Yesterday, Metro announced that all red line stations will be open for normal service starting December 30, 2023, at 7:00 am. Red line service has been suspended between Gallery Place and Dupont since December 18 for construction. Metro will finish construction activities one day earlier than planned.
Read the announcement at https://wmata.com/about/news/Red-Line-Construction-Reopening.cfm.
According to a notice sent by ANC 5A yesterday, the hypothermia site at Faith United Church of Christ opened on December 15, 2023. The church is located at 4900 10th Street NE. The site will serve up to 35 women from 7 pm to 7 am during hypothermia season. For questions/concerns, contact ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) or contact Quin Grier, Supervisory Coordinator in the Family Services Administration of the DC Department of Human Services, at shaquin.grier@dc.gov.
Reminder, Metro will be doing construction on a portion of the red line December 18-30, 2023. Red line trains will be running every 10-12 minutes. Details on station closures, transit options, shuttle bus information, FAQs at https://wmata.com/initiatives/plans/red-line-construction/index.cfm.
Important Dates and Service Information
There are now two vacancies on ANC 5A. The DC Board of Elections recertified a vacancy for ANC 5A07. Petitions for 5A07 will be available starting December 18, 2023, and will be due no later than January 8, 2024.
There is a new vacancy for ANC 5A06. My understanding is that Kweku Toure resigned because he moved out of the area (do not quote me on that though). Petitions for ANC 5A06 will be available starting December 26, 2023, and will be due no later than January 16, 2024.
ANC single member districts 5A06 and 5A07 generally cover the areas west of Fort Totten Park. ANC 5A06 covers several of the apartment buildings along Hawaii Avenue NE and Webster Street NE that are the subject of development discussions (see BZA case nos. 20507, 20507(A)).
Along with a large chunk of National Park Service parkland and a chunk of the area west of Fort Totten Park, ANC 5A07 also includes a portion of 1st Place NE by Fort Totten Metro station (including Metro’s large parking lot that is slated for future development). And it covers portions of the Met Branch Trail currently under construction along 1st Place and along Riggs Road NE.
Information on running for ANC available on the DC Board of Elections website at https://www.dcboe.org/candidates/anc-advisory-neighborhood-commissioners.
Join the DC Department of Parks & Recreation for the release of the city’s 20-year parks & rec plan called Ready2Play. Food, games, giveaways, and more.
Ready2Play Release Party
December 16, 2023
11:00 am-2:00 pm
Edgewood Recreation Center
301 Franklin Street NE
Information at ready2play.splashthat.com
It seems like almost every year, Metro releases a doomsday budget because of its unfortunate funding structure. For its fiscal year 2025 budget, Metro states that in the absence of additional funding, it is looking to close a $750 million budget gap in several ways.
Budget information at https://wmata.com/budget.
A neighbor took a look at the neighborhood impacts of the threatened severe cuts in the FY2025 budget. Out of the various proposed cuts, the bus service cuts include several specific impacts to the neighborhood. Most of the buses serving Fort Totten Metro station would be affected. Routes E2 (Fort Totten to Ivy City), 70 (Fort Totten to Petworth), and K2 (Fort Totten to Takoma) would be eliminated. Routes 80 (North Capitol Street, K6 (New Hampshire Avenue), 64 (Fort Totten to Federal Triangle), and R1 and R2 (Riggs Road) would be reduced. Routes F1 and F2, which have a few stops in Lamond, also would be eliminated.
Metro is requesting a one-time adjustment of the baseline subsidy from DC, Maryland, and Virginia in order to avoid having to implement this doomsday budget. Metro would have to start taking steps to freeze hiring and reduce staff as early as January 2024, so Metro states that the sooner it has clarity from the jurisdictions, the better.
Metro’s board is meeting today. Over the next couple of months, Metro’s board and staff will work together to finalize a proposed budget. Metro plans to provide information about a public hearing and an opportunity to submit comments in February 2024.
Metro will spread holiday cheer this week with events throughout the region. Community members can step into the sweetest ride in the D.C. area this holiday season when they board a specially decorated “gingerbread wonderland” Metrobus.
