Engagement Approach

The County has designed a multi-layered engagement approach to communicate, consult, involve and collaborate with a broad set of stakeholders throughout the Plan Langston Boulevard process. The following community engagement framework will guide this effort.

Appointed Community Forum and Working Group Members

Bold* – indicates Working Group Member

Chair*
Vice-Chair*

Langston Boulevard Alliance (LBA)

LBA Representative*
LBA Representative

Civic Associations

Arlington East Falls 
Church 
Cherrydale 
Donaldson Run
Glebewood 
Langston
Leeway 
Lyon Village 
Maywood
 North Highland 
Old Dominion 
Tara-Leeway Heights 
Waycroft Woodlawn 
Waverly Hills 
Yorktown

Chamber of Commerce* 
District Taco 
Lebanese Taverna 
BB&T 
Arlington Partnership for Afford. Housing (APAH) 
Combined & Central Properties* 
MTF Architecture

Scott Pedowitz 
Jennifer Hoil 
Grace Shea 
Devica Wimalkantha 
Laura London 
Tad Lunger 
Michael Foster

Advisory Boards and Commissions 

APS Facilities Advisory Commission (FAC) 
Arts Commission 
Bicycle Advisory Committee 
Commission on Aging Disability Advisory 
Commission Economic Development 
Commission Environment & Energy Conservation 
Commission Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) 
Housing Commission* 
Joint Facilities Advisory Commission (JFAC)  
Park & Recreation Commission* 
Pedestrian Advisory Committee 
Planning Commission* 
Transportation Commission* 
Transit Advisory Committee 
Urban Forestry

Community Forum

The County Manager-appointed Community Forum is a team of community members that are convened at key milestones during the planning process to provide feedback on the proposed vision, goals, objectives, analyses, recommendations and implementation tools and serve as liaisons to facilitate broader community engagement. Specifically, the Community Forum is charged with:

• Providing leadership and input on the broad and localized perspectives on the proposed vision, goals, objectives, analyses, recommendations and implementation tools;
• Serving as liaisons to keep LHA, neighborhoods, business owners, property owners and others informed of ongoing discussions and to seek feedback to share with the full Community Forum;
• Providing periodic input to staff on its analysis, land use scenarios, concept plans, and recommendations at several major milestones of this effort including:
  • Refining the vision, as expressed in the Visioning Study and defining character areas along the corridor
  • Developing and evaluating land use scenarios
  • Identifying recommendations for network‐wide elements, including assessment of outcomes and impacts
  • Refining goals and determining a preferred concept plan
  • Reviewing a draft plan and recommendations
  • Identifying/strategizing on implementation tools
• Participating in focus group meetings as needed; and
• Identifying issues that may need additional input from the County Board Liaison and/or County Board members

Working Group

A 10-member subset of the Community Forum will form the study’s Working Group and convene at periodic check-ins between milestones to serve as a sounding board for staff. Specifically, the Working Group is charged with:

• Meeting with staff on a frequent basis (schedule TBD);
• Regularly attending Community Forum meetings and, as needed, focus group meetings;
• Assisting staff with preparation of and debrief from Community Forum and focus group meetings and community workshops, including agenda setting and framing discussion topics by:
  • Acting as a sounding board for staff in identifying issues and recommendations;
  • Reviewing staff/contractor analyses for clarity, comprehensiveness, and alignment with issues;
  • Bringing insight and information from different stakeholders (e.g., LHA, neighborhood, property and business owner, and commission perspectives);
  • Synthesizing feedback from other community groups (Community Forum, focus groups, advisory boards/commissions, and broader community input); and
  • Formulating preferences to inform working recommendations that will be presented to the Community Forum and the broader public for feedback at key milestones through the process;
• With staff, periodically providing updates to the County Manager as needed;
• Identifying issues that may need additional input from the County Board Liaison and/or County Board members; and
• Identifying when additional input from other Community Forum members is needed as part of Working Group meetings.

Focus Groups

Focus group meetings and agendas will be scheduled by staff when needed to address issues based on geography, a particular neighborhood or set of neighborhoods, or a topic area. Focus
group meetings will allow for additional discussion of issues flagged at Community Forum meetings, to share additional information, and to resolve issues when possible. Examples of potential focus group meetings include: the Lee Highway Alliance, geographic subareas, housing, transportation, public space or other topic-based groups, and business or property owner focus groups.

General Public

The general public is invited to attend all Community Forum and focus group meetings. In addition, larger public meetings and events will be convened at targeted milestones in the process. Additional opportunities for engagement, such as online surveys or engagements tools, will be shared with the broader community. All process updates will be shared via the public website and project email list. Subscribe here to stay informed.