[Ed. Note: At last week’s North Michigan Park Civic Association meeting, NMPCA representatives noted that ICE has been in the community.]
Message circulated by North Michigan Park Civic Association
Please share this information with your neighbor. Everyone knows someone who may be impacted with the Immigration issues. There will be a representative from MOLA [Mayor’s Office of Latino Affairs] at the next NMP Civic Association Meeting to talk about resources.
MOCA [Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs] has a repository of grantees that do work with immigrants through the community.
WTOP recently reported on Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s request to the U.S. Department of the Interior for funding for investigation and clean-up of chemical weapons in Fort Totten Park.
I reached out to her office, and they provided a copy of the letter.
As the administration develops the fiscal year 2026 budget, I request that the budget include funding for the National Park Service (NPS), working together with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), to conduct a comprehensive investigation of Fort Totten Park in the District of Columbia for munitions and any environmental damage resulting from such munitions. On November 9, 2023, the agencies announced publicly they were seeking such funding.
In 2020, an unexploded ordnance was discovered in Fort Totten Park. I was assured by NPS that it had conducted a thorough investigation for additional munitions. On April 18, 2023, however, two metal canisters, which NPS described as “WWI-era military munitions,” were discovered in a different location in Fort Totten Park. The area where the canisters were found has been fenced off for the safety of residents.
In 2014, contaminated soil in Fort Totten Park was confirmed to have been brought to the park from the Spring Valley Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS). The USACE is currently remediating the Spring Valley FUDS. A similar investigation and cleanup are needed at Fort Totten.
Back in 2017, one of our ANC meeting recaps noted that the National Park Service (NPS) contacted ANC 5A about possible contamination on the west side of the park where parkland was used for staging for construction of the green line. Fast forward to July 2020 when workers preparing to construct a pedestrian trail on the east side of the park encountered an unexploded WWI ordnance. NPS halted construction on the trail. Then in an update in December 2020, we noted that there might be a connection between the belated discovery of potential contamination on the west side of the park in 2017 and the discovery of the ordnance on the east side of the park in 2020. Even back in 2017, we noted that we were concerned that NPS did not have a good sense of the scope of the possible contamination and that became even more true in 2020. It was clear that their interpretation of impacted area was quite narrow.
Elected officials at every level shrugged. Resident inquiries at NPS townhalls hosted by Congresswoman Norton’s office and emails to her office were ignored. Media picked up the story in 2022 and elected officials finally started to pay attention.
In 2023, the ANC commissioner for that area, Zachary Ammerman, created a timeline of events on his website. He later resigned in the middle of the term, but he served long enough to get the ANC to pass a resolution requesting comprehensive soil testing in the park. The most Congresswoman Norton’s office did was write the occasional letter about a clean-up and answer resident inquiries with an insistence that nothing could be done about getting funding.
Fast forward to mid-2023, I had a call with a staffer in Congresswoman Norton’s office and I noted the lack of communication, lack of information, lack of a plan, lack of anyone asking Metro for an accounting, and a general lack of urgency to do anything at all besides write the same one paragraph letter to NPS and the Army Corps of Engineers over and over. That staffer ended up leaving, and it was crickets again. So, I reached back out to Congresswoman Norton’s office in September 2024 because it is truly ridiculous that every elected official at every level continues to ignore this issue and shrug and tell residents there is nothing more to be done.
So it is nice to see Congresswoman finally ask for funding. It would be amazing to have the city’s elected officials support that request. Elected officials in this city really really need to do a better job of working with federal partners to address issues across the city. I know they can because they did it downtown and they’re doing it now to get a football stadium at RFK.
Anyways, in the middle of all of this, Metro still manages to escape any accounting for its contractors’ actions in the park.
Join Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker on Tuesday evening, February 25, 2025, for a community budget forum. This is an opportunity to share your budget priorities with the office ahead of budget season. The forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Friendship Public Charter School’s Armstrong Campus (111 O St NW).
Help inform CM Lewis George’s legislation, budget priorities, constituent services, and community initiatives. These listening tour sessions have been useful in the past, so please attend a session if you can. There is space on the registration form to enter questions/comments in advance of the session.
A virtual session will also be held on February 26, 2025, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm for those who cannot or do not wish to attend an in-person session.
ANC 5A distributed an image of a letter from McDonald’s to ANC 5A regarding the demolition and rebuilding of the McDonald’s located at 4950 South Dakota Avenue NE.
