Category Archives: ANC 5A

Community Letters of Support for Enhanced Pedestrian Safety along the South Dakota Avenue NE Corridor

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A, Transportation

Guest post by David Kosub

In no particular order, these letters of support come voluntarily from members of the Riggs Park community. Their goal is encouraging Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 5A to endorse a resolution requesting the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to strengthen pedestrian safety crossing South Dakota Avenue NE.

As some requested anonymity, I decided to respect everybody’s privacy and remove all names and other identifying information from this public post. That said, their words still demonstrate passion. Concerns are vividly expressed. Personal experiences are relived. Actions taken are retold. And, most importantly, you will see how much they care for their community.

A resolution and our concerns will be presented at the January 30, 2019, ANC 5A meeting at 6:45 p.m. at UDC-CC Backus, so please attend if your schedule permits. If you would like your voice included as part of this initiative, please add your thoughts in the Comments section below.

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Letter #1

I  am writing to voice support for the resolution brought forth by David Kosub. My husband and I moved to the neighborhood two years ago and began voicing concerns related to pedestrian safety and well-being crossing South Dakota Avenue NE at Ingraham Street NE and Jefferson Street NE (right by our public library) since that time.

We have collectively submitted dozens of 311 requests asking for improvements to safety in that area – ranging from white striping to signage to HAWK lights and even a traffic light. Each request is dutifully closed without any action taken. MPD officers themselves speed down South Dakota Avenue and do not stop at crosswalks. I’ve witnessed it many times. Every single time you cross, you literally take your life into your hands.

These two crosswalks are our main method of walking to and from the Metro Transit station each day. And it’s not just ours – it’s the pathway taken by nearly anyone in the neighborhood who travels via Metro – including young children, senior residents, families and even individuals who have disabilities or impairments. We’ve witnessed accidents (including a young pedestrian getting hit) which we’ve reported and near accidents personally. Better signage is seen throughout the South Dakota Avenue corridor and it’s incomprehensible at how much push back and delays we have faced to get the same signage installed at those two crossings.

As mentioned in the draft resolution, such concerns are likely to amplify as more residents move into nearby apartment buildings, development continues, commercial retail opens, Main Street aesthetic improvements are made, our local branch library reconstruction ramps up, and more citizens are encouraged to walk throughout the neighborhood (and/or come to visit the neighborhood).

The lack of safety precautions and appropriate lighting make this intersection deadly and it should not take a death for DC departments including the Mayors office, DDOT and MPD to work together to fix this problem. But from this lack of action and collaboration it feels as if that’s what these departments are waiting for. This lack of action is terrible customer service and very inconsistent with DC’s Vision Zero goals. I know that District officials can do better and offer a better response than what has been provided thus far. We’ve been waiting nearly two years and that’s long enough – I urge you to take action now.

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Letter #2

I am very familiar with the situation at South Dakota and Ingraham. I walk to Metro every weekday from my house on Kennedy St., crossing South Dakota Avenue at the area under discussion. I walk back each weekday evening. As I have watched the Modern arise over the past few years, I have often wondered why the traffic signal remained at Hamilton and was not relocated to Ingraham.

From my personal experience, I do not have a problem crossing South Dakota in the morning. It is light out and there is often a substantial break in traffic to cross safely. Cars often slow down or stop for me. However, coming home in the evening is different. Northbound traffic seems to move much faster than the 25-mph limit. (I suppose people want to get home.) I also feel that I am not well seen in the evening.

I urge DDOT to reopen their exploration of this series of intersections and attempt to make it safer before something bad happens to a pedestrian.

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Letter #3

We’re new homeowners in Lamond-Riggs, and proximity to metro and walkability were priorities when considering where to live. While we love being within walking distance of the Fort Totten metro, we’ve been dismayed at how dangerous it is to cross South Dakota Avenue to get to and from work each day.

Cars treat the stretch of South Dakota between Gallatin Street and Riggs Road like a raceway, and we sometimes have to step into traffic and wildly wave our arms at oncoming traffic in order to get them to stop. We’ve seen older residents stuck on the corner waiting for a break in traffic; cars that speed up because they’re coming off the light, even as people are already in the crosswalk; and drivers mockingly waving at people in the crosswalk as they speed through. It’s only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt.

At a recent meeting with a DDOT representative, we were upset to hear that they did not know how long it would take to get signage at the intersection of South Dakota and Ingraham Street — the main access point to metro — and that there was no plan by DDOT to deploy the kind of infrastructure we’ve seen in other neighborhoods (traffic calming measures, flashing lights, or a traffic light, for instance).

If the city is serious about redeveloping Fort Totten, it must prioritize pedestrian access and safety, especially along such a primary access point to metro across a busy road.

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Letter #4

I am writing this letter to express my strong support of efforts to increase pedestrian safety at the intersections of South Dakota Avenue and Jefferson Street NE and of South Dakota Avenue and Ingraham Street NE. I moved to Jefferson Street NE in September 2018 with my husband, and I use the crosswalk at South Dakota and Jefferson every weekday morning and evening to get to and from Ft. Totten Metro Station.

My experience with the crosswalk at Jefferson has been frustrating and frightening, because the vast, vast majority of drivers ignore pedestrian right of way at these intersections-even when I’m in the middle of a crosswalk. On average, I estimate that a vehicle only stops to let me start to cross the road once every 2 weeks. Every other time I’m at the intersection I have to wait for a break in traffic to be able to cross the street. I used to enter the crosswalk when the road was clear for the first section, so that I didn’t have to wait as long, but about once every week a driver would still drive through the crosswalk right in front of me without stopping. Earlier this month a driver doing this was also speeding, and I narrowly avoided him killing me.

Safe pedestrian access to the Metro station is too important to ignore. Please help.

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Letter #5

I have lived on Ingraham Street NE for eight years and have observed one measure taken to address pedestrian safety since I have moved into the neighborhood – the addition of crosswalk painted lines to cross South Dakota Avenue. I walk and drive on South Dakota Avenue NE multiple times a day and worry about the safety of those crossing the street, particularly during rush hour and night times. That intersection is also not particularly well lit, making it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians waiting to cross.

As a frequent driver, I have noticed this firsthand – I will stop at the crosswalk to let a pedestrian cross only to have 10 cars drive past me instead of stopping.

Please help us keep my neighbors safe by installing additional pedestrian safety measures such as hawk lights and advanced pedestrian warning signs at this intersection.

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Letter #6

I am writing to express my disappointment that the City has failed to properly ensure a safe street crossing at the intersection of South Dakota Ave. and Ingraham St. NE.

Our community is a diverse populous which includes many senior citizens, children, disabled citizens, and pets. All of us, but most particularly these residents, rely on quick and safe passage to the Fort Totten metro station. Many of these people can’t and shouldn’t have to divert their walking path due to the City’s failure to resolve a very dangerous crosswalk.

At this crosswalk, one of our neighborhood’s primary paths to Fort Totten metro station, cars often do not slow/stop for or even notice the pedestrians attempting to cross. I have experienced firsthand the dangers of crossing at this crosswalk. Luckily, I am able to divert my route to avoid this dangerous crossing because I do not have mobility issues.  Many of our neighbors do not have this luxury. If a solution is not rectified soon, I am afraid of a fatal accident involving one of our neighbors.

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Letter #7

I am a resident of Riggs Park. I live on Ingraham St NE and I cross the crosswalk on Ingraham and South Dakota on my route to the metro every day for work.

