Extended Fall 2023 Articles
History of the Quebec Street Sidewalk Project
by Harry Spector
by Harry Spector
- Quebec St (17th St to 20th St) is Cherrydale’s #1 Priority ArNAC (formerly NC) Project since 2016. Currently these blocks have no sidewalk.
- In Aug ’22 Arlington Neighborhood Projects (ANP) informed CCA Quebec would be eligible for funding by late 2023, pending 60% approval by affected homeowners via a signed petition.
- Block captains Karen Lawson and Allison Schneider, who volunteered after Sara Cruley and Wayland Pond, respectively, moved, collected signatures to attain the required support.
- Subsequently ANP ordered an engineering study and drafted a concept design based on general county sidewalk and street requirements and input of affected homeowners via the block captains. This included no loss of parking, traffic calming, and enhanced safety additions.
- This past September ANP informed Cherrydale the concept design was ready for review and asked the block captains and Cherrydale ArNAC representative Harry Spector to comment and suggest any potential improvements to it ahead of presentation to affected homeowners. The block captains made several suggestions, including additional stop signs. Traffic volume did not meet the threshold for additional stop signs, but regular and high visibility cross walks were added to the design as well as signs on existing stop signs alerting drivers that cross traffic does not stop. Additional “bump outs” to protect large, healthy trees were also included.
- In early October ANP presented its concept design to affected neighbors ahead of mailing out the final petition. The design retains full on-street parking and requires no private property – 100% is on existing county property and right-of-way. It would sit on the east side with a crosswalk connection to Oak Grove Park.
- The final petition has now been mailed to affected homeowners. As of now, approval by affected homeowners is unknown, despite the plan not disrupting parking or private property, and greatly protecting pedestrian’s lives. If you have friends on the street your encouragement to them might help.
- A sidewalk here also provides a much-needed pedestrian alternative to the narrow, crowded Quincy St sidewalk for all who walk, run, and roll in Cherrydale.
Electrify Arlington!
By Karin Ringheim
Many of us worry about what we can do on a personal level to help avert a climate crisis. The Biden administration’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides guidance through the largest-ever investment in addressing global warming. By providing tax credits (available now for 2023) and rebates (available in 2024), the IRA hopes to incentivize all of us to transition to electric homes and vehicles. The law is multifaceted and not without hoops to jump through, but there is literally something in it for everyone, and well worth investigating. For example:
Federal Tax Credits for new and used electric vehicles. Households with incomes up to $300,000 for married couples filing jointly, $225,000 for heads of households and $150,000 for all others are eligible for tax credits of up to $7,500 for new plug-in electric and fuel cell electric vehicles purchased through a dealer in 2023 and beyond. Vehicles must have a list price of less than $55,000 ($80,000 for vans, SUVs and pickups), and meet certain manufacturing requirements. Individuals with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 can claim up to $4,000 for used electric vehicles costing up to $25,000.
Tax Credits for Making Your Home More Energy EfficientOne has to be savvy about the timing to maximize this benefit, but homeowners can get a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of energy efficient home improvements annually for up to $3,200 per year, presumably for multiple years. The credit for installing an electric heat pump hot water heater, a heat pump for heating and cooling or a biomass stove is capped at a total of $2,000 per year in total, but homeowners are also eligible for up to $1,200 for making energy efficiency improvements, such as a new exterior door ($250), new windows and skylights, ($600 total), insulation ($1200) and upgrades to the electrical panel ($600). One might start by getting a home energy audit (eligible for a $150 credit) and then maximizing the benefit of these credits by spreading purchases out over two or more years.
Tax Credits for Rooftop Solar and Other Residential Green Energy Install solar roof panels, a solar hot water heater, a small wind turbine or a battery storage system and receive a 30 percent tax credit on the purchase and installation costs. This credit also applies to geothermal heat pumps and fuel cell property expenditures.Keep in mind that taxpayers can deduct a tax credit, dollar for dollar, from the income taxes they owe. All of the above are available now and can be applied to your 2023 taxes.
Energy Rebates for electric appliances, weatherization,
Beginning next year, the IRA has authorized $94 million to help low and moderate income Virginians to electrify their homes. Low-income households, defined as those with incomes below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) will be eligible for rebates that cover 100% of the purchase and installation costs for qualified electrification projects. (Arlington’s most recent AMI is $124,474; 80 % of which is $99,579). Moderate-income households between 80-150 percent of AMI will be eligible for rebates covering 50 percent of the cost of home electrification projects, up to $14,000. (150% of AMI in Arlington is $186,711).
