October 28, 2020 ANC 5A Meeting Recap: Budget; Comp Plan; Website; Office Space

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on October 28, 2020. Commissioners present: Grace Lewis – Parliamentarian (5A02); Emily Singer Lucio – Secretary (5A03); Ronnie Edwards – Chair (5A05); Claudia Barragan (5A06); Sandi Washington – Treasurer (5A07); Gordon Fletcher – Vice Chair (5A08)

The ANC used this meeting primarily to discuss ANC business.

ANC Budget

The ANC is supposed to prepare a budget for the new fiscal year. They have to get public input, so there could be a special meeting in the next couple of weeks for that. Think about if you have specific ideas for how the ANC should use its funds.

ANC Annual Report

The ANC is supposed to prepare an annual report. The ANC did not submit a 2018-2019 report, so this year’s annual report will cover activities from 2018 to 2020.

Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan)

Chair Ronnie Edwards (5A05) thanked the residents who worked on the ANC’s resolution to the DC Office of Planning (OP) regarding the proposed Comp Plan amendments (see part one and part two of ANC 5A’s submission). OP responded to the ANC’s submission back in April of this year. OP accepted two of the ANC’s comments for inclusion in OP’s draft plan, acknowledged around thirty-five comments as consistent with and already incorporated elsewhere in the draft plan, and rejected around nine comments as either inconsistent with or out of the scope of the plan. OP’s response letter stated the agency would be interested in talking with the ANC about its submission (language included in responses to all of the ANCs), so Chair Edwards mentioned having OP at a meeting to do so. (Given that OP’s response was sent in April and the Council is having a hearing on the proposed amendments on November 12 and 13, I am not sure when a conversation will realistically happen). The ANC plans to testify at the Comp Plan hearing.

ANC 5A Website

Commissioners Gordon Fletcher (5A08) and Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) are leading the project to revamp the ANC’s website. The ANC will secure at least three bids for the design. Commissioner Claudia Barragan (5A06) implored the ANC to contract with someone who lives in the District (preferably in Ward 5). After all, she noted, the ANC often asks developers to hire Ward 5 residents and do business with local companies so it only makes sense for the ANC to hold itself to the same standard. If you or anyone you know may be interested in designing a website for the ANC that can be easily maintained, reach out to Commissioners Fletcher and Lucio for a scope of work.

ANC Office Space

The saga that is the ANC office space at Art Place at Fort Totten continues. The developer is requesting a self-insured document from the ANC so that the ANC may occupy the space free of charge. Getting that document is turning out to be a little difficult. During the meeting, Commissioner Fletcher, who represents the SMD where Art Place sits, displayed a document that other ANCs have received from District government for a similar purpose to explain what he needs. Director of the Office of ANC Gottlieb Simon was in the meeting and seemed to suggest that getting a similar document to ANC 5A would require jumping through a little more hoops for some reason. But they are working on it.

Art Place at Fort Totten

An item not on the agenda was a public space application for curb cuts for the second phase of Art Place at Fort Totten. The permit expediter handling the application for the developer appeared at the meeting to explain that the request is for two curb cuts on Ingraham Street NE and one curb cut on Kennedy Street NE. The full commission was not aware of the application so they will review it for the next meeting.

Miscellaneous

The ANC will work on recording its public meetings.

The next regularly scheduled meeting will be on November 18 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Riggs Park Place Groundbreaking

Posted by nextstoprp in Riggs Park Place (formerly Fort Totten South)

On October 30, 2020, Mayor Muriel Bowser broke ground on Riggs Park Place, a new EYA townhome community at the corner of South Dakota Avenue and Riggs Road NE that will have 90 townhomes (five below market rate), 80 rental units for seniors, and retail. The project will be built in two phases beginning with the townhomes. Over 50 percent of the homes have been sold.

This project has been in the works in some form or fashion since at least 2006. During the groundbreaking, Gwen Cofield and I were recognized for our efforts in representing the community (view a video snippet here). Pictures and the full press release below.

Gwen Cofield with Edwin Washington, Executive Director of The Parks Main Street
Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd viewing 3D model
Mayor Bowser with communications team and DMPED Director of Real Estate Sarosh Olpadwala
Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd giving remarks
EYA Executive Vice President Aakash Thakkar giving remarks
Groundbreaking with Mayor Bowser
Mayor Bowser with current and former leadership of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association and The Parks Main Street

Mayor Bowser Breaks Ground on Riggs Park Place, Bringing 170 New Homes to Ward 4

Friday, October 30, 2020

New Development to Deliver Homeownership Opportunities, Apartments for Seniors, and Retail Options

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd, along with Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), broke ground on Riggs Park Place in Ward 4, a long-awaited housing community of townhomes, apartments, and retail located at the intersection of Riggs Road and South Dakota Avenue, NE.

“Today is a special day in Ward 4 – we are excited to start construction on Riggs Park Place, a community where DC residents from all walks of life can call home,” said Mayor Bowser. “We’re going to keep investing in projects that bring housing, particularly affordable housing, to neighborhoods across all eight wards.”

The first phase of Riggs Park Place will feature 90 new townhomes for sale, five of which will be designated as affordable homeownership opportunities. Phase two will be an 80-unit mixed-use senior apartment community with at least 30 affordable units. The 90 townhomes will be modern, two-, three-, and four-bedroom floor plans close to Fort Totten Metro Station, a café and shopping across Riggs Road, the newly renovated Lamond-Riggs Library, as well as cultural and art experiences at Art Place, an adjacent mixed-use development offering apartments, retail, a new fitness center, a children’s museum, and more.

