Category Archives: ANC 5A

Canceled – ANC 5A Public Meeting March 25, 2020

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

Notice from ANC 5A:

ANC 5A
Meeting CANCELLED
Wednesday, March 25, 2020 at 6:45 pm
 UDC IS CLOSED

Out of an abundance of caution and because UDC is closed, we have decided to cancel our March meeting. 

We ask everyone to do what they need to do to stay healthy.  If you need anything, please feel free to reach out to your ANC Commissioner to let us know.

For the most current information and resources available, including meals and food, please go to: https://coronavirus.dc.gov/

February 26, 2020 ANC 5A Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on February 26, 2020. Commissioners present: Grace Lewis (5A02), Emily Singer Lucio (5A03), Ronnie Edwards (5A05), Claudia Barragan (5A06), Sandi Washington (5A07)

DC Fire & EMS

The ANC recognized DC Fire Engine 14, which responded to a fire in the 4800 block of 10th NE in which an elderly resident unfortunately lost her life. The crew was returning from refueling when they saw smoke coming from the residence and went to investigate. The fire department stated the fire started because of a portable space heater that was plugged into a defective extension cord. The home did not have any apparent working smoke detectors. Reminder: Space heaters should only be plugged into a wall socket. Same for major appliances. Never plug a space heater into an extension cord or surge protector. Homes should be equipped with working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

DC Fire provides free smoke detectors to DC residents in need. You must own and live in the property where the smoke detector will be installed. Contact 311 to make an appointment. Only one free smoke detector per home is available. DC Fire also planned to be in the community around 10th Street the morning of March 4 to speak with residents about smoke detectors.

MPD Report

Here are the latest MPD stats for the neighborhood. Thefts from autos remain a problem. Do not leave anything in your car. It will be taken and you will have a busted car window. Car tires have also been taken. Consider getting a guerilla lock for tires, especially if you own a Honda Accord.

Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie Report

Silas Grant, Senior Advisor to Councilmember McDuffie, stated the councilmember planned to submit his budget priorties letter to the mayor soon. You can see the letter here.

Metro Transit Police Department

Stephen Deveaux, District Commander for MTPD’s Fort Totten station district, stated that the district covers Northeast, Northwest, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County. There is always at least one MTPD officer at Fort Totten metro station, usually two. There has been an uptick in robberies/snatches on the green line from Prince George’s Plaza to Gallery Place.

The supervisor responsible for the competition that was reported by the Washington Post is no longer assigned to the district. Mr. Devaux stated MTPD conducted a four-day invvestigation, the results of which are not publicly available. Expect to see more of Mr. Deveaux at future meetings.

Providence Health System

Providence returned with a presentation about the services offered at the Providence campus. Providence is attempting to “right-size”the system. They did that mainly by eliminating the emergency department. They hope to open the diagnostic center this fall. View the handout for more details.

Veteran Retirement Tax Exclusion Amendment Act of 2019 (B23-0129)

A group of military veterans is lobbying the DC Council to pass legislation to exempt retirement military pay from personal income taxes. The presentation was a bit strange because their argument was that veterans are choosing not to settle in the District because DC taxes military retirement pay and that veterans are instead choosing to settle in Maryland and Virginia. According to the presentation though, Maryland does not tax military retirement pay while Virginia does. That seems to suggest there are perhaps other reasons that veterans are not settling in DC. View the handout for more details.

Catholic University

Catholic is building a new dorm, which will help the university achieve its goal of having students spend the first three years of their study in on-campus housing. Also, Catholic wants to open the Bates Road gate when there are events so that patrons will have easier access to a nearby parking lot. That led to protracted discussion of parking issues residents near Catholic University’s field experience when there are events. Commissioner Washington (5A07) was not in favor of opening the gate. Catholic strangely made it seem as if the university cannot do anything about how and where guests attending these events are parking in the neighborhood. They will continue the conversation with the affected commissioners, Commissioner Washington and Commissioner Barragan (5A06).

2020 U.S. Census

The commission supported (with one opposition) the spirit of a resolution encouraging ANC commissioners to help promote participation in the 2020 U.S. Census. Census data affects how resources are allocated, so please participate.

Highlights from February 18, 2020 ANC 5A08 SMD Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) held a single member district (SMD) meeting on February 18, 2020. A few highlights below:

Art Place at Fort Totten

Regarding the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten (Block B), a lot of activity is anticipated over the next several weeks. The developer is removing the final items from the remaining Riggs Plaza apartments and will then disconnect utilities. Demolition of existing buildings, installation of a bike path and utilities on 3rd Street NE, and undergrounding of utilities on South Dakota Avenue are expected.

Traffic control plans for Block B are being coordinated with DDOT in conjunction with traffic control plans for construction of Lamond-Riggs Library as well as the Riggs Park Place townhome project on the southeast corner of South Dakota Avenue & Riggs Road NE. Construction vehicles for Block B will park at The Modern.

Commissioner Fletcher will be neighborhood point of contact to distribute construction notices.

The developer is still awaiting a final written order from the Zoning Commission, so some of this activity will be contingent on receiving that order and also relocating the last few tenants remaining at Riggs Plaza apartments. The developer anticipates receiving the order soon.