The image reads:
February 3, 2025
TO: Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5A 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE Washington, DC 20017
RE: McDonald’s Restaurant Pre-Construction Update
4950 S DAKOTA NE, WASHINGTON, DC 20017
Dear Commissioners:
I am writing to advise the status and timing, as known today, of the upcoming rebuild of the referenced McDonald’s, specifically the project’s start date.
McDonald’s is in Final Plan Review with the DC Department of Buildings.
We are expecting the Building Permit to be released on or before Thursday, February 13th and our Last Day of Sales to be on Monday, February 17th.
McDonald’s will send a RELEASE TO CONSTRUCTION notice via email to the General Contractor, Mingle Construction, no later than Thursday, February 13th, IF those dates continue to hold.
I will personally ensure the Commissioners are copied on that Release, when it occurs.
Residents are instructed to send questions, comments, and concerns to ANC Commissioner Elaine Alston (5A08) at 5A08@anc.dc.gov.
[Update 5:55 pm, 2/3/2025, the meeting link does not appear to be working. If I receive a working link, I will update the post. LRCA will still meet in person at the library.]
The February 2025 LRCA Community meeting will be held tonight Monday, February 3, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM EST.
This in-person meeting will be held at the Lamond-Riggs Library, Meeting Room 1, located at 5401 South Dakota Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20011.
The meeting will also be live-streamed via the Zoom webinar platform:
Students can earn community service hours by assisting with the distribution of the LRCA monthly newsletter. If you are interested, please reach out to LRCA President Barbara Rogers at Barbara@lrcadc.org or call 202-904-1027.
[Ed. Note: I scheduled a few posts about mundane things to run today. I do want to acknowledge the terrible loss of life following the accident at National Airport and extend sympathies to everyone impacted.]
Metro is seeking input on its proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget. For details and to submit comments/complete the public survey, visit wmata.com/budget. Provide feedback by 5:00 pm on February 10, 2025.
Metro is having hearings on the budget proposal during the first week of February. The Notice of Hearing contains instructions on how to sign up to testify.
Monday, February 3, 2025, 6 p.m.
Metro Building at Eisenhower, 2401 Mill Road, Alexandria, VA 22314
Metro staff will be available at 5:30 p.m. for an open house.
Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 6 p.m.
Metro L’Enfant Plaza Headquarters, 300 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024
Metro staff will be available at 5:30 p.m. for an open house.
Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 12 p.m.
Virtual only (via telephone or video); no open house
Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 6 p.m.
Metro Building at New Carrollton, 4100 Garden City Drive, Hyattsville, MD 20785
Metro staff will be available at 5:30 p.m. for an open house.
All hearings will be broadcast online at wmata.com/budget or youtube.com/metroforward.
Proposed Changes
Metro’s summary of proposed changes:
Extend half of Yellow Line trains to Greenbelt
Split Silver Line service between Downtown Largo and New Carrollton
Additional peak service on Red and Silver lines
Increase Weekend Hours of Operation
Implementing the Better Bus Network redesign
Introduce an open payment fare system, allowing taps from credit and debit cards
The big news is that Metro is proposing to run half of Yellow Line trains to Greenbelt, with the other half ending at their current terminus at Mt. Vernon Square. Please comment in support of this proposed change.
Metro is proposing to increase peak service on the red line during the busiest times:
Operate Red Line trains up to every 4 minutes, from every 5 minutes, during the busiest portions of weekday rush periods to provide additional capacity in both directions of travel. Red Line trains would continue to operate every 5 minutes during the remainder of peak service.
I personally think Metro needs to increase service more than proposed, given the constant drumbeat about workers returning to the office five days a week and the fact that trains are already crowded during rush hour right now.
Also, Metro seems to have a problem with red line trains overshooting the platform lately. When trains stop beyond the platform, trains end up getting delayed up and down the line. This has happened seemingly three days in a row now, and I saw it happen by a long shot while waiting for a train at Judiciary Square a couple of weeks ago. Metro is running a lot of six-car trains during rush hour for reasons and when there are delays, the trains get dangerously crowded. Rush hour service on the red line has been pretty bad every day this week.
The proposed budget would also implement the “Better Bus Network,” which includes changes to bus routes and bus stops in our neighborhood. We previously discussed those changes on the blog. The budget proposal states that bus service changes have already been approved by Metro’s board. People can still comment if they would like.
Finally, Metro still needs a dedicated source of funding.
[Updated 2/2/2025 to correct spelling of Nikki Giovanni]
The Lamond-Riggs Library Friends is hosting Black History Month events throughout February at the Lamond-Riggs Library (5401 South Dakota Avenue NE, 1st Floor Meeting Room). Light refreshments will be provided.
