Author: hpokadmin

Wednesday, September 25, 6:30 in the large meeting room, Westover library

Parkhurst Park Stormwater Management and Beautification

General Scope of Project:

Stormwater

HPOK seeks funding to address stormwater flowing into Parkhurst Park and install modifications to improve drainage. Various problem areas identified by residents and county staff are causing excess stormwater to collect and pool on park lands and nearby properties during heavy rainfall. A significant issue occurs from a cement ditch in the park adjacent to properties along the half block of 19th Street starting at Madison Street. The ditch is fed by a storm drain inlet on Madison and flows downhill into the storm sewer collector near the 19th Street park entrance, where it backs up during heavier rainfall and pools across a wider area of the park. This project would support stormwater drainage modifications, a possible rain garden to absorb overflow, or other solutions recommended by county staff. Other areas where stormwater accumulates or flows onto bordering homeowner properties would be evaluated and remediated. Proposed modifications must avoid construction impacts to adjacent homeowner properties, rebuild retaining walls disturbed by construction, or add other structures as necessary for soil and water retention.

Beautification and Education
Funding would support development of a landscape plan for the undeveloped areas of the park. This project compliments a current Expanded Project Types proposal to restore the ecological integrity of open space invaded by invasive plants by purchasing and planting native species. HPOK’s Friends of Parkhurst Park is working to remove invasives and restore these areas. Waysides and displays will be designed and installed around native plants and trees to emphasize their ecological values. Areas for passive enjoyment of undeveloped areas of the park will be identified in the landscape plan and benches installed.

Wednesday 25 Sept., at 6:30 pm in the Westover Library large meeting room.

Speaker: An Arlington County Police Officer will talk about public safety and our neighborhood 

We will also vote on our proposals for the Arlington Neighborhood Program

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

Please mark your calendars for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11 for an exciting and informative public meeting with Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey.  This meeting will be jointly sponsored by the four Westover-area civic associations:  Highland Park-Overlee Knolls; Leeway-Overlee; Tara-Leeway Heights, and Westover Village.

We will convene in the large meeting room downstairs at Lee Center, where the staff begins preparations to close the building around 8:30 p.m. We’ll be seated in a roundtable format to facilitate questions and answers. Libby will offer some general introductory remarks, but most of our session will be reserved for comments and questions from members of our four civic associations and their guests.

Please let HPOK know if you are planning to attend so we may be sure to have enough chairs to accommodate everyone.  I look forward to seeing you then!

RSVP to kathleen.m.trainor@gmail.com

WESTOVER DAY!

Save the Date! Westover Day 2024 will be Saturday, September 21st from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. The event takes place on the Cardinal school grounds and includes bands, children’s entertainment, food, bounce houses, and more! All are welcome.

We need volunteers! Sign up here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B044AAEAE2EA4FE3-50778839-2024

Facebook Event Invite:

https://www.facebook.com/share/29RDpef7G1e5Xe6i/?mibextid=9VsGKo

HIGHLAND PARK OVERLEE KNOLLS CIVIC ASSOCIATION

SPRING GENERAL MEETING
6 APRIL 2024, WESTOVER LIBRARY (Zoom Link)

Agenda

Guest Speaker: Alda Krinsman, Audubon Society Northern Virginia: Audubon at Home

11:00 – 11:35 Presentation; Q&A

11:35 – 11:45 Parkhurst Park Project

11:45 – 12:00 Business

Arlington Neighborhoods Program (formerly NCC)
Overlee Knolls Name Change Proposal
Call for HPOK Quadrant Reps

A volunteer committee of neighbors has formed to work on improvements to Parkhurst Park. The message below, and the flyer attached, describes what they are doing.

The HPOK Friends of Parkhurst committee has “adopted” Parkhurst Park through the Arlington County Adopt-A-Park program. As part of this program, we will be hosting regular Invasive Plant Removal Days, planting native plants and trees and other beautification efforts. Co-leading this effort are HPOK members Allen Norrbom and Kelly Barnes.
The plantings will not affect Parkhurst Park’s heavily used playground area, nor the open areas popular for people walking their dogs, kids playing pick-up sports or the slopes used for sledding. But there are lots of areas ideal for native plants that will support more wildlife (birds, insects, etc.).

Invasive Plant Removal Day

The Friends of Parkhurst will be hosting our first invasive plant removal event on Saturday, March 23. Join with other volunteers who help protect the native flora and fauna in our park. Come learn which plants are a problem and how they negatively impact our park land and even threaten your own yard. Training will be provided. Volunteers should dress to work outdoors, and are encouraged to bring their own work gloves and water bottles. We have some tools to share, but bring clippers, trowels, etc. if you have them.
This event is for volunteers ages 9 and up. Volunteers under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult. If you would like to participate, scan this QR code or go to the county website to register in advance.

A link for the signup genius will be available on the county website here: https://tinyurl.com/mhfpmanu

Date: Saturday, March 23
Time: 9:30am – 12pm
Location: 5820 20th Rd N, meet at the Park entrance
Site Leaders: Allen Norrbom and Kelly Barnes
Rain date: Sunday, March 24

Download the attached flyer to learn more.

NEXT HPOK Meeting
Come join us on April 6th from 11-12pm at the Westover Library to learn more about the Friends of Parkhurst Committee, the threats caused by invasive plants and wonderful native plants that may work in your yard.

All are welcome!

Sat 14 Oct, 11:00, Westover Library

Zoom link

Topic: White tailed deer and forest health in Northern Va. 
Plus general business and updates. 

We apologize for the technical difficulties with the Zoom link. The link was mistakenly erased.

Here are the slides–the first series on neighbors’ experience with solar panels, the second on the Arlington Neighborhoods Program, which looks for civic associations to come up with a rubric for neighborhood planning and improvement

Are you interested in going solar? On Saturday, Feb. 25 a panel of HPOK residents will present their experiences with solar power installation

HPOK civic association General Meeting 

When – Sat 25 Feb, 1:30 – 2:30
Where – Westover Library large meeting room and virtual (link )
Topic – A panel of HPOK neighbors will share about residential solar panels

Because the subject has been of great interest in Arlington social media, here is a re-post of the slide presentation Alice Hogan, of the Alliance for Housing Solutions (https://www.allianceforhousingsolutions.org/) and an HPOK member, gave to HPOK at our February meeting.