Regarding the first phase (Building A), the 24 Hour Fitness is working on interior construction and hopes to open by the end of 2020. Roll-down gates have been installed at T-Mobile and Ramdass Pharmacy to address security issues.

A meeting for just the residents of The Modern and the Cafritz Foundation will be arranged to address resident concerns.

Rocketship & Social Justice School

Renderings of exterior view of Rocketship School and Social Justice School. Photos courtesy Rocketship

Interior work on the two warehouses at 5450 3rd Street NE (3rd and Kennedy) that will be the site of Rocketship Public Charter School is ongoing. The school is finalizing drive aisles with DDOT for dropoff and pickup and working with DOEE on stormwater retention plans. In fall 2020, only the North Building will be open; the South Building will open in fall 2021.

Rocketship, with AppleTree, will open with grades preK3-2 and add 100 students each year to reach full capacity. Social Justice will start with grades 5 and 6. Registration is ongoing through March 2, 2020, through My School DC.

Rocketship holds weekly information sessions at Lamond-Riggs Library. There will be an information session on February 25, 2020, at 6:00 pm where some of the faculty/staff will be present. Rocketship is still hiring for a few faculty positions. Interested candidates should contact Principal Angel McNeil.

Rocketship will have a naming ceremony on April 25, 2020. The purpose of naming ceremony is to reflect desired values of the school. Currently the school is simply known as Rocketship Fort Totten.

Totten Mews

There has been an uptick in crime along 6th Street and at Totten Mews, the new townhome community near the Capital Area Food Bank. Issues inclue car and home break-ins, older youth smoking weed on the playground at Totten Mews, non-residents loitering on benches at Totten Mews, abandoned/stolen cars, and drug activity along 6th Street. The nearby Emerson Park townhome community has also seen an uptick in crime with a shooting nearby in the past month.

Officer Bonilla noted that MPD’s Fourth District is down 11 officers due to a police-involved shooting in Petworth a couple of weeks ago. Those officers have to be cleared before they can return to duty.

Several residents volunteered to assist Commissioner Fletcher on a plan for North Michigan Park. Silas Grant, Senior Advisor to Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, also recommended getting an overhead map and highlighting the streets that need better lighting. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Commissioner Fletcher.

February 6, 2020 ANC 5A03 Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

By Robert Oliver (Contributor)

ANC Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) held her quarterly single member district (SMD) meeting at the Faith United Church of Christ (Faith UCC) on February 6, 2020. She opened the meeting by discussing neighborhood traffic, parking, and issues with private refuse vehicles. 

Ward 5 Councilmember Announcements

Silas Grant of Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie’s office spoke next. Mr. Grant discussed a variety of issues including the Ward 5 Report, a recap of FY2019 accomplishments, and Councilmember McDuffie’s Budget Survey. Mr. Grant is assisting a constituent who received a 10-year warranty on work done by a DC-sponsored contractor. The contractor is no longer in business, but the work must be redone.

ANC 5A Announcments

ANC 5A Chair Ronnie Edwards (5A05) discussed the recent ANC 5A meeting on the Comprehensive Plan. He thanked Commissioner Lucio and Carmen Williams, North Michigan Park Civic Association President, for their contributions. He noted the large turnout and work accomplished at that meeting. A final review of the plan is scheduled for a special ANC meeting on Wednesday, February 12 at the UDC-CC Bertie Backus Campus starting at 6:45 pm in Room 129. The deadline for submission of ANC feedback on the Comprehensive Plan to the DC Office of Planning is February 14, 2020.

2020 Census

Commissioner Lucio took a moment to discuss the importance of the 2020 Census. She noted that some are concerned about sharing personal data, but she stressed that the 2020 Census affects the DC budget, city resource allocation, and ANC boundary revisions. She emphasized that everyone should participate.

MPD Report

MPD 4th District Lieutenant Patrick Schaut and MPD 4th District Community Outreach Coordinator Derek Staten gave a police report. Mr. Staten asked everyone to join the new MPD Google listserv, which provides access to the latest crime reports and other data. He said community impact statements are important criminal justice tools. These statements help judges determine whether to incarcerate or parole a defendant.

Lieutenants Patrick Schaut, Troy Jessup and Tatjana Savoy are the shift managers of police service areas (PSAs) 405, 406 and 407. Each PSA is staffed with a minimum of two officers.

Lt. Schaut said the DC Crime Map, which is updated every 24-hours, is a great tool for tracking local crime. Residents can also help mitigate crime by installing security cameras. Lt. Schaut said the following crimes are trending:

  • Theft of vehicle tires and/or airbags (usually Hondas);
  • Theft of children’s cell phones; and
  • Robbery of those who participate in online marketplace apps, such as letgo. The best solution is to only exchange goods at a police station. 

In response to an audience question, Lt. Schaut said three of four suspects involved in the highjacking of a UPS truck were caught. Resident reporting helped solve the case. Lastly, the audience expressed its desire for more community policing, and cited Officer Lucas as an example.  

