Just a reminder that McDonald’s map amendment (upzoning) request will be on ANC 5A’s meeting agenda again tonight (Zoning Commission case number 22-19). McDonald’s is seeking the upzoning in order to build a new restaurant with a drive-thru at its current location at 4950 South Dakota Avenue NE. The existing restaurant does not have a drive-thru. A zoning change is needed to put in a drive-thru. The ANC tabled a vote at its May meeting with the intention of taking a vote on the matter tonight. DC’s Office of Planning (OP) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) have not provided official comments just yet, but DDOT did ask McDonald’s to conduct a queue analysis.
(Note, I previously covered this issue intheseposts.)
I am not sure how the ANC will handle this vote. I have lots of thoughts about all of this, but I will just say the idea of upzoning solely for a drive-thru is truly fascinating and an interesting use of the comprehensive planning amendment process to me. Especially so because OP rejected making changes to the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) for the church property next door to the McDonald’s when the church had been trying for some years to build affordable housing on its property. In any case, I still remember how a priorversion of moveDC discussed making South Dakota Avenue NE more hospitable to pedestrians and bike riders. I also still remember how much people talk about how much they hate car traffic on South Dakota Avenue. I am really curious to see how District agencies thread this needle on this. I hope that if the ANC votes to support this rezoning request as they did a few years ago, that they will really really work with DDOT and the Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE) early and often to make this as painless as possible instead of just talking about preserving the neighborhood character of North Michigan Park.
As a reminder, here are some FAQs provided by McDonald’s. Since some residents at a prior meeting were aghast at the thought of a two-story McDonald’s (kitchen would be on second floor, dining on first floor), it is worth noting that even without the zoning change, McDonald’s could build a two-story building today. In addition, here is a presentation from McDonald’s from a prior ANC meeting.
Proposed rendering of new McDonald’s from presentation to ANC 5A, May 25, 2022.Context photo of current McDonald’s at 4950 South Dakota Avenue NE
The North Michigan Park Civic Association (NMPCA) is holding a meeting tonight on McDonald’s map amendment (rezoning) request that is being pursued in order to replace the existing McDonald’s restaurant at 4950 South Dakota Avenue NE with a new two-story restaurant with a drive-thru. If you live in that area and care about this, plan to attend. Also reach out to NMPCA president Carmen Williams to be added to her distribution list if you are not receiving emails from the NMPCA. Her email address is carm8954@aol.com.
At the ANC 5A meeting on May 25, 2022, the ANC tabled the issue at the request of Ms. Williams and ANC Commissioner Charles Lockett (5A02) so that they could hold meetings with their constituents. The McDonald’s sits in ANC single member district (SMD) 5A03, represented by ANC Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03), but it is across the street from ANC 5A02 and a couple of blocks from ANC 5A08. The ANC plans to take up the matter again at its June meeting. Counsel for McDonald’s anticipates that a Zoning Commission hearing will be scheduled in the fall in either September or October. The ANC hopes to be able to take a vote at the June meeting and prepare a report since the ANC takes a summer break in July and August.
McDonald’s presentation from the May meeting, which includes a simple rendering, and other documents related to the request are available on the ANC’s website under Documents→Presentations→2022→May 2022→McDonalds. Edited to add: They will replace the renderings that are currently in the restaurant. At the meeting, the owner said the plan is to have the kitchen on the second floor; there would not be any seating on the second floor. This would allow them to have a building with a smaller footprint. He said that currently, the food is cooked in the basement of the restaurant and brought up to the first floor. Also, counsel stated that the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has asked McDonald’s to perform a queue analysis. In keeping with what they previously planned, they said they plan to remove the curb cut on South Dakota closest to Delafield Street.
(See this post for FAQs that were previously distributed by email by ANC Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03). The restaurant sits in her single member district (SMD)).
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NMPCA’s meeting notice copied below
FACE TO FACE IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL:
The June meeting is an important meeting concerning the zone changes in the McDonalds area. Your voice is important to the changes in the North Michigan Park Community. If a vote is taken you need to be counted.
North Michigan Park Civic Association Meeting Agenda June 1, 2022 7:00 pm
FACE TO FACE IN PERSON NMP Recreation Center 1313 Emerson Street NE Washington, DC 20017
&
Virtual Meeting Meeting ID 882 7345 2110 Passcode 930240 Call In 1-301-715-8592
Z Burger is now open at 4975 South Dakota Avenue NE (across from the McDonald’s). The restaurant is open every day from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm. It is connected to the minimart but there is a separate entrance for the restaurant as well. There are a few small tables inside. We now have an abundance of burger (and milkshake!) places to choose from in less than a one mile radius. How did we get so lucky.