I constantly struggle with crossing South Dakota because there is no enforcement for cars to stop for pedestrians. It is especially difficult during rush hour as there are more cars speeding down the road which usually takes me minutes to wait for cars and/or traffic to come to a halt. It is most concerning when I see kids and teens crossing the street going and coming from school.

Please help us find a solution to keep the residents of our neighborhood safe.

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Letter #8

We are writing in support of increased pedestrian safety at Ingraham St. and South Dakota Ave. NE. We can attest, as Riggs Park residents, to the need for slower traffic patterns on South Dakota Avenue. Cars traveling on South Dakota frequently ignore pedestrians looking to cross the avenue on the way to the Fort Totten metro station. Additional traffic lights, cross walks, and other measures are necessary.

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Letter #9

We are writing to express our concerns with the current state of the pedestrian crossings on South Dakota Avenue NE between Hamilton Street NE and Jefferson Street NE.  We purchased our home in June of 2016, while the Modern at Art Place was still under construction. We were hopeful that the pedestrian conditions on South Dakota Avenue would improve with the completion of the development, but it seems as though the opposite has happened.

The signalized intersection at Hamilton Street NE seems to give priority to the currently nearly non-existent traffic exiting from the parking garage over pedestrians, and the crosswalks at the intersections of Ingraham Street NE and Jefferson Street NE are poorly marked, poorly lit, and poorly signed. We have given up trying to cross at either Ingraham or Jefferson and walk out of our way to Hamilton or Gallatin on our way to Metro. Motorists often drive through the intersections at a high rate of speed, and even when they are driving the speed limit, they rarely stop for pedestrians at Ingraham and Jefferson as required by DC Law. This is obviously a dangerous situation for pedestrians in the Lamond-Riggs neighborhood who need to access Metro.

We encourage the ANC to work with DDOT to improve pedestrian safety on this stretch of South Dakota Avenue so that residents of the Lamond-Riggs neighborhood have a safe way to access the new retail at the Modern as well as the Metro.

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Letter #10

I cross Riggs Rd. and South Dakota Ave. every day during my commute to and from work. I frequently cross at the intersection of Riggs and South Dakota.

This major intersection is dangerous. It is heavily trafficked during rush hour, and the turning patterns are not safe for pedestrians. I can only speak anecdotally, but as a 31-year-old man I have to think that if I don’t feel safe crossing, it must be much worse for slower walkers or those with a disability.

In the morning, people trying to turn from South Dakota onto Riggs frequently block the box and attempt to beat the light. The result is that, despite having a walk signal, pedestrians have to weave through cars, heavy trucks, and buses to try and cross in the short period of time allotted. Any delay, such as having to walk around a large vehicle, puts a pedestrian in danger of still being in the crosswalk when the light changes. Additionally, because cars are trying to beat the light, cars are regularly still turning through the crosswalk when the walk signal is illuminated.

In the evening, drivers barrel down the hill from Riggs and turn onto South Dakota. Vehicles often make this turn at speed, regardless of whether they have a green light. I have been almost hit several times by drivers making this turn despite having a walk signal.

I feel like the entire South Dakota corridor needs to be slowed and better tailored towards pedestrian safety. A red-light camera at Riggs and South Dakota would go a long way to slowing traffic down and prevent blocking the box, as would a prohibition of turning right on red.

When I speak to neighbors, I hear frequently of issues trying to cross South Dakota at various pints to get to the Fort Totten Metro Station.  As the area continues to develop and seek to attract more pedestrians as part of the Main Street program, I hope that attention is given, and planning made for this planned influx of people and their safety is prioritized.

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Letter #11

I write this letter in support of a resolution by the ANC to request that DDOT take action to improve pedestrian safety along the South Dakota Avenue/Riggs Road NE corridor.

Specifically, I write in support of a request that DDOT:

  • Install a traffic signal at South Dakota and Ingraham Street NE. Ingraham Street serves as the through street for pedestrians to walk to Fort Totten metro
  • Install pedestrian crossing warning signs along the corridor, starting with but not limited to the intersections at South Dakota Avenue & Ingraham Street NE as well as South Dakota Avenue & Jefferson Street NE
  • Install permanent driver feedback signs in both directions on South Dakota Avenue approaching the South Dakota & Ingraham intersection

As a community leader, I have been working to address pedestrian safety issues along this corridor. I receive emails on this issue on a nearly weekly basis. Given the importance of pedestrian safety, I encourage the commission to request that DDOT act without delay. Mayor Bowser recently appointed a Vision Zero director within DDOT. It is past time for District officials to make real investments to achieve its Vision Zero goals instead of just offering platitudes.

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Letter #12

I am writing in support that ANC 5A take up the resolution as presented by David Kosub to increase pedestrian safety along the South Dakota Ave/Riggs Road NE Corridor. I am most concerned about the intersection of South Dakota NE and Ingraham NE, which is the throughway to the metro train and numerous metro busses that serve the Lamond-Riggs and adjacent communities.

I have experienced numerous near-accidents from cars zooming down South Dakota, completely ignoring the marked pedestrian crossings at Ingraham St NE and Jefferson St. NE. Sometimes, motorists even angrily gesture at me for crossing the street at the legally marked crosswalks, and most do not stop or even slow down. When an attentive motorist does stop, those behind it tend to still ignore the pedestrian crossing and instead, go around the stopping car to pass through the crosswalk. It is scary, especially as a pregnant woman, that despite numerous alerts and requests from citizens about these dangers, that the City and DDOT do not follow through with securing these intersections. I worry about myself, my growing family, my elderly neighbors, children of all ages, and community members with disabilities (e.g. wheelchairs, walkers, and who are visually impaired).

A solution is possible – ideally a traffic signal or a HAWK signal with adequate lighting and signage – to contribute to keep our neighborhood safe for pedestrian’s and motorists alike, particularly as construction of the second phase of the Modern begins.

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Letter #13 (Added 1/30/2019)

Currently the only intersection that has a pedestrian friendly walk signal to get to the Ft. Totten Metro station is at Hamilton Street NE. Before “THE MODERN” was completed, Hamilton Street NE was the through street to the Ft. Totten Station. Now, Hamilton Street ends at South Dakota Ave. and it is Ingraham Street at South Dakota Ave. that serves as a direct link to the station.

There is a need to have a pedestrian friendly signal to cross South Dakota Ave. at Ingraham Street N.E or at South Dakota Ave. and Jefferson St. NE.

We are personally affected or know someone who uses this route daily and would like to see the installation of some type of traffic signal or pedestrian friendly walk signal that would ensure the safety for all.

Signed by 26 community members of Jefferson St NE

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Letter #14 (Added 1/30/2019)

I write to ask for your support for a traffic signal at the intersection of South Dakota Avenue and Ingraham Street Northeast and other pedestrian safety improvements on South Dakota in this area.

I walk through this area daily to and from the Fort Totten Metro station and I have felt concerned about my safety on several occasions. Guests visiting my house have also expressed difficulty crossing South Dakota here. Walking in our neighborhood should be safe for everyone, including our seniors, children, and people with disabilities. Installing a traffic signal at Ingraham Street is the best solution to provide safe crossing for our residents coming from Ingraham, Jefferson, and cross streets, including the Lamond-Riggs Library. Sadly, DDOT has not acted decisively when our neighborhood has raised these concerns in the past.

