Arlington County Becomes More Accessible

I have been posting several updates about how Arlington County is providing more access to its residents through new mobile apps and services. As new digital access comes available, it is easier for more of us to be in tune with what is happening in our community. In the latest County releases about government access, there are two  new pilot programs which will hopefully provide not only more access to County Government, but also help keep governing processes more transparent and open as well.

The first program is all about webcasts. With a goal to help increase  awareness of County issues, discussion and solutions, Arlington residents will be able to view planning and  transportation commission meetings and some County Board work sessions from the comfort of home. It can be difficult to attend meetings where you want to hear firsthand what is going on and being decided. These webcast offerings will now make it easier to be in-the-know based on your own schedule. The meetings will be held and recorded in the County Board room where there is already equipment installed. If the pilot program proves to be a successful one, the County will look to recording more sessions at other locations as well. The first meeting webcast is expected to be announced soon.

The other new pilot program is a new open data portal which will house a variety of government data in the form of charts, maps and spreadsheets. The new portal has been launched and includes maps of car share locations,  potholes and other street service requests that have been submitted. Within the maps, you need just click on an area to zoom in to a specific request pin which will show current details. For example, one pin on Franklin Road just off of Wilson Blvd. shows a submitted request to clean up some illegal dumping. This request has been completed according to the details provided. In addition to the maps in the new open data portal, you can access the police incident log, restaurant health  inspections and real estate sales data.

Using the latest in technology is one way Arlington County is making big strides in providing better access to resources and connection to government. Part of what makes a community wonderful is ease of communication; these efforts by the County to utilize digital technology is a big plus toward making life in Arlington even better.

The Casey O'Neal Team is here to help you before, during, and after your home-buying  or selling process. Casey has prepared a special report called “The Ten Dumbest Mistakes Smart People Make  When Buying or Selling a Home” that we would like to offer you or anyone you know.

To get a free copy, contact us on the site directly, by email at [email protected], call my office at 703-824-4800 or my cell at 703-217-9090, or visit the office at 5100 Leesburg Pike, Suite 200, in Alexandria.