Things You Find Odd About NoVA (Alexandria, Burke: elementary schools, gated, to live in)
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To my recollection, it's quite rare that PA school district boundaries will change unless a township decides it's in its best interests to align or separate from another municipality.
I figured county boundaries in virtually all states would be pretty set. I'm not aware of what obstacles an unincorporated area of VA would need to surmount in order to become its own city.
An interesting bill was introduced into the PA legislature this past spring that would cause the states 500+ school districts to be consolidated into just one for each county (like VA). The citizens mostly seemed to support it, while the educators/districts did not. It has little chance of advancing.
FYI - any unincorporated area in VA that meets the minimum population threshold can incorporate into a town or city with VA legislature approval. All standard political roadblocks would apply.
FYI - any unincorporated area in VA that meets the minimum population threshold can incorporate into a town or city with VA legislature approval. All standard political roadblocks would apply.
They can, but why would they want to?
The only real advantage you get from incorporating is the new city can pass nimby laws. That's one of the reasons all the recent claims about nimbyism really crack me up. IMO it's not as rampant as some might claim, because if the people of Reston were genuinely as interested in nimbyism, they would have voted to incorporate. They had the chance, and they turned it down.
The only real advantage you get from incorporating is the new city can pass nimby laws. That's one of the reasons all the recent claims about nimbyism really crack me up. IMO it's not as rampant as some might claim, because if the people of Reston were genuinely as interested in nimbyism, they would have voted to incorporate. They had the chance, and they turned it down.
Yep, unless their surrounding county was so poor and dysfunctional that they wanted to raise the revenue and handle the schools, police, etc. all themselves. That would be an exceptional leap these days.
Apparently that person said something that a lot of other people liked. Either that or he/she was giving away free samples of Nutella!
It must be the Nutella, then!
The patchwork of different governments/jurisdictions here in northern Virginia seems too complicated and inefficient. An acquaintance works in Fairfax County's planning department and explained some of it. Any area that has a less-than-powerful representative seems to be vulnerable to being thrown under the bus when a conflict of interests arises (school issues/boundaries, new developments, etc.). Aligning with powerful, influential people is the goal--whether they are going in the right direction or not.
Are the district boundaries virtually impossible to change in PA, much like county boundaries (and new city formation) are impossible here in VA?
The townships run the schools and you pay a separate school tax. The only way I would think they would change is if two townships running different school districts were both losing a lot of students, and they decided to merge. Other than that, I think it would be pretty impossible.
Ugh, this infuriates me. I get the county school thing, and I am generally okay with it. BUT, a pyramid should be a pyramid. Did you know you can go to an elementary school in say Madison High School pyramid but that you might actually go to a school other than Madison? I also find odd that they have split schools. Half an elementary school can feed into Thoreau, the other half to Kilmer. Why? Why? Why?
A whole elementary school should feed into one single middle school. And that middle school should feed into one high school. It drives me crazy!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tone509
What do I find odd about NOVA? Well, although I don't have any kids, it took me a while to get the concept of county-wide school districts with areas set up at "pyramids" feeding into a particular high school. In PA, the suburban school districts are often made up of one or even a few municipalities. On the other hand, one might argue that a county-wide school district is more efficient...except perhaps to parents who fear shifting pyramid boundaries will place them outside the (high) school they literally bought into.
Location: Expatriate Philadelphian in Northern Virginia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimpatova
An interesting bill was introduced into the PA legislature this past spring that would cause the states 500+ school districts to be consolidated into just one for each county (like VA). The citizens mostly seemed to support it, while the educators/districts did not. It has little chance of advancing.
FYI - any unincorporated area in VA that meets the minimum population threshold can incorporate into a town or city with VA legislature approval. All standard political roadblocks would apply.
Thanks for the update and education, respectively!
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I'm surprised Arlandria and the Columbia Pike etc. areas have not gentrified. Obviously if there were metro access both would have, long ago. But it still seems that, at least during the bubble, there was such a discount relative to other close-in places, that more "semi-urban pioneers" would have taken the chance. Now that the bubble has burst and we may be in for a long flat period (or worse), I don't expect gentrification at all.
To the best of my knowledge, Alexandria city actually protects it's "low income housing", hence why Arlandria (or as the residents in that area say it, Chirilagua) still exists. I actually have been at Arlandria and I do see Metro buses running on Mt. Vernon Ave.
