Monthly Archives: August 2022

Introduction to ANC 5A09 Candidate Zachary Ammerman

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

From Zachary Ammerman, candidate for ANC 5A09, which will include The Modern at Art Place, Aventine at Fort Totten, and part of North Michigan Park.

Map of ANC single member district 5A09, effective January 2023, from DC Board of Elections.

My name is Zachary Ammerman, I’m a first-time candidate for Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in the brand-new single member district 5A09 which, as you may already be aware, will cover the area just east of the Fort Totten metro including part of Riggs Park, Fort Totten and North Michigan Park. 5A09 was largely carved out of the old 5A08 as a result of population changes following the 2020 Census. 

For those that aren’t familiar with the position, ANCs serve as a sort of liaison between a neighborhood district (each with about 2,000 people) and its residents and the DC government, helping to get services like trash removal, potholes filled, or a stoplight put in, among countless other things, and also advocate more broadly on behalf of the neighborhood. 

I just wanted to briefly introduce myself and let you know about some of my priorities I’ll be hoping to tackle if elected. 

I’m a full-time artist and mapmaker (you can see some of my work here and here) and a former French Embassy Economic Department staffer running as a first-time candidate for ANC with three top priorities in mind: 

  • traffic safety, particularly on South Dakota Avenue, but also on some of the side streets in the SMD like Galloway and Gallatin. I plan on pushing for DDOT to take an “all-of-the-above” approach to calming traffic on South Dakota, including speed and red light cameras, installing new stop lights at intersections that don’t currently have them, considering a road diet long-term, as well as considering putting in protected bike lanes (as identified in the 2015 Move DC plan), and potentially bus lanes. 
    • I am also not waiting until I get elected to start pushing for these changes: I’ve already filed multiple requests for traffic safety investigations (which have a wait time of around 130 days, so right around the time I would be taking office) for multiple different intersections and stretches of road in our district in the hopes that DDOT will be getting around to them early next year. See my website for more details on this; 
  • putting pressure on NPS to take better care of the parks in our area, including finishing the trail between the Fort Totten metro and North Michigan Park, as well as just generally doing better maintenance like mowing and trash removal; 
  • and supporting more housing density in places like surface parking lots near the metro in order to help alleviate the region’s housing affordability crisis and contribute to DC’s climate/sustainability goals. 

You can find more detailed information about me and all of my proposals on my website, www.zachforanc5a09.com. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you may have via the contact me section of my website, or via email at zammermanANC@gmail.com or on Twitter at @ZachANC5A09. I’ll be campaigning more as the election gets closer and look forward to meeting many more residents in person in the next few months.

September 24: Calvary Women’s Services’ upcoming In this Together Community Walk – a family-friendly community event

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

Ed. Note: Passing along information I was asked to share about an upcoming event benefitting Calvary Women’s Services. Find Calvary Women’s Services on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

Calvary Women’s Services’ upcoming In This Together Community Walk will be held in person for the first time, on Saturday, September 24, at 10 a.m. at Anacostia Park.

For over 20 years, Calvary Women’s Services (CWS) has worked to end homelessness, inspire hope and transform the lives of women in the District of Columbia. CWS ensure women throughout DC have access to the proper trauma-informed healthcare and educational support they need to take positive steps toward independence. These programs include transitional and permanent housing, personalized case management, life skills and education opportunities, job training, health and wellness services, on-site therapy, and daily addiction recovery meetings. At Calvary, we believe every woman has the strengths and gifts she needs to be successful. Each woman in our programs identifies and builds on her strengths, meeting her goals for safe housing, good health, and financial independence.

Details and registration at the link.

August 31: ANC 5A Special Meeting (Updated Agenda)

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A Special Meeting
August 31, 2022
6:45 pm

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88313492245?pwd=SVdjanFDUTFrS3FEZkV4VTZiaVZuQT09

Meeting ID: 883 1349 2245
Passcode: 767536

Dial In: 301 715 8592

Agenda Items

  • Budget Amendment – to Establish a Public Safety Committee Operations Budget –  Commissioner Fletcher will develop a proposed budget for consideration.  
  • ABRA-121427 – Retailer’s Class “C” Tavern – Expansion of Previously approved Class “B” Application Trinity Grill & Social Marketplace, LLC  200 Michigan Avenue NE
  • Riggs Rd NE Connector Cycle Track DDOT (added August 27, 2022)  

Save the Date – September 23: The Parks Main Street Art All Night

Posted by nextstoprp in Main Street

Ed. Note: Last year’s Art All Night by The Parks Main Street was a good time. Looking forward to this year’s event.

From The Parks Main Street

SAVE THE DATE

Art All Night @ The Parks Main Street is ONE MONTH away!

