Ed. Note 9/22/201: Apparently Art Place at Fort Totten Block B Modification Application will be on the agenda as well.
ANC 5A Monthly Public Meeting
September 22, 2021
6:45 pm
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84404462291?pwd=MkpjeWRTT1ZHQkk0NFcrTGk5SEdIZz09
Meeting ID: 844 0446 2291
Passcode: 641962
Dial In: 301 715 8592
Agenda Items
Update 9/16/2021: Received updated agenda with National Park Service from Commissioner Fletcher
ANC 5A08 Single Member District Meeting with ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08)
September 21, 2021
6:30 pm-8:00 pm
Zoom link will be sent to ANC 5A08 email list or email 5A08@anc.dc.gov for link
Agenda
1. Recap of last SMD meeting
2. Art Place at Fort Totten – Block B Revisions – Modification of Consequence
3. DDOT Seeking Input on Proposed Capital Bikeshare Station at South Dakota Avenue & Galloway Street NE
4. DDOT Traffic Violence/Traffic Mitigation Discussion
5. Update from Social Justice & Rocketship Charter School
6. Public Safety Task Force Update
7. National Park Service Update – Pedestrian path connecting Galloway and Gallatin Street NE between the Fort Totten Metro Station and South Dakota Avenue NE
8. Updates from Mayor’s Office & CM McDuffie’s Office
9. Community Concerns
ANC 5A held a public meeting on June 23, 2021. I did not attend this meeting (hence the delay in this recap), but I did listen to an audio recording. My recap is just based on what I could hear and does not include any information that may have been placed in the chat during the meeting since those comments were not available to me.
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) was on the agenda again to present about the bikeshare stations that will be installed in the ANC, but the meeting ran long and the DDOT representative had to leave before presenting.
Parking on Rock Creek Church Road NE
The ANC voted to support a request from Commissioner Sandi Washington (5A07) that DDOT remove three vehicle parking spaces on the corner of Rock Creek Church Road NE and Riggs Road NE to improve the ability of drivers to turn onto Rock Creek Church Road and decrease the traffic backups in that area.
MPD Police Report
MPD 4D Community Outreach Coordinator Derek Staten stated that MPD 4D Inspector James Boteler has kicked off an initiative called 100 Blocks in 100 Days. (The inspector spoke about this initative at a previous ANC 5A meeting). Officers will walk blocks and knock on doors to say hello to residents, and if no one answers, they will leave a door tag. If there are specific blocks you would like officers to visit, email derek.staten@dc.gov.
In response to a question about fireworks, Mr. Staten stated that residents can let him and MPD officers know of specific areas where illegal fireworks are going off.
Do not leave vehicles running unattended. This is especially important for delivery drivers.
Individuals with limited English proficiency or perceived limited English proficiency are being targeted in robberies. Mr. Staten stated that MPD does not and is not supposed to ask about immigration status when people report crimes, so please let vulnerable individuals know.
DC Department of Motor Vehicles
DC DMV Director Gabriel Robinson stated that on July 19, DMV services will be available on a walk-in and first come, first serve basis. Many services can be conducted online, and individuals are encouraged to use the online platform where possible. There will be special walk-in hours on June 26, July 3, July 11, and July 18. Certain services that were available by appointment only prior to the COVID-19 pandemic will remain available by appointment only.
The ticket amnesty program is still going on until September 30, 2021.
With respect to the RPP fee increase, Director Robinson stated the DC Council passed legislation to increase the fee because they heard from the public that residents are having a harder time parking near their homes, an issue the program is designed to address. Also, there are households with multiple vehicles and some that never move from the street.
Starting June 1, vehicle registration and inspection need to be compliant. Inspections have been open since June 2020. Individuals can renew registration online and by mail. Drivers license and ID cards that expired during the pandemic need to be compliant by September 9, 2021.
In response to Commissioner Washington’s comment that the fee increase creates a hardship for seniors and that not everyone bikes, Director Robinson stated that the fee increase was discussed a number of times with the public and DMV distributed weekly emails to individuals whose registration were expired or about to expire to encourage them to renew before June 1.
Ward 5 Report
Silas Grant, Senior Advisor to Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, noted a few items in the mayor’s initial proposed budget that the councilmember is championing:
(Note: All of the budget committee reports can be viewed at https://www.dccouncilbudget.com/fy-2022-budget).
DC Water Lead Pipe Replacement Program
See presentation here.
DC Water has an initiative to remove lead service lines by 2030. DC Water is responsible for maintenance of water line in public space. DC Water is prioritizing equity, so they intend to focus on low-income areas with a lot of lead service lines, likely starting with Wards 7 and 8 first. According to DC Water, most of ANC 5A does not have many lead service lines. Typically lead service lines were installed before 1950, and most of the service lines in this ANC were installed after 1950. You can check your service line at https://www.dcwater.com/servicemap.
DC Water has a few programs to help residents replace lead service lines on their private property. See details at https://www.dcwater.com/replacelead.
DC residents can get one free water test per year. Request at https://www.dcwater.com/lead-testing. For questions, email leadtest@dcwater.com or call (202) 612-3440.
Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) Application for Condo Conversion in ANC 5A06
The development team behind a condo conversion presented on plans to renovate and expand several existing apartment buildings in ANC 5A06 on Hawaii Street NE and Webster Street NE, between North Capitol Street NE and 1st Place NE (BZA case number 20507). The existing apartment buildings have 88 units with no parking onsite. The updated buildings will have 134 one- and two-bedroom units with 54 vehicle parking spaces (five spaces behind 10 of the buildings and four spaces behind one of the buildings). There will also be bike storage in each building. The developer stated the existing buildings are beyond repair, so they are looking to completely renovate the buildings and add another floor to each building. The project will require the developer to obtain relief from sideyard and courtyard requirements for some of the buildings. The developer will also need relief to add onto the buildings, but he said the height of the buildings will still be within the allowable height limit. The BZA hearing is scheduled for October 6, 2021.
(See BZA application, applicant’s statement, map of existing buildings, statement of intended uses, and architectural plans. Aside: In looking up the documents for this case, I came across a separate BZA case for 230 Webster Street NE for conversion of an existing 2-unit building to a 3-unit building that the ANC will need to weigh in on (BZA case number 20533). That matter has a hearing scheduled for October 27, 2021, so lots happening in 5A06).