ANC Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) has posted an FAQ sheet regarding McDonald’s rezoning application (ZC case number 22-19) on the ANC 5A website.
The Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) and the North Michigan Park Civic Association (NMPCA) did a great job of hosting two candidate forums for the upcoming primary election earlier this week .
The Ward 5 DC Council candidate forum was held on May 10, 2022. Participating candidates: Kathy Henderson, Gordon Fletcher, Zachary Parker, Faith Gibson Hubbard, Vincent Orange.
The DC Mayor candidate forum was held on May 9, 2022. Participating candidates: James Butler, Mayor Muriel Bowser, At-large Councilmember Robert White. Mayor Bowser did let the associations know ahead of time that due to a prior commitment, she would be late. She arrived about 44 minutes into the forum.
The primary election is June 21, 2022. Ballots will be mailed to registered voters begining May 16, 2022. Useful information about the primary election, including mail ballot drop box locations, vote center locations, and instructions on how to register to vote or update voter registration information, is available on the DC Board of Elections website at https://dcboe.org/PrimaryElection2022.
Reminder: Ward 5 DC Council Candidate Forum, hosted by the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Assocation and the North Michigan Park Civic Association, is tonight at 6:30 pm
Confirmed: Gordon Fletcher Kathy Henderson Faith Gibson Hubbard Gary Johnson Vincent Orange Zachary Parker
Reminder: DC Mayor Candidate Forum, hosted by the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Assocation and the North Michigan Park Civic Association, is tonight at 6:30 pm
Confirmed: Mayor Muriel Bowser James Butler Councilmember Robert White
Sharing a few clarifications regarding McDonald’s rezoning application (ZC case number 22-19) provided by McDonald’s counsel Holland & Knight and the owner Raoul Alvarez at the meeting held by ANC Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) on May 5, 2022. See McDonald’s Presentation May 5, 2022. The presentation and minutes from that meeting are available on ANC 5A’s website under Documents→Meeting Minutes→Single Member District→5A03.
They said McDonald’s is pursuing this rezoning in order to build a new restaurant with a drive-thru to replace the current restaurant at 4950 South Dakota Avenue NE. They said the higher mixed-use designation they are seeking (MU-7B) would permit them to build a drive-thru whereas their current mixed-use designation (MU-3A) does not. Specifically they said that the MU 7 Zone is within MU Use Group F, citing to 11 U DCMR § 500.2, and that in MU Use Group F, eating and drinking establishments are permitted as a matter of right, including the drive thru, citing to 11 U DCMR § 515.1.
They do not plan to maximize height or lot occupancy. The newly built restaurant will likely top out around 36 feet and the building will be around roughly 5,000 square feet. They do not intend to build on the wooded lot behind the McDonald’s. They do not intend to build housing. They simply want the rezoning for a drive-thru. (Edited to add: They acknowledged they have been trying to add a drive-thru for many many years. To that point, when I was looking up zoning documents, I came across this one from 1982). They said none of this is mentioned in their application because the question before the Zoning Commission is narrow–whether the requested zoning change is not inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan. They said the Zoning Commission prefers that applicants not include things like site plans and the rest for a rezoning application. McDonald’s plans to provide site plans, traffic circulation plans, color schemes, and the rest at future community meetings.
The rezoning application is just for the McDonald’s. While the change to the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) during the Comp Plan amendment process did affect the properties in the plaza next door to the McDonald’s, the rezoning application filed by McDonald’s with the Zoning Commission is just for the lot on which McDonald’s sits. If the owners of the properties in the strip mall want to rezone those properties (which are in a different lot), they will have to go through their own rezoning process with the Zoning Commission.
This rezoning application by McDonald’s is just the next step in the process to complete the zoning change process they started many years ago during the Comp Plan amendment process. Recall the ANC supported their rezoning request in 2017 and McDonald’s asked for reaffirmation of that support in 2019. The Comp Plan update took a while so only now have they reached the point where they are seeking the rezoning by the Zoning Commission and that is why they are now seeking the ANC’s support once again. They said they can work with the ANC during the permitting process in terms of securing any assurances that the ANC may want.