Our neighborhood deserves better. I urge the Commission to pass a resolution putting its weight behind our efforts to push DDOT to address this situation and keep our neighborhood safe.

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Letter #15 (Added 2/4/2019)

As the Ward 5 representative on the D.C. Pedestrian Advisory Council, I write to express my concern about the conditions faced by pedestrians crossing South Dakota Avenue Northeast at Ingraham Street and Jefferson Street, and to request an urgent response to determine what infrastructure can be put in place to protect these residents as soon as possible.

Neighbors have recently reported several near-miss incidents where pedestrians were almost struck by drivers while crossing South Dakota Avenue at these intersections. This is unacceptable anywhere in the District of Columbia, but it is especially concerning for a primary pedestrian access route to the Fort Totten Metro station. No resident of the District should be forced to take their life into their hands in order to access public transportation.

I join with neighbors and ANC 5A in asking DDOT to promptly implement safety improvements that will reduce the risk to pedestrians from vehicular traffic at these crossings. I urge DDOT to perform a traffic count to determine whether a traffic signal or rapid flashing beacon can be installed at the intersection of South Dakota Avenue NE and Ingraham Street. Enhanced lighting and signage are needed to help improve the pedestrian experience at this location, and improvements to the roadway design are also needed to deter speeding and red light running in the vicinity. I urge DDOT not to remove the zebra stripes at the Jefferson Street crossing, which would add to the difficulty of crossing South Dakota Avenue, but to instead add sufficient measures such as curb extensions or a median island that would make crossing here safer.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

ANC 5A January 7, 2019 Special Meeting Recap: Pax Liquor Protest & New PUD

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A held a special public meeting on January 8, 2019. By acclamation, the commission voted for the previous officers to continue serving in their respective positions. Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie swore in the officers.

Ronnie Edwards (5A05) – Chair
Gordon Fletcher (5A08) – Vice Chair
Sandi Washington (5A07) – Treasurer
Isaiah Burroughs (5A04) – Secretary
Grace Lewis (5A02) – Parliamentarian

Prior to the vote, there was discussion about having Commissioner Emily Lucio (5A03) serve as secretary rather than Commissioner Burroughs (5A04). The two commissioners decided beforehand though that Commissioner Burroughs will serve as secretary until he graduates from Catholic University in May, at which point Commissioner Lucio will assume full secretary duties. Until then, Commissioner Lucio will Commissioner Burroughs with getting a functioning website for the ANC and doing a better job in distributing timely meeting notices.

Pax Liquor Store Protest

The ANC continues to prepare for the protest hearing regarding the application of Pax Liquor to locate at 4944 South Dakota Avenue NE (near the McDonald’s). The ANC will have to make its case for why the establishment does not meet certain appropriateness standards. The hearing will be held at 4:30 pm on January 16, 2019, at the Reeves Building (2000 14th Street NW).

Commissioner Lucio (5A03), the new commissioner for the single member district (SMD) in which the liquor store seeks to locate, will appear on the local television show DREAMS the Capital View on January 10 to discuss the ANC’s protest. Residents are invited to be part of the audience. If you are interested in attending, please arrive at the station located at 901 Newton Street NE by 6:20 pm. Find archives of the tv show under DREAMS the Capital View. View a video of the street protest held by residents and commissioners earlier this year.

The commission also asked residents to pack the hearing room on January 16. The Reeves building is conveniently located near the green line. The ANC recommended GoGo Grandparent for seniors who are not able to use public transit. This service provides Uber and Lyft rides for seniors without a need for a smartphone. Call (855) 464-6872 for information.

Councilmember McDuffie submitted a letter in support of the ANC’s opposition to the liquor store and will have a staff member present at the hearing.

Wesley Housing Curb Cut Application & PUD

Representatives of Wesley Housing did not show up to discuss their application for a curb cut/driveway on the property located at 1 Hawaii Street NE in the Fort Totten/Pleasant Hills neighborhood. The property is bounded by Hawaii Street NE, Allison Street NW, and Rock Creek Church Road NW. The application was filed at the end of December; the ANC has 30 days to respond. The property is in the SMD of Commissioner Sandi Washington (5A07), who appeared to oppose the curb cut because it would take away on-street parking spaces on Allison Street. The application seeks to move the existing curb cut on Rock Creek Church Road to Allison Street.

Even more importantly though, on January 4, 2019, after the curb cut application was filed, Wesley Hawaii LLC, an affiliate of Wesley Housing, also filed an application for a planned unit development (PUD) and zoning map amendment for the property to change the zoning from RA-1 to RA-2 to permit greater density. The case number for the PUD application is 19-01. The property was acquired in 2018 from Sanford Capital, the infamous landlord sued by DC Attorney General Karl Racine to divest its properties in DC due to poor property management. The proposed plan would replace the existing apartment building at 1 Hawaii Avenue with a five-story apartment building with 78 units. The new building would have a 100% affordability covenant for a certain period of time. See Applicant Statement: Wesley Hawaii LLC Statement in Support of PUD Application (pdf)

Commissioner Washington thought it improper for the applicant to file for the curb cut before filing the PUD application. A footnote in the statement in support of the PUD application notes,

Though the Existing Building with 34 units has no parking, there is a curb cut from Rock Creek Church Road NW. However, pursuant to preliminary discussions with the District’s Department of Transportation, the Applicant will locate a new curb cut on Allison Street NW to provide access for parking and loading. The Applicant recently filed an application for concept review with DDOT’s Public Space Committee.

The commission tabled the curb cut issue until the next regular ANC meeting, which appears to be scheduled for January 30.

 

 

 

December 20: ANC 5A Special Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A Special Meeting
December 20, 2018
7:00 pm
UDC-CC Backus (5171 South Dakota Avenue NE)

The purpose of the meeting will be to continue planning and organizing the community’s opposition to the proposed Pax Liquor, 4944 South Dakota Avenue NE.

Who should attend this meeting?
Protestors and Community Activists
Residents/Homeowners who don’t want a Liquor Store
Parents with children who are concerned about the introduction of alcohol establishments, associated pedestrian and traffic concerns, and overall safety for children
Anyone with prior knowledge about crime, violence involving prior liquor establishments (i.e., fish market; convenience stores, etc.)
Anyone with information or knowledge about the community’s efforts to resist/protest prior liquor establishments
Professionals/Experts who could help to analyze, evaluate and solidify studies, etc., that document the relationship between crime, violence and liquor establishments (potential witnesses)
Neighborhood Artists – Children/Adults with artistic skills who would like to help design and develop signs and posters

If you have any information you think would be helpful in our opposition to this liquor store, you should attend this meeting. If you are unable to attend the meeting please call 202-558-6389.

Please direct any questions to Commissioner Burroughs, ANC 5A’s Secretary at 5A04@anc.dc.gov

Riggs Park Elections By the Numbers

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 4B, ANC 5A, Ward 4, Ward 5

Guest post by David Kosub

If you are a data junkie like me and find yourself boring your friends and family over Thanksgiving dinner by talking about numbers, then I hope you will find the below information exciting too.

Perhaps because I have too much time on my hands, I pulled the November 2018 general election results data from the District of Columbia Board of Elections. It was recently certified, so this means we can get our hands dirty with data. Here is what Riggs Park looked like by the numbers (percentage numbers are rounded).