“I couldn’t be prouder to break ground at this historic development after working for years with the community, developers and other stakeholders,” said Councilmember Todd. “This new community in the Riggs Park/Fort Totten neighborhood is a huge win for our seniors who wish to age in place, our families and individuals alike who are looking for an affordable place to live. It is these economic opportunities and creation of affordable housing that will uplift our communities and help us make an equitable recovery.”

“This project is an example of how the Bowser Administration continues to push ahead on complex, and long-stalled projects because we know that having safe and affordable housing options and neighborhood amenities for our communities is what our residents want,” said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development John Falcicchio. “We also want to thank this community for their active engagement in this project for many years and for sticking with us to get to today.”

Other financial partners for Riggs Park Place include EYA, JBG Smith and Paramount Development, with its lender, Eagle Bank.

“Riggs Park Place, and our partnership with the city, exemplify EYA’s ability to effectively work with residents, local jurisdictions, and our financial partners to both create value and bring meaningful projects to life,” said Aakash Thakkar, EVP at EYA. “Despite uncertain times, this partnership has shown that there is tremendous demand for high-quality, attainably priced new housing in the region. The public-private nature of the project, its revitalization impact on the neighborhood, and its delivery of missing middle townhomes that address a broad demographic are all core tenets of EYA’s mission. We appreciate the partnership with JBG Smith, Paramount Development, Eagle Bank, the District, and the community that enabled us to move the project forward.”

Bowser Administration’s Commitment to Affordable Housing

Mayor Bowser reaffirmed her commitment to investments in affordable housing with her Fiscal Year 2021 budget, recognizing that both short- and long-term efforts must be ongoing to preserve housing affordability and stability for all District residents. The Mayor’s FY21 budget includes an investment of $100 million in the Housing Production Trust Fund – for the sixth consecutive year – and a $1 million investment in the Housing Preservation Fund.

At the start of her second term, Mayor Bowser set a bold goal to deliver an additional 36,000 units of housing – including at least 12,000 units of affordable housing – by 2025. From January 2019 through July 2020, the District has produced 10,658 units, of which 1,692 are affordable. You can track the District’s progress toward #36000by2025 at open.dc.gov/36000by2025.

The Haunting of Clover Adams

Posted by nextstoprp in History

By David Kosub (Contributor)

…Then in 1885…the room (in what is now the Hay Adams Hotel) is warm, yet still somehow oddly…cold. Quiet, except for the sound of wood burning in the fireplace. Smell of almonds perfuming the still air. Photograph developing chemicals are spilled on the ground. The body of a woman lies lifeless on a rug nearby. The husband who finds her is devastated.

…Now in 2020…her restless spirit continues haunting the grounds where her body lies for eternity…grounds, which may be uneasy to hear, lie very close to you. Read on, if you dare.

Marion “Clover” Hooper Adams was an interesting character in her day. Sure, she was married to Henry Adams—of Boston Presidential family notoriety–but but she was oh so much more. An accomplished photographer for her day, she captured images that became a commentary on the role of women in society and domestic life.

Marion “Clover” Hooper Adams. Source: Wikipedia

She also experienced severe mental illness and depression. And, on one fateful day, she brought her 42 year life to an end by swallowing some of the very same developing chemicals that brought her photos to life. Chemicals, no less, that commonly contained potassium cyanide.

No suicide note found. So, why did she do it? Some say it was the loss of her father months back. Some think it was the claustrophobia caused by the domestic role of women in her day. Some believe it was because Henry stymie her artistic ambitions. Maybe it was the affair she learned about? Regardless, her suicide haunted Henry’s psyche for the rest of his life (even though she was not mentioned once in his award winning autobiography).

Henry commissioned a statue for Clover years later. Inspired by the Buddhist principle of nirvana, it depicted his anguish over her death in bronze for hereafter. The anonymous and androgynous figure, now overlooking her grave site encircled by conifers and granite, hides behind a shroud. And, if you look at its face, you too will understand the grief he must have felt. When Henry passed a few decades later, he too was buried right there under the gaze of the contemplative figure. You can walk through it here.

Adams memorial statue in Rock Creek Cemetery. Source: DC Historic Sites

Those who visit the site say they can strongly feel Clover’s presence. Others, after time spent near the statue, are overtaken by sadness, grief, and despair. Both Clover and Henry have been seen wandering the grounds. Now, it’s time for you to experience the site and feel their grief firsthand. Their spirits are both right here, a short 30 minute walk from Riggs Park, in Section E of Rock Creek Cemetery, right off Allison St NW and North Capitol. 

If you miss Clover during your visit, that may be because she is getting payback in nearby Pikesville, Maryland. A couple decades after the statue began overseeing her eternal resting place, General Felix Agnus made an illegal replica of it  for his own family plot. Since then, visitors have experienced strange activity at the so-called Black Aggie statue (watch this video). Legend has it that “her” eyes glow red at night, which could make you go blind if looked upon. Grass refused to grow nearby. Pregnant women would miscarry if walking through her shadow. And, naturally, you would die from extreme fright if you sat on her lap or stayed overnight with her. After frisky teens and drunk college kids kept breaking into the Druid Ridge cemetery to get their late night kicks, the family shipped the statue off to the Smithsonian for safekeeping in the late 1960s. Eventually,  Black Aggie  would reside outside the Dolly Madison House in Lafayette Square, mere steps from the hotel where Clover took her own life.