It took a minute for the point to be made that this project is a condo conversion. Currently, all of the buildings consist of rental units. Some of the buildings are vacant. The developer plans to start work on the vacant buildings first. For tenants with an existing lease, the developer stated those tenants will be able to stay and continue renting if they would like to do so. The developer is working with a housing counseling organization to assist existing tenants who want to purchase a unit. Some of the units will be offered below market rate.
There was a long discussion about displacement. Apparently some of the vacant units house squatters. Commissioner Derrick Holloway (5A06) stated this has long been a “troubled” area, and his initial thoughts are that this project will finally address some of the long-standing issues with these apartment buildings. He said his constituents overwhelmingly support the project. In describing the condition of the units, the developer said there are long-standing issues with mold, joist issues, and bathrooms sinking into the units below them because of moisture issues and the number of people who are living in the units that exceed the housing code. The developer purchased these buildings last year after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he and Commissioner Holloway stated that all of these issues existed prior to that purchase (unclear if the developer was aware of the extent of the issues or if anything was being done to address these issues prior to his purchase). Many of the commissioners agreed that there needs to be more discussion and an understanding about what will happen to everyone living in the apartments, whether they have a lease or not.
There was also a long discussion about parking. Currently, there is no onsite parking for the apartments. The developer is proposing 54 spaces for 134 units. The owner stated that in his experience, individuals buying at the price point at which these units will likely be offered (around $250,000 for a one bedroom condo) do not want to pay another $10,000 or more for a deeded parking space. Also, the buildings are situated near public transit. Commissioner Emily Lucio (5A03), disagreed with the developer’s assessment of parking needs, but Commissioner Edwards noted that the city is moving towards having less parking in projects (and also currently there is not any onsite parking).
Commissioner Edwards encouraged the developer to use small and local businesses on the project, to which the developer stated he will because he is a small business owner himself and does not really even have access to the big players. Furthermore, the buildings will be renovated over a number of years, so it might be more feasible for a smaller shop to take on the work. Commissioner Holloway stated he will provide some suggestions for local companies for cleaning and security services.
This was just an introduction to the project, and lots of the commissioners had lots of thoughts about the project. ANC single member district (SMD) 5A07 abuts the project. If you live in either SMD 5A06 or 5A07, expect to get notice of community meetings about the project over the summer. The ANC anticipates having a special meeting tentatively on the second Wednesday in September in order to have enough time to submit a report to the BZA before the October hearing date (the ANC resumes monthly meetings in September, but not until the 4th Wednesday of the month).
Catholic University Reopening Plan
Commissioner Lucio mentioned Catholic University released a statement about the university’s reopening plans, and that the university will not require COVID-19 vaccinations to return to campus. Commissioner Lucio would like to have a conversation with Catholic to make residents aware of the plans since many students and employees will be neighbors living in ANC 5A. Commissioner Edwards noted that DC government is not even requiring its employees to be vaccinated to return to the office. Every entity has the ability to make its own decision about vaccination requirements.
ANC Grants
Ward 5 Mutual Aid returned to the ANC to inquire about when the group can reapply for a grant. The group has been trying unsuccessfully to get a grant from the ANC for a while. Finally, Commissioner Washington, treasurer of ANC 5A, stated that the Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (OANC) is updating grant guidelines for ANCs citywide to centralize and standardize the process. Accordingly, the ANC will not be accepting grant applications or disbursing grant money until OANC issues new guidelines. It is unclear when OANC will do so.
Miscellaneous
Commissioner Charles Lockett (5A02) stated that he has received word that Z-Burger will be opening on South Dakota Avenue NE in about 30 days.
Commissioner Washington stated that based on the very short, simple response the Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement (ONSE) gave to Commissioner Damion McDuffie (5A01) on the neighborhood plan developed for his area, she does not think utilizing ONSE to assist with a neighborhood safety plan will be particularly useful for her area because there is not a lot of violence in that area. (Aside: It appears ONSE is most focused on areas of the city with overwhelming violence. The agency has repeatedly stated it does not have contracts for neighborhoods in ANC 5A, and the services it can provide to neighborhoods without contracts is just very limited, meaning fairly nonexistent).
(The ANC held a scheduled public safety meeting on June 30.)
ANCs can only have virtual meetings until July 25, an issue discussed at a previous ANC meeting. Commissioner Edwards stated he has discussed the matter with Councilmember Robert White’s office. Apparently, CM White is drafting legislation to address this.
ANC 5A does not meet in July or August. Meetings will resume in September unless a special meeting is called. Individual commissioners may hold meetings during the summer for their particular area.
ANC 5A Public Safety Task Force Meeting
June 30, 2021
6:30 pm
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88382657491?pwd=UmcyL2hGdzNzQmpONXRqRTdoRUpFdz09
Meeting ID: 883 8265 7491
Passcode: 526893
Dial In: 301 715 8592
ANC 5A Monthly Public Meeting
June 23, 2021
6:45 pm
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84404462291?pwd=MkpjeWRTT1ZHQkk0NFcrTGk5SEdIZz09
Meeting ID: 844 0446 2291
Passcode: 641962
Dial In: 301 715 8592
All residents will be muted. Individuals will be called on once acknowledged by the Chair.
Agenda Items
Department of Motor Vehicles- RPP Parking and other issues related to the pandemic
ANC 5A Special Public Meeting
June 16, 2021
6:45 pm
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81549540629?pwd=UXhvTW1QTjNTY0V4QXFteHovYUM0dz09
Meeting ID: 815 4954 0629
Passcode: 640842
Dial In: 301 715 8592
Agenda Items
ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on May 26, 2021. All commissioners were present: Damion McDuffie, Sr. (5A01); Charles Lockett (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio – Secretary (5A03); Ronnie Edwards – Chair (5A05); Derrick Holloway, Sr. (5A06); Sandi Washington – Treasurer (5A07); Gordon Fletcher – Vice Chair (5A08). ANC 5A04 remains vacant.