Looks like we had a decent turn-out amongst registered voters in Precincts 66 (a.k.a. Wild Ward High-5) and Precinct 65 (a.k.a. Wizards of Ward 4-bearers). We at least did better than the city writ large.

Precinct 66 (Ward 5) Precinct 65 (Ward 4) City-Wide
Registered Voters 5537 3321 500,511
Votes Cast 2949 1710 231,700
Percentage 53.3 51.5 46.3

Spoiler alert. You can stop holding your breath. The Democrats ran the table in city-wide elections. That went for our Precincts of Power too. Arguably, the race for At-Large Member of the Council was probably the one with the most eyes on it. Though Anita Bonds got the most votes in both of our power precincts, we appeared to be split between Elissa Silverman and Dionne Reeder. This could make for some electric chatter at the next LRCA meeting. For reference, (D) is for Democrat, (R) is for Republican, (I) is for Independent, (L) is for Libertarian, and (STG) is for Statehood Green. Also, both undervote and overvote tallies for each race are excluded from these tables for simplicity.

Precinct 66
(Ward5)		 Precinct 65
(Ward 4)
Candidate Votes Percentage Votes Percentage
DELEGATE TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Eleanor Holmes Norton (D)) 2697 92.6 1569 92.6
John Cheeks (I) 75 2.6 39 2.3
Natale Stracuzzi (STG) 63 2.2 47 2.8
Nelson Rimensnyder ® 38 1.3 17 1.0
Bruce Majors  (L)® 29 1.0 16 0.9
Write-In 12 0.4 6 0.4
Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) 2298 80.0 1378 82.2
Ann Wilcox (STG) 208 7.2 118 7.0
Dustin Canter (I) 201 7.0 99 5.9
Martin Moulton (L) 55 1.9 25 1.5
Write-In 110 3.8 56 3.3
DC Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D) 2633 91.8 1535 92.2
Ethan Bishop-Henchman (L) 192 6.7 107 6.4
Write-In 44 1.5 22 1.3
At-Large Member, DC Council

 

 Anita Bonds (D) 2322 53.0 1385 56.0
Elissa Silverman (I) 806 18.4 389 15.7
Dionne Reeder (I) 737 16.8 435 17.6
David Schwartzmann (STG) 253 5.8 151 6.1
Rustin Lewis (I) 159 3.6 25 1.0
Ralph Chittams  (R)® 76 1.7 71 2.9
Write-In 32 0.7 17 0.7
Attorney General for DC Karl Racine (D) 2739 95.5 1573 95.7
Joe Henchman (L) 123 4.3 66 4.0
Write-In 7 0.2 5 0.3
U.S. Senator Michael Brown (D) 2451 86.9 1467 88.9
Eleanor Ory (STG) 345 12.2 174 10.5
Write-In 25 0.9 10 0.6
U.S. Representative Franklin Garcia (D) 2648 98.5 1522 98.1
Write-In 40 1.5 29 1.9

Now, let’s focus our attention on the Ward 5 specific elections – what up Precinct 66! Kenyan McDuffie won the Ward 5 seat. The Ward 5 member for the State Board of Education was likely the more interesting competition across the Ward. Zachary Parker came out on top. And, for you Ward 4 wizards, don’t forget to vote in your State Board of Education election on December 4, 2018.

Votes Percentage
Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (D) 2449 84.7
Kathy Henderson (I) 197 6.8
Joyce (Chestnut) Robinson-Paul (STG) 136 4.7
Amone Banks (I) 84 2.9
Write-In 24 0.8
Ward 5 Member of the State Board of Education Zachary Parker 1425 51.8
Adrian Jordan 1026 37.3
William “Bill” Lewis 279 10.1
Write-In 23 0.8

The ANC Single Member District races were notable as well. A couple of the races had some more unpredictable outcomes. Some familiar faces will return, while some new faces are ready to serve. These folks are some of your best guides when figuring out how to navigate through the maze of D.C. city government agencies. So, take the time and get to know them too. They are here to serve all of us in the community after all.

Votes Percentage
ANC – 5A01 Frank Wilds 632 67.7
Diamond Barbour 282 30.2
Write-In 19 2.0
ANC – 5A08 Gordon Fletcher 934 95.0
Write-In 49 5.0
ANC – 4B08 Alison Brooks 466 77.0
James Thomas 121 20.0
Write-In 18 3.0
ANC – 4B09 LaRoya Huff 515 50.6
Tischa Cockrell 497 48.8
Write-In 6 0.6

 

August 22: ANC 5A Public Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A Public Meeting
August 22, 2018
6:45 pm
UDC Backus
5171 South Dakota Avenue NE

This Month’s Meeting Agenda – 
1. Office of Muriel Bowser, Mayor
2. Office of Kenyan McDuffie, Ward Five Councilman
3. ABRA Application – “Tasting Endorsement” – Pax Liquor, Inc. (4944 South Dakota Ave. NE)
4. BZA Application No. 19833 – 5048 11th Street NE
5. Update – Art Place at Fort Totten

August 1: ANC 5A Public Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A Public Meeting

August 1, 2018
6:45 pm
UDC-CC Backus (5171 South Dakota Avenue NE)

Agenda:
1. Office of Muriel Bowser, Mayor
2. Office of Kenyan McDuffie, Ward Five Councilman
3. Art Place at Ft. Totten – Next Phase of Development
4. Update Re: ABRA Application – 4Seasons Convenience Store
5. Resignation – Commissioner Cofield-Lynch, SMD 5A03
6. Update – Providence Hospital
7. Zoning Change/Recommendations

 

 

ANC 5A Meeting Tonight

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A sent notice last night of tonight’s meeting at 6:45 pm at UDC-CC Backus, 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE. For those interested, the Four Seasons ABRA Class B license application is on the agenda. Four Seasons is located in North Michigan Park at 4975 South Dakota Avenue NE. DPR is also scheduled to be at the meeting.

See the meeting notice here.

April 3: ANC 5A Special Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A will hold a special meeting on April 3 at 6:45 pm at UDC-CC Backus.

From the meeting notice:

“On Tuesday, April 3, ANC 5A will have a special meeting with the Office of Planning to discuss the MIRV Holdings – Application for Zoning Map Amendment and Consideration of the Proposed Resolution in support of budget priorities and full funding for the Operational and Capital Modernization needs.”

ANC 5A February 28, 2018 Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

On February 28, 2018, ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting.

Commissioners present: Frank Wilds (5A01); Keisha Cofield-Lynch (5A03); Isaiah Burroughs (5A04); Ronnie Edwards (5A05); A. Jamaal Lampkin (5A06); Sandi Washington (5A07); Gordon-Andrew Fletcher (5A08).

ANC 5A Treasurer Sandi Washington (5A07) presented the financial report. The ANC has a balance of approximately $33,424.

Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie

Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie was a special guest at the meeting. He let residents know that the council will receive the mayor’s budget on March 21. After that, the council will hold budget oversight hearings.

The council received the amendments to the Framework element of DC’s Comprehensive Plan in January. Council Chair Phil Mendelson will hold a hearing on the amendments on March 20. Councilmember McDuffie said he would like the Comp Plan to emphasize affordability and that he does not want to see residents displaced. He mentioned a bill he introduced that is now law that requires 20% affordable housing (<50% median family income) in projects developed from the disposition of public land (30% affordability if located within half mile of metro station). He is also responsible for a law that requires that for DC government funded multifamily projects, the District must use the DC median income rather than the DC metro area median family income for affordability guidelines. DC’s median income is much lower than the median income for the metro area, approximately $75,000 versus $110,000.