Participants will be welcomed by Metro executives, Transit Police officers, Metrobus and Metrorail personnel and receive bags filled with goodies and other giveaways at the following locations in the coming days:
ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on November 29, 2023. Commissioners present: Duvalier Malone (5A01); Diego Rojas (5A04); Tyeron Boston (5A05); Kweku Toure (5A06) – Vice Chair; Gordon Fletcher (5A08) – Chair; Shelagh Bocoum (5A09) – Treasurer. ANC 5A07 is vacant.
ANC Business
Commissioner Shelagh Bocoum, treasurer, stated the ANC only recently gained access to its bank account and is therefore still working on paying a couple of bills.
Chair Gordon Fletcher stated that the ANC is still working to put together an annual report and they hope to have that done by the January 2024 meeting.
There will not be an ANC meeting in December 2023.
Faith United Church Temporary Hypothermia Shelter (5A08)
A representative for Faith United Church, Enrique Cobham, stated that as of November 29, the church had not been added to the city pool to operate a hypothermia shelter yet. Mr. Cobham said the church is in conversation with the ANC about what happens when the center is not active. Once the site is online for the season, the site will be active between 7 pm and 7 am. The city will have security inside and outside the church and the city will be responsible for cleaning the site. The city has already set up equipment inside the church.
Chair Fletcher said the ANC is speaking with the church about an agreement between the ANC, North Michigan Park Civic Association (NMPCA), and the church.
Catholic University Student Housing (5A04)
Representatives for Catholic University gave the ANC a heads up about a filing for an amendment to the university’s campus plan and further processing in order to build temporary student housing. As of November 29, the university had not yet filed the application but indicated they intended to do so in early December. They anticipate having a hearing scheduled in January 2024.
Officials stated the university wants to build temporary modular student housing. They have a zoning order that allows them to build permanent housing, but they said that difficulties in the construction market and economic conditions have led them to consider modular housing as a temporary solution to the need for more student housing. As a result, they need an amendment to the campus plan.
A couple of the commissioners asked about construction impacts and timeline. Catholic officials said impacts should be mitigated a bit because the units will largely be built offsite and then brought by truck to the campus. Representatives will appear at future meetings to provide more information and to get the support of the ANC.
Ward 5 Council Report (Carlos McKnight, Constituent Services Coordinator for Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker)
Ward 5 CM Zachary Parker held his monthly public safety call on November 29. Guests were Sylvan Altieri, MPD 5D Commander; Dr. Barbara Bazron, Director of DC Department of Behavorial Health; and Matthew Graves, US Attorney for DC. A recording of the call is available on CM Parker’s youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@councilmemberzacharyparker.
Ward 5 Mayor Report (Ward 5 MOCR Anthony Black)
The mayor’s office is hosting a senior holiday party on December 13, 2023. There was a community resource fair on December 1 at RISE Demonstration Center.
Leaf collection is ongoing. If you miss leaf pickup for your area, you can put in a 311 request.
Mr. Black continues to have “Ward Days” on Tuesday and Friday when he will be available to meet residents around the ward about any issues they have. Contact him by email (anthony.black@dc.gov) or phone (202-251-5049) if you would like to meet with him.
Miscellaneous
A resident asked about the status of the DC SuperMart convenience store. (According to a sign outside the store, it is open).
The ANC’s next meeting will be January 24, 2024.
Metro will be doing construction on a portion of the red line December 18-30, 2023. Details, transit options, shuttle bus information, FAQs at https://wmata.com/initiatives/plans/red-line-construction/index.cfm.
Important Dates and Service Information
Starting December 17, 2023, Metro will begin operating overnight bus service on 14 routes, including route 80. Between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m., bus service will operate every 20 minutes or better on the following routes:
Between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., customers can request courtesy stops along these routes to get off at a location in between designated bus stops.
From Metro on Requesting a Courtesy Stop:
- When boarding, let our Bus Operator know you’ll be requesting a Courtesy Stop
- In approach to your desired drop-off, pull the Stop Requested cord to signal to the Operator
- Walk to the front and inform the Bus Operator of your Courtesy Stop location
A Courtesy Stop may only be made at the front of the bus and not through the rear doors.
Courtesy stops are at the discretion of the Bus Operator to ensure the safety of our customers and to not interfere with any other traffic or road conditions when stopping the bus.
