ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on September 28, 2022.

Commissioners present: Charles Lockett (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) – Secretary; Diego Rojas (5A04); Ronnie Edwards (5A05) – Chair; Derrick Holloway (5A06); Sandi Washington (5A07) – Treasurer; Gordon Fletcher (5A08) – Vice Chair.

(This meeting clocked in at well over three hours ending after 10:00 pm for no good reason. The ANC really needs to utilize a timer; lots of speechifying going on. I am sure I am leaving something out.)

Armed Forces Retirement Home Development Project (5A05)

Project websites
https://www.afrh.gov/aboutus/propertydevelopment
https://www.ncpc.gov/projects/MP060

View presentation: AFRH Update, September 28, 2022

The development team for the Armed Forces Retirement Home returned to the ANC to share updates from discussions the team is having with ANCs in Ward 1 and Ward 4, primarily about connectivity with surrounding neighborhoods. The home sits in ANC 5A05, but borders Ward 1 and Ward 4.

The home is an independent federal agency but does not receive dedicated appropriations. The development project is a way to bring in money for the home.

In looking at connectivity, the team stated it will need to take into account cost, law enforcement, and potential golf course reconfiguration. Certain connectivity options will be very expensive. With respect to law enforcement, DC police do not have jurisdiction over the grounds; neither does US Capitol Police. Certain connectivity options could potentially help with this law enforcement hole by making some of the space public property that can then be policed by MPD. And finally, the team does not want to route pedestrians on paths where they are likely to interfere with golf range operations or be hit with golf balls.

The team is looking at a grocery for the first phase. The presentation includes a concept plan for how connectivity would look to the grocery store.

There was lots more talked about. If you care at all about this project, take a look at the pretty detailed presentation.

Also, I will note that the home will continue to sit in ANC 5A05, but there is currently not anyone running to represent this area for the ANC. Commissioner Ronnie Edwards (5A05), the current commissioner for this area, will be in a new ANC in January 2023 due to redistricting.

Riggs Road NE Cycletrack (5A08) (Vicki Cadullo, DDOT)

View DDOT’s presentation: Riggs Road NE Cycletrack Connector

Vicki Caudullo, a planner with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), presented rough plans for a very short cycletrack on the south side of Riggs Road NE from 1st Place NE to South Dakota Avenue NE. There was not much in the way of detail, but it looks like the idea is to take part of the dedicated right turn lane and use it for an on-street two-way cycletrack that would divert to the sidewalk where it meets a trailhead for the Metropolitan Branch Trail at the southwest corner of South Dakota Avenue & Riggs Road NE. This is supposed to connect to future bike infrastructure that is planned for South Dakota Avenue. DDOT needs to do a traffic analysis.

DDOT asked for reactions to the cycletrack connector concept. A few commissioners stated that bike lanes are terrible and taking over the city, making it difficult to drive. Another noted how ANC 5A has intergenerational communities and that there are lots of seniors in the neighborhood who need their cars. Another noted putting bike infrastructure on South Dakota Avenue is going to get someone killed. A couple of residents in comments thanked DDOT for looking at ways to provide a safe connection to the MBT from the east. (I noted that the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association had an event with Food & Friends about utilizing the green space at the corner and that DDOT should reach out to Food & Friends about this plan. When residents told Food & Friends representatives about DDOT’s plan at LRCA’s event, the representatives stated that their driveway on Riggs Road is pretty active, with delivery drivers coming and going frequently so they definitely want to know what the plans are).

DDOT presented the plans to ANC 4B the same evening. DDOT will be back with more updates.

36 Hawaii Avenue NE (5A06)

BZA Case No. 20793. BZA hearing scheduled for October 26, 2022

The ANC approved support for this project. The building has three units but only has a certificate of occupancy for a flat. The applicant is seeking relief to make the existing third unit a legal unit.

The Kennedy School/801 Buchanan Street NE (Kennedy School) Project (5A03)

This project has two related applications:
(1) Application for redevelopment of the school facility, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington – BZA Case No. 20749
Applicant Prehearing Statement
(2) Development of townhomes on the property – BZA Case No. 20751
Applicant Prehearing Statement

A BZA hearing is scheduled for October 19, 2022

The property is owned by the Joseph P. Kennedy Institute. On the site is a private school for children with physical, emotional, and developmental disabilities (The Kennedy School). In order to generate funds to support the school, part of the property will be used to develop approximately 80 townhomes with brick facades. The existing school will be redeveloped on the site.

Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) worked with the Applicant and Ascension (owner of Providence Health) to get a commitment to combine the rear of the property with part of Providence’s property, which is adjacent to the Applicant’s property and slated for future redevelopment, in order to create a tot lot and a dog park in the future. The Applicant also agreed to contribute to a tax relief fund for nearby property owners, agreed to install vibration monitoring equipment at the site during construction, and agreed that the HOA documents will restrict access to RPP parking.

If you live in this area, Commissioner Lucio has been having lots of community meetings about this project. Reach out to her to get on her email list for meeting notices and updates about the project. She said that at her last SMD meeting, residents in attendance voted to support the project.

At the full ANC meeting, a few commissioners asked about pricing for the townhomes. Construction is a ways off, so it is too early to say what market price will be, but there will be nine below market rate homes offered. The ANC tabled a vote on the project so that the development team can present the plans to the North Michigan Park Civic Association and the Michigan Park Citizens Association (the project sits in Michigan Park).

The ANC will hold a special meeting on October 12, 2022, for the ANC to make a final decision.

1343 Webster Street NE (5A03)

BZA Case No. 20797. BZA hearing is scheduled for November 2, 2022

The ANC approved a letter in support of a homeowner’s request for a special exception to build a two-story addition to his home at 1343 webster Street NE.

Bridges School Zone Parking Permit Application

Recall that Bridges Public Charter School applied for a school zone parking permit, which would allow school employees to purchase a parking permit to park on surrounding streets that require residential parking permits. Commissioner Sandi Washington (5A07) worked with Bridges to secure 10 parking spaces at UDC for staff until December 31, 2022. They will work to extend this parking past January 2023, so currently Bridges is not moving forward with the permit application as they work with Commissioner Washington.

Even though the parking situation for Bridges looks like it to coming to an amicable resolution, some commissioners still took a lot of time discussing the program in general. DDOT representatives explained that the Council created the program because schools undergoing modernization were having to choose between amenities for the school and building a parking lot on school property for school employees. Commissioner Lucio said she thinks the Council needs to reconsider the program because she thinks there are a lot of issues.

ANC 5A Public Safety Task Force

ANC 5A’s public safety task force held a meeting on September 14, 2022, where residents at that meeting approved purchase of items Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) previously requested (whistles, refelctive vests, flashlights, batteries). Commissioner Fletcher asked for the full ANC’s approval to purchase the items. The cost was based on prices from Amazon, but the ANC said the commission should buy from local vendors to the extent possible. Commission Diego Rojas offered to assist Commissioner Fletcher with sourcing local vendors. The task force still needs to articulate a mission and goals.

Ward 5 Council Report (Alicia DiFazio, Committee Director,Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie)

Aliciz DiFazio, Committee Director for Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, said she would talk to the councilmember about the school zone parking program.

She noted CM McDuffie will host a job fair with an organization called Jobs Not Guns this fall. Details to come.

Acknowledging discussion about the cost of homes in DC earlier in the meeting, Ms. DiFazio noted there are resources for homeowners, particularly seniors. For example, a new senior real property credit cap limits taxable assessment increases to two percent.

Ms. DiFazio said that Mundo Verde wants to purchase another campus for its nearby school. Providence Health System is willing to sell its dialysis building to Mundo Verde. CM McDuffie plans to put forward a bill to use revenue bonds to support purchase of the building for Mundo Verde.

Commissioner Edwards said that CM McDuffie promised that if residents were successful in opposing a liquor store at the small strip mall next to teh McDonald’s (which they were), then he would introduce a moratorium on the siting or licneisng of liquor stores in North Michigan Park. Ms. DiFazio said should talk to CM McDuffie about a bill.

Metropolitan Police Department

Commissioner Lucio said that MPD has made it clear that they will no longer attend ANC meetings. A police officer or police community engagement liaison used to attend ANC meetings to give updates. According to Commissioner Lucio, MPD will now only attend if requested and if there is a specific issue within the police district. Apparently, MPD does not have enough staffing to attend ANC and community meetings and believes an appropriate alternative is for residents to attend the MPD sector meetings.

Permit Parking Request for Unit Block of Hamilton Street NE (5A07)

The ANC approved a resolution in support of requesting permit-only parking on the unit block of Hamilton Street NE.