Quick note on the agenda. Once again there was not anyone present to discuss the residential parking permit (RPP) fee increase that was on the agenda. Seems there was confusion again about who was responsible for getting the proper District officials there. District Department of Transportation (DDOT) staff were present, but they were there to discuss the visitor parking pilot program, which was not on the agenda. DDOT is not the agency responsible for the RPP fee increase; the DC Department of Motor Vehicles is. So the commission decided not to have DDOT present at all on the parking pilot and said they will try again to get someone at a meeting to discuss the RPP fee increase. All in all, definitely sounds like there will not be any discussion of this issue before June 1, the effective date of the fee increase.
The meeting was running long for reasons, and nature decided to intervene. The thunderstorm Wednesday evening made people’s internet connection unstable. The commission had to end the meeting at around 9:15 pm and could not get to a couple of items on the agenda, including discussion of two proposed bikeshare locations in ANC 5A03 (12th Street NE and on Decatur Street NE).
MPD Police Report
I missed the first few minutes of the meeting while I was waiting to get the link to join. I joined in the middle of a discussion with MPD 4D Inspector James Boteler about police officers getting out of their police vehicles to speak with and interact with residents. This is a recurring conversation. Inspector Boteler said he was interested in an adopt-a-block program in which officers would be charged with focusing on a particular block and getting to know 10 to 15 residents of that block. Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) was the first to offer up her SMD for this challenge. (I guess do not be surprised if officers start randomly talking to you and waving at you on the street).
ANC 5A03 Traffic Calming on 10th Street NE
View the draft resolution here.
The commission voted unanimously to approve a resolution from Commissioner Lucio (5A03) regarding traffic calming in the 4200-4300 blocks of 10th Street NE (between Taylor and Varnum). This area is the border between ANC 5A and ANC 5B. The resolution opposes DDOT’s proposal to open the currently one-way street to two-way vehicular traffic by removing parking on one side of the street. Instead, the resolution requests other measures such as speed humps, signage, and flexiposts. ANC 5B has considered a similar resolution.
ANC 5A08 Public Safety Task Force Update
ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) will be soliciting input from residents in ANC 5A08 to complete a community questionnaire from the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement to identify ways to address community safety.
The next ANC 5A public safety meeting will be in June.
Ward 5 Mayor’s Office Report
Ward 5 MOCR Nokomis Hunter noted that Mayor Muriel Bowser will present her FY2022 budget to the Council on May 27, 2021 (find the full budget here and see the mayor’s presentation to the Council here).
DC residents 12 years of age and older are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Homebound residents who would like to receive the COVID-19 vaccine should contact (855) 363-0333 to register for an at-home appointment.
DC will run a ticket amnesty program from June 1, 2021, through September 30, 2021. Penalties will be waived for outstanding tickets for certain violations issued prior to September 30, 2021, so that individuals will only have to pay the original ticket amount. Details at ticketamnesty.dc.gov.
DC residents can get assistance with paying rent and utilities through https://stay.dc.gov.
Ward 5 Council Report
Jonathan McNair, Director of Community Engagement for Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, noted CM McDuffie previously sent a letter with a number of budget requests to the mayor, some of them ostensibly designed to address equity in DC.
ANC Commissioner Damion McDuffie (5A01) noted that adjustments will be made to COVID-19 vaccination site locations beginning in June due to reopening of recreation centers for summer camp. To find the nearest vaccine location, visit vaccines.gov or text your zip code to GETVAX (438829).
The DC Council unanimously passed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan (Bill 24-1). The Comp Plan guides how the city should grow and develop.
DC Health Link: Health Insurance Resources
See presentation here.
With funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, DC residents have new health insurance resources available:
1. New temporary benefit for laid off workers: health insurance for as little as $2/month
2. New lower health insurance premium for more residents: individual and family coverage on DC Health Link
3. New temporary benefit for laid off workers: free COBRA premiums (employer health insurance continuation coverage)
For information and details, visit DCHealthLink.com.
NAF Academy at Roosevelt High School
See presentation here.
Roosevelt High School has two career academies, foreign policy/diplomacy and culinary arts. Benefits of enrolling in the NAF Academy include academic supports, paid internships, mentoring, career exploration, and college preparation. Complete the interest survey here. Part of ANC 5A07 is zoned for Roosevelt High School. In-boundary students can enroll in person or online. Out-of-boundary students can apply for enrollment using the My School DC lottery.
Roosevelt NAF Academy is also accepting volunteers. Complete the volunteer interest form here.
For questions, contact Roosevelt NAF Academy Director Julian Hipkins at julian.hipkins@k12.dc.gov.
Defund MPD Coalition
See presentation here.
Organizers with the Defund MPD campaign presented the coalition’s goals for consideration for ANC resolution support. The goals include ideas for legislation, MPD’s budget, and investment in community resources. Some of the commissioners expressed uneasiness at the thought of fewer police in the community and opined on the name of the coalition.
(Commentary: I think it is worth taking a look at the presentation to view the list of concrete goals from the coalition, which is comprised of various community and labor organizations in DC. Some of the goals align with the recently released report from the DC Police Reform Commission, which was created by the DC Council to explore improvements and alternatives to policing. To me, there is value in engaging with the ideas presented).
This issue will be discussed more at the ANC’s public safety meeting in June.
EYA Michigan Park Townhome Project Update
See presentation here.
Construction continues on the Townhomes at Michigan Park project located near Sargent Road NE and Allison Street NE (view construction updates at https://www.eya.com/townhomes/washington-dc/michigan-park/construction-updates). The first residents are scheduled to move in starting this fall. The developer EYA has started implementing community benefits associated with the project. A housing counseling organization will soon begin marketing grants available to residents affected by higher property tax bills in the area. Construction of a playground for the project will begin in the next 60 days in time to be open by fall. Look for meeting information for residents with the artist and design team regarding the playground. There will be 10 homes available below market rate that will be going on sale soon. Individuals interested in the below market rate homes have to qualify through the city.
A couple of residents raised construction issues, such as trucks using residential streets and water/sewer prep work occurring at 2:00 am. Commissioner Lucio has regular meetings about this project for residents in that area. Please reach out to her if you live in that area and need to receive notices about her single member district (SMD) meetings.
At this point, the meeting was adjourned due to the storm.