Commissioner Lucio requested that McDonald’s attend the regularly scheduled ANC 5A meeting later this month. Hopefully by then they will have an FAQ sheet prepared so that everyone is equipped with the pertinent information.
Commissioner Lucio plans to have a meeting with ANC Commissioner Charles Lockett (5A02), ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08), and North Michigan Park Civic Association president Carmen Williams so that they can all work together on this. If you live in that area and have questions about any of this, you can reach out to one of them.
As noted in this post, McDonald’s recently submitted a request to the DC Zoning Commission for a map amendment to change the zoning for the square and lot encompassing the restaurant at 4950 South Dakota Avenue NE and the few businesses next door to the McDonald’s (Zoning Commission case number 22-19). Specifically they are requesting a change from MU-3A (which they say is consistent with a low density commercial designation) to MU-7B (which they say is consistent with a moderate density commercial designation).
I took a trip down memory lane and culled a few posts that I have written over the years regarding plans for the McDonald’s. I usually try to stay in my lane and not offer too many opinions on what is happening in North Michigan Park, but this has been a topic at many ANC 5A meetings over the years, so I happen to have several posts on the topic. (As an aside, it’s funny reading really old posts. I noticed in one post I sang the praises of how 311 works. My memory is hazy but I strongly believe I stated that based on my experience with great response times to 311 requests by DPW during that time. But I digress).
The question before the Zoning Commission is whether the requested zoning change is “not inconsistent” with the Comprehensive Plan. This passage from McDonald’s filing explains why they believe the change should be approved:
The proposed map amendment is not inconsistent with the Subject Property’s designation as a Neighborhood Commercial Center. As the Framework Element states, the Neighborhood Commercial Center designation is intended to allow additional development that complements existing uses. Accordingly, the proposed MU-7B zone will allow additional development on the Subject Property that can complement the existing commercial uses across South Dakota Avenue NE. Additionally, the proposed MU-7B zone will support additional neighborhood-serving commercial uses that can meet the day-to-day needs of nearby residents and workers by providing an enhanced commercial development. Moreover, the proposed map amendment will conserve the economic viability of the area by permitting additional commercial uses and by increasing the Subject Property’s development potential. The additional commercial uses and increased development potential will result in a more economically active use than that which already exists on the Subject Property.
ANC Single Member District 5A03 Meeting Tonight
ANC Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) is holding a single member district (SMD) meeting tonight about the issue. McDonald’s sits in her SMD. Representatives for McDonald’s are scheduled to attend. Last night, North Michigan Park Civic Association (NMPCA) had a meeting where this issue was briefly discussed. It is clear that many people, including the ANC and civic association, need to get up to speed about where things stand as far as what McDonald’s requested in the past and what the ANC and NMPCA previously supported.
Background on Previous ANCDiscussions
I probably should not even attempt to explain what has been going on, but my understanding is that the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) was updated during the most recent Comprehensive Plan Update process. Holland & Knight, representing the owner of McDonald’s, requested a change to the FLUM for the square/lot at issue from a low density commercial designation to a moderate density commercial designation. The Office of Planning (OP) recommended approval of that change. When the DC Council approved the Comp Plan Update, that change to the FLUM was approved. Now Holland & Knight is back to get the zoning change approved by the Zoning Commission.
Recall that the owner previously intended to file a planned unit development (PUD) application for the restaurant because he said he wanted to renovate the restaurant and add a drive-thru. My understanding is that NMPCA supported the owner in this endeaver. The owner proposed a couple of benefits for North Michigan Park residents like supporting NMPCA’s scholarship and backpack drive, among other benefits. Once the Comp Plan Update process was opened, however, the owner abandoned the PUD because (again my understanding) he could simply request a map amendment to change the zoning designation to make the changes to the restaurant and not have to worry about going through the PUD process. The owner committed to following through with his proposed community benefits to NMPCA even though he was no longer pursuing a PUD.
As we know, the Comp Plan Update was initiated precisely for this reason–not for this PUD specifically, but to unstick many proposed PUDs across the city that had been languishing. And while yes, people argued that the changes to the FLUM would not result in automatic zoning changes and that the changes still had to be approved by the Zoning Commission because the FLUM is not a zoning map, the intended result was clearly to pave the way to make it easier for these zoning changes to be approved so that going through the PUD process would no longer be necessary. (Aside, I actually spoke with a planner from OP when the Comp Plan Update process was getting started just to be clear about what the goal was and referenced this case of the McDonald’s foreshadowing abandoning the PUD. I asked OP if this is what they intended. No real answer provided, but it is clear this was going to happen and no one should be surprised. Also I know I sound dramatic in saying the owner abandoned the PUD but really I offer that description in a purely nonjudgmental, value neutral way. I digress again).