Join us Friday September 23, 2022 from 7p – 11p

The Parks Main Street (TPMS) is excited to bring to the communities of Riggs Park and Manor Park a live, in-person end of year celebration. Private spaces throughout our business corridors transform into galleries, vending booths and performances for an evening of art in all its forms.

Grab your lawn chair and hang out with us all night (well most of the night)! Come visit small businesses, shop, dine, see local art, and experience live performances by artists from Riggs Park, Manor Park, and surrounding communities in Wards 4 and 5.

Art All Night is the perfect stimulant for Art, Community, and Commerce!

Register FREE to attend! All registrants will automatically be entered in drawing for gift certificates from local small businesses in Riggs Park and Manor Park!

Art All Night @ The Parks Main Street Art venue schedule:

Venue #1 – WELCOME CENTER / RIGGS PARK

Culture Coffee Too – 300 Riggs Road NE 20011

7:00 pm – 11:00 pm DJ Oxygen

7:00 pm Live to Love Family (Family Friendly Sister Rap Duo)

8:00 pm Jordan Seitz – Fire Dancer

8:30 pm Ronnette Rollins (Inspirational/Gospel)

9:30 pm Hand Dance Demonstration

10:00 pm M. Lewis (Neo Soul Vocals with Guitar)

Venue #2 – RIGGS PARK

Riggs Wine & Liquor – 5581 South Dakota Ave.NE 20011

7:00 pm -11:00 pm DJ Arturo

7:00 pm – 11:00 pm Spirit / Wine Tastings – Riggs Wine & Liquor

7:00 pm Performance Pending

8:00 pm Tango Dancers

8:30 pm Jonathan Acosta (Latin Vocals & Guitar)

9:30 pm Performance Pending

10:00 pm Performance Pending

Venue #3 RIGGS PARK

Troka Insurance – 208- 212 Riggs Road NE 20011

7:00 pm – 11:00 pm Music

7:00 pm – 11:00 pm Food Marketplace

  • Culinary Arts – Food Trucks & Food Vendors

Venue #4 RIGGS PARK

Hellbender Brewery – 5788 2nd Street NE 20011

7:00 pm Open Mic – Cash Prize

9:00 pm Vendor Introductions

9:30 pm Comedy Show – Four Corners Entertainment

Venue #5 WELCOME CENTER / MANOR PARK

The V.I.P. Room – 6201 3rd Street NW 20011

6:00 pm – The Davis Center Dancers

6:30 pm Manor Park Business District Mural Presentation

  • Remarks Local Community Leaders
  • Meet the Muralist – Tarika Campbell

7:00 pm – 11:00 pm DJ

7:00 pm Oren Levine & Friends (Jazz)

8:00 pm Lovely Lady Boutique – Fashion Show

8:30 pm Christopher Prince & Band (Jazz)

9:30 pm Jordan Seitz – Aerial Acrobatics

10:00 pm Shirleta Settles (Jazz)

Venue #6 MANOR PARK

The Learning Curve – 6226 3rd Street NW 20011

7:00 pm – 11:00 pm Music

7:00 pm Puppet Workshop – Yolanda Sampson

8:30 pm Art Workshop (Youth) – Rain Young

10:00 pm Art Workshop (Adult) – Rain Young

Venue performances subject to change

Check back for updates until September 23, 2022

August 31: ANC 5A Special Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A Special Meeting
August 31, 2022
6:45 pm

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88313492245?pwd=SVdjanFDUTFrS3FEZkV4VTZiaVZuQT09

Meeting ID: 883 1349 2245
Passcode: 767536

Dial In: 301 715 8592

Agenda Items

  • Budget Amendment – to Establish a Public Safety Committee Operations Budget –  Commissioner Fletcher will develop a proposed budget for consideration.  
  • ABRA-121427 – Retailer’s Class “C” Tavern – Expansion of Previously approved Class “B” Application Trinity Grill & Social Marketplace, LLC  200 Michigan Avenue NE  

No Bertie Backus Farm Stand August 27

Posted by nextstoprp in Backus Urban Food Hub

Update: The farm stand has been cancelled

—

Original post

I was informed yesterday evening that there will not be a Bertie Backus farm stand tomorrow August 27, 2022. UDC intended to reopen the stand tomorrow but their produce vendor fell through. I am getting mixed messages about whether the farm stand will return at all this season, but I do have confirmation that there will definitely not be a farm stand tomorrow. Should know more next week about plans for the rest of the season.

August 27: Explore! Children’s Festival

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten

From Explore Children’s Musuem

Calling all families to join in on the fun at the Explore! Children’s Festival located at The Modern at Art Place Fort Totten. On Saturday, August 13th, 20th, 27th and September 3rd, guests can enjoy free face painting, balloon twisting, magic shows, arts and crafts, sweet treats and snacks.

