On Wednesday, October 26, 2016, ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting. All of the commissioners were present, except Isaiah Burroughs. As a reminder, the former commissioner for ANC 5A06 moved out of the SMD, so that seat will remain vacant until the new commissioners are sworn in in January.

MPD Report

MPD Fourth District (4D) Commander Wilfredo Manlapaz informed residents that beginning December 1, MPD is returning to a sector model for overseeing the police services areas (PSAs). The Fourth District and 4D PSA boundaries will remain the same. Each lieutenant will be responsible for three PSAs. For PSA 405, Lieutenant Ashley Rosenthal will remain our primary point of contact. The PSAs will be part of one sector headed by a captain. Commander Manlapaz said this model will allow there to be supervisory coverage for all shifts. In addition, MPD hopes that this model will better prepare officers to ascend the ranks.

Commander Manlapaz reiterated that thefts from autos continue to be a problem so be sure not to leave anything visible in cars and do not leave cars running unattended. In addition, with the holidays coming up, be sure to have packages delivered to a location where they will not be left unattended and be sure to break down packaging.

Michael Thompson, Providence Hospital

The ANC took a moment to honor Michael Thompson, former Vice President of Marketing, Business Development, and Government Relations at Providence Hospital. Commissioner Adrian Jordan (5A03) drafted a resolution to thank Mr. Thompson for his almost 20 years support of ANC 5A and its residents.

Office of Planning

A representative from DC’s Office of Planning provided an ANC 5A-specific overview of the new Zoning Regulations. See: Anc 5aA Zoning Regulations 2016 Overview (pdf)

Mayor’s Office Report

Ward 5 MOCR Lionell Gaines provided copies of the Office of the People’s Counsel Senior Utility Resource Guide (pdf). He also reminded residents to get involved in the Comprehensive Plan update. The public meeting covering our neighborhood is at 6:00 pm on November 14, 2016, at Luke C. Moore High School (1001 Monroe Street NE).

Senior Adviser Beverly Perry spoke about the DC statehood advisory referendum. That was discussed at last month’s ANC 5A meeting as well, so we will not recap the details of the referendum here. ANC 5A voted to support DC statehood. It is not entirely clear what they were supporting exactly, whether it is the concept of statehood, the process for achieving statehood, or what exact action they were proposing to take to show support. If you have questions about this, contact your commissioner. Commissioner Frank Wilds (5A01) abstained from the vote, later explaining that he believes DC does not adequately function as a city, so it is unclear how it can take on more responsibilities to function as a state. Commissioner Ronnie Edwards (5A05) responded that it does not matter how well DC does or does not function; it is about having rights as citizens.

Ward 5 Councilmember Report

Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie noted that SafeTrack Surge #10 will begin October 29. There will be no red line service between Fort Totten and NoMa from October 29 through November 22, 2016, so plan accordingly.

He plans to send a letter to WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld to inquire about the delay in implementing the new G9 express bus route, which will run crosstown on Rhode Island Avenue.

And finally, the councilmember will be holding a roundtable on the state of MPD at 5:00 pm on November 3, 2016, at the Wilson Building.

Mary’s Center

Mary’s Center at Fort Totten (100 Gallatin Street NE), the medical facility operating in partnership with Briya & Bridges Public Charter School, will officially open December 1, 2016. They will be holding a Veterans Day event on November 11, 2016, at 9:30 am for veterans, active duty servicemembers, and their families. Appointments are strongly encouraged. To make an appointment call 1-844-346-2838 or email MCVET@maryscenter.org.

A DDOT representative stated that DDOT plans to install a traffic signal at Fort Totten Drive and Gallatin Street NE to provide controlled crossing for students going to Briya and Bridges.

St. Josephite’s Seminary Project (12th and Allison Street development)

An EYA representative informed residents that the St. Josephite project was set down for public hearing by the Zoning Commission. EYA believes the hearing will likely be scheduled for January. EYA is working on responses to questions from the Zoning Commission.

McDonald’s on South Dakota Avenue NE

McDonald’s possible reconfiguration shown in red

Raoul Alvarez, owner of the McDonald’s on South Dakota Avenue NE, continues to gather community support and input for rebuilding the McDonald’s with a drive-thru. Consultant Harry Thomas stated that in response to resident input, they have reoriented the building so that the entrance and exit will be on South Dakota Avenue rather than on Delafield Street. The reconfiguration will ensure that the drive-thru speakers are not located too close to nearby residences. The drive-thru will have a double ordering board to aid traffic flow. We discussed in last month’s meeting recap that the owner wants to make this McDonald’s more of a fast casual concept.