If you are the type of person who likes staying overnight near an androgynous shrouded statute with glowing eyes in a cemetery, well, then you should write next year’s Riggs Park spooky post. I suspect you have some interesting stories to tell…Happy Halloween!

Eastern Avenue NE Rehabilitation Update: Design Nearly Complete, Construction A Ways Off

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

The rehabilitation of Eastern Avenue NE from New Hampshire Avenue NE to Whittier Street NW is near the 95% design stage. At ANC 4B’s meeting on October 26, 2020, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) shared that final design is expected early 2021. There is not funding for construction yet. DDOT stated that the earliest they are looking at getting funding for construction is fiscal year 2023. You can view the livestream of the meeting here (DDOT presentation begins at the 8:22 minute mark).

This project has been in the works for many years. DDOT explained that the delay in completing the design is due to expansion of the scope of work.

DDOT Ward 4 Liaison Sayra Molina stated that DDOT will have another meeting for residents after the design is complete. DDOT will discuss with residents interim, short-term traffic calming measures that may be possible, such as signage and markings. Because Eastern is classified as an arterial road, DDOT will not install speed humps.

The project website is https://ddot.dc.gov/page/rehabilitation-eastern-avenue-ne.

Walmart Boarded Up – Still Open

Posted by nextstoprp in Main Street
Walmart at 310 Riggs Road NE, October 29, 2020. Photo credit: Kenny Gibbs

A neighbor passed along a photo of the Walmart on Riggs Road NE with barriers in front the building and boarded up windows. The store remains open. Some businesses have started boarding up in anticipation of potential protests leading up to and following Election Day. I happened to drive downtown yesterday to pick up some items from my office and noticed businesses downtown boarding up. The Parks Main Street communicated that District officials are not presently recommending that businesses board up but are recommending that businesses make sure their insurance is up-to-date and that employees know what to do in case of emergencies.

Business on 11th Street NW downtown being boarded up

In addition, there have been two straight nights of protests a couple of miles from the neighborhood on Kennedy Street NW and near DC police Fourth District headquarters on Georgia Avenue NW following the death of 20-year-old Karon Hylton. The police department’s initial statement of Mr. Hylton’s death stated Fourth District officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop of the young man on Friday, October 23, after observing him riding a moped on the sidewalk in the 500 block of Kennedy Street NW without a helmet. The statement went on to say he fled on the moped, drove through an alley, and collided with a passenger vehicle upon exiting the alley. Witnesses dispute this police account, contending that police pursued Mr. Hylton in contravention of a no-pursuit policy for traffic infractions. Camera footage of the interaction could possibly be released today.

November 1: Meet ANC 4B09 Candidate Tischa Cockrell at Hellbender

Posted by nextstoprp in Uncategorized

Get out the vote at Hellbender Brewing Company

On Sunday, November 1, 2020, the Tischa Cockrell for ANC 4B-09 Campaign will gather (socially distanced, outside) at Hellbender Brewing Company from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. The brewery will open an hour early at 12:00 pm for Tischa’s campaign, and a food truck will also be available. 

This is a great chance to meet the candidate and learn more about the race to represent 4B-09 as ANC Commissioner. 

Hellbender Brewing Company
5788 2nd Street NE, Washington D.C. 20011
Just up 2nd Street behind Walmart

MoveDC Transportation Plan Update Highlights

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

We noted in this post that the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is soliciting public input to update the moveDC long-range transportation plan that was adopted in 2014. Thanks to neighbor Gavin Baker for pulling together some proposed update highlights for Lamond-Riggs outlined below.

DDOT is asking for survey responses by November 10 about goals and priorities for updating moveDC. DDOT is also asking for feedback by November 10 on three maps of proposed mobility priority networks for transit, bikes, and freight.

With respect to the bike map, there are some differences from the 2014 plan, if you are inclined to leave comments on and propose changes to the map.

  • The 2014 plan proposed bike facilities for Riggs Road NE/Missouri Road NW/Military Avenue NW, but in the draft 2020 map, it looks like bike facilities for the Riggs Road NE portion east of North Capitol Street have been removed. Riggs Road is one of the few places where bicyclists can cross the train tracks. It does not make sense to stop the bike network on Missouri/Military at North Capitol Street. DDOT should continue the bike network on Riggs Road NE (as proposed in the 2014 plan) especially given that there are bike lanes east of Eastern Avenue into Prince George’s County. Removing the Riggs Road NE portion from the bike network would leave a gap for no seemingly identifiable reason.
  • The 2014 plan did not include bike facilities on New Hampshire Avenue north and east of North Capitol Street, but these facilities are proposed in the draft 2020 map, so feel free to indicate that you like that on the map.
  • The draft 2020 map proposes to close the gap on Kansas Avenue between Blair Road and Chillum Place, which was not included in the 2014 plan. Again, feel free to leave a comment indicating you like that piece.
  • The Eastern Avenue trail is new to the 2020 draft. It looks like a lot in the National Capital Trail Network plan recently approved by MWCOG is in this draft, at least the segments for this neighborhood.
  • The 2014 plan included two new street connections over/under the train tracks between Kansas and Riggs, which are not shown in the 2020 draft. It is not clear if that is because they are not “bicycle facilities” and so they are not shown on the bike map, or if it is because DDOT has dropped the idea.

As for why DDOT is updating a plan that was adopted in 2014 and that still has a lot left to be implemented, DDOT stated in a virtual townhall that it is general practice to update long-range plans every five to eight years.

