Three people aiming to take one of the four positions open on the Arlington City Council shared their thoughts on managing fast growth while maintaining a good living environment.
Nowhere is this balancing act more crucial than in District 1, which includes the Entertainment District in North Arlington. boasting This area has seen significant growth with two Six Flags parks, various dining and shopping spots, live entertainment venues, and more. However, this expansion has brought challenges in terms of infrastructure, public safety, and housing. created The three contenders for the District 1 seat — Mauricio Galante, Jacob Franklin, and Tim Goss — have addressed these issues before the May 4 election. This is the only council race in Arlington without an incumbent this election cycle.
“The city is growing rapidly, so we need to consider the interests of residents who want to preserve the city's character,” explained Galante, a business owner.
He emphasized the need to support small businesses in order to create more job opportunities in the city. saidHe also stressed the importance of backing small businesses to increase employment.
In fact, all three candidates expressed a desire for more businesses in the area.
“If you want a peaceful place to go for dinner or shopping in our area, there aren't many options available to us,” said Goss, according to KERA.
The candidates differ in their views on housing, with North Arlington having the largest number of multi-family residences in the city — 15,248 units as of 2020.
Franklin, a tech engineer, wants to focus on mixed-use developments and projects that combine housing with businesses, as he believes this approach would make housing more affordable.
“I want to advocate for mixed-use zoning and higher-density zoning to reduce housing costs and address homelessness,” he stated.
On the other hand, Galante and Goss oppose the construction of more apartments in the area.
Galante argued that redeveloping the lower-quality apartments and houses in the area was crucial to prevent the cycle of cheap rentals and create a better environment for renters.
“When we redevelop, we need to focus on quality. We need housing with higher quality and carefully consider whether we want to continue in the same direction or explore buying opportunities,” Galante said.
On his part, Goss emphasized the importance of bringing existing apartment complexes up to standard.
“We have a lot of old apartments with neglected infrastructure, where the owners don’t do a good job of maintaining them,” he explained, as per KERA.
In Arlington, less than 7% of the land, or 3,318 acres, is available for development. The decreasing amount of undeveloped land in the city has been an ongoing issue for council members, who have made changes to city codes and offered incentives, such as tax credits, to encourage development.
Three individuals running for one of the four positions open on the Arlington City Council recently shared their opinions on managing fast expansion while maintaining a good living environment. The area where this is most challenging is District 1, which includes the Entertainment District in North Arlington. Despite having two Six Flags parks and a variety of restaurants, […]
In Arlington, less than 7% of the land, or 3,318 acres, is considered vacant and available for development. The shrinking amount of undeveloped land in the city has reportedly been a problem council members have been grappling with for some time, amending the city codes and creating incentives, such as tax credits, to get areas developed.
