Monthly Archives: March 2018

The Week Ahead…

Here’s a recent shot of construction excavation at the site 

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, March 27

ANC6B Executive Committee meets at 7:00pm at Hill Center, to set the agenda for the April meeting of the full ANC.

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee meets at 7:00pm, North Hall, Eastern Market

 

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DC’s US Attorney Grilled by ANC6B Reps on Rape Stats, Small Crimes & the Injustice of “Simple Assault”

US Attorney for DC Jessie Liu at left takes questions from ANC6B Commissioners – (l-r) Denise Krepp, Jennifer Samolyk, Chander Jayaraman

DC’s US Attorney Grilled by ANC6B Reps on Rape Stats, Small Crimes & the Injustice of “Simple Assault”

by Larry Janezich

Last Tuesday night, US Attorney for the District, Jesse Liu, appeared before ANC6B.  Liu, on the job just six months, brought half a dozen of her staff, including Doug Klein, Community Prosecutor for the MPD’s First District.

Liu said that her office – the largest US Attorney’s office in the nation – has 300 attorneys and prosecutors and an equal number of non-attorney staff.  As both the local and federal prosecutor for DC, the office deals with local prosecutions extending from misdemeanor drug possession and murders to federal prosecutions on child porn, gangs, financial fraud, and terrorism.

Liu said the office focuses on violent crime and develops strategies to reduce and prevent violent crime.  She said she was committed to interacting with the community.

Liu took questions from the Commissioners and first out of the gate was Commissioner Denise Krepp, who rose from her chair to say, “I’m here because I want to ask you if you’re going to respond to my letter of February 8 regarding statistics on prosecution of rapes.  Do you plan on answering my letter to find out how many campus rapes have been prosecuted?”  Krepp explained that she had had to sue DOJ to get information that 1 out of 48 college campus rapes had been prosecuted, only to have those figures questioned by the District’s US Attorney’s office at a panel discussion of rape which she monitored at George Washington University.

Liu told Krepp that she hadn’t seen the letter and would take a look at it.  Klein reminded Krepp that US Attorneys who attended the GWU panel had informed her that sex complaints are reviewed by two senior prosecutors independently – they look at the evidence, the cooperation of the victim, what is provable in court, and what they can present to a grand jury. “Statistics,” he said,” don’t reflect how cases are reviewed” and “as prosecutors we are ethically responsible to review and prosecute or not”.

For Krepp, the bottom line is that “There are multiple rapes going on in DC and I’m not willing to let the Department of Justice not prosecute them.”

Klein said we will review this and “definitely get back in touch.”  ANC Chair Dan Ridge closed the discussion, asking Krepp to inform the ANC whether she had received a reply by the next meeting.

Up next, Commissioner Jennifer Samolyk told Liu she was concerned that too often MPD seems to be “going through the motions” regarding misdemeanor arrests and once suspects are arrested they are quickly back on the streets.  Liu told Samolyk that the standard for an arrest by MPD is “probable cause” – while the standard for prosecution is “beyond a reasonable doubt.”  Samolyk said that “these small cases are important because they are the ones we deal with on an everyday basis – every day of our lives.”  Liu pointed out that in most cases where a crime is committed by a juvenile, it is prosecuted by the DC Attorney General’s office.

Commissioner James Loots backed up Samolyk’s concern, citing patters of smaller crimes, noting that in one case MPD arrested 12 individuals in his single member district which resulted in no prosecutions.  The pattern of crime, he said, continued.  Loots added that the smaller less high-profile crimes significantly affect the quality of life, and suggested that selective prosecution of misdemeanors might have an effect on an issue which is important for the community.

Commissioner Chander Jayaraman raised the issue of what constitutes “simple assault,” citing his personal experience having been mugged – suffering a broken nose – outside his own house.  He was surprised to see the attack classified by MPD as a “simple assault.”  Klein went through the categories of assault, noting that simple assault can include everything from being spit on to being hit in the face.  Felony assault generally involves a significant injury and hospital stay.  Klein said the definition of simple assault is “a term of art,” pleading that “these definitions precede me.”  Another attorney from the US Attorney’s office interjected that the classification of an assault depends on the circumstances – witnesses, search issues, the jury – “it’s a very fact specific inquiry.”

ANC6B Chair Dan Ridge followed up, wondering why simple assaults don’t go into the daily crime reports.  Klein said that was an MPD statistics issue.