One key point to note is that on September 22, 2020, the DC Council unanimously passed a Vison Zero omnibus bill. The legislation is under review by the mayor’s office. Assuming the legislation goes into effect, it would require DDOT to build transit and bike facilities listed in the long-range plan when they are doing other major work on that road segment, so it would give some teeth to these maps.

The project website is wemovedc.org.

October 26: ANC 4B Monthly Public Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 4B

ANC 4B Regular Public Meeting
Monday, October 26, 2020, 7:00 p.m.

Virtual Meeting Details: 

For video participation via Zoom on a computer or mobile device, click this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84214249196?pwd=c3E0bzJmMFpoQ1JwVWFtNmhsVkduUT09. Meeting ID: 842-1424-9196. Password: 964318. 

For voice-only participation on a telephone, dial (301) 715-8592. Meeting ID: 842-1424-9196. Password: 964318. 

To watch (but not participate) via YouTube: https://youtu.be/IJNG8qn514A. 

Agenda

1.        Call to Order & Roll Call  

2.        Administrative Items: 

A. Consideration and Approval of October Agenda 
B. Instructions regarding Participation in Virtual Meeting 
C. Approval of September Regular Public Meeting Minutes 
D. Treasurer’s Report & Quarterly Financial Report for Q4 2020 
E. Commissioner Updates (if applicable)

3.        Presentation: Tesfalem Aim and Yvonne Thelwell, District Department of Transportation, Rehabilitation of Eastern Avenue (Commissioner Bromaghim – 10 minute presentation; 10 minute discussion) 

4.        Presentation: Greg Matlesky, Bicycle Program Specialist, District Department of Transportation, Proposed Capital Bikeshare Station at Kansas Avenue and Longfellow Streets, NW (Commissioner Johnson – 5 minute presentation; 5 minute discussion) 

5.        Presentation: Julie Patton Lawson, Director, Mayor’s Office of the Clean City, Pilot Project re Residential Trash Disposal (Commissioner Brooks – 3 minute presentation; 3 minute discussion) 

6.        Presentation: Petra Development, Proposed Development at 6928 Maple Street, NW (Commissioner Bromaghim – 10 minute presentation; 10 minute discussion) 

7.        Reports:

A. Metropolitan Police Department, 4th District (3 minutes) 
B. Office of Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon T. Todd (3 minutes) 
C. Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (3 minutes)  
D. Ward 4 State Board of Education Representative Frazier O’Leary (3 minutes) 

8.        Consent Calendar: 

Resolution 4B-20-1001: Supporting Proposed Capital Bikeshare Station at Kansas Avenue and Longfellow Streets, NW (Commissioner Johnson) 

Resolution 4B-20-1002: Encouraging Best Practices to Assure Broad Inclusivity and Robust Participation in DC Government Hearings (Commissioner Palmer and Commissioner Johnson) 

Letter to District Department of Transportation Regarding Improvements to Traffic Safety Assessment Process (Commissioner Palmer and Commissioner Yeats) 

Letter to District Department of Transportation Requesting Traffic Safety Improvements on Butternut Street, NW (Commissioner Palmer and Commissioner Yeats) 

Resolution 4B-20-1003: Requesting Installation of Speed Humps on 6th Street, NE, from Eastern Avenue, NE to Oneida Street, NE(Commissioner Brooks) 

Resolution 4B-20-1004: Requesting Traffic Calming for the 5700 – 5900 Blocks of Eastern Avenue, NE(Commissioner Huff)  

Resolution 4B-20-1005: Requesting Installation of Speed Humps on Dahlia Street, NW between Georgia Avenue, NW, and Piney Branch Road, NW (Commissioner Yeats)   

9.        Resolution 4B-20-1006:Establishing a Vision Zero Committee (Commissioner Yeats and Commissioner Brooks – 3 minute presentation; 3 minute discussion) 

10.     Resolution 4B-20-1007: Supporting and Providing Recommendations on B23-149, Fair Tenant Screening Act of 2019; B23-498, Intersectional Discrimination Protection Amendment Act of 2019; B23-195, Michael A. Stoops Anti-Discrimination Amendment Act of 2019 (Commissioner Palmer – 2 minute presentation; 2 minute discussion) 

11.     Community Concerns: *Please use the “Raise Hand” button via Zoom or *9 via telephone to speak during community concerns. The Commission will provide additional details regarding how to present community concerns via the virtual meeting at the start of the 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. 

12.     Adjournment 

Next Regular Public Meeting: Monday, November 23, 2020, 7:00 p.m. 

Contact your Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner: ANC 4B01 Evan Yeats (4B01@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B02 Erin Palmer (4B02@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B03 Scot Knickerbocker (4B03@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B04 Brenda Parks (4B04@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B05 Perry Redd (4B05@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B06 Tiffani Nichole Johnson (4B06@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B07 Geoff Bromaghim (4B07@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B08 Alison Brooks (4B08@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B09 LaRoya Huff (4B09@anc.dc.gov) 

Final Riggs-LaSalle Playground Design

Posted by nextstoprp in Recreation

On October 14, 2020, DC’s Department of Parks & Recreation and the Department of General Services shared the final design for the new Riggs-LaSalle Playground that will be located on the Nicholson Street NE side of the Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center. View the presentation here.

The playground will be ADA accessible with play structures for the 2 to 5 year old age group and for the 5 to 12 year old age group. New shade trees, low maintenance landscaping, and a four foot decorative fence will be installed.

