Small businesses are the heart and soul of our community; they are vital to helping Arlington realize our collective vision, as well as establishing the unique character and identity that makes our community special.

How can we, the local government, help our small businesses be successful and stay successful? In 2011, the Chairman of the County Board for 2011 Christopher Zimmerman led an effort aimed at making it as easy as possible for small business owners to get their business up and running and keep it running successfully. 

To make improvements that really work for businesses, Mr. Zimmerman suggested the need for direct input from those affected. To help facilitate this, Mr. Zimmerman convened a series of “Chairman’s Roundtable” listening sessions to bring business owners together so that they can share their experiences and help County officials develop ways to improve processes and regulations.

Arlington County staff, in conjunction with Mr. Zimmerman, held seven listening sessions with small business owners and various stakeholders. The listening sessions, which were attended by over 250 people, were designed to solicit input on issues and concerns small businesses face when doing business in Arlington (review the findings of the listening sessions). 

After careful review of the feedback, County staff drafted a comprehensive Small Business Action Plan in July 2011 designed to streamline the processes, improve the quality-of and access-to information about requirements, provide customer-friendly service to business owners, and offer assistance to businesses to solve problems and overcome obstacles. Follow our progress in the latest Action Plan Status Update.