Each festival will also include live performances or demonstrations from local organizations and artists.

On Saturday, August 13th we hosted Cowboy Barry’s Petting Zoo along with a Storytime event with our new neighbor, the recently re-opened Lamond-Riggs/ Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library.

On Saturday, August 20th, guests enjoyed live music from The Uncle Devin Show, an interactive musical experience for children that uses percussion instruments to cultivate their minds – a dynamic cross between DC’s Trouble Funk and Schoolhouse Rock.

This coming Saturday, August 27th, guests can enjoy free face painting, balloon twisting, magic shows, arts and crafts, sweet treats and snacks.

Guests for the September 3rd event will be announced soon.
‍

Each event is FREE to attend and has every kid’s dream activities for a fun-filled weekend

August 27: Ward 5 Open Streets

Posted by nextstoprp in Ward 5

Ward 5 Open Streets, hosted by the District Department of Transportation, will take place on 12th Street NE between Franklin Street NE and Monroe Street NE on August 27, 2022, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

There is a full schedule of events for all ages and abilities. Should be a fun time. Check the website for details.

Note: 12th Street from Franklin to Monroe will be closed to vehicle traffic from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm on August 27 for people to enjoy the open street. Drivers will not be able to cross 12th Street from Franklin to Monroe during this time. No street parking will be allowed on 12th Street from Franklin to Monroe from 3:00 am to 2:00 pm on August 27. Plan accordingly.

Ward 5 Open Streets Map
Ward 5 Open Streets Schedule

Washington Post Article on Lillian Huff

Posted by nextstoprp in Lamond Riggs Library

The Washington Post has a lovely article on the renaming of the neighborhood library in honor of Lillian Huff. The rebuilt neighborhood library is now known as the Lamond-Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Library. Ms. Huff was a longtime Ward 5 resident in the Riggs Park neighborhood and was active in neighborhood life as well as in local DC politics. She is largely credited with getting the first library built in the neighborhood in 1983. The article nicely captures the reflections of Ms. Huff’s family as they recount her significance to her family and community.

I have said it before and I will keep saying it. It would be great to have a marker outside of the library with information about Ms. Huff as well as the Bryant brothers, the architects of the first Lamond-Riggs neighborhood library. People passing by the new library should be able to readily read about the contributions of these individuals and understand the history of the library. Seems simple enough.

A Few Changes for UDC-CC Bertie Backus Campus

Posted by nextstoprp in Education, Workforce Development

On July 19, 2022, Ronald Mason, Jr., president of the University of the District of Columbia, held a community meeting at UDC-CC Bertie Backus Campus, located at 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE. The meeting took place before President Mason publicly announced that he planned to step down as president of UDC in 2023. In any case, he said he wanted to get out to the campus because he does not get out this way often enough, so he was interested in meeting nearby residents in an informal setting. An elderly neighbor mentioned that she would like to see the university offer programs free to seniors at the Backus campus. She said that 10 to 20 years ago, seniors could take all kinds of classes at the Van Ness campus free of charge.

President Mason shared just a few details about a planned expansion of the Backus campus. UDC no longer occupies a campus on North Capitol Street for its community college programs. The Backus campus will house most or all of the community college programs. Most of the workforce development programs have been moved from Backus to UDC’s Congress Heights campus. The first three focus areas for the community college will be teacher training, nursing, and technology. To accommodate the community college programs at Backus, a new wing will be built on the grounds of the existing parking lot on the Galloway Street NE side of the campus. The new wing will be about 60,000 square feet spread over 3 floors. The main Backus building will also undergo renovation (about 100,000 square feet). Some surface parking will remain. Design will take about one year and construction about 1.5 years.

In the interim, neighbors should start seeing a few small improvements to the campus. A neighbor and I worked on getting some money in the budget to spruce things up just a bit because this campus is a really great civic asset in the neighborhood.

  • Window repair/replacement, removal of mesh window covers, and installation of new window blinds
  • Painting of rails and exterior doors
  • Replacement of fence
  • Repair of masonry, concrete, and steps
  • New signage

(Also, this post discusses the renovations taking place at the Bertie Backus Food Hub).

My understanding is that UDC will have more community meetings in the coming months to provide more information about the Backus campus expansion.

August 20: Explore! Children’s Festival

Posted by nextstoprp in Cafritz Art Place at Fort Totten

From Explore! Children’s Museum

Calling all families to join in on the fun at the Explore! Children’s Festival located at The Modern at Art Place Fort Totten. On Saturday, August 13th, 20th, 27th and September 3rd, guests can enjoy free face painting, balloon twisting, magic shows, arts and crafts, sweet treats and snacks.