In a related matter, Ridge raised the issue of the nature of “simple assault” at MPD’s Sector 2 (PSAs 104, 107, 108) meeting in Southeast Library on Thursday night.  Captain John Knutsen, MPD, Sector 2, reinforced the position of the U.S. Attorneys at the ANC6B meeting two nights earlier, on how much the classification of an assault depends on the ability of the victim to identify his or her attacker.  In attendance at the meeting were two mothers whose children had been “beat up” recently by other students near Potomac Avenue Metro.  Another mother was present to ask about the lack of an MPD alert regarding a group of up to 20 students who had attacked her son near 10th and North Carolina Avenue.  Her son had been rescued, she said, by a “hero” – a nearby public utility worker.  The woman spoke for all of the mothers and others at the meeting, asking “What can be done?”

Ridge pushed for MPD to put all crimes – including simple assault – on the mpd.press@dc.gov notices to the community listservs, a suggestion endorsed by others at the meeting.  One person emphatically agreed, saying she would rather know about a (currently-unreported simple assault) than a “shoplifting at CVS.”

Knutsen, said he would explore the broader use of the MPD Alerts and offered to share additional information regarding the classification of assaults.  He did allow that “Right now, whatever’s happening is not working” – apparently referring to MPD’s inability to address misdemeanors like simple assault, owing to the technical issues governing the classification of the crime.

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The Week Ahead…

Many of us have live on Capitol Hill for decades and never set foot inside the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the US Building at 200 Maryland Avenue, NE. Here’s a shot of the stained glass window in the lobby.

The Week Ahead….

By Larry Janezich

Monday, March 19

ANC6D meets at 7:00pm, 1000 5th Street, SE

Among items on the draft agenda:

Presentations:

Office of the People’s Counsel, Cheryl Morse

Office of the Attorney General, Cameron Windham

Unity Healthcare – Update on 555 L Street, SE Location

Southwest Library Update

Chloe – 1331 4th Street, SE: Amendment to Settlement Agreement to permit summer garden w/adjustment of occupancy

Mission – 1221 Van Street, SE: new Tavern liquor license with entertainment and dancing and a summer garden plus a sidewalk cafe

District Winery – 385 Water Street, SE: Amendment to Settlement Agreement to add summer garden and a stipulated license

Letter of Support for New Jersey Ave. Gateway Public Art, Brad Fennell & David Hess Min.

Randall School, 65 Eye St SW, Updated letter of support

Forest City Parking Lot Extension Parcels I, F, H & Q

Southwest BID Expansion

110 M Street, SE: Oath Pizza Sidewalk Café Permit Application

Nats Ballpark & DC United TOPP, authorization for CM

Comprehensive Plan, authorization for CM

Letter to DPR RE Lincoln Capper children’s pool

ANC 6A Transportation & Public Space Committee meets at 7:00pm, 900 G Street, NE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

Announcement that ANC 6A is seeking volunteer committee members.

Review of public space application for a sidewalk café by Loaf Coffee, 101 15th Street NE – 20 minutes

ANC 6A Community Outreach Committee (COC) meets at 7:00pm at Eastern High School, Parent Center, 1700 East Capitol Street, NE (Enter from East Capitol Street)

Agenda:

Committee business.

Tuesday, March 20

The CHRS Board of Directors meets at 6:30pm, Capitol Hill Townhomes, 750 6th Street, SE.

ANC6A ABC Committee meets at 7:00pm, Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee at Sherwood Recreation Center 10th and G Streets, NE

Among items on the draft agenda:

Discussion of license renewal for 7 River, LLC t/a 7 River Mart at 250 11th Street, NE

Wednesday, March 21

ANC6A Economic Development & Zoning Committee meets at 7:00pm, at Sherwood Recreation Center 10th and G Streets, NE

Among items on the draft agenda:

Capital East Apartments – HPRB recommendation on the plans for the rehabilitation and addition of a new roof deck at the Capital East Apartments, located at 816 E Street NE & 518 Ninth Street NE.

1371-1375 H Street NE – Application of DC Super Pack LLC for a special exception to operate an animal boarding use in an existing building in the NC-15 District.

121 Tennessee Avenue NE – Application for special exceptions to construct a two-story addition to an existing one-story rear addition to an attached principal dwelling unit in the RF-1 Zone.