DC Board of Ethics & Government Accountability

The general counsel and the director of DC’s Board of Ethics and Government Accountability provided an overview of the District agency, which governs the conduct of DC’s 33,000 employees. The board can impose fines of up to $5,000 per violation. Individuals can file complaints with BEGA. See BEGA’s presentation here: BEGA Presentation (pdf)

Lamond-Riggs Library

Robert Oliver, President of the Lamond-Riggs Library Friends, presented results of the survey the group distributed last year regarding the rebuilding of the Lamond-Riggs Library. The group received nearly 200 responses. The highest response rate was from Lamond-Riggs and North Michigan Park residents. DC Public Library will conduct its own survey and public engagement after a design team is selected. See LRLF’s entire survey results here: LRLF Survey Results (pdf).

Although the library sits in the SMD of Commissioner Frank Wilds (5A01), the commissioners decided that Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) will be the ANC’s representative on the library’s rebuilding advisory committee.

Marriott (Michigan Avenue & Irving Street NE)

See presentation with timeline and benefits here: Marriott ANC 5A Presentation February 2018 (pdf)

Recall that the Marriott Hotel development team now plans to apply for a zoning map amendment to build mixed-use moderate-density commercial and medium-density residential by right, rather than pursue a PUD as originally envisioned. Although the developer is no longer pursuing a PUD, it said it will honor the benefits negotiated under the original PUD agreement. The developer anticipates having its zoning map amendment hearing in April, hotel construction beginning in first quarter 2019, and hotel opening in 2021.

The issue of whether the team can build residential on the site has still not been resolved. The ground lease for the site (which sits on federal property) permits hotel and “other compatible uses” at the site. The development team is working with District officials and Congresswoman Eleanore Holmes Norton’s office to ask GSA to reconsider the agency’s interpretation that residential development is not a compatible use with a hotel. See this post for previous discussion of that issue.

ANC 5A Chair Ronnie Edwards (5A05) said the ANC will hold a special meeting before its scheduled March meeting in order to have DDOT discuss traffic impacts considering other development being planned, such as the anticipated Armed Forces Retirement Home development project. The Marriott development team is proposing to reconfigure the Irving Street/Michigan Avenue intersection to a more standard T-intersection. DDOT also wants to add bike lanes to Irving. These efforts are intended to slow down speeding traffic and make the area more pedestrian-friendly.

Armed Forces Retirement Home

The Armed Forces Retirement Home is trying once again to develop roughly 80 acres of its property. Developer interest is said to be very strong. AFRH will hold an industry forum regarding a solicitation for proposals on March 19.

ANC 5A Website

Commissioner Fletcher and Commissioner Isaiah Burroughs (5A04) are making final updates to ANC 5A’s new website – http://www.dcanc5a.org. They still need to upload the correct ANC 5A map and the ANC’s resolutions to the site. If you have any suggested changes, let them know.

NEAR Act Implementation

Katie Beckman-Gotrich once again asked the ANC for a resolution to support full implementation of the NEAR Act. Ward 5 MOCR Lionell Gaines provided a handout on the status of the Act’s implementation. See NEAR Act Implementation (pdf)

Mayor’s Report

Mr. Gaines asked residents to continue advocating for preservation of DCTAG funding. He also provided Mayor Bowser’s three-year accountability report.

Miscellaneous

National Park Service has let ANC 5A know that preliminary results from testing conducted in Fort Totten Park show no hazardous conditions or contaminants. Recall NPS decided to do this testing after belatedly learning that Metro used soil from Spring Valley, a superfund site, to remediate the parkland after using the property for staging during green line construction.

UDC is requesting additional funding from District government. According to UDC, its funding accounts for 1.1% of DC’s budget, whereas colleges in Maryland and Virginia receive a larger percentage of state funding, 4.5% and 3.3% respectively. UDC is conducting forums to promote its equal funding campaign. The next forum will be on April 2, 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm.

The DC Attorney General’s office was listed on the agenda, but they did not show. This meeting was held at Trinity University, so it is not clear if representatives from the office went to ANC 5A’s usual meeting location at UDC-CC Backus by mistake.

The next ANC 5A meeting will be on March 28 at Carroll Manor, Providence Hospital, 1150 Varnum Street NE.

ANC 5A January 24, 2018 Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

On January 24, 2018, ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting.

Commissioners present: Frank Wilds (5A01); Keisha Cofield-Lynch (5A03); Ronnie Edwards (5A05); A. Jamaal Lampkin (5A06); Sandi Washington (5A07); Gordon-Andrew Fletcher (5A08).

The commissioners approved participating in the ANC security fund and tabled discussion of the budget and financial report.

ANC 5A Calendar

ANC 5A Chair Ronnie Edwards prepared a calendar of the remaining ANC 5A meetings and their locations. The ANC will hold its meetings in different locations based on the focus of each meeting. The next meeting will be on February 28 at Trinity University. The meeting will focus on the Brookland post office, the Marriott hotel proposal for Michigan Avenue and Irving Street NE, and Providence’s health village concept.

See ANC 5A 2017-2018 Meeting Schedule and Location (pdf)

MPD PSA 405 Report by MPD Sector II Captain Brian Bray

Captain Brian Bray is fairly new to the PSA. Violent crimes are down 23% from 2016 to 2017. Thefts from autos and stolen autos continue to be the big problems in PSA 405. Repeated advice: Do not leave items visible in cars and do not warm up cars unattended. Note that many of the thefts from cars take place at Providence Hospital, which is in PSA 405. Cpt. Bray is requesting more patrol officers because officers get tied up with calls for Providence Hospital and Washington Hospital Center. Not sure if there is any correlation between the closure of the psychiatric ward at Providence last year and the increase in police calls for individuals that appear to be having mental health episodes, but the captain did note that officers are being called to Providence more frequently for assistance with these types of cases.

Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) noted that more patrols are needed around the Fort Totten metro area and that additional lighting is needed for the path by the Mamie D. Lee garden and the complex with Briya Bridges and Mary’s Center. Apparently there was more lighting on the path before, but the lighting was removed because the path is in a park, which technically closes at dark.

Providence Health Village

The ANC meeting was held at Carroll Manor, part of the Providence Hospital campus, to give residents close to the hospital the chance to come to a closer location to discuss Providence’s new health village concept. Much of the information presented by Providence VP and Chief Strategy Officer Ruth Pollard at last night’s meeting was presented at community conversations the hospital held last year, but this is the first time ANC 5A has held a full ANC meeting on the topic. Providence sits in ANC 5A.

Providence is part of Ascension Health, a Catholic health system. According to Ms. Pollard, Providence is the longest continuing operating hospital in DC and the Ascension health network. All that to say it has a long history in DC and in the neighborhood where it is located, so Ms. Pollard stressed that Providence is not closing and it is not looking to completely change the look of the campus. The hospital has stopped offering certain services and will probably wind down others, but there will still be a hospital and the hospital will continue to anchor whatever comes of the health village concept.