Below are some background posts. The most important one to view is the September 2017 meeting recap post, which explains that the ANC voted to support this change to the FLUM in order to support a future zoning change request to the Zoning Commission. In that post, I included the zoning change handout that was distributed during the meeting.
The discussion back then mentioned nothing about building housing and I do not think they want to build housing now (though there are plenty of people who believe that corner is a good candidate for mixed-use retail/housing). I suspect they want the higher designation to build on more of the lot, especially if they still wish to pursue a drive-thru (no comment on that), but I cannot say for sure. (Edited to add: I also do not know the intentions of the other business owners next to McDonald’s. From what I recall, they have largely been absent from this process though the zoning change request would impact those properties as well. Presumably, those owners could wake up one day and decide they want to put up a whole new building and they would separately have to go through a process to request a zoning change for those properties). In any case, view the ANC’s September 2017 resolution supporting the change to the FLUM.
The other thing I will note that came up last night is that OP did not support approval of a change to the FLUM from low density residential to medium density residential for the church property at Faith United Church of Christ nearby, so that requested change by the church was not approved by the Council in the Comp Plan Update.
I realize that some people feel like this zoning change request came out of nowhere and was done in secret. I do not make a practice of attending NMPCA meetings, so I cannot say how much input the ANC commissioner and NMPCA actually sought from residents back then. But this change was discussed at multiple ANC 5A meetings and the ANC & NMPCA did support it back then. And at a minimum, the ANC did not object to the proposed FLUM change during the Comp Plan Update process. Of course, people are allowed to change their minds, especially now that this has been languishing for a while. This is not my neighborhood, so I offer no thoughts about how the ANC should handle the request now before the Zoning Commission. At the very least though, I think having a basic FAQ sheet that can be distributed to residents in that area would go a long way towards helping the ANC decide how to respond to this request.
The Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) in conjunction with the North Michigan Park Civic Association (NMPCA) will host two virtual Candidate Forums in anticipation of the upcoming District elections.
Mayoral Candidate Forum Monday, May 9, 2022 6:30PM to 8:30PM
Ward 5 Candidate Forum Tuesday, May 10, 2022 6:30PM to 8:30PM
These virtual Candidate Forums will be hosted on Zoom and streamed to both Facebook and YouTube for your easy access. The sessions will be moderated and will feature pre-selected questions from members of our community. If you have a question(s) that you wish for the forum candidates to respond to, you may submit them in advance for consideration:
Sharing information provided by resident Robert Oliver
Dear Community,
There are two important meetings scheduled this week that you should attend. First, the North Michigan Park Civic Association (NMPCA) meeting is scheduled for May 4, 2022 starting at 7:00 p.m. It will be followed by the ANC 5A03 meeting scheduled for May 5, 2022 starting at 7:00 p.m.
Both meetings will address the rezoning of the McDonald’s lot from MU-3A to MU-7B. The lot is located at 4950 South Dakota Avenue, is 21,000 square feet, and is identified by the 3786/0001 square/lot designation.
Holland & Knight LLC is representing the McDonald’s Corporation in this effort.
For those of you who are interested, here is a copy of the application. The key sections to read follow:
· Section III Existing and Proposed Zoning
o A. Existing MU-3A Zoning, page 2
o B. Proposed MU-7B Zoning, page 2
o C. Comparison of Development Standards, page 3
· Section IV Community Outreach and ANC Coordination, page 16
Please plan to attend both or either of these important meetings to learn more about the commercial development within our community.
The Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA) in conjunction with the North Michigan Park Civic Association (NMPCA) will be hosting two candidate forums in time for the upcoming District election races in June.
Mark your calendar and plan to join in for both of these informative events. This will be your chance to learn more about the candidates that hope to serve you as your elected District officials.
The District of Columbia Mayoral Candidate Forum Monday, May 9, 2022 From 6:30PM to 8:30PM The session will be conducted online via Zoom. The session will also be streamed to both Facebook and YouTube. Link and page information to come.