ANC 5A Public Meeting
May 26, 2021
6:45 pm
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86809581016?pwd=T1ZhWFdCT1ZwVnFCTW1WeGlBaWpSQT09
Meeting ID: 868 0958 1016
Passcode: 912367
Dial In: 301 715 8592
Agenda Items
1. DC Department of Motor Vehicles Residential Parking Permit (RPP) Fee Increase;
2. ANC 5A08 Public Safety Report;
3. ANC 5A03 10th Street Traffic Calming;
4. DCPS-NAF Academy Director at Theodore Roosevelt HS;
5. Defund the Police;
6. EYA Construction Update;
7. Bike Share Proposal in 5A03 for two locations (Decatur Street and 12th Street NE)
ANC 5A held a special meeting on May 12, 2021. Commissioners present: Damion McDuffie, Sr. (5A01); Charles Lockett (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio – Secretary (5A03); Ronnie Edwards – Chair (5A05); Sandi Washington – Treasurer (5A07); Gordon Fletcher – Vice Chair (5A08)
The ANC ended up packing a lot into this special meeting. Traffic calming on 10th Street NE on the border between ANC 5A03 and ANC 5B05 was on the agenda. Commissioner Lucio announced at the start of the meeting that that item was removed from the agenda so that she and ANC Commissioner Colleen Costello (5B05) can work on a joint resolution after meeting with DDOT and MPD. If you live in Commissioner Lucio’s single member district and did not receive notice of a separately scheduled meeting on this topic, email Commissioner Lucio at 5A03@anc.dc.gov to be added to her distribution list.
ANC Business
Work on the ANC 5A website continues. A resident asked if meeting notices and links could still be posted to the website as the work continues. I would recommend emailing Commissioner Lucio, who is the secretary of the commission, at 5A03@anc.dc.gov to be added to ANC 5A’s distribution list in order to receive meeting announcements.
Capital Guardian Youth Academy
The Capital Guardian Youth Challenge Academy, a residential, quasi-military academy run through the DC National Guard for youth ages 16 to 18 who have left high school before graduating, is accepting applications. For information, contact admissions staff Gerard Waluyn at gerard.waluyn@dc.gov or Hector Lamas at hector.lamas@dc.gov.
Mayor’s Budget
There was some confusion about why a representative from the mayor’s office, Chris Murray, was present to ostensibly discuss the mayor’s budget proposal. It sounded like ANC 5A Chair Edwards wanted the representative there to discuss Crummell School. (At the April meeting, the ANC voted to support a resolution from ANC 5D regarding community use of the former school). Mr. Murray stated he could not discuss specific budget items before the mayor presents her budget, but he did say that Crummell School is on the mayor’s radar. Other than that, Mr. Murray discussed the general timeline for the budget process, which has been delayed to account for receipt of funding from the federal government. The mayor will present her budget to the DC Council on May 27. The Council will hold budget hearings during the month of June and vote in July. (See budget schedule at https://www.dccouncilbudget.com/schedules). Commissioner Lockett asked about opportunities for resident or ANC input on the budget. Besides the budget hearings held by the Council, Mr. Murray stated that the mayor’s office accepts input year-round and also conducts budget engagement forum exercises to get input from residents.
Residential Parking Permit Fee Increase
The initial reason for even having this special meeting in the first place was to discuss the fee increase for residential parking permits (RPP). The ANC discussed during the April meeting that, beginning June 1, the RPP fee schedule will increase from $35 per vehicle. The new rates will be:
There is an exemption for one resident 65 years of age or older per household. Exempted residents will pay a $35 annual RPP fee for the first vehicle registered at a legal mailing address. The fee for each subsequent vehicle registered at a legal mailing address will be identical to the tiered rates noted above.
There was some confusion about who was responsible for getting a District official to the meeting to discuss the fee increase, so there was no one there from District government to talk about this issue. The commissioners ended up voting to draft a “letter of concern” about the fee increase. When asked what the concerns were, Commissioner Lucio responded that she was concerned about the fee increase generally. Commissioner Washington responded that she was concerned about the timing of the fee increase given that the District is still under a public health emergency and some residents are still out of work or just returning to work. She would recommend suspending the effective date of the fee increase until the public health emergency is over.
The commission is accepting resident input on this issue. I recommend sending an email to all of them. Their email addresses can be found here.
Chair Edwards asked for the MOCR’s assistance in getting someone from District government to the ANC’s regularly scheduled May meeting on May 26 to discuss the fee increase. Commissioner Washington also asked if someone from DDOT could discuss the digital visitor parking pass pilot program that was recently announced for two ANCs in Wards 1 and 6.
Catholic University
Catholic University officials attended the meeting to apologize for the lack of notice regarding the end-of-year fireworks celebration that caught some residents by surprise. The university did send notice out, but not as widely as they had planned.
The university’s nursing school expansion plan was approved by the Zoning Commission (zoning case number 12-01D).
The DC Board of Elections has certified a vacancy for ANC 5A04, which covers Catholic University. University officials have identified a potential candidate. The petition circulation period ends May 17, 2021. Interested candidates should consult the vacancy notice.
Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie Report
Silas Grant, Senior Advisor to Councilmember McDuffie, noted that CM McDuffie has introduced legislation to provide a publicly-funded trust fund for babies born in the District to families with an annual household income of $132,000 or less (see press release). This initiative is sometimes referred to “baby bonds.” An initial payment of $1,000 would be provided for newborns, supplemented by an annual payment of up to $2,000 depending on household income. When the child turns 18, the money can be withdrawn for specified uses, such as education, starting a business, or buying a home. Mr. Grant said CM McDuffie introduced this legislation to address the racial wealth gap.
Next Meeting
The regularly scheduled ANC 5A meeting will be on May 26, 2021.
ANC 5A01 Single Member District Meeting
with Commissioner Damion McDuffie (5A01)
May 19, 2021
6:30 pm-8:00 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81337416017?pwd=ZytRT3RDWnRycGVkcmJXbmtLMEdoZz09
Meeting ID: 813 3741 6017
Passcode: 782710
Dial by your location: 301 715 8592
AGENDA
*Please make sure you are on the call in plenty of time for your presentation.