Commissioner Lucio hopes to introduce 911 training to the children of the North Michigan Park community. Also, she mentioned that details on crime can be found in “The Court Report,” a monthly list of Superior and District Court case results. A special form is required to receive a copy. Contact Commissioner Lucio for more information.

DDOT Announcements

Kelly Jeong-Olson, DDOT Community Engagement Specialist, announced the DDOT Ward 5 Open House (recently held on Saturday, February 8).   

She listed sidewalk repair and a crosswalk for the Mundo Verde School as community concerns that she has forwarded for resolution. Ms. Jeong-Olson asked the audience to retain proof – names, dates, tracking numbers – of conversations with DDOT because it helps when tracking complaints. She also took note of the following community concerns:

  • Inform DDOT of missing road and crosswalk stripping since utility construction crews often fail to return the work areas back to its former state.
  • Prohibit 1.25 ton vehicles from using restricted streets, update DC truck map and ensure online maps incorporate the DC truck map data.  A community member suggested that a $250 fine be levied and then doubled on the offending trucking firm for each infraction its drivers incur.
  • Repair the protruding sidewalk at the 4700 block of 8th Street NE.
  • Perform a traffic study in the area bounded by 10th, Taylor, 11th, and Varnum streets NE.

McDonald’s

Harry Thomas, Jr., consultant for the McDonald’s on South Dakota Avenue NE, was not able to attend the meeting.

DC Rodent Control

Gerard Brown of the DC Department of Health Rodent Control informed the audience that rodents require three things to thrive: food, habitat and water. And sadly, human activity provides all three. Mr. Brown said rodent prevention services are free to all DC residents. Commercial businesses are responsible for their own rodent control efforts. DC is limited to providing advice and to issuing citations to commercial businesses. In an effort to help small businesses, DC now offers a commercial trash compactor program.

In response to a question, Mr. Brown said he sent an inspection team to the 4900 block of South Dakota Avenue NE to investigate a rodent infestation. He is still awaiting a report from his team, which he will share.

The Ark of DC:  Neighborhood Wellness Clinc

The Ark of DC is the newest business at 4944 South Dakota Avenue NE. The owners stated their business provides mental health counseling for all ages. Primary care doctors will provide patient-centric care. The Ark has an affiliation with the Providence Health System. The facility will not provide substance abuse treatment. The owners are open to the community. The Ark’s hours are:

  • Monday and Wednesday – 9:00 am-9:00 pm
  • Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday – 9:00 am-6:00 pm
  • Saturday – 10:00 am-2:00 pm
  • Sunday – Closed

Please stop by and meet The Ark staff.

Don’t you want to be an ANC?

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 4B, ANC 5A

This post is another appeal for residents to consider running for an Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) position. The ANC is a nonpartisan position. The election for new ANCs will be this year in the general election in November. Nominating petitions for ANC become available June 26, 2020. To get on the ballot, all you need is 25 signatures from residents in the single member district (SMD) where you live.

There is a solid chance three or four of the current ANC 5A commissioners will not run again. Some of them have been serving many terms and they appear ready to move on.

In particular, it would be awesome for someone in my SMD, ANC 5A01, to run. The boundaries of 5A01 are the south side of Kennedy Street NE to the north, Eastern Avenue NE to the east, Galloway Street NE to the south, and the east side of South Dakota Avenue NE to the west. It is a nice little manageable area that includes the Bertie Backus campus and the Lamond-Riggs Library. You can see a map of ANC 5A below.

The ANC is an interesting creature of DC Home Rule. I think as with any volunteer position, it is as much work as you make it. There are of course certain things that must be done in terms of number of meetings, reporting, and the like. One could do simply the required minimum. There is also the opportunity to really have a big impact. One could advocate for budget items, give ideas for meaningful legislation, request improvements around pedestrian safety and civic assets, give substantive input on development projects, or any number of things.

Some people see the ANC as a stepping stone to higher office. Mayor Muriel Bowser served as an ANC in Riggs Park before representing Ward 4 on the DC Council and eventually becoming mayor. If there are residents out there for whom that is a goal, I say go for it. What better way to campaign than showing you have done tangible things in the neighborhood where you live. For the rest of us who do not have political aspirations, I think there is tremendous value in doing the work that we wish someone else would do.

I happen to live on the Ward 5 side of the neighborhood, so I most often attend ANC 5A meetings, but my appeal applies to Ward 4 neighbors as well. For people truly interested in running, I would recommend attending the monthly ANC meetings. There are a handful of meetings left before the summer break, so there is plenty of time to observe and think about how you would like to serve.

January 22, 2020 ANC 5A Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on January 22, 2020. Commissioners present: Frank Wilds (5A01); Grace Lewis (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio (5A03); Ronnie Edwards (5A05); Sandi Washington (5A07); Gordon Fletcher (5A08).

ANC Business

The ANC voted by acclamation to keep the same officers: Chair – Commisioner Edwards; Vice Chair – Commissioner Fletcher; Secretary – Commissioner Lucio; Treaurer – Commissioner Washington; Parliamentarian – Commissioner Lewis.

The ANC approved the 1st quarter FY 2020 financial report and its 2020 meeting schedule. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the November meeting will likely be November 18, 2020. The ANC approved spending $25.00 to participate in the ANC Security Fund.