We discussed the preliminary design in this blog post. A few updates from the preliminary design:

  • Confirmed drinking fountain with bottle filler
  • More benches (4, up from 2)
  • More swings (4, up from 3)
  • Night lighting
  • Security cameras
  • Reorientation of the playground layout

DPR will not create a direct walkway between the existing splash pad and the new playground as requested because they do not want children with wet slippery feet running onto the playground and potentially hurting themselves. As for security, DPR noted the agency will work with DGS to ensure that the playground is adequately maintained and safe.

The project will break ground in the next couple of weeks, with completion anticipated late 2020/early 2021. For questions, contact the project manager Peter Nohrden at peter.nohrden@dc.gov. The project website is https://dgs.dc.gov/riggs-lasalle.

Images from presentation

Riggs Park Featured in GGWash

Posted by nextstoprp in Riggs Park

Greater Greater Washington published a profile of the Riggs Park neighborhood written by a neighborhood resident. Similar to these blog posts, the piece discusses the neighborhood’s Civil War and industrial past. The piece goes on to highlight some of the neighborhood development in the pipeline, noting the neighborhood could become a destination of sorts in the future. Check it out.

Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center Crime By the Numbers

Posted by nextstoprp in Public Safety, Recreation

By David Kosub (Contributor)

Warranted or not, the subject of crime regularly seems to come up when discussing Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center. This was definitely a point of debate amongst neighbors at the October 2020 meeting of the Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association as part of the discussion on the new playground. If you need to come up to speed on the new project, please read a detailed description here and my comments provided to the DC Department of Parks and Recreation. And, mark your calendars for October 14 for the next community meeting on the project.

I personally feel safe in Riggs Park and have no fear about taking my family to the current playground. From my viewpoint, detractors of the playground like to  say that the vast majority of crime—especially violent crime—that happens in Riggs Park centers around the recreation center. But, these are always anecdotes, and we all know that the plural of anecdotes is not data.

So, let’s actually look at some crime statistics pulled from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Crime Map to better understand the issue. In this post, I will show data provided when searching for all reported crimes within 1,000 feet from the Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center over the past eight years. Note, data for 2020 are as of Wednesday, October 7, 2020. Also, keep in mind when looking at the data, that these numbers may or may not be directly linked to anything going on at the rec center, but specifically within a 1,000 foot radius.

Table 1 below shows the bigger picture of property crime and violent crime since 2012. No surprise, but property crimes outnumbered violent crimes each year. During this time, the total number of crimes trended up, peaked in 2017, then came down since then.

YearPropertyViolentGrand Total
2012909
201333639
2014371249
2015381856
201642951
2017451459
201837643
201926733
202018220
    
Table 1

Table 2 shows a breakdown of property crimes reported near the rec center. These include burglary, motor vehicle theft, theft from auto, and other types of theft. Theft from automobiles is definitely a problem near the rec center, but this is an issue citywide, not unique to Riggs Park. MPD raises this issue quite often at community meetings. Here is your PSA for the day, stop leaving valuables in your car already!

YearBurglaryMotor vehicle theftTheft from autoTheft/other
20121116
201348147
2014461413
2015471512
201610338
2017441819
201813276
201912167
202012114
Table 2

And, what about for violent crimes, such as assault with a deadly weapon, homicide, robbery, and Sexual abuse? Below are the numbers for your review in Table 3.

YearAssault w/dangerous weaponHomicideRobberySex abuse
20120000
20132031
20143090
201512060
20165220
201730110
20183111
20193040
20200020

Finally, when looking at the method used during some of the crimes, Table 4 below shows  the data for guns, knifes, and other methods. I’m not sure what all is encompassed in “other” here from MPD, and probably do not want to know…

YearGunKnifeOtherGrand Total
2012189
201323739
2014424349
201594756
2016724251
2017615259
2018413843
2019512733
202021820
Table 4

Overall, reported crimes appear to be trending downward in recent years near the rec center. This is also the case for Riggs Park as a whole (see this 2019 post for a decade’s worth of data). To me, this is something to commend and build upon. Moreover, the crime data do not justify to me a reason to fight a new playground coming to our neighborhood that will benefit families and children alike. That being said, one crime is too many of course. I am pleased to hear of residents taking action, providing crime-reduction plans, and working towards engaging folks in our community (yes, that is an overt plug for Tischa Cockrell running for ANC4B).

Take the MoveDC Transportation Plan Survey

Posted by nextstoprp in Transportation

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is updating moveDC, DC’s long-term transportation plan. The moveDC 2021 update will:

  • Streamline the goals, policies and strategies that guide transportation investments
  • Map mobility networks for bicycles, transit and freight to achieve mode shift goals
  • Address how recent, emerging and future mobility trends and innovations will shape our transportation system
  • Set metrics to track progress and measure success
  • Ensure equity is a key consideration in making transportation decisions
  • Engage with the community to develop a plan that reflects current values and meets federal requirements

Residents can participate in moveDC2021 in one of the following ways:  

                      *  Tuesday, October 20, 2020, 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
                    *  Thursday, October 22, 2020, 10:00 am-11:00 am  
                      *  Tuesday, October 27, 2020, 7:00 pm-8:00 pm  
                      *  Wednesday, October 28, 2020, 10:00am -11:00 am 

For more information about moveDC 2021, visit the plan website www.wemovedc.org.

Thoughts on Local Candidates for 2020 General Election

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 4B, ANC 5A
Image of drop box at UDC-CC Backus located at 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE. The drop box will open on October 5.