*To stay within an hour, please try to limit your questions so everyone can be heard. Any unanswered concerns can be forwarded to 5A01@anc.dc.gov
ANC 5A Special Public Meeting
May 12, 2021
6:45 pm
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86809581016?pwd=T1ZhWFdCT1ZwVnFCTW1WeGlBaWpSQT09
Meeting ID: 868 0958 1016
Passcode: 912367
Dial In: 301 715 8592
AGENDA ITEMS
In the interest of keeping our regular May meeting from being too long, we have asked two presenters to attend this meeting and give very brief presentations, if time permits:
Office of Campaign Finance- Fair Elections Program Deloris K. Ramsey
DC National Guard Capital Guardian Youth Challenge Academy Rip Preston
ANC 5A Special Public Meeting
May 12, 2021
6:45 pm
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86809581016?pwd=T1ZhWFdCT1ZwVnFCTW1WeGlBaWpSQT09
Meeting ID: 868 0958 1016
Passcode: 912367
Dial In: 301 715 8592
AGENDA ITEMS
ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on April 28, 2021. All commissioners were present. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton was on the agenda, but she did not attend due to President Biden’s address to Congress. That left a lot of time to cover other items and end the meeting at a decent hour.
ANC Business
There is still a vacancy in single member district (SMD) 5A04, which covers Catholic University. The university told ANC 5A Chair Ronnie Edwards (5A05) that they have identified a suitable candidate, for whenever the Board of Elections officially declares a vacancy and determines that the seat can be filled.
The ANC continues to work with its selected vendor on updating the ANC 5A website. They expect the work to take a couple of months.
The ANC voted to support a resolution from ANC 5D requesting reactivation of the Crummell School in the Ivy City neighborhood for community recreation and learning and for the building to be managed by District government rather than handed over entirely to a private developer.
The ANC voted to approve a resolution by Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) regarding heavy truck traffic on residential streets and a request for a truck camera near Sargent Road and Allison Street NE.
Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) repeated some highlights from the public safety task force meeting: addressing gun violence and property crimes, traffic, and infrastructure concerns.
MPD Police Report
Derek Staten, MPD’s community outreach liaison, stated MPD will have a bike registration pop-up at Providence (1150 Varnum Street NE) on Friday, April 30, 2021, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, near the urgent care center entrance. If you want to register your bike (not required, but encouraged), stop by. Edit: This is being done in conjunction with Commissioner Lucio and Metro Transit Police. The first 20 people will receive bike locks.
A police officer was not available to give updates on crime stats, so Derek reiterated the usual advice MPD gives. Continue to exercise caution with vehicles. Do not leave your car running unattended. Always lock your car, and do not leave anything visible in your car at all.
Commissioner Charles Lockett (5A02) mentioned a problem with commercial trucks parking on residential streets. On that note, Mr. Staten mentioned that he is planning a community conversation about traffic with MPD’s traffic enforcement unit, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), and the DC Department of Public Works (DPW).
Ward 5 Mayor’s Office Report
Ward 5 MOCR Nokomis Hunter stated that starting May 1, 2021, DC will have 11 high capacity walk-up, no appointment necessary vaccination sites around the city. One will be located at Turkey Thicket Recreation Center (note one will also be at Lamond Recreation Center and at Providence).
Assistance to help DC residents pay rent and utility expenses is available through stay.dc.gov.
DPW will resume parking enforcement and street cleaning May 1, 2021.
Commissioner Sandi Washington (5A07) mentioned that notice was sent out that residential parking permit (RPP) fees will increase starting June 1, 2021. This is the fee that residents who live on blocks zoned for RPP pay to park their vehicles on the street. The current fee is $35. The new rates are:
There is an exemption for one resident 65 years of age or older per household. Exempted residents will pay a $35 annual RPP fee for the first vehicle registered at a legal mailing address. The fee for each subsequent vehicle registered at a legal mailing address will be identical to the tiered rates noted above.
The ANC decided they want to discuss these new rates further and talked about maybe having a special meeting to get more information about why they are going up or something. (Aside: The current fee of $35 has not changed since 2011. The government approved increasing the fee in legislation back in 2019. There was a lot of press and discussion about this with an opportunity to comment, so I am not sure exactly what the ANC is objecting to–increasing the fee during a pandemic, getting only roughly 30 days notice about the increase, or objecting to any fee increase at all). At any rate, they will decide if they want to send some sort of official communication to District officials, so stay tuned for a possible special meeting about all of this.
ANC SMD Reports
Apparently, both Commissioners Damion McDuffie (5A01) and Charles Lockett (5A02) had walkthroughs of their respective areas last week. Commissioner McDuffie will have a 5A01 SMD meeting tentatively scheduled for May 19, 2021.
Commissioner Lucio confirmed that a gelato shop/Italian restaurant/market type concept will indeed occupy two vacant spaces at the strip mall near the McDonald’s on South Dakota Avenue NE. The only shop currently open in that strip mall is the Chinese food carryout. I believe the exact address of where the new shop will be located is 4944 South Dakota Avenue NE (note this is the location where the property owner wanted to put in a liquor store, which the North Michigan Park community fought against). Commissioner Lucio mentioned this possibility at a previous meeting and stated last night that the shop is in fact coming, but I am not sure if that means a lease has been signed. No one was able to share anything about timeframe for opening, but it sounds promising. She also said they are interested in having patio seating. Apparently there might be space behind the building. I have never been behind the building, but Commissioner Lucio said the owner has been working to clear out the back of the building (apparently there’s a paper alley or something and the owner has been working to address the drainage issue there).
Commissioner Lucio has two upcoming meetings. One will be for residents near 10th Street and Varnum Street NE. A resident in that area requested a traffic safety investigation, and one of DDOT’s proposal is to make part of 10th Street that is currently one-way open to two-way vehicular traffic. This area borders ANC 5B. The 5B commissioner for that area had an SMD meeting for her residents already. Commissioner Lucio will also have a regular SMD meeting on May 6, 2021. The tenative agenda for that meeting includes Mundo Verde, McDonald’s, and EYA.
Commissioner Fletcher (5A08) held an SMD meeting on April 27. His next SMD meeting will be June 22, 2021, at 6:30 pm.
Miscellaneous
I asked Chair Edwards about making draft copies of the resolutions available prior to the meetings so that residents will know what the commissioners are voting on. I also asked if the ANC can upload resolutions to the ANC resolution portal, especially since the ANC 5A website is being updated right now. Currently, only a couple handful of ANC 5A resolutions are on that portal. He said he would consider these suggestions.