Ms. Pollard said the way health care is delivered is changing and therefore Providence is making operational and facility improvements to adjust to those changes. Hence the health village concept–shifting from a focus on sick care to creating a community to keep people out of the hospital with a focus on outpatient, preventing care, and health-related services. Ms. Pollard said the hospital does not have any pre-formed ideas of what the health village will include, but ideas include a fitness center and a healthy food grocery store. One idea raised at previous community meetings was affordable assisted living housing, which apparently is lacking in DC. As of right now, they do not plan development of condos, townhomes, and such.

Providence plans to issue an RFP for a local contractor to help flesh out the health village concept likely some time in February. Around the same time, the hospital plans to develop a dedicated webpage for this project. They anticipate a year of planning during which time they will seek community input. They believe it will be about three to five years before anything actually starts being constructed.

Ms. Pollard said the Providence team (or maybe more accurately Ascension team, which seems to be the one driving decisions) visited Union Village in Henderson, Nevada for ideas. So check out the website for an idea of what one health village concept looks like, but keep in mind that the 150-acre Union Village is massive compared to Providence’s 30-35 acre campus. And Union Village contains market-rate housing, which Ms. Pollard said is not being planned for Providence.

There was some discussion about how the ANC needs to get information to their constituents about this project. The ANC still does not have a fully developed website (more on that later) and there does seem to be a little disagreement about how proactive the commissioners should be in informing constituents about matters. But it would be a good idea for the commissioners to visit the civic associations in their SMDs to provide updates. Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) is usually pretty good about doing this for Riggs Park.

Councilmember McDuffie’s short-term rental and affordable housing bill

Marie Johns, managing member of the firm Leftwich LLC, encouraged residents to support McDuffie’s bill regulating short-term rentals in the city. The firm was retained by the hotel industry to lobby on the bill.

Ward 5 Warriors grant

The ANC gave $5,000 to the Ward 5 Warriors to support their trip to Walt Disney for the Pop Warner championship. The team lost in the first round but won a consolation game. Turns out grant money for trips outside of DC might not be authorized under law. The ANC is waiting for a ruling from the ANC Office. If it turns out the money was spent on an unauthorized purpose, then that money could be deducted from the ANC’s next allotment.

ANC 5A website

Commissioners Gordon Fletcher (5A08) and Isaiah Burroughs (5A04) will submit the final edits for ANC 5A’s website to the web designer. The ANC agreed to pay $375, half of the payment, now and tender the balance when the edits are done. If you have any recommended changes, let Commissioners Fletcher and Burroughs know. One that they should already be aware of is putting up the correct ANC 5A map. The map on the old website at anc5a.org is correct, but the map on the new site at dcanc5a.org is incorrect. Commissioner Fletcher said the site will be ready by the next ANC meeting on February 28.

Council Report by Chanell Autrey

Agency performance oversight hearings will take place February 7 through March 9. See DC Agency Performance Oversight Hearing Schedule FY 2017-2018 (pdf)

Budget hearings will take place at the end of March.

Mayor’s Office Report by Ward 5 MOCR Lionell Gaines

  • Home for the Holidays campaign: 242 residents moved into new homes
  • Vacant to Vibrant initiative: 35 sites bid on for development of workforce and affordable housing
  • ANC resolution on green space at South Dakota Avenue & Riggs Road NE: Green space will be preserved and will not be developed, but it will not be transferred to DPR for a park.

Wells Fargo Divestment Campaign

The ANC continued to table taking up a resolution in support of a campaign to encourage District government to divest from Wells Fargo because of ties to the Dakota Access and Keystone pipelines, fossil fuels, predatory lending, and the prison industrial complex. We previously wrote about the campaign in this recap. Mr. Gaines noted that Councilmember Jack Evans said District officials take the issue seriously and will evaluate the contract at the appropriate time. It is the council (Committee on Finance & Revenue) that would have to take action.

Miscellaneous

David Krucoff spoke for a few minutes about his Douglass County, Maryland campaign, which advocates for retrocession of Washington, DC to Maryland.

Jeremiah Lowery is a Democratic candidate for At-large Council. He is running on a campaign of high quality affordable childcare, lower utility bills by switching to clean energy, and affordable housing.

 

 

January 24: ANC 5A Monthly Meeting in New Location

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

From ANC 5A
—
Location Change

ANC 5A Montly Meeting
Wednesday, January 24, 2017
6:45 PM
Carroll Manor Skilled Nursing Home
1150 Varnum Street NE (Rear of Providence Hospital)
Washington, DC 20017

Hello ANC 5A Residents

This is a followup reminder about our upcoming Monthly Meeting.  The Meeting will be hosted in 5A03.

SPECIAL AGENDA ITEMS (in addition to regular business)

Election of Officers

Providence Hospital – “New Health Village”

Michigan Avenue/Irving Street Marriott Hotel & Convention Center  – Proposed Zoning Map Amendment

Airbnb Update and Consideration

Update – re:  Grant approved for Ward 5 Warriors

Approval of 2018  ANC Security Fund Participation & Fee

WE HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US!  Please share information with your neighbors.  Bring a 5A resident to the meeting.

ANC 5A October 25, 2017 Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A, Backus Urban Food Hub, Met Branch Trail, Transportation

On Wednesday, October 25, 2017, ANC 5A held its monthly community meeting.

Present: Commissioners Grace Lewis (5A02); Keisha Cofield-Lynch (5A03); Isaiah Burroughs (5A04); Ronnie Edwards (5A05); A. Jamaal Lampkin (5A06); Sandi Washington (5A07); Gordon Fletcher (5A08)

Police Report

PSA 405 October 2017 Crime Stats

Crime was up slightly for the month of October. See PSA 405 Oct 2017 Crime Stats.

Cellphone thefts are up, so be careful walking and using your cell phone, especially now that it is getting dark earlier.

Be on the lookout for an all-black tow truck with no identification that is stealing vehicles during the early morning hours between midnight and 4:00 am. Hondas in particular are being targeted.

National Park Service – Fort Totten Park

Rock Creek Park Superintendent Julia Washburn, Civil War Defenses Project Manager Kim Elder, and Rock Creek Park Chief of Resource Management Nick Bartolomeo gave both good and mixed news related to Fort Totten Park.

First the good news. An asphalt path between Gallatin Street and Galloway Street NE in Fort Totten Park near Fort Totten metro station will be constructed likely next summer. The path is a long time coming and should be really useful for residents of North Michigan Park to access the metro station. See the project website for details.

Separately, lighting and the trail by the Mamie D. Lee community garden near the western edge of Fort Totten Park will be upgraded as part of the construction of the Metropolitan Branch Trail Brookland-to-Fort Totten extension. DDOT has awarded a design-build contract for this extension. Construction will begin some time next year.

The mixed news. NPS is testing soil samples from a hillside near the access road for Aggregate Industries concrete company on the western side of Fort Totten Park. When Metro’s green line was under construction, NPS permitted Metro to use that area of the park for staging. Metro was required to rehabilitate the area after construction and did so by bringing infill dirt from Spring Valley, a superfund site in Northwest DC. NPS only recently discovered that soil from Spring Valley was brought into the park all those years ago. They say that out of an abundance of caution they have hired a contractor to test the soil to find out if there are any contaminants. They mentioned possibility of an herbicide that is present in the Spring Valley area, but they stressed they simply do not know what the soil may contain and that they are testing out of an abundance of caution. They do not believe there will be any health effects because of the topography of the land. They said that waterways in that area of the park are scarce, so they are not concerned about leeching into any waterways. Work will begin around November 9 and last approximately nine months. This area is not near any pedestrian access paths or trails.

