Arlington Green candidate for county board Audrey Clement said today that the hackneyed cliche "smart growth" must be discarded for 21st Century "smarter growth" that includes the social and environmental costs that are not included in Arlington County Government's approval of more density and higher buildings in Arlington.

"What is needed is a holistic approach to including the uncounted and overlooked costs of more density and more in-fill in Arlington, such costs include effects on rising school population, higher traffic levels, more single-person cars uses, negative effect on storm water runoff and heavier sewage costs, overcrowed and overused Metrorail trains in Arlington, a rising tax burden on current Arlington residents, and the loss of affordable housing."

If Arlington is to remain a diverse and environmentally sound community, Ms. Clement says these so-called "spillover costs" must be included in the approval process for future projects. Ms. Clements says that the so-called "smart growth" over the past 10 years have resulted in nearly two-thirds of affordable, private rental housing being eliminated from Arlington, and many moderate income people no longer welcomed in Arlington.

"Smarter growth" in Arlington must keep pace with measuring and acknowledging the full costs of development on Arlington neighbors, taxpayers, renters, and environment. Arlington government has not kept pace with the smarter growth that is required to insure the continuing good quality of life Arlington residents expect.

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GPVA Press Secretary: Miriam Gennari