Friday, March 23

Charles Allen holds community office hours at 8:00am, Pretzel Bakery at 15th and C Streets, SE

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Sroufe Is Unopposed for ANC6B02 Seat – Kelly Waud Files for Vacant ANC 6B07 Seat

ANC6B

Sroufe Is Unopposed for ANC6B02 Seat – Kelly Waud Files for Vacant ANC 6B07 Seat

by Larry Janezich

Jerry Sroufe has emerged as the only candidate for the vacant ANC6B02 seat left by the resignation of Commissioner Diane Hoskins who resigned in February owing to the time constraints of a new job.

In a letter to ANC6B Chair Dan Ridge, Sroufe informally notified the commission that he was the only candidate.  Since the filing deadline has passed for filing to run for that vacancy and barring any successful challenge to the names provided on his petitions, the DC Board of Elections will certify ANC6B of Sroufe’s election around March 21.  CM Charles Allen will then swear in Sroufe as commissioner.  That could occur in time for Sroufe to assume office by the next meeting of ANC6B on April 10.  The single member district he will represent is a demanding one, including Eastern Market, Eastern Market Metro Plaza, and the Hine Project.  Sroufe, a long time Capitol Hill resident, is Senior Advisor at the American Educational Research Association.

ANC6B has a second vacant seat, that being for ANC6B07.  Kelly Waud is the single candidate who has picked up petitions of candidacy.  As of mid-day on March 15, Waud has not submitted a petition with the necessary 25 signatures of residents in the single member district.  The filing deadline for submission of petitions ends on Monday, March 26.  Waud has been serving as a resident member of ANC6B’s Transportation Committee.  The vacancy occurred when Commissioner Aimee Grace resigned last month before she relocates to Hawaii.

ANC6B07 is a complex single member district, home to Harris Teeter, the retail businesses on the south side of Pennsylvania Avenue between 12th and 14th, Watkins and Chamberlain schools, Potomac Gardens, Hopkins apartments, and much of the proposed Southwest Boulevard.

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ANC6B Protests City Agency Undercutting Its Advisory Role on Ebenezer Church Development

Tuesday night’s ANC6B meeting. L-R, Commissioners Samolyk, Jayaraman, Ridge (Chair), Loots, Burger, Hagedorn. Absent: Oldenburg and Krepp. Two seats are currently vacant.

ANC6B Protests City Agency Undercutting Its Advisory Role on Ebenezer Church Development

by Larry Janezich

Last night, ANC6B voted 6-0 to appeal HPRB’s decision to approve a curb cut requested by the developer of Ebenezer Flats (the ten unit residential complex adjacent to Ebenezer Church at 400 D Street, SE).  The appeal came about largely as the result of the latest instance in which the Commission felt its advisory role in determining what happens in the community had been undercut by another city agency – in this case HPRB.

On February 22, HPRB approved a revised plan for the curb cut on a 6 – 1 vote, ignoring the regular process which would have sent the revisions back to ANC6B for their opinion.  (See here:  http://bit.ly/2p4FG3c)

“It doesn’t matter whether the ANC is for or against an issue,” ANC6B Commissioner James Loots said, “a secret backroom deal between the Historic Preservation Office and the developer is not acceptable.”

Loots charged that when he found out the night before the HPRB hearing that the revised plan would not come back to the ANC, he emailed the Office of Planning to strongly urge following proper procedure and defer a hearing until ANC had an opportunity to weigh in.  Loots said that HPRB “consciously didn’t notify ANC” despite the Chair being notified that the ANC had been by-passed.  He continued, “The contempt and total disregard of the process – it doesn’t matter whether you’re for or against it – the amount of effort we put into this requires they have to listen to us and they didn’t. “

Commissioner Nick Burger agreed, characterizing the HPRB process in particular as “sloppy” compared with that of the Bureau of Zoning Adjustment.  Burger – playing devil’s advocate – acknowledged that he doubted the ANC position on the curb cut in question would have been any different had the matter come back to the ANC.

The ANC subsequently voted 6 – 0 for a Loots motion to request that the Mayor’s Agent – in this case, the Director of the Office of Planning, who is the final authority in the city’s executive branch on Historic Preservation matters – conduct a review and independent hearing regarding HPRB’s failure to notify the ANC and whether factors other than those directly related to historic preservation figured in the Board’s decision to approve the curb cut.

