recently. It made me completely green with envy that we do not have a renovated Vienna Movie Theater which could have movies and performances for people of all ages.

But, we do have a HUGE bike shop. Yippee.

I just wish we would be able to keep our video stores. Now there is only one store left in town, luckily the one I frequent. I heard Panera was moving into the old Hollywood Video, but I saw a lease sign up so I'm not sure if that's true or not. Does anyone know?

I would like to see a senior residential complex in Vienna. The Community Center has such great activities for seniors, yet there are very few places they can live nearby without having to take care of a yard. Oakton used to be able to support 2 sunrise centers, but they got rid of one a couple of years ago. Many new senior buildings have some 1st floor retail such as a cafe to serve the residents and the neighborhood which helps create a nice walkable streetscape.

Iam planning 5-6 new gas stations with the support of the vienna town council I see no problem getting them in by 2009. We are also planning a couple of new nail salons (thats something new with shell) but what the hell with all the money were making with gas prices its a shot we have to take. We still get a couple of calls a week here that some towns people have to drive more then a mile to get gas, so with these new stations and the help of the town council we should be able to take care of those few people and also milk all the cut through traffic for all that it's worth. Just think in a couple of years with the towns help we will turn all of Vienna into a big drive through. Think of the potential......

Maud is now saying that there will be a new "Senior Farm" in Vienna. Not sure what that is exactly.

Hay NE guy...The video stores are dying because of other media formats but I am with you. We need a MVC late night video store where Hollywood used to be. would that be great or what...We could re do that whole shopping center area with living space for seniors upstairs and porn videos down. Do you think Maud would move in, I know George would....Seriously look at Falls Church and what they are doing with there main drag, some beautifully planned shopping, living, and professional space. WHY CANT WE DO THAT? BECAUSE OF **** POOR LEADERSHIP, AND ONE OLD LADY THAT SHOULD OF GONE IN THE GROUND LONG AGO. UNTIL YOU VOTE OUT THE HARD LINE COMMUNIST ON THE BOARD YOUR TOWN AND MINE WILL CONTINUE TO FLOUNDER...

HV,
What are you referring to? I've never even met Maud.

METHINKS MAUD IS PAST DUE FOR THE FUNNY FARM.

From the minutes of the Oct. 22 Council Hearing on the Maple Avenue Corridor:

"Councilwoman Robinson stated that she felt each Council Member should clarify in their own minds, what they want Vienna to be or not to be, define the development of Vienna, etc., whether it is desired to keep the small town identity or go for big-time redevelopment."

-Does Maud really think anyone in Vienna is for doing away with a "small town identity"? Why is "small town identity" placed in opposition to "big time redevelopment"? The only opposites are small and big and they aren't referring to the same thing. What does she even mean? It's right up there with one of my other favorite generic saying "quality of life" which means something different at any given time to each person you speak to. Vienna might currently be a small town to someone who lives in D.C., but to someone who lives in rural southern VA, it is part of a huge metropolitan area. Her words are over generalized and do not help in any planning effort. The town needs specific words that say what we want to keep and enhance in the town (and be based on lots of public comment) and then town planning should be be based on these criteria and not deviate to meet developer's or homeowner's wishes without very good reason.

Re NE Resident's comments, it would be nice if m
Maud would give her definition or at least some scope notes of what she means by her terms. Maybe the TC, including Maud, should give detailed comments as to what they found objectionable in the Vision Committee's report and recommendations where involved Vienna residents spent much time, research and thought in drafting it as well as presenting it to the TC. As I recall with little comment or alternative suggestions the TC buried the report and has done little or nothing to indicate how the Town code should be changed to indicate what to do with the commercial corridor as well as the transitional and residential areas. In this regard, it is interesting to note that a very high percentage of the present Maple Ave commercial strip buildings do not comply with the present code. Thus maybe the TC should present their own "visions" on what should be done, including code provision changes. Maybe they should also revisit the Vision Committee's Report and give it serious consideration instead of merely dismissing it with no alternative suggestions except vague terms like "small town identity" and "big time developement."