The commission supported Commissioner Jordan’s motion to provide “initial support” for the project. It is not clear what this means exactly. They seemed to say they wanted to show support for the restaurant staying in its current location. The owner will have to go through the planned unit development process to make the changes it wants to make, changes primarily driven by the desire to have a drive-thru. So it is not clear if the ANC is saying it supports having a drive-thru with this letter of initial support that they intend to draft.  The ANC has taken great pains over the past several meetings to state it does not take a position or express an opinion on items on which there is nothing to take official action yet because plans can and do change. But here, nothing has been submitted to the Zoning Commission, nor has anything official been submitted to the ANC, so it is not clear what they are supporting.

Mr. Thomas reiterated that the community is very supportive of the rebuild with a drive-thru, which we find a little surprising because residents constantly complain about all things traffic, especially when it comes to development and South Dakota Avenue. So it is interesting that residents support adding a drive-thru to a facility that does not have currently have one. But apparently residents are very fond of the owner and the restaurant since it has been in the neighborhood for 40 years.

Community Concerns

Commissioner Angel Alston (5A08) stated that she will share information about how to apply for the affordable dwelling units (ADUs) at Totten Mews when it becomes available, which she expects will be some time in January. The townhome community is currently under construction.

A resident alerted the commissioners that a resident on Farragut Place NE has been threatening neighbors with his dogs. The individual was recently arrested after his dog allegedly killed a neighbor’s dog. Another resident stated he had been contacting MPD and the Humane Society for over one year about this conduct and that no action had been taken until the neighbor’s dog was killed. MPD is investigating.

There was a protracted discussion about when the November meeting will be held since the scheduled meeting date is the day before Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for that information.

We sent a list of questions to candidates seeking to represent areas of the neighborhood on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission. Gordon-Andrew Fletcher is a candidate for ANC 5A08, which includes parts of both North Michigan Park and Riggs Park (primarily Aventine Fort Totten, Art Place at Fort Totten development, and the Riggs Plaza apartments). The incumbent commissioner who is seeking reelection did not respond to the questionnaire. The general election is November 8, 2016. Early voting started at Judiciary Square on October 22. On October 28, early voting begins at Turkey Thicket Recreation Center (1100 Michigan Avenue NE).

1. Please provide a brief introduction of yourself to the community.

My name is Gordon-Andrew Fletcher. I was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in New York. I came to Washington, DC at the age of 17 to attend American University, where I graduated in 2006 with a degree in Political Science and an advanced degree in Leadership Studies from the School of Public Affairs. Thereafter, I attended Florida A & M University College of Law in Florida . I am licensed to practice law in the state of Maryland and my Bar Admission to DC is pending. I am a Washingtonian by choice, and have made Washington, D.C my home. I am currently pursuing a third degree at American University – Masters in Public Policy & Administration while serving as the Graduate Student Body President. Additionally, I work at the Department of Commerce and also teach Repeat Bar Exam Takers to successfully pass the Bar Exam. I have been involved in my community ever since moving to ANC 5A08 serving as Public Safety Co-Chair, Youth Committee Co-Chair, and Economic Development Task Force member of Lamond-Riggs Citizen Association (LRCA). I also serve as a committee member of the ANC 5A Economic Development Committee.

2. If elected, what will be your top priorities for your two-year term?

My top priorities follow:

• Enhance ANC5A’s transparency by releasing meeting material and minutes in 30-days or less; bringing current the ANC5A website and listserv; ensuring proper meeting notification is given; and strive to ensure public reports are clear, concise and complete (i.e., some financial report have been vague).
• Involve the community in ANC5A deliberations when possible by creating ad-hoc committees to provide research, gauge public sentiment and advice on ANC actions.
• Ensure that development complements and does not unduly changes the neighborhood character. This is accomplished by acting as a liaison between all parties until a compromise is reached.  My goal is to impose the will of the community, not the opposite, during all deliberations.
• Hold ANC 5A accountable to all residents within our neighborhood so that we can have the best community possible. I plan to be visible and accessible to all residents in 5A08. 

3. There is a lot of development happening in Lamond-Riggs. Please provide specific ways in which you will involve the community in shaping the development that is occurring.