Thursday, February 6, 2025: Commemoration of the Slaves who Built the US Capitol | 1pm – 2pm
The DC Office of Planning (OP) hosts “Foundations of Freedom: Recognizing the enslaved People who Built the US Capitol.” This interactive program features the Office of Planning Staff and the artist as they discuss the commemorative program process. A question-and-answer session follows.
Saturday, February 8, 2025: Helping to Bring Black History to Television | 2pm – 3pm
Nick Lindner, camera operator and Lamond-Riggs community member, will host a presentation on his participation in documentary work, the role and importance of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), and his contributions to important PBS programming such as “Reconstruction” and “The Black Church.”
Sunday, February 9, 2025: Barry Farm Documentary | 2pm – 3pm
This documentary addresses the unfinished story of Barry Farm, founded in 1867. It is a portrayal of the people who built a community from nothing to its eventual succumbing to urban renewal in 2018. It is a must watch for those interested in DC history.
Sunday, February 16, 2025: Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project Documentary | 2pm – 4pm
Nikki Giovanni died, at the age of eighty-one, on December 9, 2024. She left a rich legacy of work ranging from children’s poetry to calls for Black Power. The documentary, as told by Nikki, follows her life from her earliest memories to her senior years. It is funny, sad, and poetic.
ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on January 22, 2025. Commissioners present: Timothy Thomas (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio (5A03); Derrick Holloway (5A06); Elaine Alston (5A08); Shelagh Bocoum (5A09). ANC 5A01, 5A04, 5A05, and 5A07 are vacant.
Commission Business
The ANC elected the following officers.
Chair – Commissioner Lucio (5A03)
Vice Chair – Commissioner Thomas (5A02)
Secretary – Commissioner Lucio (5A03)
Treasurer – Commissioner Bocoum (5A09)
DC Zoning Commission Chair Anthony Hood conducted the installation of officers.
The ANC approved minutes from the November 2024 regular and special meetings.
The ANC adopted a calendar for the year. Public meetings will take place the fourth Wednesday of each month, except July, August, November, and December. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the November meeting will be moved to the first Wednesday in December.
The ANC will discuss at an executive meeting the meeting format for the year, whether virtual, in-person, or hybrid. Director of the Office of ANC Kent Boese attended the meeting. He said that the ANC could do a mix of meeting formats throughout the year so long as they provide the proper notice.
The ANC approved a budget. The ANC has a lot of money in the bank. Commissioner Lucio said that some of the money could be used to purchase equipment if the ANC decides to have hybrid meetings. In addition, the ANC may use some of the money to hire an assistant, which they approved doing last term but never did.
Screenshot of ANC 5A budget presented at meeting.
The seats for ANC 5A01, 5A04, 5A05, and 5A07 are vacant. The DC Board of Elections has information about running. The petition period ends February 3. Interested individuals may reach out to Commissioner Lucio for information.
The Ward 5 MOCRs are available to meet with residents and commissioners across the ward on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Contact Anthony Black at 202-251-5049 or at anthony.black@dc.gov. Contact Christian Starghill at 202-394-4399 or at christian.starghill@dc.gov.
DPW is getting back on schedule with trash and recycling pickup. If your collection was missed, submit a 311 request.
Residents are responsible for shoveling snow from the sidewalk in front of their homes. Mr. Black said residents are also responsible for shoveling the alley behind their home. A couple of residents asked about responsibility for alley shoveling, and Mr. Black stated he would get that information to the ANC. If you are a senior or person with a disability unable to shovel snow, you may apply for a snow shoveling exemption. If you need help with snow shoveling, contact Mr. Black at anthony.black@dc.gov. A few residents expressed appreciation for Mr. Black’s help with shoveling in their neighborhoods.
January 31 is the last day to sign up for health insurance through DC Health Link.
Ward 5 Council Office Report (Oliver Stoute, Director of Constituent Services for Councilmember Zachary Parker)
Oversight hearings for agencies under CM Parker’s jurisdiction start January 29.
The Ward 5 public safety calls will now be held quarterly. The next one is on January 29 at 3:00 pm.
Councilmember Parker plans to hold a forum for Ward 5 ANC commissioners and civic association leaders on February 8 at Catholic University.
The Ward 5 awards ceremony has been rescheduled for February 11 at Ivy City Smokehouse.
If you need assistance with missed trash collection, submit a 311 request and send the service number to Mr. Stoute at ostoute@dccouncil.gov.
