ANC 5A held its public meeting on November 20, 2024. Commissioners present: Duvalier Malone (5A01); Karlus Cozart (5A02) – Parliamentarian; Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) – Vice Chair, Secretary; Gordon Fletcher (5A08) – Chair; Shelagh Bocoum (5A09) – Treasurer. ANC 5A06 and 5A07 are vacant.
Commission Business
The ANC approved a Fiscal Year 2025 budget. Chair Fletcher stated the annual report is due on December 1, 2024, so he is asking each commissioner to submit a list of activities in their respective single member district (SMD).
Jubileaf Medical Marijuana Dispensary (5A08)
Husband/wife team Susan and William Webster want to open a wellness center/pharmacy that will be a medical marijuana dispensary at 4942 South Dakota Avenue NE (in the strip mall next to the McDonald’s). A representative from DC’s Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) attended the meeting. As discussed at the October ANC meeting, Jubileaf received a conditional license as a social equity applicant. The ABCA rep stated that the Websters have not submitted their location and other information necessary for ABCA to issue them a placard in order to have a hearing.
Jubileaf has a signed lease for their location, but they were mistaken about the steps needed to move forward. They have to submit their location information as a first step for ABCA to determine if the location is appropriate (not too close to schools, etc.). Until they submit all of the required information, there is nothing for the ANC to vote on because the ANC vote has to occur within a certain timeframe of the placard. ABCA does not accept early protests.
Commissioner Fletcher said the Jubileaf team attended his and Commissioner Bocoum’s joint SMD meeting on November 18. Apparently, at that meeting people asked Jubileaf for renderings, a security plan, community benefits, and property beautification plans. Commissioner Fletcher said he talked to the property owner who said that he was aware of Jubileaf’s beautification plans but clarified that he as the property owner had no plans to beautify the entire strip mall.
At the full ANC meeting, a resident asked if Jubileaf plans to deliver products (they would like to); if they checked for the number of halfway houses in the area (they have not); if they will accept cash/credit/debit (yes); if they will allow self-certification (likely); and if they will have pre-rolled smokes (maybe).
Residents asked the ABCA rep why a group of five individuals cannot protest a cannabis license application as they can with a liquor license application. The ABCA rep said that the DC Council wrote the law permitting just an ANC to be able to protest a cannabis license. She noted that there was a recent amendment to the law that now enable protests by a daycare center within 400 feet of a proposed location, an abutting property owner, or a property owner across the street from the proposed location. The standard for these groups to protest are whether the applicant is violating the law or if the application is in violation of traffic or pedestrian safety standards. She said in the Jubileaf matter, the ANC would be protesting under the same appropriateness standards for liquor licenses (real property values, peace/quiet, parking needs/vehicular & pedestrian safety, etc.).
The president of the North Michigan Park Civic Association meeting said she will have Jubileaf present at the civic association meeting on December 4.
Ward 5 Council Report (Oliver Stoute, Constituent Services Coordinator to CM Zachary Parker)
CM Parker and his team gave away turkeys on November 20. ERAP reopened on November 20. Councilmember Parker held a roundtable on DYRS on November 22.
Metro has finalized the Better Bus proposal. Review at betterbus.wmata.com.
DPR held a Ward 5 projects construction update on November 25.
The Ward 5 Senior Advisory Committee will meet on December 4 at Model Cities.
The Ward 5 holiday party will be on December 19 at Dock 5 at Union Market.
A resident asked if CM Parker could help Jubileaf find a different location in a “more commercial area” as opposed to a “more residential area.”
A resident asked if CM Parker’s office could do something about undocked bikes/scooters being left in alleys and on sidewalks (residents can submit a 311 request for dockless vehicle complaint to have the scooters/bikes picked up).
Mayor’s Office Ward 5 Report (Anthony Black, Ward 5 MOCR)
The Safeway Feast of Sharing was on November 27.
DC Health Link registration is open.
MOCR Ward 5 days are on Tuesday and Wednesday, 10am-3pm. Contact Mr. Black at anthony.black@dc.gov.
Social Housing Bill
Rob Hoffman gave a presentation in support of a social housing bill introduced by Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, the Green New Deal for Housing Amendment Act (B25-0191.
Miscellaneous
Commissioner Lucio said that Faith United Church had trouble getting turkeys for the giveaway planned for their mobile market, so she reached out to EYA. EYA gave the church enough money to give away 100 turkeys.
A resident asked if there have been any updates about Yu Ying’s discussion with DDOT about making certain streets one way. Commissioner Fletcher said he has not heard anything from Commissioner Tyeron Boston (5A05). The school sits in Commissioner Boston’s SMD. Commissioner Fletcher sits on the board of Yu Ying, so he recuses himself from ANC actions related to the school. The resident noted that Commissioner Boston has been absent for three straight meetings. She said she wrote her name in on the ballot (unclear if she registered to run as a write-in candidate).
A resident asked about the Providence campus. Commissioner Lucio repeated what she said at the last ANC meeting. The DC attorney general is still investigating the sale. Commissioner Lucio is working with CM Parker’s office to have money from the sale “earmarked” for the healthcare needs of Ward 5 residents. There will likely be an urgent care center. A resident asked about asbestos in the buildings on the campus. Commissioner Lucio said she would put the resident in touch with SHDPA, the District agency responsible for providing certificates of need to health care facilities in DC.
This was Commissioner Fletcher’s last ANC meeting. Unless there are any special meetings before the end of the year, the next ANC meeting with be in January 2025.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 