Point of sale rebates (taken off the purchase price) will make electrical appliances and upgrades more affordable. For example, the price of a heat pump heating and cooling system to replace both a furnace and air-conditioner will be reduced for qualified households by $8,000, an electric stove or electric dryer reduced by $840 each, and a heat pump hot water heater by $1750. In addition, there are rebates for an upgraded breaker box ($4000), upgraded electrical wiring ($2,500) and insulation/ventilation, ($1600).
For those who qualify for these rebates, it may be wise to wait until 2024 to purchase an electric appliance, as these rebates will not be applied retroactively. This program will be administered by Virginia Energy, which plans to roll it out in 2024. Check in periodically at www.energy.virginia.energy.gov for a start date.
Starting in 2024, there will also be discounts, up to $8,000, to reward households for improving energy efficiency in their homes. Reducing energy usage by 20 percent can yield a rebate of up to $2,000 per household, while those earning less than 80% of the AMI will be eligible for rebates of up to 80 percent of the project costs, up to $8000. There are important details to qualify for each of these programs. A good source of information is www.rewiringamerica.org, which includes a calculator to determine how much savings a household can achieve through the above tax credits and rebates, including energy savings. If we want to do our part to benefit the planet, the IRA credits and rebates offer a good incentive to get started.
Many of us worry about what we can do on a personal level to help avert a climate crisis. The Biden administration’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides guidance through the largest-ever investment in addressing global warming. By providing tax credits (available now for 2023) and rebates (available in 2024), the IRA hopes to incentivize all of us to transition to electric homes and vehicles. The law is multifaceted and not without hoops to jump through, but there is literally something in it for everyone, and well worth investigating. For example:
Federal Tax Credits for new and used electric vehicles. Households with incomes up to $300,000 for married couples filing jointly, $225,000 for heads of households and $150,000 for all others are eligible for tax credits of up to $7,500 for new plug-in electric and fuel cell electric vehicles purchased through a dealer in 2023 and beyond. Vehicles must have a list price of less than $55,000 ($80,000 for vans, SUVs and pickups), and meet certain manufacturing requirements. Individuals with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 can claim up to $4,000 for used electric vehicles costing up to $25,000.
Tax Credits for Making Your Home More Energy EfficientOne has to be savvy about the timing to maximize this benefit, but homeowners can get a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of energy efficient home improvements annually for up to $3,200 per year, presumably for multiple years. The credit for installing an electric heat pump hot water heater, a heat pump for heating and cooling or a biomass stove is capped at a total of $2,000 per year in total, but homeowners are also eligible for up to $1,200 for making energy efficiency improvements, such as a new exterior door ($250), new windows and skylights, ($600 total), insulation ($1200) and upgrades to the electrical panel ($600). One might start by getting a home energy audit (eligible for a $150 credit) and then maximizing the benefit of these credits by spreading purchases out over two or more years.
Tax Credits for Rooftop Solar and Other Residential Green Energy Install solar roof panels, a solar hot water heater, a small wind turbine or a battery storage system and receive a 30 percent tax credit on the purchase and installation costs. This credit also applies to geothermal heat pumps and fuel cell property expenditures.Keep in mind that taxpayers can deduct a tax credit, dollar for dollar, from the income taxes they owe. All of the above are available now and can be applied to your 2023 taxes.
Energy Rebates for electric appliances, weatherization,
Beginning next year, the IRA has authorized $94 million to help low and moderate income Virginians to electrify their homes. Low-income households, defined as those with incomes below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) will be eligible for rebates that cover 100% of the purchase and installation costs for qualified electrification projects. (Arlington’s most recent AMI is $124,474; 80 % of which is $99,579). Moderate-income households between 80-150 percent of AMI will be eligible for rebates covering 50 percent of the cost of home electrification projects, up to $14,000. (150% of AMI in Arlington is $186,711).
Point of sale rebates (taken off the purchase price) will make electrical appliances and upgrades more affordable. For example, the price of a heat pump heating and cooling system to replace both a furnace and air-conditioner will be reduced for qualified households by $8,000, an electric stove or electric dryer reduced by $840 each, and a heat pump hot water heater by $1750. In addition, there are rebates for an upgraded breaker box ($4000), upgraded electrical wiring ($2,500) and insulation/ventilation, ($1600).
For those who qualify for these rebates, it may be wise to wait until 2024 to purchase an electric appliance, as these rebates will not be applied retroactively. This program will be administered by Virginia Energy, which plans to roll it out in 2024. Check in periodically at www.energy.virginia.energy.gov for a start date.