DC election ballots started arriving in mailboxes earlier this week. As noted in this post, residents have a number of ways to vote. Most ballot drop boxes placed around the city will open on Monday October 5. The most convenient ballot drop boxes to Riggs Park are at UDC-CC Backus (5171 South Dakota Avenue NE) and Lamond Recreation Center (20 Tuckerman Street NE). For all voting information, including ballot drop box and voting center locations, visit the DC Board of Elections website at https://www.dcboe.org.

Candidate Information Resources

Check out the nonpartisan DC League of Women Voters for candidate questionnaires at https://www.vote411.org/ballot. Type in your address and you will see candidate questionnaires for races that appear on your ballot, including the ANC race.

Also, as required by law, the DC Office of Campaign Finance held a debate of the At-Large DC Council candidates and the At-Large DC State Board of Education candidates. View the debates at http://2020dcdebates.com.

Update 10/6/2020: DCist has published a voter guide for the At-Large Council race, which includes a link to candidate questionnaires.

Update 10/12/2020: The Washington Post published a voter guide for the State Board of Education race and a voter guide for the At-Large Council race.

Update 10/15/2020: Washington City Paper published a voter guide for the At-Large Council race.

ANC Races

For the Riggs Park neighborhood, there are competitive races for ANC single member district (SMD) 5A08 and 4B09. For ANC 5A08, I recommend that residents support the incumbent commissioner Gordon Fletcher, who is running for reelection. His competitor Nestride Yumga’s main claim to fame is inviting Breitbart News to an event she organized at MPD’s Second District headquarters this past summer. At the event, Yumga, a Black woman, stated about Black individuals, “We have the most violent race in America.” I know sometimes people do not pay attention to ANC races, but we really do not need to have people who say ridiculous, racist things like this representing DC residents.

For ANC 4B09, I recommend that residents support Tischa Cockrell. Ms. Cockrell is running against the incumbent commissioner LaRoya Huff. Both Ms. Cockrell and Ms. Huff serve on the board of the neighborhood civic association Lamond-Riggs Citizens Association (LRCA), Ms. Cockrell as 1st Vice President and Ms. Huff as 2nd Vice President. Ms. Cockrell is the only person keeping the organization from devolving into complete chaos under the leadership of LRCA president, Rodney Foxworth. Ms. Huff ran on Mr. Foxworth’s slate and was elected along with almost the entirety of his slate for the LRCA board in May 2019. I have not been posting about LRCA matters much because it is just unfortunate how much of a spectacle it has become under Mr. Foxworth’s leadership and those who supported him.

At any rate, as most know, Ms. Huff is also the deputy director of constituent services for Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon Todd. Councilmember Todd lost the Democratic primary earlier this year and will relinquish his council seat in January 2021. I have always found it curious that DC Council staffers can run for ANC, but they can. Ms. Huff is not the first and she will not be the last to do so, but there is a serious question of what can be attributed to Ms. Huff’s wearing her council staffer hat versus her ANC hat. And I am going to go ahead and say that much of what Ms. Huff has done in the neighborhood is the result of being a Ward 4 council staffer, so I question how much will be done once she is no longer in that role. The fact that for a time this year, residents were reaching out to me about issues in ANC 4B09 (and I live in Ward 5) because they were not receiving responses to messages sent to Ms. Huff’s ANC email address partially leads me to this conclusion.

That aside, I worked with Ms. Cockrell on neighborhood issues when I served as LRCA president from June 2017 to June 2019 and also prior to that when we were both pretty involved in neighborhood civic life. Barbara Rogers, Ms. Cockrell, and I planned the Riggs Park Day celebration in May 2018. Residents talked about having this celebration for at least nine years that I know of, wishing that a community day was held like it was in the past well before I moved into the neighborhood. The three of us decided we were going to plan it and we did it. It was a lot of work and took a lot of time, resources, and sheer willpower, and it ended up being a really wonderful community day.

Ms. Cockrell also recently started the Friends of Riggs-LaSalle Recreation Center to support the neighborhood rec. Again, this is something that neighborhood residents talked about for a long long time and Ms. Cockrell took the initiative to actually get it started. So I recommend that residents in ANC 4B09 vote for someone who regularly checks email, takes inititative, stays informed about projects in the SMD, and informs residents about what is happening in the SMD by voting for Tischa Cockrell.

Ward 4 Council

Democratic candidate Janeese Lewis George and Statehood Green Party candidate Perry Redd are on the ballot for the Ward 4 Council seat.

Ward 4 State Board of Education

Incumbent Frazier O’Leary does not have a competitor for the Ward 4 SBOE seat.

At-Large State Board of Education

The At-Large State Board of Election race has six candidates on the ballot. View the OCF debate at http://2020dcdebates.com.

One of the candidates, Jacque Patterson, has a slight connection to Riggs Park. Mr. Patterson, who previously attempted to run for this seat but failed to get on the ballot in 2016, is tangentially responsible for Rocketship Charter School coming to the neighborhood. Mr. Patterson was the DC regional director for Rocketship Schools when Rocketship was supposed to open a Ward 5 campus in Brookland back in 2018. That effort failed, leaving families stranded after the school enrollment deadline. It was quite the debacle. Rocketship replaced Mr. Patterson with the current DC regional director Joyanna Smith. Ms. Smith is a familiar face at ANC 5A meetings because Rocketship ended up leasing space at Art Place at Fort Totten in Riggs Park for its Ward 5 campus.

