Arlington County officials on Jan. 21 approved plans establishing and naming a new park in Crystal City.
Plans had been in place to enact zoning amendments needed to approve what will be known as “Arlington Junction Park” – located at South Eads Street and Army Navy Drive – at the December meeting. But because notice had not been given (as required under state law) to the Department of Defense and Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the matter had to be put off a month.
Such advance notice of a zoning change is required to be given owing to the site’s proximity to the Pentagon and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, to give federal or airport officials time to raise objections. In this case, there were none.
The park is being created as part of the master plan for the PenPlace development. The name Arlington Junction Park was chosen to honor the area’s use as a major crossroads of several trolley lines in the early 20th century.