Starting in 2024, there will also be discounts, up to $8,000, to reward households for improving energy efficiency in their homes. Reducing energy usage by 20 percent can yield a rebate of up to $2,000 per household, while those earning less than 80% of the AMI will be eligible for rebates of up to 80 percent of the project costs, up to $8000. There are important details to qualify for each of these programs. A good source of information is www.rewiringamerica.org, which includes a calculator to determine how much savings a household can achieve through the above tax credits and rebates, including energy savings. If we want to do our part to benefit the planet, the IRA credits and rebates offer a good incentive to get started.
Interview with a Cherrydale Naturalist
Part time Cherrydale resident, wildlife specialist and photographer Susan O'Connell put a show together at the Cherrydale Library to encourage people to appreciate Cherry Valley Park. Susan answered some questions for the Sweet and Sour News. You can find her questions and our answers on Cherrydale’s website.
SSN: What’s your connection to Cherrydale?
Susan: My family has lived in Arlington for longer than I can remember. My grandfather was Tthird Infantry commander of the Old Guard at Ft. Meyer. My children and grandson live here still. I live mostly in Virginia Beach, but I have an apartment at my daughter's house near Cherry Valley Park and spend a lot of time there.
SSN: What work interests you?
Susan: My community service passion is wildlife education. People will protect what they value, so I bring wildlife closer for people to appreciate. I do this through my photographs and with my ambassador animals from my VA Beach facility. I do more than 30 presentations a year at schools, camps, parks, city events and festivals. I want to help people value our wild neighbors and to reduce negative interactions.
SSN: What are your most important messages?
Susan:
SSN: We’ve seen you walking your dog in the park. What’s his name?
Susan: I walk my dog Ghost, an Australian Shepherd in the park. He enjoys the smell safari of our visits. I try to go in the early mornings and late afternoons to observe wildlife. This tiny park has everything from hummingbirds to white tail deer. I purposely don't always take a camera. I don't have photos of some of the best things I've observed.
SSN: What’s your favorite photograph in the exhibit?
Susan: My favorite photograph from the Cherry Valley exhibit is the Red Fox. They are gorgeous animals and devoted parents. Inside the children's story time room I have some photos on canvas that are not from Cherry Valley, but other Virginia parks
SSN: What’s your suggestion for enjoying Cherry Valley Park?
Susan: I hope people will take the time to quietly walk through the park and let the sounds of nature take over. Be still and look for movement and notice the light dancing on the leaves. There's great peace of mind in becoming immersed in nature.
SSN: What’s your connection to Cherrydale?
Susan: My family has lived in Arlington for longer than I can remember. My grandfather was Tthird Infantry commander of the Old Guard at Ft. Meyer. My children and grandson live here still. I live mostly in Virginia Beach, but I have an apartment at my daughter's house near Cherry Valley Park and spend a lot of time there.
SSN: What work interests you?
Susan: My community service passion is wildlife education. People will protect what they value, so I bring wildlife closer for people to appreciate. I do this through my photographs and with my ambassador animals from my VA Beach facility. I do more than 30 presentations a year at schools, camps, parks, city events and festivals. I want to help people value our wild neighbors and to reduce negative interactions.
SSN: What are your most important messages?
Susan:
- Leave wild green space for wildlife. This means leaving dead trees and thickets. Don't over develop trails.
- Don't put out rodenticide. This includes bait boxes. It is killing our owls, fox and pets. Use snap traps.
- Call licensed wildlife Rehabber if you see an animal that may need help.
SSN: We’ve seen you walking your dog in the park. What’s his name?
Susan: I walk my dog Ghost, an Australian Shepherd in the park. He enjoys the smell safari of our visits. I try to go in the early mornings and late afternoons to observe wildlife. This tiny park has everything from hummingbirds to white tail deer. I purposely don't always take a camera. I don't have photos of some of the best things I've observed.
SSN: What’s your favorite photograph in the exhibit?
Susan: My favorite photograph from the Cherry Valley exhibit is the Red Fox. They are gorgeous animals and devoted parents. Inside the children's story time room I have some photos on canvas that are not from Cherry Valley, but other Virginia parks
SSN: What’s your suggestion for enjoying Cherry Valley Park?
Susan: I hope people will take the time to quietly walk through the park and let the sounds of nature take over. Be still and look for movement and notice the light dancing on the leaves. There's great peace of mind in becoming immersed in nature.
Sweet & Sour News
The Cherrydale Citizens Association publishes a quarterly newsletter. If you have an idea for an article, or would like to join our team of editors, please send us a note!