MPD Report

Due to recent changes in the Yahoo Groups platform, MPD has switched outreach communications from Yahoo Groups to Google Groups. To join the Google Group for MPD’s 4th District (4D), contact Derek Staten, MPD 4th District Community Outreach Coordinator, at derek.staten@dc.gov. The google group is a good way to stay informed about what is happening in MPD’s 4th District, and MPD is pretty good about responding to questions from residents. The 4th District roster is here. Mr. Staten also shared a handout on MPD stops. The full stop data report is available at mpdc.dc.gov/stopdata.

The 4th District is accepting gently worn and new winter coats as well as new socks throughout the month of February. The 4th District headquarters is located at 6001 Georgia Avenue NW.

As for crime, here are the latest stats provided by Lt. Patrick Schaut. Lt. Schaut stated a UPS driver was hijacked on 11th Street NE earlier this week. MPD apprehended three suspects and believe a fourth is still out there. An individual was held up at gunpoint on the social trail between Gallatin and Galloway earlier this week. MPD discourages residents from using the trail, particularly in the evening hours. National Park Service has previously stated there is funding to install a paved trail with lighting some time this year, but no word on when that will actually happen. MPD is still investigating the robberies at Ramdass Pharmacy. One incident was clearly a professional job, so MPD is doing what it can to identify the culprits. The 7-Elevens in the neighborhood have also been the target of thefts.

A few residents and Commissioner Fletcher (5A08) raised the issue of communication between private security guards for the apartment communities by Fort Totten metro station, Metro Transit police, U.S. Park Police, and MPD. All of these entities can really only operate within their own jurisdiction, which makes things a little complicated around the metro station. Continue to share your suggestions and concerns with Commissioner Fletcher.

There was some discussion about how MPD handles patroling along the borders of police districts. Lt. Schaut stated MPD will share informationa about serious crimes (for example, “be on the lookout (BOLO)” requests), but decisions about allocation of officers are made by lieutenants for those police districts. The 4th District lieutenant is not going to tell the 5th District lieutenant how officers should patrol the 5th District. So if you live close to the border of the 5th District and want to get alerts about crimes that may be happening close to the border of 4D and 5D, then you might want to join the 5th District Google Group and sign up for 5D alerts as some of the commissioners do.

Other than that, the usual advice about theft from autos, which remains a problem across the District. Do not leave anything in your car. It will be taken and you will have a busted car window. If you are purchasing/selling online, make arrangements to meet at a police station. Lt. Schaut stated there is an unlicensed carshare service operating in DC called getaround. According to Lt. Schaut, individuals are using the service to commit crimes, so MPD recommends not signing up your vehicle for this service. If your neighborhood is experiencing package thefts from porches, have your packages delivered to a secure location. Consider using the District’s security camera incentive program for your home.

Comprehensive Plan Update

The ANC went through comments submitted by residents as well as the comments that came out of the ANC’s public meeting held on January 11. (Disclosure: I submitted comments to the ANC for consideration in their review). There will likely be a follow-up special meeting in February for the ANC to share the final draft of what the ANC will submit to the Office of Planning before the February 14th deadline. As an aside, I do want to thank the ANC for taking the time to gather resident input and commit to submitting a formal letter to the Office of Planning regarding the proposed amendments. While the ANC did request more time beyond February 14 to submit comments, and residents understandably remain dissatisfied with the way this process is being handled by the Office of Planning and the mayor’s office, at least the ANC is taking steps to submit comments to the Office of Planning before the deadline.

The Parks Main Street Grant Request

Edwin Washington, Executive Director of The Parks Main Street, submitted a grant application to the ANC for $2,000 to help bring Events DC’s Jazz in the ‘Hoods, a feature of the DC Jazz Festival, to the neighborhood. The concert does not have a location in Ward 5, so the Main Street met with the Jazz in the ‘Hoods team to propose a few different venues/spaces along the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs Road NE corridor. ANC 5A treasurer Commissioner Washington (5A07) stated she wants to make sure the ANC’s grant funds can be used for this purpose and make sure that the proposal will benefit 5A. Seems to me that this will very clearly benefit the communities in 5A, but Commissioner Fletcher stated he will reach out to the Office of ANC to get guidance. The ANC asked Mr. Washington to come back in February when the ANC has a special meeting to follow up on the request.

Ward 5 Councilmember Report/Budget Survey

Silas Grant, Senior Advisor to Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, distributed paper copies of the councilmember’s budget survey. That survey can be completed online at https://kenyanmcduffieward5.com/budget2020. If you have thoughts about how public dollars should be prioritized, complete the survey. Councilmember McDuffie will hold a meeting with ANCs and civic association leaders on January 29, 2020, to discuss the budget and updates to the Comprehensive Plan.

Social Justice School

The ANC voted (5 yes, 1 no) to provide a letter of support to the Social Justice School to open a middle school at the Rocketship Campus at 5450 Kennedy Street NE in fall 2020. The school will have a DC Public Charter School Board hearing in March of this year.