At-Large Council

The At-Large DC Council race has 24 candidates on the ballot for two seats. Rick Murphee withdrew after the ballot printing deadline, so his name still appears on the ballot. To get a handle on the large number of candidates, check out the OCF debates. In addition, the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly held a well-moderated, two-part debate in September. View part one here and part two here.

Initiative 81

Initiative 81 seeks to make entheogens (think magic mushrooms and the like) the lowest of local law enforcement priorities. Who knows how much enforcement there actually is in DC, but nevertheless the issue is on the ballot. Find out more about the initative at https://decrimnaturedc.org/initiative-81. An organizer for the Initiative 81 campaign presented at ANC 4B’s September meeting. View that meeting here (at the 20:22 minute mark).

Happy Voting!

September 23, 2020 ANC 5A Meeting Recap: Flood Resources; Catholic University Updates; Providence Updates

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 5A

ANC 5A held its monthly public meeting on September 23, 2020. Commissioners present: Frank Wilds (5A01), Grace Lewis – Parliamentarian (5A02), Emily Singer Lucio – Secretary (5A03), Ronnie Edwards – Chair (5A05), Claudia Barragan (5A06), Sandi Washington – Treasurer (5A07), Gordon Fletcher – Vice Chair (5A08)

Ward 5 Councilmember Report

Silas Grant, Senior Adviser to Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, noted Councilmember McDuffie recently introduced emergency legislation, the Local Business Enterprise Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2020, to close a loophole around certified business enterprises (CBEs).

For those impacted by flooding and sewer backup issues as a result of the storm on September 10, DC Water has a resource page at https://dcwater.com/storm-and-flooding-september-10-2020. DC Water has established a cleanup fund using two vendors. Residents who still need to dewater, clean, and sanitize their homes should contact the vendors directly: (1) Service Master at (703) 212-7000 or (2) ServePro at (703) 448-8444. DC Water will pay the vendor directly.

DC Homeland Security & Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) Flood Response

Clint Osborn with the DC HSEMA Hazard Mitigation Program has been assigned to work with the MOCRs to help residents affected by the September 10th flood. He outlined the steps affected residents should take:
(1) Any affected resident that still needs to clean and sanitize their home should immediately call the DC Water vendors noted above (Service Master or ServePro) for immediate dewatering and cleanup/sanitizing. Residents having trouble reaching the vendors can contact DC Water’s cleanup temp to help, but the fastest way to get service will be to contact the vendors directly. DC Water will pay the vendor directly up to $5,000.
(2) File a homeowners insurance claim even if the home may be uninsured or underinsured. Residents can contact DC’s Department of Insurance, Securities, & Banking (DISB) for assistance in addressing any policy concerns.
(3) File a claim with DC Water’s insurer at https://dcwater.com/claims.
(4) Apply for DC Water’s backwater preventer rebate program, which provides reimbursement up to $6,000 for installation of a backwater valve by a licensed plumber. Installing a backflow preventer is the best way to prevent sewer backflow into one’s home. DC Water has expanded the program to Edgewood and Riggs Park residents, but residents who live outside of these neighborhoods should still apply, as DC Water will determine eligibility for the program by address. All residents must apply for and be determined eligible for the program before installing a backflow valve in order to be reimbursed. Note: Even if you did not experience sewage backup in your home, if your address is eligible for the program, DC Water will reimburse you up to 90% (up to $6,000) for installation of a backwater valve, so all residents in the affected neighborhoods should consider applying.
(5) Any affected homeowner who has not done so already should participate in DC’s canvassing effort (see image below). Contact James Farley at (202) 738-2085. DC is assessing whether to make an application to FEMA for a disaster declaration in order to get more relief to affected homeowners. DC will need to meet certain thresholds, and the canvassing effort will help with the FEMA request.

Catholic University

Catholic University introduced their new public safety official, Kirk McLean, Associate Vice President for Public Safety & Emergency Management. He is a retired Prince George’s County law enforcement officer.

Catholic has a COVID-19 information page with information related to case numbers and reopening. Judith Biggs Garbuio, Vice President of Student Affairs at Catholic, stated classes are being offered primarily online. She noted 611 students are living on campus, consisting of a small number of first year and transfer students. Catholic does not know how many students returned to the DC area to off campus housing. Ms. Garbuio noted that some students had to return because their landlords would not let them out of their lease. When students enroll in spring classes in a couple of weeks, the university will have a better sense of where their students are living.

Catholic is conducting surveillance testing of student-athletes and symptomatic individuals. As of September 23, the university reported 73 off campus positive COVID-19 cases and 10 on campus positive COVID-19 cases. The university does not have any reported positive COVID-19 cases among faculty or staff since students began returning to campus on August 15. Most faculty are teaching classes remotely, and most staff have the option to telework until at least December 31, 2020.

Catholic recently sent communication to neighborhood residents asking them to contact the public safety line at (202) 319-5111 if residents see large student gatherings. Ms. Garbuio stated that they were made aware of one large student party off campus and those students were placed on threat of suspension.

Providence

View Providence’s presentation here.

Nicole Commodore, Director of Community Impact & Advocacy for Providence, noted Providence continues to work with DC on COVID-19 response. Providence is also willing to partner with organizations to provide masks to seniors in need.

Providence was recently selected and approved as the medical provider partner for the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind’s grant application for the DC Hope Community Grant.