ANC 5A Monthly Public Meeting
April 28, 2021
6:45 pm
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Agenda items
ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on March 24, 2021. Commissioners present: Damion McDuffie, Sr. (5A01); Charles Lockett (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio – Secretary (5A03); Ronnie Edwards – Chair (5A05); Derrick Holloway (5A06); Sandi Washington – Treasurer (5A07); Gordon Fletcher – Vice Chair (5A08)
ANC Business
The ANC has signed a contract for services to update and maintain the ANC website. While the work is taking place, the website will be offline. Meeting notices will be posted at https://anc.dc.gov/events.
The ANC will report on action steps that came out of the ANC’s public safety meeting held on March 18, 2021. Commissioner Fletcher stated the goal is to have quarterly public safety meetings. The next one will be in June. The DC Office of the Attorney General and DC Department of Behavorial Health will be invited.
Resolution on Heavy Trucks
Comissioner Lucio presented two resolutions concerning heavy trucks on prohibited streets. The first was to request a heavy truck camera on Sargent Road NE where it becomes 13th Street NE. The resolution will likely be modified in some way for the other commissioners to add other areas where heavy trucks are a problem.
The second resolution was a letter to request more funding for MPD’s motor carrier unit in order to get more truck cameras. The city only has a few truck cameras that get rotated throughout the city. That resolution was not seconded, so Commissioner Edwards told Commissioner Lucio that she can present it again at a future meeting after the commissioners have reviewed it.
MPD Police Report
MPD Fourth District Lt. Patrick Schaut stated that in the last 30 days in ANC 5A, there were only 24 crimes and all of them were property crimes. The numbers for the 4th District as a whole are different though. He mentioned a shooting near Turkey Thicket/ in Brookland that resulted in arrest of suspects and a shooting on Sheridan Street in which a suspect has been arrested.
All of the Fourth District officers are back from their details to the US Capitol following the January 6th insurrection.
There has been an increase in thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles. Lt. Schaut said it appears that Hondas and Toyotas are being targeted. It takes about two to three minutes to remove the part. There is not much that anyone can do, but if you see someone fiddling under your car, you might want to check it out.
Commissioner Edwards asked if Lt. Schaut had any thoughts about Commissioner Lucio’s request for more funding for MPD’s motor carrier unit. Lt. Schaut responded that he does not really get into MPD budget issues.
Mayor Office Ward 5 Report
Bike to Work Day is May 21, 2021.
If you know any seniors who need the coronavirus vaccine, contact Ward 5 MOCR Nokomis Hunter at nokomis.hunter@dc.gov so that the MOCR office can assist the senior.
Ward 5 Council Report
Silas Grant, Senior Advisor to Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, repeated that Councilmember McDuffie sent a budget priorities letter to Mayor Bowser for fiscal year 2022. The letter has requests for a guaranteed income program; reparations study; violence interrupters for Riggs Park; and a new library in the Eckington area. Councilmember McDuffie has also requested more funding for the Pathway Programs, a transitional employment program run by the DC Office of Neigborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE). Mr. Grant mentioned this program at ANC 5A’s public safety meeeting as a promising tool to address public safety in a holistic way. If you know anyone who would benefit from this program, reach out to Mr. Grant.
Councilmember McDuffie will host a townhall on COVID-19 next steps soon.
Councilmember McDuffie is also looking at planning a townhall on recreational cannabis and social equity. A resident asked what can be done about the amount of marijuana smoking being done in public that makes it hard for residents to enjoy fresh air. Mr. Grant responded that smoking marijuana in public is prohibited and therefore it is a law enforcement issue. (I will note here as I noted in the chat at the meeting that MPD officers have told me they have been instructed by the mayor to stand down on marijuana enforcement). Mr. Grant also stated that the Council office has received complaints of smoke from attached homes and that the District Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE) is looking at studying air quality in homes of seniors in attached houses as a result of smoking by neighbors, or something like that.
DC Bilingual School Expansion
DC Bilingual Public Charter School was back to discuss its building expansion at 33 Riggs Road NE. View the presentation here. The website for the expansion is https://dcbilingual.org/growth.
The school is looking to add a 27,000 square foot expansion to serve more students (I think they said roughly 234 more students). There was a lot of discussion about traffic. Pepco’s Capital Grid project is going on in that area. Even before the Capital Grid project made its way to that location, traffic was really terrible along that stretch of Riggs Road NE during morning and evening rush hour. One of the commissioners asked for a copy of the school’s traffic study, which the school will provide when it is completed. One possibly good thing is that DDOT is planning to install a traffic signal at Riggs Road NE and 1st Street NE (the signal is part of the planned Metropolitan Branch Trail but it will be installed before the rest of the trail from Fort Totten to Takoma is constructed). The school plans to lease space at two nearby parking lots for use during construction and afterwards.
Catholic University Nursing School Expansion
The ANC voted to support Catholic University’s nursing school expansion. The zoning case number is 12-01D.
Capital Bikeshare for All Program
The Capital Bikeshare for All program provides an annual bikeshare membership for $5 for eligible individuals 18 years old and older (regular annual membership costs $85). Program participants get unlimited 60-minute rides. In addition, there are no usage fees for ebikes for program participants. The program is open to residents that receive assistance, such as SNAP, WIC, TANF, SSI/SSDI Supplemental Security Income, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and Medicaid. Ordinarily, individuals must have a credit or debit card to enroll, but if an individual is unbanked, there may other options for getting enrolled. A webinar for interested community partner organizations will be held March 30, 2021. For questions, contact Lester Wallace at lester.wallace@godcgo.com.
There was a bit of a mixup because Commissioner Lucio thought DDOT would be discussing a bikeshare station that will be installed near South Dakota Avenue NE and Decatur Street NE. DDOT will discuss that at a future meeting.
Miscellaneous
Commissioner Fletcher will hold a single member district (SMD) meeting for his area on April 27, 2021. He also announced that around 40 to 50 students have returned to Rocketship’s Infinity Community Prep campus in Riggs Park for in-person instruction. Rocketship may present on its reopening plans at a future meeting.