Loots –  an attorney – stressed that his votes on historic preservation applications have been consistently informed by the law and historic preservation requirements.  The Hill Rag reported that some HPRB board members expressed concern that African American churches were being driven out of the community by lack of parking and that it was important to find ways to allow these institutions to exist.   http://bit.ly/2Dqunrg

The ANC then voted 6 – 0 for a Burger motion to send a letter to the Mayor, Council Chair Mendelson, and Councilmember Charles Allen expressing a broader concern about agencies’ failure to adhere to the ANC process and asking for a review of the legal requirements and possible amendments to the governing legislation.

Earlier in the meeting, the ANC approved language expressing opposition to the developer’s DDOT Public space application for the curb cut.  That issue will likely come before the DDOT Public Space Committee at its next meeting on March 22.

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The Week Ahead…CM Charles Allen Continues Making the Rounds of the ANCs – 6C on Wednesday

Friday afternoon, circa 3:00pm. Some members of FOSEL (Friends of Southeast Library) complete the set up for Saturday’s book sale. FOSEL meets at 5:30pm the first Thursday of the month. New members and volunteers welcome.

The Week Ahead…

Tuesday, March 13

ANC6B meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center

Among items on the draft agenda:

Presentations:

Jessie Liu, US Attorney for the District of Columbia

Amy Mauro, DC Fire and EMS Chief of Staff to discuss DC FEMS Right Care, Right Now initiative

Capitol Hill Classic

816 Potomac Avenue, SE – Historic Preservation application re concept/four-story side addition

600 Pennsylvania Ave, SE – Historic Preservation application re concept/storefront-infill

8th and I Streets, SE – Public Space application for additional bollards at the Marine Barracks

14th and D Streets, SE – Public Space application for curb cuts at the Southeast Safeway

400 D Street, SE – Public Space application for curb cut for Ebenezer Church Parking lot

Discussion of “great weight” to given to ANC6B in recent HPRB cases

March for Our Lives — any late breaking issues

Talk of the Hill with Bill Press: DNC Chairman Tom Perez, 7:00pm, Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Wednesday, March 14

ANC6C meets at 7:00pm, Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE

Among items on the draft agenda: 

Presentations:

Council Member Charles Allen

Right Care, Right Now initiative, D.C. Fire Chief, Gregory Dean

600 H Street, NE – Solid State Books, new class D liquor license

Wunder Garten, 1101 First Street, NE – Settlement Agreement amendment

NoMa Parks update

Leaf Blower Regulation Amendment Act of 2017

Environmental/sustainability issues

201 Massachusetts Ave NE, Union Pub – Public Space application – conversion to an enclosed sidewalk café

659 G Street NE, Ludlow Taylor Elementary School fence

Contemplated PUD proposal for Parker/2nd/K Streets

CHRS Preservation Café:  Sustainable DC and Historic Preservation.  Northeast Library, 330 7th Street, NE

Thursday, March 15

Sector 2 (PSAs 104, 107, 108) Community Meeting, 7:00 pm, Southeast Library, 403 7th Street, SE

CHRS Zoning Committee meets at 7:30pm, Kirby House, 420 10th Street, SE, first floor

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ANC6B Is Set to Oppose Ebenezer Church‘s Curb Cut & Butt Heads with HPRB

Here’s where developers propose a curb cut on the 400 block of C Street, SE, that would permit access to a proposed 16 car parking lot behind Ebenezer Church.

ANC6B Is Set to Oppose Ebenezer Church‘s Curb Cut & Butt Heads with HPRB

by Larry Janezich

Last Tuesday night, a handful of ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee members voted to oppose a curb cut in the Historic District on Fifth Street, SE, which would permit access to a proposed 16 car parking lot for Ebenezer Church.  That recommendation now goes to the full ANC.  The motion to oppose was made on the basis of not having enough information about the consequences of the curb cut and a desire to preserve interior green space of a block in the Historic District, and included a provision to place the measure on ANC6B’s “consent calendar” at the full meeting.  This means that the issue is likely to be approved en bloc along with several non-controversial measures without further debate or discussion.  Any commissioner, however, can take the measure off the consent calendar for further consideration.

The vote on the motion in Committee was 4 – 0 – 1 against the curb cut with committee chair Nick Burger abstaining.

Commissioners Kiersten Oldenburg said she was “not crazy about the motion,” but explained that she consistently opposes curb cuts in the Historic District.