In other Rock Creek Park news, NPS plans to improve the Rock Creek Park visitor center located at 5200 Glover Road NW. An information meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 1, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the visitors center.

Basilica of the National Shrine

The ANC passed a resolution to support the Basilica’s request for a special exception from the Board of Zoning Adjustment for continued use of its accessory parking lot, which is across the street from the Basilica. The exception is necessary because the parking lot is not on the same lot as the Basilica.

Marriott

Marriott has appeared before the ANC several times for support of its long planned project consisting of a hotel (160-room Residence Inn and 100-room Courtyard by Marriott), ground floor retail, and residences near Michigan Avenue and Irving Street NE. The property is federal property which was transferred to the District for hotel “and other compatible uses.” The developer and District officials had assumed all this time that residential use would be considered a compatible use, but apparently GSA does not believe residential use is a compatible use with a hotel. Marriott is working with District officials and Congresswoman Eleanore Holmes Norton’s office to get GSA to permit residential use. The Commission passed a resolution to send a letter to Congresswoman Norton in support of the project, including residential use as a compatible use.

Marriott has made a couple of changes to their plan since its last iteration. They have moved the residential portion to the front of the site on Michigan Avenue and moved the hotel portion to the rear of the site. Access will be off Irving Street and they plan to reconfigure the slip lane on Irving Street to a T-intersection. They reduced the height of the project from 90 feet to 75 feet. They will need to establish a zoning district for the project and anticipate a hearing on this in February or March 2018. All of this though is contingent on getting approval to build residential in the first place.

Price Grocery

The ANC passed a resolution to support Price Grocery’s alcohol license renewal application. Price Grocery is located at 5018 Rock Creek Church Road NE.

Trinity Deli

The ANC passed a resolution in support of Trinity Deli’s alcohol license renewal application. The Class B grocer sells beer. It is located at 200 Michigan Avenue NE.

UDC CAUSES Bertie Backus Food Hub

UDC’s Bertie Backus Food Hub, located at South Dakota Avenue and Galloway Street NE, is opening a community garden. They are looking for residents interested in serving on a management committee for the garden. If interested, contact Matthew Gardine at matthew.gardine@udc.edu.

Council Report

The Ward 5 holiday party will be on December 13, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, at Dock 5 at Union Market. Bring an unwrapped toy.

Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie has introduced three bills (see Councilmember McDuffie 2017 Bills (pdf)).

  1. The Accessible and Transparent Procurement Act of 2017 (B22-0395) would require District government to put all solicitations for over $25,000 on a single website.
  2. The Quick Payment Amendment Act of 2017 (B22-0439) would require District government to disburse payment to contractors within 15 days of receiving an invoice.
  3. The Government Contractor-Subcontractor Dispute Resolution Act of 2017 (B22-0440) would permit the District’s Department of Small and Local Business Development to conciliate disputes between District government prime contractors and subcontractors.

Mayor’s Office Report

The Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement has opened in Ward 7. The mayor’s office is offering a number of MPD recruitment tools, such as six-month rental assistance, student loan forgiveness, and zero percent interest loans up to $20,000 for housing. An Uber driver resource center has opened in Ward 7. The mayor’s office offered $3 million in grants to support additional grocery options for Wards 7 and 8.

Reinvest DC

DC Reinvest Flyer (pdf)

A coalition of grassroots advocacy groups called DC Reinvest sought ANC support for its initiative to get the District to divest from Wells Fargo, which the group says funds the Keystone pipeline and the private prison industry. The ANC tabled consideration of a resolution to do more homework on the initiative.

New Lamond-Riggs Library

President of the Lamond-Riggs Library Friends group Robert Oliver announced that the deadline for LRLF’s survey on the new library was extended to October 27. Councilmember McDuffie will select two residents to serve on the official advisory panel for the rebuilding project. An interim library is planned during construction. Ideally the space should be 3,000 square feet and move-in ready with electrical and plumbing in place.

Mr. Oliver asked for the ANC’s help because about $45,000 in an inactive bank account held by the former Friends group is in jeopardy of being forfeited unless the former leader permits the new group to access the funds. The former group had been defunct for several years before a new group was formed this past summer.

USPS

The postal service was listed on the agenda but no representatives attended the meeting.

Next ANC meeting

The next ANC meeting will be on November 29 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

 

 

ANC 5A September 27, 2017 Meeting Recap

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A Monthly Meeting Recap

Guest post

On Wednesday, September 27, 2017, ANC 5A held the first monthly community meeting of its 2017-2018 meeting schedule. Below are highlights from that meeting.

ANC 5A Administration

  • The September 2017 monthly community meeting, which was held at the Backus Campus of UDC’s Community College, was called to order at 6:58 p.m. All Commissioners attended; the minutes of the June 14, 2017 monthly community meeting were not yet available for the Commissioners’ review and approval.
  • The ANC unanimously approved ANC 5A Treasurer Sandi Washington’s (5A07) request for approval of the ANC’s 3rd-quarter FY 2017 financial report.
  • The ANC unanimously adopted Commissioner Gordon Fletcher’s (5A08) resolution regarding the vacant land on the southwest corner of the intersection of Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue, NE. The Commission wants ownership of the land to be transferred from DDOT to DPR for the purpose of converting the land into a DPR-managed public park of some sort (specifics as to type-of-park to be determined much later). Currently, the land — which borders the east side of the Food and Friends facility — is a multi-acre leftover green space that resulted when highway-style ramps were removed from the Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue intersection in 2011.

Ward 5 Activities

Laisha T. Dougherty, Staff Assistant for Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie’s office, reported on the Councilmember’s numerous legislative efforts as follows:

  • DC Council Hearing at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 5, 2017 on Legislation to Honor Historic Contributions of Native Washingtonians of Color and Women:

In June, Councilmember McDuffie introduced “The Charles Hamilton Houston and Other Diverse Washingtonians Commemorative Works Amendment Act of 2017,” (B22-0346) a bill to direct the Commemorative Works Commission to erect statues in each of the City’s eight wards that: (a) highlight native Washingtonians who are women and minorities, and (b) allow the Council itself to sponsor a commemorative work on public space in the District. The bill identifies legal scholar Charles Hamilton Houston as the first Washingtonian to be honored with a memorial statue. The bill is designed to memorialize seminal native Washingtonians, educate residents and visitors about them, honor their legacy, and increase representation of native Washingtonian women and minority historical figures lauded throughout the city. If you are unable to testify at the October 5th hearing, written statements received by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 19, 2017, will be made a part of the official record.

  • The Proper Planning for Future Growth Act of 2017 (written testimony deadline is October 9, 2017):

In March, Councilmember McDuffie introduced the “The Proper Planning for Future Growth Act of 2017” (B22-0181) to proactively plan for transportation growth needs by ward in DC. The legislation will require DC to produced a biennial report analyzing each ward’s current transportation infrastructure and future needs. On September 25, 2017, the DC Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment held a hearing on the proposed bill. The next step in the legislative process is for the bill to be considered by all 13 members of the DC Council.If you were unable to testify at the September 25th hearing, written statements received by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 9, 2017 will be made a part of the official record.

  • Managing Outdoor Work for Seniors Act (M.O.W.S. Act) (B22-0235) – Hearing October 5, 2017, 10:00 a.m.