ANC 5A Public Meeting
March 24, 2021
6:45 pm
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Agenda Items
1. Catholic University of America Construction Update
2. Bike Share
3. DC Bilingual PCS
4. Serve DC
ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on February 24, 2021. Commissioners present: Damion McDuffie, Sr. (5A01); Charles Lockett (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio – Secretary (5A03); Ronnie Edwards – Chair (5A05); Sandi Washington – Treasurer (5A07); Gordon Fletcher – Vice Chair (5A08)
(Just a note, I was multitasking a lot during this meeting, so I might have missed some things.)
ANC Business
Commissioner Lucio recommended vendor Eyeth Studios to update and maintain the ANC’s website. I did not quite get all of the costs associated with the contract down. It sounded like she said it would cost $60-80/hour to develop the site, $40/hour to help with the site once developed, and $100/year for web hosting. They anticipate costs of up to $1800 to develop the site and $40/year for assistance. But don’t quote me on those numbers.
Public Safety Report
Commissioner Fletcher said there will be an ANC 5A public safety meeting on March 18 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Anticipated guests include MPD Fourth District Commander Randy Griffin, Councilmember Robert White’s office, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie’s office, MPD 4th District Citizens Advisory Council Chair Judi Jones, and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Ward 5 liaison Kelly Jeong-Olson (invited). Commissioner Washington recommended inviting the Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement (ONSE). She noted ONSE representatives were at Commissioner McDuffie’s recent single member district (SMD) meeting that was focused on the increase in violent crime in the area and both she and Commissioner Lucio thought the ONSE staff provided useful information at that meeting.
Ward 5 Council Report
Silas Grant, Senior Advisor to Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, stated CM McDuffie is prioritizing funding for the ONSE office for a violence intteruption team in Riggs Park. CM McDuffie had a meeting with Interim DDOT Director Everett Lott about a number of issues in Ward 5. New Samaritan Baptist Church will be a vaccination site, partnering with Five Medicine and Learning Undefeated.
Some students have returned to the classroom at Dunbar and at McKinley Tech. The students are not receiving in-person instruction. They are doing individual instruction on their laptops with cohorts in a classroom with an adult present to assist students with connection or other issues. The students alternate the days in which they are in the classroom, and there is a cleaning day on Wednesdays.
Councilmember McDuffie sent a fiscal year 2022 budget priority letter to Mayor Bowser with a focus on racial equity and protecting legacy businesses. (Ed note: In addition to a request for a violence interruption team in Riggs Park, there are requests related to streetscape and Bertie Backus campus improvements). That letter will be refined based on the over 1,000 responses the councilmember’s office received to the Ward 5 budget survey. In reponse to a question about funding for community use of the closed Crummell School and recreation in Ivy City, Mr. Grant stated that CM McDuffie had a meeting with stakeholders and that Mayor Bowser and DC’s Department of General Services (DGS) will ultimately decide what to do with Crummell. In the interim, DC’s Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR) is looking at transforming some of the black top to have temporary recreation. In addition, there is discussion about revitalizing a park around the corner from Crummell.
DDOT Agency Overview Presentation
View DDOT’s presentation here.
DDOT Ward 5 liaison Kelly Jeong-Olson shared an overview of how the agency operates. She stressed the importance of submitting 311 service requests before reaching out to the agency about issues. Also, certain items such as traffic safety requests (stop sign requests, speed hump requests, automated camera enforcement requests, and the like) require working with an ANC commissioner. You can follow DDOT’s paving work at http://www.ddot.dc.gov/pavedc.
Please complete DDOT’s MoveDC survey to give input on DC’s long-term transportation priorities by March 31, 2021. The survey is available at http://www.wemovedc.org.
In response to my question about the status of a sidewalk on the south side of Galloway Street NE between South Dakota Avenue and 4th Street NE, Ms. Jeong-Olson responded:
Sidewalk/trail on Galloway St, it’s NPS property but DDOT has a role in it: DDOT is in the process of transferring funding for design to the Federal Highway Administration, Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division (EFL). Additionally, FHWA/EFL is in the process of awarding the task order for design services to a consultant. The project scope continues to be a 10′ wide sidepath on the south side of Galloway Street NE between aproximately South Dakota Avenue NE to 4th St NE; street lighting has been added to the project limits.
The project is a little unique in that EFL is responisble for the design and construction. Here’s the general timeline we have as of now:
Preliminary Engineering – 12 months
Final Design – 5 months
Acquisition – 2 months
Construction – 8 months
A resident asked if something can be done about the speed bumps that are at the stop signs at Sargent Road and Emerson Street NE. When buses or large trucks drive over the bumps, his house and his neighbors’ houses shake. Ms. Jeong-Olsen noted the history of those speed bumps (they were installed several years ago after a child was killed by a driver while crossing the intersection) and noted that residents in other neighborhoods have asked DDOT about installing these bumps at intersections in their neighborhoods. In any case, DDOT will discuss the issue with residents.
Catholic University Nursing School Expansion
View Catholic University’s presentation here.
Catholic is expanding its nursing school. The expansion is part of the university’s approved campus master plan. Approval of each part of the plan is necessary as it gets implemented. A hearing will be held on April 19, 2021 (zoning case number 12-01D). Catholic representatives came prepared for usual questions about what local businesses the university is using for contracting. They also mentioned that Catholic has a scholarship for Ward 5 residents and there is also a Conway Scholars full-ride scholarship for first-year students at the nursing school. ANC Chair Edwards said the ANC would likely support Catholic, but the commissioners tabled the issue in order to review the documents more fully.
Miscellaneous
Commissioner Lucio stated she is working to address the runoff that has been a long-standing problem near South Dakota Avenue and Delafield Street NE. Also she mentioned that the cleaners and counseling center have left the strip mall there and that a pizza/gelato shop is interested in taking over those spaces, but it is still too early to know for sure if that will happen.
ANC 5A Public Meeting
February 24, 2021
6:45 pm
(Note: The “DDOT Refresher” referred to in item 2 on the agenda is a presentation from DDOT. The agency requested time to present to the new commissioners on how the agency works. The bikeshare station referred to in item 3 on the agenda is for a proposed location near South Dakota Avenue and Decatur Street NE.)