Ward 5 Member of the Council Candidate Forum Tuesday, May 10, 2022 From 6:30PM to 8:30PM The session will be conducted online via Zoom. The session will also be streamed to both Facebook and YouTube. Link and page information to come.
As expected, the National Park Service (NPS) has once again erected fencing near the informal pedestrian path between Galloway Street NE and Gallatin Street NE to prevent people from traveling along the path. This time though it is not quite the full enclosure that was erected last year, and I saw two people casually strolling through the area yesterday. The fencing on the Gallatin Street side has been knocked down for a few days now, so not much of a deterrent. It looks like NPS is trying to restore the area to something other than a mud pit, so it is probably helpful if people do not walk in that area. NPS representatives stated at a single member district meeting of ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) that they would likely have an update about the status of the path after the new year.
Friendly reminder that Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is holding her quarterly NPS town hall on December 9 at 7:00 pm. Register to receive the meeting link by sending an email to RSVP@NortonEvents@mail.house.gov.
Image of original proposed location for pedestrian path between Gallatin and Galloway streets NE
At ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher’s 5A08 single member district (SMD) meeting on September 21, 2021, the National Park Service (NPS) provided more information about the need to halt construction on the long-awaited formal pedestrian path between Gallatin and Galloway streets NE that is supposed to connect North Michigan Park to Fort Totten Metro station.
The upshot is that as the construction team removed soil from the site, they encountered infrastructure that they and Metro believe is for the green line tunnel at Fort Totten Metro station. NPS is now working with Metro to find a more suitable location to build the pedestrian path away from Metro’s infrastructure. In response to a question about whether they believe that they will need to move the path significantly further east towards South Dakota Avenue, potentially making the path unnecessary because then people could just use South Dakota Avenue, NPS responded that they hope not. In response to a question about whether they believe they will run into the same issue regarding construction of a sidewalk on the south side of Galloway Street NE between South Dakota Avenue and 4th Street NE, NPS responded they hope not. With respect to the sidewalk, NPS stated that project is still in the design phase and that DDOT just transferred money received from the Federal Highway Administration for the project (NPS also stated this back in April 2021, so not quite sure what it means to say that DDOT just transferred the money).
NPS also stated they hoped to remove the fallen tree on the detour path by the end of September. Any issues with the detour path can be sent to nick_bartolomeo@nps.gov and kym_elder@nps.gov.
NPS did not provide a new timeline for getting the pedestrian path constructed. Metro is cooperating with NPS. NPS said it will take time to redesign the trail. Once the trail is redesigned, it will have to clear stormwater management review with the District Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE).
At the full ANC meeting on September 22, 2021, ANC Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) informed Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC) that residents are frustrated by yet another delay. Congresswoman Norton responded that this path has been delayed too long. Not exactly clear what her office will do about it. Commissioner Fletcher stated that he will invite NPS to ANC 5A’s October meeting.
Just a heads up that this Saturday, September 11, the annual Riggs Park/Michigan Park reunion will take place at Fort Circle Park (between Galloway Street NE & Gallatin Street NE) from 12:00 noon to 7:00 pm. This event is held by folks who grew up in the two neighborhoods. Some still live in the neighborhood; others come back to visit. There is usually a large crowd so expect a fair amount of traffic on Galloway Street on Saturday.
View of unfinished path from Galloway Street NE, September 8, 2021
Just when we thought things were finally back on track for construction of the North Michigan Park-Fort Totten pedestrian path between Galloway and Gallatin streets NE, ANC 5A sends word that the National Park Service (NPS) is halting construction again. And this time more indefinitely it appears. See the communication from ANC 5A below:
The National Park Service (NPS) recently paused construction of the Fort Totten pedestrian trail between Galloway Street and Gallatin Street, N.E. again.
During preparations to resume construction, the NPS discovered an underground infrastructure that may prohibit the trail from being constructed as planned. The NPS is surveying the site and considering other options for the trail that could include redesigning the trail or changing its route.
The site will remain closed for public safety as we explore these options.
We know this project is important to the community, and it is important to us, too. We will resume construction as soon as possible.
Please reach out to me at kym_elder@nps.gov if you should have any questions.
Color me confused. NPS does not indicate exactly what this “underground infrastructure” is.