More information at https://wmata.com/247dcbus and https://wmata.com/about/news/Metro-announces-launch-of-24-7-Bus-Service-Across-DC.cfm.
Join the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) for their upcoming Family Holiday Movie & Fun Day!
Come out to enjoy hot chocolate, cider, and popcorn, and meet your neighbors.
LRCA Family Holiday Movie and Fun Day
December 10, 2023,
2:00 pm-4:30 pm
Lamond-Riggs Library
5401 South Dakota Avenue NE
Ward 5 Family Biking Holiday Ride & Party
December 9, 2023
10:30 am
Meet at Michigan Park Community Playground
12th Street & Wynton Place NE
Join Ward 5 Family Biking for a holiday bike ride & party. Ride from Michigan Park Community Playground to Bryant Street Market. Enjoy free hot cocoa & cookie decorating. Lunch, latkes, and drinks for purchase.
From North Michigan Park Civic Association (NMPCA)
North Michigan Park Civic Association Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
VIRTUAL ONLY
Virtual Meeting
Meeting ID 882 7345 2110
Passcode 930240
Call In 1-301-715-8592
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88273452110?pwd=dmZ3R1liOTRKY1FyS3hlYlBqWnBWUT09
Meeting Agenda
· Call to Order
· Opening Prayer – Silent
· Roll Call of Officers
Meeting Protocol
Community Development Task Force
Guest Speakers:
Community Leader Reports
Have a happy and safe holiday from the NMPCA!
Adjourn
Late post
On November 15, 2023, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) held a public meeting on the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) Blair Road to Piney Branch Road NW segment. View the meeting recording, slide presentation, and 65% design plan. These materials are available at https://metbranchtrail.com/blair-rd-to-piney-branch.
As DDOT typically does with these meetings, they started with an overview of recently completed segments of the MBT & those under construction. The Fort Totten to Takoma extension is under construction now. One can see the construction taking place along 1st Place NE by Fort Totten Metro and along Riggs Road NE. The current plan is for an off-street, multi-use path along Riggs from 1st Place to 1st Street NE. From there the trail will move to an on-street alignment along 1st Street NE through the South Manor neighborhood to McDonald Place NE and then to an off-street, multi-use path along Blair Road. DDOT chose this route because the National Park Service (NPS) was originally reluctant to have the trail aligned closer to the red line tracks through NPS parkland north of Riggs.
South Manor Off-street Alignment
DDOT mentioned at a few public meetings that they have continued to engage with NPS about revisiting an option for an off-street alignment north of Riggs Road. At the meeting a couple of weeks ago, DDOT shared that they have received permission to conduct environmental impact analysis for an off-street alignment through NPS parkland closer to the red line tracks between Riggs Road and Oglethorpe Street NE. DDOT plans to begin working on that analysis in 2024.
Blair Road to Piney Branch Segment
As for the subject of the meeting–the Blair Road to Piney Branch segment–I have not been following this segment design that closely. A few things stood out to me at the meeting. One-way southbound travel on 4th Street NW would be extended from Butternut to Aspen. DDOT mentioned needing to acquire Metro property for the part of the segment near Piney Branch & Eastern. There was some grumbling about how winding this segment is as well as discussion about impact to trees.
The slides have details about key intersections. Send questions to metbranchtrail@dc.gov.
Invasive Removal at Hellbender Hill
December 16, 2023
11:00 am-1:00 pm
5788 2nd Street NE
Join Casey Trees on Hellbender Hill, a protected conservation easement, to take down some invasive species!
Register in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-conservation-invasive-removal-at-hellbender-hill-tickets-745645023337. Tools & training provided onsite.
Hellbender Holiday Market
December 9, 2023
1:00 pm
5788 2nd Street NE
Jewelry * Candles * Art * Pottery * Gifts * Sweet Treats * Music * Food Trucks * Beer
Post updated 12/4/2023
Save the date for the annual Ward 5 Holiday Party!
Join Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker on December 14 from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at City-State Brewing Co. (705 Edgewood St NE) for a night of food, music, dancing, and celebration together as a community. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy or coat for our toy and coat drive. Please RSVP here!
Next Stop...Riggs Park 