Providence Medical Center

The ANC voted (5 yes, 1 no) to approve a letter in support of Providence Medical Center’s certificate of need application to operate a diagnostic imaging center. Providence indicated to Commissioner Lucio (5A03) that this should be the final certificate of need it requests and that its next announcement will be its plans for the full campus.

Mayor’s Office Report

The mayor’s office will be holding budget engagement forums around the city. One will be held in Ward 5 at Edgewood Recreation Center on February 18, 2020, at 6:30 pm.

DDOT Ward 5 Open House

DDOT will hold an open house for Ward 5 at the Trinidad Recreation Center on February 8, 2020, from noon to 2:00 pm. Stop by to share any transportation concerns, requests for sidewalk repairs, speed bumps, etc.

Miscellaneous

Commissioner Fletcher will hold an SMD meeting on February 4, 2020.

North Michigan Park Civic Association will hold a Community Information Expo on February 5, 2020, at North Michigan Park Recreation Center from 7:00 pm to 8:45 pm. ANC commissioners and representatives from Disrict agencies, the mayor’s office, and Councilmember McDuffie’s office will be present.

Commissioner Lucio will hold an SMD meeting on February 6, 2020. Approval was granted to remove a seemingly abandoned boat on Decatur Street NE. District officials are working on it.

December 11, 2019 ANC 5A Special Meeting Recap: Lamond-Riggs Library; Comp Plan; Walmart Beer/Wine License

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A held a special meeting on December 11, 2019. All commissioners were present: Frank Wilds (5A01), Grace Lewis (5A02), Emily Singer Lucio (5A03), Ronnie Edwards (5A05), Sandi Washington (5A07), Gordon Fletcher (5A08)

ANC Vacancies

One candidate, Claudia Barragan, applied to fill the vacancy for ANC 5A06. Barring any challenges, she should be sworn in in time for the next ANC meeting.

No candidates have come forward for ANC 5A04. This SMD covers Catholic University, so the seat is often vacant. A Catholic University student did fill the seat the previous two terms. Commissioner Fletcher (5A08) stated to Catholic’s general counsel Nancy Morrison O’Connor that he would be interested in hosting an info session with students to see if anyone might be interested in serving. Ms. O’Connor also stated new faculty have recently moved into the SMD so one of those faculty members might be interested in serving as well.

Lamond-Riggs Library Design Update

DC Public Library representatives and HGA, the design team for the ne Lamond-Riggs Library, returned to the commission to seek approval for the design to submit with their plans to the Commission on Fine Arts. Not much new was presented from the community design meeting that was held on November 19. They are still deciding between two exterior design options, what they are calling Forest vs. Folds. The interim library will be located in a 2800 square foot space at the Modern at Art Place on Ingraham Street NE. Responses to a few questions from the commission and residents:

  • In response to questions about parking from Commissioners Sandi Washington (5A07), Grace Lewis (5A02), and Ronnie Edwards (5A05), the design team explained that building an underground parking lot would be cost prohibitive given the program desires for the new building. DCPL will maintain the number of parking spaces at 11. DCPL noted Commissioner Edwards’ request that library staff be prohibited from parking in the lot.
  • Wifi will be available in the outdoor spaces (the front porch and balcony), but they are not sure just yet if charging stations will be available. They made a note for the request
  • Commissioner Frank Wilds (5A01) requested a list of CBE contractors, which DCPL stated they will provide when available.
  • Robert Oliver, president of the Lamond-Rigg Library Friends, suggested that DCPL visit the abutting residences to take pictures of their walls to address any concerns about construction impacts. DCPL noted the suggestion.
  • DCPL noted Commissioner Wilds’ request that DCPL hire a neighborhood ombudsman to disperse construction-related information and handle construction issues.
  • The design team noted a request for streetscape improvements of the public right of way when library construction is done.
  • DCPL does not have a specific date for when the current library will close and when the interim library will open next year. They still have to get through all of the regulatory and permitting processes. They noted there is typically a period of about three weeks between closure of the old library and opening of the interim library.

The ANC voted unanimously to support the design.

Comprehensive Plan Update

Update 12/16/2019: On December 16, 2019, after publication of this post, the Office of Planning extended the comment period for the public to January 10, 2020, and for ANCs to February 14, 2020.

The Office of Planning (OP) has proposed amendments to the Citywide and Area Elements of the District’s Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan). The Comp Plan guides how the city should grow and be developed. The general public has until December 20, 2019 January 10, 2020, to submit comments to OP, while ANCs have until January 31, 2020 February 14, 2020, to submit resolutions to OP. Details on the proposed amendments are available at plandc.dc.gov. (Note: I wrote about the proposed amendments in this post).

Chair Edwards stated ANC 5A will request more time to review the proposed amendments. The ANC voted unanimously to support the intent and purpose of a draft resolution that many other ANCs have signed.

At the same time, the ANC will prepare as if no extension of time will be granted. Accordingly, please submit comments that you would like to see incorporated into an ANC 5A resolution to Commissioner Edwards at 5a05@anc.dc.gov by January 10, 2020. The commission plans to have a community meeting on the Comp Plan on January 11, 2020, at 10:00 am. They will circulate a summary of the comments by January 15 and be prepared to vote on a resolution on January 22.