Commissioner Chandler Jayaraman – who made the motion – said his objection was based on not having enough information about the uses for which the parking lot would be used as well as the desire to protect green space in the interior of a Historic block in accordance with previous precedents supported by the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB).

Two additional nay votes were provided by resident members of the committee.

About a half a dozen nearby neighbors expressed concerns about the project, those objections based on the lack of communication and transparency by the developer, uncertainty about the possible future commercial development of the church, and the perception that the parking lot would have a negative effect on traffic in the neighborhood.  Some neighbors most directly affected, objected to having a parking lot on the other side of their back fences.  A smaller number of neighbors supported the parking lot and endorsed the developer’s efforts to alleviate the shortage of parking in the neighborhood.

Last month the HPRB agreed with ANC6B and opposed the construction of two mechanical parking structures behind the church, but left the door open for a parking space for multiple cars.

The developer took advantage of the opening to alter the plan, removed the parking structures and – with the apparent sanction of the Historic Preservation Office – brought the altered proposal back before the HPRB without referring it to ANC6B for further consideration.  HPRB subsequently approved the parking lot plan and the necessary curb cut by a vote of 6 – 0 – 1.

The developer told ANC that there was no intent to short-circuit the process in by-passing the ANC, since an application for a curb cut to the Department of Transportation would automatically come back before the ANC for consideration.  In fact, Tuesday night’s Committee consideration of the curb cut application was the first step in that process.

After what is likely to be consent calendar approval of the ANC’s opposition to the curb cut at the March meeting of ANC6B, the matter will go to the Department of Transportation Public Space Committee for a public hearing.  Nearby resident Chuck Burger told the ANC Committee on Tuesday night that he had led a small delegation of neighbors to present their objections to the parking lot directly to the Public Space Committee.

It’s hard to predict what the Public Space Committee will do – it will have to weigh a strong endorsement of the curb cut by HPRB against the opposition of the ANC.  In the past DDOT has tended to give ANCs short shrift.

ANC6B has scheduled a discussion regarding its concern about the status of the city’s requirement that ANC opinions be given “great weight” by city agencies at their next meeting on Tuesday, March 13, after the vote on the curb cut.

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Hype Café Opens at 12th and PA Avenue – Here’s Their Coffee Menu/Prices & More Photos

Hype Cafe at opened last Saturday at 1129 Pennsylvania Avenue, in the space most recently occupied by Frager’s Paint store.

Here’s the coffee menu featuring Arkibuna Ethiopian Coffee, also sold here by the pound.

Hype Café Opens at 12th and PA Avenue – Here’s Their Coffee Menu/Prices & More Photos

by Larry Janezich

You walk in and notice lots of light, tables and counter space. “Why Hype?” you ask. Proprietor Samuel Mengista says, “It’s the name we came up with to express the effect of the coffee.” Mengista and his fiancée Hanna Tesfamicael opened Hype last Saturday.

At present, the café serves drinks and pastries. A grand opening planned for the end of the month will mark an expansion of the menu to feature sandwiches and injera – the traditional flat spongy bread of several East African countries – with Ethiopian vegetable toppings. Next summer could see the addition of a sidewalk café.

The café is open seven days a week, weekdays from 7:00am until 9:00pm, and Saturday/Sunday from 8:00am until 9:00pm.

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Capitol Hill Classic May Get Relief from MPD’s Parking Ban

Route of the Capitol Hill Classic 10 K

Route of the Capitol Hill Classic 5 K

Capitol Hill Classic May Get Relief from MPD’s Parking Ban

by Larry Janezich

Roberta Stewart, representing organizers of the 39 year old Capitol Hill Classic, appeared before ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee last night, seeking the ANC’s support for the annual race which benefits public schools on Capitol Hill.  This year’s race is scheduled for May 20.

Organizers are concerned that the race will be affected by the MPD’s “Clear Streets Initiative” which requires cars to be removed from the routes of all races and events because of perceived threats in the wake of tragedies in Charlottesville and Boston.  MPD will impose the ban on the 26 miles of District streets comprising the route of the March 10 for profit Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.

Stewart told the Committee that the “Clear Streets Initiative” requiring the removal of all cars along the 33 blocks of the race is a “big deal for us  – MPD requires race organizers to pay for the removal of any cars left on the route the night before the race, it would cost us $10,000 to implement measures involving towing, MPD personnel, and sand trucks to block intersection.”