ANC 5A08, which includes both the LRCA and the North Michigan Park Citizens Association (NMPCA), like many other communities, have been blessed with local development.  But, if unmanaged, the blessing can sully the neighborhood. I suggest the following:

• As a member of the community, I have my own sense of what is needed. However, I realize that I am part of many groups – young, old, black, white, Hispanic – who have dreams for this community.  I would solicit the common themes that we can agree upon through ad-hoc committees, community meetings and surveys.  Also, I will seek to engage existing organizations such as the LRCA, NMPCA, and other ANCs in this effort.
• I plan to meet the developers early in the process to understand their goals, comment on possible areas of agreement or contention, and clearly report to the community the results. This process will be repeated until all issues are resolved. Decisions that affect our community will never occur without hearing the voices of the community first and foremost.
• Lastly, I would ensure that agreed upon issues are met. Some of this can be accomplished through contract language – for example, no occupancy permit is issued until ‘X’ is completed.  The most important aspect is not the signing of a document, but monitoring the results.

4. In what ways do you believe that the development currently taking place is and/or is not compatible with the Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue Small Area Plan?

Overall, the goal of the South Dakota Avenue and Riggs Small Area Plan was the revitalization of this business corridor.  It has succeeded in attracting development.  But it has not delivered on all promises yet.

• According to the Small Area Plan, the elements of Access & Connectivity and Visual Identity are still outstanding. Access refers to building safe and well lighted paths within the retail corridor to the Metro.  Visual Identity encompasses the creation of safe, open, and green space for the community. The community must remain vigilant to ensure the realization of these items.

5. What specific steps would you propose taking to continue implementing the small area plan?

A thorough review of the small area plan is needed to gauge accomplishment, what is ongoing and what is to be reassessed.  Much of the actions I would take are already given in my response to question three (3).  However, before going forward the community must be informed of the project status, our future steps, and how we plan to implement them.

6. What responsibility do you believe the ANC has in formally responding to citywide proposals, such as Metro’s proposed permanent reduction in operating hours and DC’s Office of Planning proposal to update the Comprehensive Plan?

The ANC is charged with representing the will and aspiration of the citizens within the commissioner’s SMD.  So, the ANC must be ready to address all issue whether ‘grass roots’ or ‘top down’.  On city-wide issues, such as the Metro, the ANC must discern the community’s position, document it, and advice or consult city agencies, the Council or Mayor for a response.   In this case, one voice speaks for the city, but the ANC can share its ‘opinion’ with its constituency.

The comprehensive plan should be regularly updated.  First, it should be revised to reflect changes brought about through population growth, traffic patterns, and transportation improvements.  For example, imagine working with a comprehensive plan that did not account for Metro!  Secondly, the results of the many small area plans, inclusion zones, ‘Great Streets’ projects require inclusion.  Lastly, the most important work is now done.  The comprehensive plan is reviewed in terms of maintaining a viable, livable community.

For example, our green space is disappearing at an alarming rate.  I would propose a moratorium on the development of our city-owned, pocket parks.  This measure shields our green spaces from over-development.  Also, we need to work with and monitor the Office of Planning.  We need to ensure it does not relax existing provisions, thus giving developers new advantages.

7. For ANC 5A specifically, how do you propose to improve the representation provided by the commission for its residents?

First and foremost, I intend to regularly meet with the community whether there are outstanding issues or not.  I currently attend the monthly ANC5A meeting and participate in LCRA activities.  I am willing to rotate between LRCA, NMPCA and other organizations to reach my Single Member District (SMD) constituency.  I will respond to all inquiries within a reasonable time – like you, I have a job and social life.  Also, I will consider community events such as speaking engagements, mixers, etc.   Just please provide sufficient advance notice.

8. Why do you believe you are best prepared to represent the residents of ANC 5A08?

I am best prepared to represent the residents of ANC 5A08, because of my passion, determination, and background. I have the passion to be dedicated to the position of ANC Commissioner of 5A08 each and every day, and am confident in my abilities to stay in constant communication with the residents of ANC 5A08. In 2016 ANC Commissioners must be in constant communication with its residents to ensure that the voices of the people are heard before and not after decisions have made. Moreover, I plan to be responsive to residents when they reach out with questions or concerns. In doorknocking around ANC 5A08, many residents have asked me to make sure that when I am elected to stay in touch with them. Many residents in ANC 5A08 do not feel as if they know what is happening in our community, and I plan to change that when elected. The position of ANC Commissioner is extremely important to the success of any neighborhood in Washington, DC, and when elected I will ensure that I represent those residing in ANC 5A08 to the highest degree. For more information and ways to get in touch with me, please visit my website at: http://www.gordonandrewfletcheranc5a08.com