Soldiers’ Home Reservoir Upgrades

Upgrades to the Soldiers’ Home Reservoir, located at the intersection of Arnold Drive and Pershing Drive NW on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home are ongoing until tentatively December 2020. All of the work is being done on the campus so area residents should not see any disruptions except the occasional lane closure. Golf course operations on the two affected fairways will be limited during construction. DC Water will work to minimize disruptions, and the fairways will be resotred after consturction is completed. For information, contact project manager Willis Thomas at (202) 787-7616 or willis.thomas@dcwater.com.

Walmart Beer/Wine License Application

As previously noted, the Walmart located at 310 Riggs Road has applied for a license to sell beer and wine. It is located in ANC 4B. On November 25, 2019, that commission voted in support of a resolution to support Walmart’s application and also to “reaffirm[] its support for the terms of the Settlement Agreement of August 9, 2018[]” between ANC 4B and Walmart. The status of that settlement agreement is unclear. The resolution could not be found on the ANC resolution website, so it is not clear if the commissioner for that area has uploaded the resolution yet. The Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) voted at its meeting on December 2, 2019, not to protest Walmart’s application (13 in favor of protesting; 15 opposed to protesting).

Now, a group of 5 or more individuals led in part by Ward 5 resident Bill Smith plans to protest Walmart’s application. Bill Smith was one of the people who led the successful protest against the liquor license application of Pax Liquor, which wanted to open next to the McDonald’s on South Dakota Avenue. The protest against Walmart will focus on the fact that there is a liquor store directly across the street from the Walmart and an elementary school, LaSalle-Backus Education Campus, within two blocks of the Walmart. The principal of that elementary school attended the LRCA meeting and asked Walmart’s manager how he plans to ensure that minors will not be able to abscond with or purchase alcohol. The manager stated that cashiers are given a prompt to ask for identification whenever a customer attempts to buy beer or wine. If you would like to join Mr. Smith in the protest, contact him at smith744@aol.com

Catholic University

Catholic University held a groundbreaking for its new dining hall. There are also new meeting rooms, which Ms. O’Connor stated the ANC is welcome to use. In the next few weeks, the university will hold a groundbreaking for a new nursing school and research labs.

The school recently received a notice from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that someone is flying drones above university property. This is a no-fly zone and there are consequences for flying drones without a proper license, so if you or anyone you know is responsible for the drones, take heed.

Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie

Councilmember McDuffie will hold three community conversations on violence around the Rhode Island Avenue and Woodridge/Langdon areas.

Miscellaneous

The commission voted unanimously in support of a petition for traffic calming, specifically speed bumps, in the 700 block of Decatur Street NE.

Commissioner Fletcher will hold an SMD meeting on January 7, 2020.

REMINDER – December 11: ANC 5A Special Public Meeting on Library & Comp Plan

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A Special Meeting
December 11, 2019
6:45 pm
UDC-CC Backus
5171 South Dakota Avenue NE
Agenda: (1) Lamond-Riggs Library Update; (2) Comprehensive Plan Update

ANCs have until January 31 to submit a resolution regarding the Office of Planning’s proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. Many ANCs have had working groups or committees to address the proposed changes. Come out to hear how ANC 5A plans to take advantage of the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed changes. Also, if you missed the Lamond-Riggs Library design meeting last month, a member of the design team will be on hand to give an update.

November 13: ANC 5A Public Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the monthly ANC 5A meeting is being held on November 13.

ANC 5A Monthly Public Meeting
November 13, 2019
6:45 pm
UDC-CC Backus
5171 South Dakota Avenue NE
Agenda items:
(1) Rocketship Charter School
(2) ANC 5A FY2020 proposed budget. The proposed budget is available for review on the ANC 5A website https://www.anc5a.org under the “Meeting Minutes and Resources” tab

Housing Affordability Goals & Comprehensive Plan Updates

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 4B, ANC 5A, Neighborhood Development

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY GOALS

On October 15, 2019, Mayor Muriel Bowser released her administration’s Housing Equity Report with housing affordability goals by planning area. The District’s eight planning areas are contained in the District’s Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan). Just as this neighborhood sits in two wards, this neighborhood also sits in two planning areas–Upper Northeast and Rock Creek East. Most of the news focused on the mayor’s desire to add more affordable housing west of Rock Creek Park, but this neighborhood’s planning areas fall in the top four areas for housing production goals, 1,500 units for Rock Creek East and 1,350 units for Upper Northeast. Based on what is in the pipeline already though, the number of new housing units that our planning areas must produce–340 for Rock Creek East and 190 for Upper Northeast–is fairly low compared to what other areas must produce in order to meet the administration’s goals. The report explains the methodology used to get to the goals for each planning area on page 10. The report is a fairly high level report just to start the conversation. For updates, visit housing.dc.gov.