This bill would create a program to provide landscaping services to senior residents. Testimony submitted by 5:00 p.m. on October 19, 2017, will be part of the official record.

Reclaiming Our Community —  Ms. Dougherty said that in light of recent tragic murders in Ward 5, Councilmember McDuffie and other community leaders will hold a “Reclaiming Our Community” event at 8:00 pm on Friday, September 29 in the Brentwood park at 13th and Downing Streets, NE (the location of Zaire Kelly’s murder). Ms. Dougherty said that the event, which includes a press conference and a peace walk, will end with a “Sleep Out For Peace, Solidarity, & Solutions.”

Police Service Area (PSA) 405

MPD Fourth District’s Lt. Ashley Rosenthal presented her quarterly report on PSA 405. See PSA 405 crime statistics for the past 30 days and year-to-date: PSA 405 September 2017 Crime Stats

Community Outreach — Some of the recent property thefts are the result of youth stealing snacks from the 7-11 store. If you are interested in setting up a forum at which Lt. Rosenthal and youth can talk about MPD and community policing, please contact her (email: ashley.rosenthal@dc.gov; office number: (202) 730-0606).

In August, PSA 405 held a “Meet ‘n’ Greet” at the park shelter across the street from the 1000 block of Galloway Street, NE providing an opportunity for residents and officers to mingle. The officers patrolling PSA 405 during the day and evening tour of duties dropped by to meet informally with residents. Lt. Rosenthal said that a “hot-chocolate” meet-and-greet event is being planned.

Reminders — MPD has numerous safety and crime-prevention brochures available for download from its website. Lt. Rosenthal made a number of suggestions about reducing the risk of becoming a victim of crime, and about taking precautions to ensure physical safety. Tips include:

  • Don’t leave stuff visible in your car.
    As per MPD’s brochure titled “Protecting Your Vehicle”: “Theft from auto is strictly a crime of opportunity that can be prevented if you take away the opportunity. Thieves generally won’t waste their time breaking into autos that don’t have valuables in plain sight. Never leave briefcases; or cell phones, laptops, and other electronic devices in your car in plain view. Take these items with you, or secure them inside the glove compartment or trunk — all the time, every time!”
  • If you see something, say something, even if you think it’s minor.
    Don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1 if you see suspicious persons or activity. MPD will prioritize which calls need to be handled first. In your description of suspicious persons, mention not only distinctive facial features, but also distinctive clothing such as colorful shoes (for example, designer sneakers or athletic footwear).
  • Always be aware of your surroundings.
    Lt. Rosenthal said that there were 3 robberies over the previous weekend. As per MPD’s palm-card titled “Tips for Reducing Your Chances of Being a Crime Victim”: “Be vigilant of activity around you and attentive to individuals approaching. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by activity such as talking on your cell phone, listening to music, or reading.”

Update on Rebuilding of McDonald’s

See: McDonald’s zoning change request summary sheet (pdf)

As previously reported, Raoul Alvarez, the owner/operator of the McDonald’s at 4950 South Dakota Avenue, NE (at Delafield St.), plans to rebuild the restaurant. Harry Thomas, Jr., spoke on the owner’s behalf. Counsel for McDonald’s (Jessica Bloomfield, Holland & Knight) and a McDonald’s corporate representative also attended. Mr. Thomas said that instead of submitting a Planned Unit Development (PUD) request to the DC Zoning Commission, Mr. Alvarez has submitted a proposed amendment to the DC Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map. Such an amendment must be approved by the DC Council.

Mr. Alvarez is requesting a change in the land use designation from low-density commercial to moderate-density commercial in order to rebuild the 1960’s-era McDonald’s restaurant with a drive-thru. Currently, the restaurant is grandfathered as a nonconforming use under the existing zoning designation. The amendment application also requests changes to the land use designation for the other properties that make up the commercial strip mall so that those owners can make changes to their shops if they desire. Subsequent to the DC Council’s approval, Mr. Alvarez will need to ask the DC Zoning Commission for a re-zoning that allows the 1960’s-era restaurant building to be rebuilt.

As Mr. Thomas requested, the Commission voted unanimously to send Ward 5 Councilmember McDuffie an ANC 5A letter-of-support for the change in land use designation. Mr. Thomas stated that Mr. Alvarez will continue to be a good neighbor to North Michigan Park, and that the design of the new McDonald’s will be a “community-driven process.”

ANC 5A’s New Website: https://www.dcanc5a.org/home

Commissioner Fletcher premiered the new ANC 5A-funded website, which will facilitate communication with residents of ANC 5A. The brand-new portal includes links to DC agencies, an ANC 5A calendar, and biographies and contact information for ANC 5A Commissioners, along with ANC 5A documents such as meeting notices and minutes, and Commission resolutions (forthcoming).

Update on Plan to Rebuild Lamond-Riggs Library

As previously reported, funding has been allocated in the DC budget for rebuilding the Lamond-Riggs Library.

The Lamond-Riggs Library Friends (LRLF) group — a non-profit organization that advocates for our local library — has recently been reactivated and is seeking new members and supporters. For more information, email LRLFriends2017@gmail.com or call Robert T. Oliver, President LRLF (202-215-1679), or Rodney Foxworth, Vice President LRLF (202-997-1875).

LRLF President Oliver said that on Thursday, October 5, 2017, from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., DC Public Library is holding its first public meeting for the community to learn about plans to rebuild the library, including the project timeline and the process for community engagement. This meeting will be held at the library, located at 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE.

Also, LRLF President Oliver said that the LRLF group has posted an online survey to collect input on the vision for rebuilding the library.

Upcoming Events

Monday, October 2, 2017 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Presentation at 6:30 p.m.

DDOT’s Open House for Its Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP)

The STIP is a statewide, prioritized funding program of transportation projects covering a four-year period consistent with DC’s Multimodal Long-Range Transportation Plan. DDOT’s Open House on October 2nd is public meeting to receive feedback on DC’s STIP for Fiscal Years 2018 to 2022. The meeting will be held at the Shaw Neighborhood Library, located at 1630 7th Street NW, 20001.

At the Open House, DDOT will present the Draft FY 2018 to 2022 STIP Project List, which includes information for each project on the type, funding sources, and estimated schedule. In addition, DDOT will provide an overview of the STIP and the STIP development process.

If you are unable to attend the Open House, or if you want to submit feedback online, visit the DC STIP website, where the Draft FY 2018 to 2022 Project List will be posted.

Saturday, October 14, 2017 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

DDOT ANC Fall Open House

DDOT invites the city’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners to engage with DDOT staff and learn more about the agency. DDOT’s Fall Open House will be held at DC’s Old Council Chambers at 441 4th Street NW (Judiciary Square).

New ANC 5A website

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A finally has a functioning website! At the ANC 5A meeting on September 27, 2017, the ANC debuted its new site. This has been years coming. For so long ANC 5A did not have a functioning website to provide adequate notice of meetings, agendas, minutes, resolutions, and other documents. We are really grateful for the efforts of Commissioners Gordon Fletcher (5A08) and Isaiah Burroughs (5A04) in making this website happen. There are some tweaks that still need to be made, like including links to resolutions and putting up the correct map of the ANC boundaries, but it is great that they were able to get this website together in time for the first meeting after the summer recess. If you have any comments or suggestions on the site, send them to Commissioner Fletcher at 5A08@anc.dc.gov. The website address is https://www.dcanc5a.org.