This also makes me wonder if a path/sidewalk will ever get constructed on the south side of Galloway between South Dakota and 4th Street NE. That path should have been designed a long time ago. I was told by someone in the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) that after funding was finally budgeted for design, NPS designed a path that was six feet when it should have been 10 feet. Earlier this year in April, NPS wrote to me that “DDOT just transferred the funding to Federal Highway Administration to complete the design of the sidewalk from South Dakota Avenue NE to the existing DDOT/WMATA sidewalk along Galloway Street NE. We do not have a timeline at this point when the design will be completed.” So design of that path appears to be sitting in a black hole somewhere between NPS and DDOT. I remain confused about why all of this seems so hard.
In any case, it is not clear what the timeline is for next steps on the Gallatin-Galloway path or how and when NPS intends to rehabilitate the area where extensive soil has already been removed for construction. But hopefully the unfinished path will not just become an even bigger mud pit than it already was before this project got started.
Construction activity has begun in earnest on the North Michigan Park-Fort Totten pedestrian trail after being halted in July 2020 due to the discovery of an unexploded ordnance on the trail. After testing the soil and getting negative test results, the National Park Service removed the fencing around the trail last month to resume work.
On Tuesday, August 10, 2021, surveyors surveyed and staked the trail a year after its closure.
Surveyor team, August 10, 2021. Photo credit: Robert Oliver
On Thursday, August 12, 2021, the Oak Hill construction team arrived to complete the job. Oak Hill is a subcontractor hired by Autumn General Contracting, LLC. Oak Hill’s construction supervisor stated work to complete the pedestrian path connecting Galloway and Gallatin streets NE across Fort Totten Park should take around six weeks. The crew began removing dirt to prepare the site.
Hauling dirt, August 12, 2021. Photo credit: Robert Oliver
View of trail construction towards Galloway Street NE, August 12, 2021. Photo credit: Robert OliverView of trail construction towards Gallatin Street NE, August 12, 2021. Photo credit: Robert Oliver
Fort Totten – North Michigan Park Pedestrian Access Improvement Project
After a lengthy delay, construction of a pedestrian path between Gallatin and Galloway Street NE through Fort Totten Park is resuming. This path should be completed in a few months.
View from Galloway Street NE, July 27, 2021. Photo credit: Deborah Grimstead
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) publishes weekly progress reports, photos, and other info on the project website at https://www.metbranchtrail-forttotten.com.
View of MBT construction from 1st Place NE near Fort Totten Metro station, July 27, 2021. Photo credit: Deborah Grimstead
A neighbor passed along word that Z-Burger could possibly be opening soon on South Dakota Avenue NE across from the McDonald’s in North Michigan Park (See listed location: 4975 South Dakota Avenue NE).
The neighbor says:
I was just in the DC Super Mart on South Dakota avenue and the owner showed me their Z-burger fit out. It looks really nice! He says their build out is done and they are just waiting on some paperwork but it should open next month. I know we already have a five guys but I’m thrilled to have another option in the neighborhood. Also excited about 75 flavors of milkshakes.
There you have it, 75 flavors of milkshake on deck.
View of trail from Gallatin Street NE, July 24, 2020
The DC Line published a press release from the National Park Service (NPS) stating an unexploded ordnance was found during construction of the long-awaited trail between Galloway Street NE and Gallatin Street NE near Fort Totten Metro Station. Construction of the trail to provide a formal pedestrian path between North Michigan Park and Fort Totten Metro Station began a couple of weeks ago. Residents noticed Metro Transit police and other officers redirecting traffic from the area on July 22, 2020. I have reached out to NPS for more information and will update the post when I hear back.
Press release below:
News Release — National Park Service
For immediate release: July 23, 2020
Contact: Katie Liming
Unexploded ordnance discovered during trail construction
WASHINGTON – On July 22, a WWI-era unexploded ordnance was discovered during construction work on a park trail. Out of an abundance of caution and until more research can be completed, an area of Fort Totten Park, in the Michigan Park neighborhood, is closed, and the National Park Service (NPS) is urging people to stay out of the area.
The area is currently marked with caution tape, and warning signs and fence will be installed as quickly as possible.
United States Park Police and Metropolitan Police Department responded after heavy rain revealed the ordnance, and the site was cordoned off immediately. The U.S. Army is analyzing and is expected to destroy the ordnance at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
The public’s safety is the NPS’s most important priority. Trail construction is halted, and the NPS is working to determine the next steps needed to evaluate the area. We will provide updates as more information is available.
Note: This closure is not in the vicinity of and does not impact DDOT construction work on the Metropolitan Branch Trail.