Stewart and representatives of Capitol Hill Classic took their concerns to the Mayor’s office and found them sympathetic to their plight.  The petitioners cited their nonprofit status, the benefit to public schools, and the fact that half the race participants live on Capitol Hill.  Stewart said that organizers have worked hard with residents to minimize the inconveniences caused by the race and after 39 years, they fear the new rules would cost them the support of the community.

Stewart told the ANC Committee that the Mayor’s office had committed to a process whereby residents and churches would be allowed to park on the race route by displaying a placard, though how the process would be implemented remained uncertain.

The ANC Committee voted to support the Capitol Hill Classic, and recommended that the Mayor’s office make parking at RFK Stadium available for cars which must be moved from the route.

Yesterday, CM Charles Allen cautioned about the feasibility of the placard plan.  Late last night, Allen responded to an open letter from Capitol Hill resident Daniel Buck who criticized the MPD’s imposing the Clear Street Initiative by fiat and decrying the inability of the Mayor and City Council to do anything about it.

Allen said he has been critical of the MPD program since it was announced, and as the result “they are working on a proposal to create a placard program that would allow residents to request and place a temporary pass on their dashboard and leave the car on the race route. I think this is an unworkable idea though. It would likely be onerous to administer by government, put new requirements on the residents to comply, probably create a lot of confusion overall, and then at the end of it all, this alternative would still leave cars on the race route (which is what they say creates the safety challenge in the first place).

I am quietly exploring other ways to force a change in policy, and have my staff attorneys looking into the feasibility of such an action.”

ANC6C Commissioner Scott Price, also a critic of the Clear Streets Initiative, said in an email to constituents that “this change is aligned with practices in other USA cities to limit the damage an Evil Doer might inflict on runners and crowds along the race route,” adding “It is very disappointing that DC government has not broadly announced this change, nor appears to have made any accommodation for the inconvenience (e.g., arranging for free parking in Senate and House parking spaces)…This change makes the R+R event unendurable for Capitol Hill which is the only densely-populated portion of the race route surrounded on three sides….”

For an earlier post on the Clear Streets Initiative, see here:  http://bit.ly/2BO028V

For more info on the Capitol Hill Classic, see here:  https://www.capitolhillclassic.com/

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The Week Ahead….CM Charles Allen Is Before ANC6A on Thursday

Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee met last Wednesday night in the North Hall, Eastern Market. From left to right: Anita Jefferson, Angie Brunson, Chander Jayaraman, Jonathan Page, Tom Kuchenberg, Monte Edwards, Chair Donna Scheeder, Bill Glasgow, Chuck Burger, Chuck Brome, Susan Oursler, Richard Layman, and Executive Assistant Susan Eads Role.

The Week Ahead….CM Charles Allen Is Before ANC6A

Monday, March 5

CHRS Historic Preservation Committee meets at 6:30pm, and Kirby House, 420 10th Street, SE

ANC6C Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee meets at 7:00pm, Kaiser Permanente Building, 700 2nd Street, NE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

Solid State Books, LLC, 600 H Street, NE – new application for retailer’s Class D license.

Proust Partners LLC, trading as Wunder Garten, 1101 1st Street, NE – Settlement Agreement Amendment Request re retailer’s Class C license.

Capitol Cantata Series, a free, noontime concert at St. Peter’s on Capitol Hill (313 2nd Street, SE), presented by the Washington Bach Consort. The series begins on March 5th and runs through April 30th. It’s a pilot program and additional dates may be added depending on audience turnout.  The upcoming free Capitol Cantata Series performances at St. Peter’s are as follows:

Monday, March 5, 12:10pm

Sie Werden aus Saba alle kommen, BWV 65

Richard Giarusso, conductor & artistic director candidate

Monday, April 2, 12:10pm

Ich habe genug, BWV 82a

John Moran, conductor

Monday, April 30 12:10pm

Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott, BWV 129

Gwendolyn Toth, conductor & artistic director candidate

Tuesday, March 6

ANC6B Planning and Zoning Committee meets at 7:00 PM at St. Coletta of Greater Washington 1901 Independence Avenue, SE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

Capitol Hill Classic (including the MPD “Clear Parking Initiative” for Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon and other races within DC city limits.

