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North Arlington apartment plan draws ire from neighbors worried about traffic, density

North Arlington homeowners are sounding the alarm on plans to build apartments along Northwest Green Oaks Boulevard.

Jamal Aloffe, a developer with Blue Lagoon Properties, wants to build 55 units on a 2.6-acre, triangular patch of vacant land, as well as resident parking and a community dog park. The lot is zoned for single-family homes, but would not make sense for the property, Aloffe said, and previous property owners had struggled to figure out how to use the land.

“It’s like an island sitting there,” Aloffe said.

Some residents, however, are not so sure high-density apartments are the answer.

John Seidenstein started a petition against the plan after he was informed by mail of the rezoning request. Since then, Seidenstein said around 300 residents have signed the petition online and in-person, including several who live within 200 feet of the property.

Seidenstein said he opposes the plan because he does not see the need for dense housing in north Arlington and worries the apartments would create more traffic and make spotting pedestrians more difficult.

“People will have a hard time slowing down. They’ll want to turn in. I’m not sure that that’s well-conceived,” he said.

The city did not request a traffic impact report because staff felt there would not be enough traffic to warrant a study.

Aloffe and Warren Wilke, with architecture firm GSR Andrade, argued that the small amount of tenants would not dramatically affect traffic. Apartment parking would flow directly onto Green Oaks Boulevard and Wilma Lane, rather than onto Randol Mill Road, which runs behind Seidenstein’s property.

Wilke said he and Aloffe want to meet with residents who oppose the plans to explain their project in hopes of changing their minds.

“What we’re trying to do is be able to show people that this is a quality product,” Wilke said.

The project, the duo said, might entice management in nearby apartments to update their complexes, many of which were built decades ago.

Seidenstein said the plan looks nice, but remains certain that the complex would not work for the area — and definitely not behind his house.

Arlington’s Planning and Zoning Commission will take up the rezoning case July 14. The project’s hearing was initially scheduled for early June, but Wilke asked for more time to speak with residents about the plan. Wilke said those with questions or concerns about the property can email him at iamwwilke@gmail.com.