County Board independent candidate Mike McMenamin expressed support today for a citizens’ group that is worried about overbuilding in the Pentagon City area.

“I agree with the Arlington Ridge Citizens Association that the county board should undertake a study to determine how much additional density the 22202 zip code can accommodate without compromising the area’s livability,” said McMenamin.

The association is concerned about too much traffic and additional fire, police, school, green space and other services needed with more building, in particular a planned development by Vornado at River House Apartments on Joyce Street.

Vornado is proposing to add retail space, 1,084 standard apartments, 150 low-cost homes and possibly an elementary school to the 34-acre apartment complex just across from Pentagon Row. The development would exceed guidelines for what is considered a low/moderate density residential area without county approval.

That plan comes on top of numerous projects OK’d for Pentagon City and Crystal City, including MetPark, the 400 Army-Navy development and Pen Place along Eads Street.

Currently, the county looks at each zoning variance one at a time without taking a holistic, long-view approach of what is best for neighborhoods.

Arlington Ridge president Arthur Fox makes a good point when he says, “Arlington County needs to step back, take a breather, and reassess its extraordinarily robust development policies and procedures.”