1612 E Street, SE – Zoning Adjustment to construct a third story and rear addition to a existing one family dwelling.

816 Potomac Avenue – Historic Preservation Application for concept for four story side addition.

600 Pennsylvania Avenue LLC – Public Space Permit for infill and signage (in-fill of the portico in front of the US Post Office and adjacent businesses)

400 D Street, SE – (Ebenezer Church) – DDOT Public Space Permit for paving driveway.

ANC6C Parks & Events Committee will meet at 7:00pm at Kaiser-Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center, 700 2nd Street, NE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

NoMA Parks Foundation – update on status of pending parks projects and underpass installations.

Leaf Blower Regulation Amendment Act of 2017.  Grif Johnson from Quiet Clean DC will present to the Committee and seek ANC support for legislation to prohibit the sale and use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers in the District by January 1, 2022.

Environmental/Sustainability Issues: Identification and discussion of environmental issues worthy of Committee consideration in 2018.

Wednesday, March 7

ANC6B Transportation Committee will meet at 7:00pm at Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

Discussion of Tyler and Brent School Pedestrian Safety Problems.

Discussion on DDOT’s Response to Requests for 4-way stops at 8th & A Streets SE and 5th & Independence SE

Alley naming for Square 1090.

Decisions on Oversight Performance & Budget Hearings

ANC6C Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee will meet at 6:30pm in Northeast Library, 7th and D Streets, NE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

732 4th Street NE – Historic Preservation Application for concept approval for rear and rooftop additions

Contemplated PUD proposal for Parker/2nd/K Streets, NE.  Informational presentation on PUD application under consideration for ~8,800sf site at the western end of Square 750.

Upcoming Council hearing (March 20) on B22-663, Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2018 – This legislation reflects an attempt by the Office of Planning to update one key section of the Comp Plan, the Framework Element, in light of the public comments submitted last year.

Thursday, March 8

ANC6A will meet at 7:00pm at Miner Elementary School, 601 Fifteenth (15th) Street, NE.

Among items on the draft agenda:

Presentation:  Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen

Presentation:  DC Office of Victims Services and Justice Grants – Michelle M. Garcia, Director

Recommendation:  ANC6A approve the Ludlow-Taylor Parent Teacher Organization (LTES PTO) grant application for $966.50 to the for the purchase of sixteen (16) Chromebooks and a charging cart for its third (3rd) grade classrooms.

Motion:  ANC6A send a letter to Councilmember Charles Allen in support of naming an alley in the 600 block of 11th Street NE as “Bruce Robey Way.”

Recommendation:  ANC 6A send a letter to Councilmember Charles Allen in support of a ceremonial renaming of the 200 block of 10th Street NE as “Outlaw Way” in honor of Pocahontas Outlaw.

Recommendation:  ANC 6A send a letter to DDOT Public Space Committee in opposition to an application for a street fixture on public space at 809 12th Street, NE.

Recommendation:  ANC6A send a letter of support to BZA for a special exception to enclose a rear, third floor deck in an existing one-family 1226 North Carolina Avenue, NE, on the condition the applicant make best efforts to provide additional information to immediate neighbor

Recommendation:  ANC6A send a letter to DC Council Chair Phil Mendelson to oppose the current draft of the proposed Framework Element of the DC Comprehensive Plan.

ANC 6C Transportation and Public Space Committee meets at Kaiser Permanente Capitol Hill Medical Center, 700 2nd Street, NE, Room G3-G4. 

Among items on the draft agenda:

Union Station Expansion Project public meeting March 22, 2018.

434 3rd Street, NE – Application for proposed construction of new two unit flat with requiring areaway entrance, front steps,awning, and closing of existing apron and curb and gutter.

Union Pub, 201 Massachusetts Avenue, NE – Conversion to Enclosed Sidewalk Café.  Union Pub is proposing to enclose their existing sidewalk café, which is currently covered with an awning.  The enclosure would be roll-down plastic sheets to be lowered during winter months and inclement weather. No other changes to operations requested.

Ludlow Taylor Elementary, 659 G St. NE | Application #10575606 **TO BE CONFIRMED** Ludlow Taylor Elementary School recently repaired an existing retaining wall and installed a new 8′ high wrought iron fence. The wall was finished in the summer of 2017. Approval of this as-built condition is being requested because the original permit allowed for a 6’ fence only.

DDOT Budget Oversight Hearing.  The committee will discuss issues to raise at the Council’s budget oversight hearing for the District Department of Transportation, to be held on April 9, 2018.

 

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