A few residents expressed appreciation for the council office’s help with snow shoveling in their neighborhood.
A resident asked about lack of prioritization of traffic safety input (TSI) requests submitted within ANC 5A under DDOT’s new model. Mr. Stoute asked for the request numbers and said he would look into it. Chair Lucio also recommended that residents work with their ANC commissioners (if they have one) when submitting 311 requests so that the commissioners can bunch similar requests and share with DDOT.
Sign up to receive CM Parker’s newsletter at ward5.us/newsletter.
Community Comments
Lots of comments from residents concerning construction of new campuses for Yu Ying and Washington Latin public charter schools at the former Kirov Ballet Academy on Harewood Road NE (Project Website). Residents noted issues with traffic congestion and parking. A couple of residents asked when Washington Latin will start having community meetings regarding construction of their new school building. The process was designed so that Yu Ying would finish construction first before Washington Latin proceeds. Part of the issue is that right now there is not an ANC commissioner for that area in ANC 5A05.
A resident suggested that residents on Urell Place, where there is a lot of concern about parking, look into getting resident-only permit parking on their street. Commissioner Holloway (5A06) offered to help.
Representatives from Yu Ying and Washington Latin were on the meeting to listen. Yu Ying held a meeting on January 16 to provide updates. Jose Sousa is serving as the point of contact for residents for Yu Ying. He can be reached at jose.souza@washingtonyuying.org.
Washington Latin representatives stated they will work to have a community meeting. They also noted that at their existing campus on 2nd and Hamilton Street NW, they use a bus service to transport about one-third of their students. So, they are looking at possibly using a bus service for their new campus to mitigate some of the traffic. Washington Latin reps can be reached at communication@latinpcs.org. Commissioner Lucio invited both schools to attend the ANC’s February meeting to give a formal presentation.
In response to a question about the McDonald’s on South Dakota Avenue, Commissioner Alston (5A08) stated that the new owners told her that the restaurant is scheduled to close on February 15. They are still waiting for raze permits, but they need to close in order to start cleaning the restaurant. Commissioner Alston said that the owners told her that flyers about the closure are inside the restaurant.
In response to a question about the marijuana dispensary planned next to the McDonald’s, Commissioner Alston stated that she has reached out to the owners, but they have not responded so far. A resident asked if there was a process for getting retail that residents want in the strip mall. Response was that it depends on the particular project and if the ANC has the opportunity to weigh in.
To join ANC 5A’s distribution list, fill out the form on the ANC’s website at anc5a.org. Reach out to your ANC commissioner to find out if they have a distribution list for their single member district. Find your ANC/SMD.
The next ANC 5A meeting is scheduled for February 26, 2025.
The application period for DDOT’s e-bike voucher program will be open February 1-21, 2025. District residents may apply for a voucher worth up to $1,500 to help purchase an e-bike. To participate in the Program, individuals must:
Be a District resident;
Be over 18 years old;
If applying as a Preferred Applicant, be enrolled in SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, or the DC Healthcare Alliance.
Not have received an e-bike voucher from this program in 2024.
Note, this year’s program will not include vouchers for cargo e-bikes. District residents must apply for a voucher in advance and be approved before buying an e-bike or other items
Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George is hosting a public safety meeting with MPD on January 30, 2025, 6:30pm-8:30pm at Brightwood Education Campus (1300 Nicholson Street NW).
If you have any questions or accessibility requests for Thursday’s meeting, please send an email to Candace Nelson, Chief of Staff, at cnelson@dccouncil.gov.
Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker invites residents to join his next Public Safety Call on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. These calls will now be held quarterly.
Invited guests are MPD Chief Pamela Smith and Director Kweli Sneed from the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE).
Register to receive the meeting link at ward5.us/publicsafetycall. The meeting will be livestreamed on CM Parker’s YouTube channel. It will be recorded, and slides will be shared afterwards.
The office of Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker is hiring two constituent services coordinators. View the vacancy announcement.
Also, in his latest newsletter, Councilmember Parker announced a few new hires and personnel changes. Sign up to receive the newsletter at ward5.us/newsletter.
Oversight hearings provide a good opportunity to let the Council know what District agencies are doing well and how they can improve. It is a good first step in advocating for budget funding. Worth taking some time to let those with the power to do something know about issues that residents have.
4B04 vacancy: Candidate petition circulation period 1.13.25-2.3.25
Community Concerns
Please use the “Raise Hand” button via Zoom or *9 via telephone to speak.