PROPOSED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATES

On October 15, the mayor and the Office of Planning (OP) also released proposed amendments to the Comp Plan. The DC Council recently approved the Framework element of the Comp Plan, which took over two years to get through the public process. OP has produced a number of helpful summaries of each element of the Comp Plan and a review tip guide. I strongly encourage people to at least look at the updates for our neighborhood’s planning areas, again those are Upper Northeast and Rock Creek East. The summary for Upper Northeast is here and the summary for Rock Creek East is here. It is not clear when the Council will hold a hearing on the rest of the proposed amendments to the plan.

OP is holding public meetings on the proposed updates. Ward 4’s is on November 19 at 6:00 pm at Roosevelt High School (4400 Iowa Avenue NW) and Ward 5’s is on November 23 at 10:00 am at Luke C. Moore High School (1001 Monroe Street NE). OP recommends that residents work with their ANC commissioners so that the ANC can incorporate feedback into an ANC resolution. OP will respond to feeback received from ANC resolutions. Send your comments to your ANC by December 20. Some residents are already asking OP to extend the comment period (including some at the last ANC 5A meeting), but so far there is no indication that the comment period will be extended.

OP’s suggestions for ANC review:

  • Review Area Elements and sections of the Generalized Policy Map (GPM) and Future Land Use Map (FLUM) that correspond with the ANC’s Planning Area
  • Review Citywide Element Summaries
  • Consider dividing up review across ANC or with ANC’s land use or zoning committee
  • Attend Ward meeting to hear feedback from your constituents.
  • OP will share with ANCs a summary of feedback received during the Ward meetings
  • Upload ANC Resolutions by January 31 onto the ANC portal at resolutions.anc.dc.gov

Riggs Road/South Dakota Avenue Area Development Plan Implementation

One nice thing about the proposed updates to each of our planning areas is the very clear priority on implementing elements of the Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue Area Development Plan, our neighborhood’s area development plan (sometimes referred to as our small area plan). This is important. The plan was approved by the DC Council in 2009. The most recent implementation report is from 2016. You can see there is still lots to be done, which makes sense given the amount of development we anticipate in the next two to three years. One big achievement we did get is the startup of a Main Street for the corridor. That has already yielded big dividends in the less than one year that it has officially been operating. There are other pieces of the area development plan independent of development that could use some attention though, especially regarding the neighborhood’s open spaces.

The disadvantage in this neighborhood’s stratification between two planning area is evident in the updates to the Comp Plan. It seems as if OP cannot figure out what to call this area neighborhood (understandable). That aside, the update to the Upper Northeast Element (pages 36-38) mentions the area development plan in addressing what it calls the Fort Totten metro station area, but the actual policy recommendations in the area development plan are included only in the Rock Creek East Element update (pages 40-42). I suppose this was done to avoid duplication, but I am not sure it makes sense. It is not clear why only some of the policy recommendations from the area development plan made it into the Comp Plan update, so I would recommend that all of them be incorporated. The Upper Northeast Element update also adds “high-density” housing, office, and retail uses for the Fort Totten station metro area (p. 37), which is not consistent at all with the area development plan or the proposed future land use map or generalized policy map. In addition, I would also recommend highlighting the recommendations in the moveDC plan for our neighborhood, which were developed in 2014 after the area development plan was created, and which I wrote about in this post.

I do recommend that residents become familiar with the area development plan. You can read the executive summary here and the recommendations here. When I served as president of Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) from summer 2017 to summer 2019, I always referenced the plan whenever we submitted comments regarding any development project in the neighborhood. When budget season rolled around, we would use that plan to advocate for targeted dollars for this neighborhood. Each year, we should be advocating for our elected officials (ANCs, Council, and mayor) to support funding to implement elements of the plan. This is one area where I think the Main Street can be especially useful. Elected officials come and go, but having a consistent entity dedicated to improving the corridor naturally lends itself to making sure the area development plan stays at the top of everyone’s agenda.

Implementation of the area development plan is one clear item that we can have our ANCs address in a resolution, highlighting particular areas of the plan that still need to be addressed.

Ward 5 Works Industrial Land Transformation Study

OP also recommends priority in implementing recommendations of the Ward 5 Works Industrial Land Transformation Study. I wrote about that study in this post. As noted in that post, our neighborhood is more of a footnote in the report, but all areas of the city will be well-served by District officials actually taking steps to really address municipal planning, particularly for especially burdensome municipal functions. And certain recommendations for other areas of city could be useful for the land abutting the tracks in our neck of the woods from Fort Totten to Takoma. Given the focus on gaining statehood, it is really critical that District officials figure out how to house and carry out municipal functions in the District.

PROPOSED MAP AMENDMENTS

The Comp Plan has two maps, a Generalized Policy Map (GPM) and a Future Land Use Designation Map (FLUM). You can see the proposed GPM here. It is missing the Main Street for the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs Road Corridor. (maybe there needs to be an official designation, not sure). You can see the proposed FLUM here. The FLUM is not a zoning map; it provides an understanding of how development decisions should be made. The FLUM has been the subject of much debate particularly in the litigation that has challenged a number of development projects across the District. For this neighborhood, the proposed FLUM is pretty much consistent with what is contained in the area development plan. A few amendments to highlight below.