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Agenda Items
ANC Commissioner Damion McDuffie, Sr. (5A01) will hold his first single member district meeting (SMD) this Thursday, February 18, at 6:30 pm. The meeting will address the increase in gun related crimes in the SMD. Send any questions to Commissioner McDuffie at 5A01@anc.dc.gov.
Agenda below
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ANC 5A01 Community Meeting
Thursday Feb 18, 2021 6:30-7:30PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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AGENDA
ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on January 27, 2021, to kick off its new term. Commissioners present: Damion McDuffie (5A01); Charles Lockett (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio (5A03); Ronnie Edwards (5A05); Derrick Holloway (5A06); Sandi Washington (5A07); Gordon Fletcher (5A08). The seat for ANC 5A04, which covers Catholic University, remains vacant.
ANC Business
The ANC voted by acclamation to retain the ANC officers from the previous term:
All were sworn in by Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie.
The ANC is still working on its required 2019-2020 annual reports. Commissioner Edwards expects to complete the review in a week or two and post to the ANC’s website at https://www.anc5a.org.
Commissioner Lucio has reached out to Ward 5 businesses to get bids to update and maintain the ANC’s website.
The ANC approved getting upgraded phones for commissioners.
The ANC has keys to its new office space at the Modern at Art Place. At its executive meeting in February, the ANC will discuss furnishing the space and use of the space.
Public Safety Report
There continues to be a lot of cases of stolen vehicles and carjackings all over the city, so MPD is sharing tips on prevention in meetings and various media (see MPD’s stolen auto prevention page and carjackings page). Do not leave your car running unattended. Lock your car doors.
There has been a spike in shootings in Riggs Park and North Michigan Park. MPD 4D Lieutenant Patrick Schaut outlined when gunfire discharges are classified as “incidents” (when there are reports of gunfire but no evidence of discharge, such as shell casings, injuries, or property damage), “unlawful discharge” (evidence of gunfire), or “assault with a deadly weapon”. This is my understanding of what he said, but it might be slightly off. The upshot is that even though residents will clearly hear gunshots and call 911, if those reports end up being a mere incident report because there is no evidence of discharge, then they will not show up on DC’s Crime Cards website. Or if someone is clearly shooting at someone, but the person who is the target does not report any injury or state that they are a victim, then that shooting will not be classified as an assault with a deadly weapon because there is “no victim.” So, we know we will continue to hear incredulous statements that violent crime is down when we hear gunshots several nights in a row.
The ANC spent a lot of minutes discussing tentatively scheduling an ANC 5A public safety meeting for February 17, 2021, so stayed tuned for notice of when that will actually take place. The Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association will discuss the recent Riggs Park shootings at its public meeting on February 1, 2021, at 7:00 pm. Lots of discussing going on.
Ward 5 Report
Silas Grant, Senior Advisor to Ward 5 Councilmember McDuffie, noted the many issues with the coronavirus vaccine distribution. Councilmember McDuffie’s office observed operations at vaccination sites and made recommendations for improvements.
The Ward 5 budget survey is out. Visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/McDuffie to provide input on Ward 5 budget requests.
Councilmember McDuffie facilitated an agreement with Providence to provide 50 parking spaces for EYA’s construction team during construction hours for the Josephite townhome development project (The Townhomes at Michigan Park) that is going up across the street from Providence. Commissioner Lucio will hold a single member district meeting on February 4 in part to discuss construction issues related to that project.
There is a new office to review all things equity with respect to District government, legislation and budget. The Council Office of Racial Equity (CORE), a product of the REACH Act authored by Councilmember McDuffie, is led by former McDuffie staffer Brian McClure.
Mayor’s Office Ward 5 Report
For information related to registering for the coronavirus vaccination, visit https://coronavirus.dc.gov/vaccinatedc. Residents in priority zip codes will be able to register for appointments a day earlier than everyone else. Hospitals/health systems receive vaccination dosages apart from the DC Department of Health, so they are now reaching out to their patient populations to schedule vaccination appointments.
Verizon 5G Installation
Verizon states it is deploying 5G technology (small cell technology) throughout DC to increase capacity and speed. A handful will be deployed in ANC 5A. The District Department of Transportation must approve applications to install this technology in public space.
Verizon plans to install 5G technology in the vicinity of 12th and Emerson Street NE. There was a protracted discussion about whether Verizon provided proper notice to residents. Verizon used certified mail, so residents who were not home when the notice was delivered did not receive it. A resident stated Verizon should have used priority mail, and that Verizon should not be able to proceed because it still needs to provide notice to those residents who missed the certified delivery. Some residents would like Verizon to install the technology elsewhere rather than in this residential area because they are unsure of the health effects of the technology. The ANC will schedule a special meeting about this issue. Residents can reach out to Candace Austin at candace.austin@verizon.com and visit https:www.improveyourwireless.com/DC for more information.
(Aside: Verizon has previously discussed its 5G rollout at ANC meetings. Verizon installed 5G small cell technology on Riggs Road NE. )
New Lamond-Riggs Library
View DC Public Library’s presentation to the ANC here.
Demolition of the old Lamond-Riggs Library and removal of debris continues. Permitted work hours are 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday through Saturday, but actual work hours during demolition are 7:00 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Friday. No work is being done in the alley behind the library. For any emergency or site safety issues, contact (202) 570-3375.
Martha Saccocio is the library’s community liaison for the project. Questions about the project can be directed to her at martha.saccocio@dc.gov or (202) 604-8241.
The project website is https://www.dclibrary.org/newlamondriggs.
UDC CAUSES
Patricia Bon is the new master gardener coordinator and extension agent at the Bertie Backus Food Hub. Her contact information is patricia.bon@udc.edu or (202) 941-7923.
Ward 5 Mutual Aid Needs Space for Supplies
Ward 5 Mutual Aid organizers are looking for space to store supplies. They will need space as of February 15. They can be reached at ward5mutualaid@gmail.com or (202) 643-7030.
Miscellaneous
I might have forgotten some things or mixed some things up. This meeting was very, very long. In-person meetings at UDC Backus had to end at 9:00 pm. Since meetings went virtual, they have ended well past 9:00. The meetings are now being recorded, but I do not know where residents can view them.
The next meeting will be February 24, 2021.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 