I think the only way Arlandria will gentrify is if the Arlandria/Chirilagua Housing Co-Op (or what ever it's called) loses its co-op status and sub-sequentially deemed "uninhabitable" or "blight" or whatever else many people think it is and then ordered to be knocked down.
Which brings me to one of the things I find odd about NoVa. How is it that Arlington does NOT have a RHA (or whatever Virginia calls the Housing Authorities) even though one would benefit there ($2000 for a 1BR apartment is ridiculous!).
Another thing that I find odd in NOVA (And really bugs me) is how did Arlington NOT get the message that something needed to be done about its housing issue when they figured the waiting time for Section 8/Housing Choice vouchers was five years or more.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carlingtonian
A big thing that jumps out at me is how people who live on a court (which people here call a cul-de-sac) park nosefirst around the perimeter, rather than lengthwise along the curb. Never seen that before.
I can give feedback on that one (at least in townhouse communities)... People who buy townhouses ALWAYS buy more than the cars they are allowed to park (IE 4 cars in a 2 car assigned parking development). After their HOA tells them to stop using the visitors spots for their extra cars, they tend to park their cars in the streets. Then someone puts their car nose first in the circle, and it catches on. By the 3rd day, everyone has their cars nose first. I think they do this as a way to maximize parking spots. I'm not sure if the technique actually works, but once it catches on, there's no going back.
With that said, here's some of the things I find odd in NoVa. Some which bug me (they will be in bold).
Arlington's lack of affordable housing
Misconceptions that Fairfax County has (housing) projects in Rt. 1 in the Hybla Valley and Beacon Hill area. (The buildings are Apartments, not projects. FC employs scattered sites/mixed income communities for their public housing)
Misconception that the ACHC is a (housing) project even though it's privately owned. (Albeit it is very run down).
Non consistent sidewalks
Crossing buttons that are there for show (One time I waited 5 minutes to cross and it only gave me 10 seconds to do so)
Lack of a Bojangles restaurant even though Maryland has 5.
Gas stations changing names every year. Mobil disappeared in the late 00s but it reappeared as rebranded Texacos which keep on disappearing to Shells and BP/Amoco in previous years.
On the subject of fuel - Arlington County = $3.10 for regular. Fairfax County = $3.20 for regular. Prince William County = $3.00. What gives?
The name "Fairfax" Is applied to a county but the namesake city Fairfax does NOT belong to Fairfax County and operates as a separate city with higher taxes, even though the city is smaller than Arlington and in theory belongs to the county as every public building for Fairfax County's government is in the City Of Fairfax.
The name "Alexandria" is inconsistent and the "City" seems sectioned off between the "City of Alexandria" and Fairfax County. (IE, Landmark belongs to C.o.A. but a section of Little River Turnpike has a Alexandria address and belongs to Fairfax County.)
Fairfax doesn't require you to have a county decal but charges you for one. Arlington on the other hand does give you one. Can I get something for the $33 I payed?
McMansions next to townhouses of the 70's.
Rt. 1's naming scheme.... Arlington = Jeff. Davis Hwy. Alexandria City = Jeff. Davis Hwy. Fairfax County = Richmond Hwy. Prince William County = Jeff. Davis Hwy. How about some consistency?
Cities have "Station" in their names although they are no where NEAR a public transportation station of any kind (IE Fairfax STATION which is a CDP)
Apartment complexes change names but look, feel and operate THE SAME. For the name change though, the residents get higher rent...
Which brings me to one of the things I find odd about NoVa. How is it that Arlington does NOT have a RHA (or whatever Virginia calls the Housing Authorities) even though one would benefit there ($2000 for a 1BR apartment is ridiculous!).
Another thing that I find odd in NOVA (And really bugs me) is how did Arlington NOT get the message that something needed to be done about its housing issue when they figured the waiting time for Section 8/Housing Choice vouchers was five years or more.
I do think that $2000 is way too much for a 1BR.
However, sadly, even if there was Section 8 and housing authorities, isn't it still only for the near minimum wage service-industry hourly job to qualify?
Basically as a working adult, I've always assumed it was completely off-limits to anyone who got an education but still has medicore jobs, despite not having a salary high enough to afford the $2000 1BDRM rents.
If I'm right about that, then it doesn't really help out anyone who is middle-income and raising families and can't quite afford the 1bdrms (and definitely not 2BDRMS if kids). However, if you are unemployed or working service without education, you can 'play the section 8 lottery' and recieve the potential 'free pass' to live in the best and wealthiest and safest cities in America? That has never seemed right to me.
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