The Commission will provide details regarding how to present community concerns at the start of the virtual meeting. This is the time for questions or statements from members of the public about issues on the agenda or other areas of concern. Please limit your statement or question to one minute. You may also contact members of the Commission before and after Commission meetings.
Reports (Invited)
Yamileth Escobar, Mayor’s Office on Community Relations and Services (3 minutes)
Barbara Rogers, Office of Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (3 minutes)
T. Michelle Colson, Ward 4 State Board of Education (3 minutes)
Consent Calendar
Adjournment
The next ANC 4B Planning Meeting is scheduled for February 11 at 6:30 p.m.
The next ANC 4B Regular Public Meeting is scheduled for February 24 at 7:00 p.m.
The next ANC 4B Community Safety and Support Committee meeting is scheduled for February 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Please check the Commission’s website for additional information: anc4b.com
The Cafritz Foundation is seeking a two-year extension of time to submit an application for the next phases of Art Place at Fort Totten (Zoning Commission case no. 06-10I). The project sits in ANC 5A09.
The Zoning Commission expects to discuss the request at its public meeting on January 30, 2025.
Background
We have gotten a lot of questions about timing for various aspects of the development. The project, a planned unit development (PUD), is being developed in phases along South Dakota Avenue NE between Galloway and Kennedy. The Modern at Art Place (referred to as Building A or Phase 1) opened in 2017. When the Zoning Commission approved the part of the project currently under construction (referred to as Block B or Phase 2), the commission requested that the developer “file a second stage PUD application for either Block C or Block D by December 31, 2024.” (ZC order 06-10D). The expectation was that Phase 2 would have been fully built out by now.
As most know, after the second phase was initially approved, the pandemic impacted plans for the project. They lost their big anchor Meow Wolf, and the retail environment dramatically shifted. So, they filed requests for modifications that were approved. They came up with a sequencing plan for the second phase, which has been discussed on the blog previously. The first sequence included construction of Aldi grocery store, which opened on December 5, 2024. They outlined further sequencing to round out the second phase to include potentially a children’s museum, housing, and additional retail.
Last year, we discussed that the new potential operator of the children’s museum, KID Museum, was taking time to evaluate the feasibility of opening a second location in this neighborhood. There is a KID Museum in Bethesda. At Aldi’s ribbon cutting, I was told that KID Museum is still going through their feasibility process. We also discussed plans by Social Justice School to establish a permanent home in the last remaining warehouse on Kennedy Street. The developer previously communicated that the development team continues to seek financing for the housing portion of Phase 2.
Extension Request
All that to say, there are no clear answers about timing for the remainder of Phase 2 and what could possibly be in store for future phases. And that is what the developer is saying they need time to evaluate. Their filing states:
The Applicant requests an extension of the First-Stage PUD approval for two years; that is, until December 31, 2026. This extension request will provide the Applicant the opportunity to review, potentially revise, and move forward with Second-Stage PUD applications for the development of the Property. The time extension request will also allow the Applicant to finalize a new development timeline and mix of uses, which better reflects the current and expected economic climate.
The DC Office of Planning filed a report recommending approval of the extension request but noted that if this is indeed the second request and not the first, then it may be granted for just one year (OP Report).
The developer notified ANC 5A and ANC 4B, as well as the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA).
(Full disclosure: Knowing that a request for an extension of time was likely forthcoming, I sent the development team and ANC Commissioner Shelagh Bocoum (5A09) correspondence about the property. Over the past couple of years, a few residents have regularly let the development team know about the need to be more diligent about maintaining the vacant lots, picking up trash, improving the overall appearance of the property, being creative and flexible regarding the vacant retail spaces and lots, and etc.)
In response to dialogue with representatives of ANC 5B, LRCA, and members of the surrounding community, the Applicant has agreed to undertake the following actions to enhance the physical appearance of the area around Blocks B, C, and D as follows:
• The Applicant has prepared a full design program for a new fence with signage and art images, as well as banner signs on new light poles throughout the site;
• The Applicant will install trashcans along South Dakota Avenue in front of Block B; and
• The Applicant will work with LRCA, ANC 5B, and members of the community to activate the site (in particular the South Dakota Avenue frontage) while the planning for the future development of Blocks C and D progresses.
(The ANC listed in the filing is a typo. The project is in ANC 5A and across the street from ANC 4B. Also, the first bullet point regarding banners is something they came up with on their own).
I anticipate that we will be hearing more about these interim plans in the next couple of months.
Next Stop...Riggs Park 