Providence will have a free community flu shot clinic on October 7, 2020, from 9:30 am to 11:00 am and from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

DC’s State Health & Planning Development Agency (SHPDA) recently approved Providence’s certificate of need for a diagnostic and imaging center. The center will be housed in the old emergency center and is expected to open in spring 2021. The center will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

(One item not discussed was the DC Office of Attorney General’s recent communication regarding the OAG’s investigation of the closure of Providence Hospital. Read more at https://oag.dc.gov/blog/investigating-closure-providence-hospital.)

ANC 5A Website

The ANC is planning to revamp its website again. The current website is not user friendly or ADA compliant. Commissioner Gordon Fletcher (5A08) and Commissioner Emily Singer Lucio (5A03) will spearhead the project. Look for a new website first quarter 2021.

ANC 5A08 Public Safety Task Force

ANC 5A08’s public safety task force held its first orange hat walk on September 16. If you are interested in participating in the 5A08 task force, reach out to Commissioner Fletcher.

Ward 5 Mutual Aid

The ANC informed the Ward 5 mutual aid organization that it needs to partner with a nonprofit organization in order to receive a grant from the ANC. The mutual aid organization will look at partnering with a couple of area churches.

DC Census 2020

There is still time to complete the census if you have not done so. Visit https://2020census.gov.

Miscellaneous

An update on Art Place at Fort Totten was originally on the agenda, but was removed by Commissioner Fletcher. He will provide an update at a future meeting.

At the request of a resident, the ANC will consider recording the meetings to make them publicly available to residents.

September 28: ANC 4B Monthly Public Meeting

Posted by nextstoprp in ANC 4B

ANC 4B Regular Public Meeting
Monday, September 28, 2020, 7:00 p.m.
Virtual Meeting Details:

Virtual Meeting Details: 

For video participation via Zoom on a computer or mobile device, click this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84214249196?pwd=c3E0bzJmMFpoQ1JwVWFtNmhsVkduUT09. Meeting ID: 842-1424-9196. Password: 964318. 

For voice-only participation on a telephone, dial (301) 715-8592. Meeting ID: 842-1424-9196. Password: 964318. 

To watch (but not participate) via YouTube: https://youtu.be/kPF-3QiSqxk.

Agenda

1.        Call to Order & Roll Call  

2.        Administrative Items: 
A. Consideration and Approval of September Agenda 
B. Instructions regarding Participation in Virtual Meeting 
C. Approval of July Regular Public Meeting Minutes 
D. Treasurer’s Report & Approval of Budget for Fiscal Year 2021 
E. Commissioner Updates (if applicable) 

3.        Presentation: Lia Kuduk, Goodwill Ambassador and Community Organizer, Campaign to Decriminalize Nature DC, Initiative 81 (Commissioner Palmer – 5 minute presentation; 5 minute discussion) 

4.        Presentation: Paul Kihn, Deputy Mayor for Education, Public School Reopening (Commissioner Yeats – 10 minute presentation; 15 minute discussion) [invited] 

5.        Reports:A. Metropolitan Police Department, 4th District (3 minutes) B. Office of Ward 4 Councilmember Brandon T. Todd (3 minutes) C. Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (3 minutes)  D. Ward 4 State Board of Education Representative Frazier O’Leary (3 minutes) 

6.        Consent Calendar: 

Resolution 4B-20-0901: Requesting Installation of Speed Humps and Additional Traffic Calming on Whittier Street, NW, between Blair Road, NW, and Piney Branch Road, NW (Commissioner Palmer & Commissioner Bromaghim)  

Resolution 4B-20-0902: Requesting Consideration of Speed Humps on 4th Street, NW, between Van Buren Street, NW, and Aspen Street, NW (Commissioner Palmer & Commissioner Bromaghim) 

Resolution 4B-20-0903: Requesting Speed Humps on Longfellow Street, NW, between Kansas Avenue, NW, and First Street, NW (Commissioner Brooks)  

Resolution 4B-20-0904: Requesting Speed Humps for the Unit Block of Sheridan Street, NE (Commissioner Bromaghim)  

Resolution 4B-20-0905: Supporting the Provision of DHCD Funding for 218 Vine Street, NW (Commissioner Bromaghim)  

Resolution 4B-20-0906: Urging the DC Council to Ban the Use of Gay Panic and Trans Panic Defense in Court Cases (Commissioner Yeats) 

7.        Resolution 4B-20-0907: Supporting Traffic Calming on 3rd Street, NE (Commissioner Brooks & Commissioner Huff – 2 minute presentation; 2 minute discussion) 

8.        Resolution 4B-20-0908: Addressing Pedestrian Safety Measures and Signage at Walmart Supercenter, 310 Riggs Road, NE (Commissioner Huff – 2 minute presentation; 2 minute discussion) 

9.        Community Concerns: *Please use the “Raise Hand” button via Zoom or *9 via telephone to speak during community concerns. The Commission will provide additional details regarding how to present community concerns via the virtual meeting at the start of the 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. 

10.     Adjournment 

Next Regular Public Meeting: Monday, October 26, 2020, 7:00 p.m. 

Contact your Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner: ANC 4B01 Evan Yeats (4B01@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B02 Erin Palmer (4B02@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B03 Scot Knickerbocker (4B03@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B04 Brenda Parks (4B04@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B05 Perry Redd (4B05@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B06 Tiffani Nichole Johnson (4B06@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B07 Geoff Bromaghim (4B07@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B08 Alison Brooks (4B08@anc.dc.gov); ANC 4B09 LaRoya Huff (4B09@anc.dc.gov)