ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on October 23, 2024. Commissioners present: Karlus Cozart (5A02) – Parliamentarian; Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) – Vice Chair, Secretary; Diego Rojas (5A04); Gordon Fletcher (5A08) – Chair; Shelagh Bocoum (5A09) – Treasurer. ANC 5A06 and 5A07 are vacant.
This was a long meeting. Commissioner Fletcher joined about a third of the way into the meeting.
Commission Business
Once again, the ANC tabled approval of a Fiscal Year 2025 budget so that they can discuss it at an executive meeting.
Ward 5 Mayor’s Office Report (Ward 5 MOCR Christian Starghill)
Leaf collection started October 28. Every Friday, DPW will update the map for where collection will begin the follow week.
Ward 5 Council Report (Oliver Stoute, Constituent Services Coordinator for Ward 5 CM Zachary Parker)
DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced a suit against Fort Myer Construction for alleged illegal contamination of the District’s waterways.
Councilmember Parker held his monthly public safety meeting on October 16. This one was focused on youth safety. Reach out to Mr. Stoute with any public safety concerns.
Seniors can apply for a snow shoveling exemption.
A resident asked about the sale of the Providence campus. The office of AG Schwalb is still investigating. Commissioner Lucio (5A03) said that there will be an urgent care center on the campus. She said that she is working with CM Parker’s office to ensure that any agreement with the city includes money “earmarked” for ANC 5A and specifically ANC 5A03 for the health needs of low-income residents.
Jubileaf Medical Marijuana Dispensary (5A08)
A team (Susan and William Webster) wants to open a medical marijuana dispensary called Jubileaf at 4942 South Dakota Avenue NE in North Michigan Park. This is in the strip mall next to the McDonald’s. The company submitted a social equity application and received a conditional license from ABCA in April 2024. They are given a year to find a location. They signed a lease with the property owner on South Dakota Avenue in either July or August. Mrs. Webster, the founder, said she is a cancer survivor and found relief from the harshness of cancer treatment through medical marijuana.
They have to have a security plan. They also said they have asked the landlord to renovate the exterior of the site.
Because of the packed agenda, there was not a lot of time to discuss in depth. As expected, initial response from residents was not favorable. Commissioner Fletcher (5A08) said that he will have a joint single member district (SMD) meeting with Commissioner Bocoum (5A09) in November before the next ANC meeting. He said he plans to invite the property owner.
Mundo Verde PCS Large Tract Review (5A03)
Mundo Verde presentation to ANC 5A
See Mundo Verde’s presentation for timeline, traffic analysis summary, playground discussion summary, and renderings.
The ANC voted to support the large tract review application of Mundo Verde for the expansion of the Calle Ocho campus located at 4401 8th Street NE). The new academic building will be located at 817 Varnum Street NE. See ANC 5A Mundo Verde Large Tract Review Resolution (October 2024).
Establishment of joint ANC 5A/ANC 5B committee on Taylor Street Bike Lane Project
The ANC approved the establishment of a joint ANC 5A/ANC 5B committee to review the proposed Taylor Street NE bike lane project. Commissioner Lucio and Chair Fletcher said the goal of the committee is not to vote on whether to support the project but to provide feedback on the project.
The discussion was a bit hard to follow. Sounded like they said ANC 5B had its own committee reviewing the project. Commissioner Lucio reached out to ANC 5B to ask why ANC 5B did not reach out to ANC 5A given that the project crosses ANC boundaries. (Aside: A few ANC 5B residents joined the call. These residents had a lot to say in the chat about their displeasure with ANC 5B).
Unclear if the committee will be just commissioners or include residents as well. Unclear if ANC 5A will send out a communication soliciting interest. If you care about this project, feel free to email Chair Fletcher (5A08@anc.dc.gov) and Commissioner Lucio (5A03@anc.dc.gov) to find out what is going on.
Bikeshare Station for Fort Totten Drive & Crittenden Street NE (Greg Matletsky, DDOT Bicycle Program Specialist) (5A06/5A07)
DDOT is planning to install a bikeshare station on Crittenden Street and Fort Totten Drive NE. This is on the border of ANC 5A06 & 5A07. Both ANC seats are vacant.
DDOT said that the station will be placed where flexposts currently sit, so there will not be any impacts to parking. Mr. Matletsky said the station will utilize new technology. It will be smaller and quieter. Each dock will have its own small solar panel and use a lower power draw. A resident asked if DDOT was aware that a station will be going near the 1 Hawaii Avenue NE project and Mr. Matletsky said that he worked on bikeshare for that project. DDOT is building out a network where there are gaps so that people have places to dock and pick up bikes.
I asked about the long-planned bikeshare station on South Dakota & Galloway Street NE. Mr. Matletksy said that station would have needed some private property, and they could not reach agreement with the property owner. He said they looked at other areas along Galloway but there would not be enough solar to power a station. So, they are now planning to put the station at South Dakota & Ingraham once construction along that street finishes up. The station will likely be the newer dock described above.
(Aside: It’s too bad it sounds like a station is not being planned by UDC’s campus where the university expects to enroll up to 3,000 students over the next several years).
Yu Ying Public Charter School Expansion (5A05)
Yu Ying requested ANC support to do primarily interior construction on Veterans Day for its new building at 4350 1st Street NE in order to get back on schedule. A few residents who live near there encouraged the ANC not to support the holiday construction request in order to have a day without construction noise. The residents also discussed impacts to parking and traffic flow. Yu Ying representatives stated they take these issues seriously. Sounded like they said they are exploring a satellite dropoff space along Harewood Road.
This was so late in the meeting that the commission no longer had a quorum, so they could not vote on the issue of holiday construction.
Commissioner Updates
Sounded like the ANC intended to discuss grants but ran out of time. Grant application guidelines are on the ANC’s website.
I’m sure I’m missing something because it was such a long meeting.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 