Each festival will also include live performances or demonstrations from local organizations and artists.

On Saturday, August 13th we hosted Cowboy Barry’s Petting Zoo along with a Storytime event with our new neighbor, the recently re-opened Lamond-Riggs/ Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library.

This coming Saturday, August 20th, guests can enjoy live music from The Uncle Devin Show, an interactive musical experience for children that uses percussion instruments to cultivate their minds – a dynamic cross between DC’s Trouble Funk and Schoolhouse Rock.

Guests for the August 27th and September 3rd event will be announced soon.

Each event is FREE to attend and has every kid’s dream activities for a fun-filled weekend!

Today August 15 at 4 pm: New Metro General Manager at Fort Totten Station

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

Randy Clarke, the new general manager of Metro, will be at Fort Totten Metro station today August 15 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm to talk with riders.

It appears the new GM is taking outreach seriously. I have submitted a few comments on Metro’s online comment form regarding Fort Totten station over the past few weeks, primarily about trash around the station and about fares. Someone from Metro actually called me about my comment on fares.

I had commented that I do not understand why Metro is charging peak fares while not providing peak service during peak hours. If Metro is running 6-car trains on the red line with 10-12 minute headways throughout the day, including during supposed peak hours, why is Metro charging extra money during peak hours. Riders are not getting peak service even though we are paying peak fares. I doubt Metro will actually do anything about this, but it was still interesting that someone called me and I had a chance to give my feedback.

And I think they are trying to be a bit better about cleaning up the litter on their grounds. With a 7-Eleven on station property, I am not necessarily surprised by the trash, but it might require a more frequent cleaning schedule. I had also asked if they considered adding recycling cans around the station, given the amount of empty bottles I see on the ground. In any case, I do think maintaining clean grounds is important for Metro not just from the standpoint of being a good neighbor but also its own mission. After all, those of us who ride Metro know all too well the hazards that trash on the tracks poses to service and the trash can clog storm drains.

I also have thoughts about Metro’s joint real estate development program. Aventine Fort Totten is a joint development project. Also Metro has tried a couple of times now to develop the long term parking lot at Fort Totten station. Metro officials plan to try again soon according to their most recent joint development strategic plan.

Edited to add: On my way to Metro this morning, I saw that they have apparently decided to start fixing the road in front of the fire hydrant by the 7-Eleven that has been buckled for several years now. The quick fix-its over the years have not held up.

Fort Totten Metro station August 15, 2022

Zoning Commission Virtual Hearing for McDonald’s Rezoning Application Scheduled for November 28

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

A virtual public hearing for McDonald’s rezoning application is scheduled for November 28, 2022, at 4:00 pm (Zoning Commission case no. 22-19). McDonald’s is requesting a map amendment to change the zoning of its property located at 4950 South Dakota Avenue NE (Square 3786, Lot 0001) from MU-3A to MU-7B so that a new McDonald’s with a drive-thru can be built as a matter of right to replace the existing restaurant that does not currently have a drive-thru. The Zoning Commission will need to determine whether the requested map amendment is “not inconsistent” with the DC Comprehensive Plan.

The hearing notice contains instructions on how to sign up to participate in the virtual hearing and how to submit written comments.

McDonald’s states in its application and prehearing report that this upzoning request is consistent with the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) and General Land Use Map (GLUM), both of which were recently updated in the most recent Comprehensive Plan Amendment.

The DC Office of Planning (OP) issued its setdown report on July 20, 2022. In that report, OP stated the requested map amendment is generally not inconsistent with the Comp Plan, but that there is some inconsistency with the Transportation Element of the Comp Plan.

The ANC 5A report is sparse as expected, given that they relied on counsel for McDonald’s to provide the language for the resolution generally stating that the ANC supports McDonald’s application for a map amendment.

I will not rehash everything I have written about this matter, but as I noted previously I was curious to see how OP would handle the fact that paving the road for a drive-thru in this location, as District officials did by changing the FLUM and GLUM without explanation, is wholly inconsistent with the District’s moveDC plan for this area and with the District’s sustainability goals. OP does at least acknowledge several pages into its report that allowing a drive-thru as a matter of right here is not totally consistent with the Transportation Element of the Comp Plan. This whole exercise just shines even more of a light on how bizarre the Comp Plan Update process was where OP decided to throw the gates wide open, decided that they were only going to listen to ANCs, and then decided that OP did not have to explain the rationale for any of their decisions at all. So now the result is discussing a supposed reality in which permitting upzoning solely for the sake of a drive-thru somehow promotes community vitality and racial equity. It is bizarre and irresponsible.