McDonald’s & Faith United Church of Christ

The Office of Planning is recommending approval of change in the FLUM for the McDonald’s property on South Dakota Avenue and Delafield Street NE (Square 3786, Lots 1 and 801) from low density commercial to moderate density commercial (see p. 78 responding to submission 2081). This change was requested by Holland & Knight, which represents the owner of the McDonald’s. The owner has been a frequent visitor to ANC 5A about this change, which is the only reason I am mentioning this here. Just down the street from the McDonald’s, Faith United Church had requested a change in the zoning designation for its property from low density residential/commercial to medium density residential/commercial. OP is not recommending approval of that change (see p. 62 responding to submission 1066). Faith United has tried more than once to build affordable housing, particularly for seniors, on their three-acre parcel of land. These efforts have been rebuffed by North Michigan Park residents over traffic and parking concerns. I have heard several long-time North Michigan Park residents laud the fact that there are no apartment buildings in that neighborhood. It is an interesting thing to be proud of (as opposed to being fine with having a new drive-thru in that area), particularly as there is this discussion about affordable housing. Anyways, perhaps OP’s rejection of the change to the FLUM for the church’s parcel will stop the church from trying to add multifamily housing to its property for a long time. We will see.

1st Place NE & Riggs Road NE

Moving north, OP is recommending change in the FLUM for the western side of 1st Place NE at Riggs Road from Parks, Recreation, and Open Space to Medium Density Commercial/Medium Density Residential (see p. 114, submission 9946).

Recommendations

I am still looking at the specifics of our neighborhood’s planning area updates as well as the updates for the major policy areas (transportation, housing, infrastructure, etc.). So far, here are my recommendations just for our planning area updates:

  1. Highlight the importance of implementing the neighborhood’s area development plan (with particular focus areas)
  2. Incorporate all of the policy recommendations from the area development plan
  3. Highlight important of Ward 5 Works Plan & to extent certain recommendations for other areas would be beneficial in our neighborhood (such as buffers and creative uses of industrial space), highlight those
  4. Highlight importance of moveDC plan with recommendations for our neighborhood
  5. Highlight importance of implementing the 2007 South Dakota Avenue Streetscape Study (Given that no District agency can find this study and that its status on the area development plan implementation report in 2016 is listed as future status, I am not sure this study has been implemented
  6. The General Policy Map needs to reflect the Main Street for the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs Road corridor
  7. Be clear that the area around Fort Totten metro station is designated for either medium or moderate density, not high density, noting importance of mitigating impacts to specifically the Riggs Park neighborhood.

This is just my take. What do people think of the major policy themes of the elements for this neighborhood–Upper Northeast and Rock Creek East. What feedback do you have for our ANC commissioners for them to incorporate into an ANC resolution?

October 23, 2019 ANC 5A Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

The ANC did not have a quorum for its monthly public meeting on October 23, 2019, so this meeting became a discussion of general community issues. Commissioners present: Chair Ronnie Edwards (5A05), Emily Singer Lucio (5A03), and Gordon Fletcher (5A08).

Shawn Hilgendorf, Committee Director for the Committee on Facilities and Procurement chaired by At-Large Councilmember Robert White, is visiting ANC meetings throughout DC. Councilmember White is finishing up a series of roundtables with ANCs to hear what their needs are. A couple of pieces of legislation are pending, one to give ANCs great weight in tbe comprehensive plan review process and the other to provide support within the Office of ANCs for commissions as they assess development projects. Many ANCs are ill-equipped to effectively advocate for communities with respect to development projects in which developers are represented by attorneys, architects, and other experts, so the idea is to have staff with planning and other expertise within the Office of ANCs to provide support to commissioners. If you have thoughts or concerns you would like share about how the ANC is operating, you can email Mr. Hilgendorf at shilgendorf@dccouncil.us.

Rocketship Charter School and Social Justice Charter School were on the agenda again. The DC Public Charter School Board is scheduled to hold a vote on October 28 on Rocketship’s application to open a third campus near Fort Totten metro station. Without a quorum, the ANC could not vote on the application. Commissioner Edwards stated the ANC will hold a special meeting within the next two weeks. I suppose the ANC wants to have a vote even though any special meeting will have to be after the DCPCSB’s vote on October 28.

DC Water is performing upgrades to the Soldiers’ Home Reservoir, located at the intersection of Arnold Drive and Pershing Dirve, NW on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home. See handout here. Estimated construction start date is late Octobet 2019 and estimated construction completion date is late December 2020. Golf course operations on the two affected airways will be limited during construction and the fairways will be restored after construction is done. For more information, contact DC Water Project Manager Willis Thomas at (202) 787-7616 or willis.thomas@dcwater.com.

MPD public safety report: There continue to be a lot of smash and grabs from cars. Seriously, do not leave anything in your cars. It will be taken and you will be left with a smashed window to repair. The T-Mobile has now been robbed of phones twice. Someone was robbed on South Dakota Avenue near the 7-11. Be aware of your surroundings especially as it is getting darker earlier.

Without a quorum, the ANC was not able to vote on its fiscal year 2020 budget, so the budget will be presented at a future meeting.

The November meeting is scheduled for Novemer 20, 2019, due to the Thanksgiving holiday.