November | 2021 | CAPITOL HILL CORNER

Popeyes on Barracks Row was shut down by DC Health Department last week after a video of rats running free in the restaurant’s kitchen went viral on Tik Tok and then on Twitter. The raw chicken delivery person who shared the video said he was subsequently suspended without pay by his employer, and set up a GoFundMe page which raised more than $27,000 – $17,000 over his goal.
According to Newsweek, Popeyes told the magazine it has taken action “to terminate the franchise agreement with this restaurant operator. This Franchisee only operates this one location, and it is being closed indefinitely.” Popeyes also confirmed that the delivery person, Ricardo Land, is not employed by Popeyes and added, “We’re cooperating in the distributor’s investigation of the matter, and have been ensured by the vendor that their employee who posted the fundraising page is currently receiving his full pay,” and added, “He is not a Popeyes employee, nor that of the Franchisee, and decisions regarding his suspension are handled by his employer.”

Redistricting hearing. Last Wednesday, CM Silverman, Chair of the Committee on the Whole’s Redistricting Subcommittee held a hearing on Ward 6. Some familiar Ward 6 faces showed up to weigh in, most often to oppose moving their constituents or neighbors out of Ward 6. Some of those who testified included Ken Jarboe, former commissioner ANC6B; Francis Campbell, former commissioner ANC6B, Chander Jayaraman, former commissioner and Chair of ANC6B; Andy Litsky, commissioner ANC6D; Gail Fast, former commissioner and Chair of ANC6D, Sondra Phillips-Gilbert, commissioner ANC6A; Rikki Kramer, commissioner ANC6 D; Brian Alcorn, commissioner ANC6A; Alison Horn, commissioner ANC6B; Denise Rucker Krepp, commissioner ANC6B; and Corey Holman, commissioner ANC6B. The Subcommittee will mark up the ward redistricting bill in mid-November and the City Council will hold the first of 2 votes on December 7th and the second vote on December 21. Ward Task Forces to recommend ANC boundaries will start meeting in December, report out recommendations in February of 2022, and the Council will vote on an ANC redistricting bill in June of 2022.

Dedicated street parking for teachers and school staff. Last week both the Transportation Committees from ANC6B and ANC6C met to weigh in on rule making for implementation of the Daytime School Zone Act of 2018. The act establishes a process for establishing exclusive street parking zones around schools for teachers and staff. Any such zone would have to be recommended by the ANC before DDOT could implement. There seemed to be support in both committees for issuing a residential parking permit for teachers and staff rather than establishing a dedicated parking zone. Letters making recommendations for rules will be taken up by both full ANCs at their November monthly meeting this coming week.

Capitol Hill Corner stopped in at La Casina Romana Pinseria last week. A wood fire was crackling in the pizza oven and the staff said they were waiting for their license and expected to open this coming week. It’s close by Eastern Market at 327 7th Street, SE, in the space formerly held by 7th Hill Pizza. We’ll see if DCRA – known for dragging its feet – comes through.

Here’s a look inside of La Casina Romana Pinseria.

We haven’t seen this band for a while, but Saturday afternoon the Capitol Hillbillies were blazing away in front of the 7^th Street Hill Café: “The spirit of New Orleans in the heart of DC.” See here: https://www.facebook.com/rollingpiano/

The Week Ahead & an 8^th Street Popeyes Update… Highlights…Last Week’s Photos

by Larry Janezich

Highlights:

Tuesday: Presentation at ANC6B – Food Safety and Hygiene Division of the DC Department of Health. (Wondering if Popeyes will come up/)
Thursday: CM Silverman at ANC6A on redistricting at ANC6A.
Saturday: Rock and Roll Half Marathon will close streets in NE Capitol Hill

The Week Ahead…

Monday, November 8

ANC6D will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

To join the meeting, go here: https://www.anc6d.org/virtualmeeting/

Among items on the draft agenda:

Public Safety Report.
Parcel B at Audi Field – Public Space Application and design review.
DDOT Update re Scooters and Locking.
Greenleaf FOIA Report update.

Tuesday, November 9

ANC6B will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

To join the meeting, go here: https://anc6b.org/event/full-anc-meeting-9/?instance_id=106

Among items on the draft agenda:

Consent Agenda

403 7th Street, SE, Southeast Library. Historic Preservation and Zoning Adjustment Applications for the interior renovation and cellar addition.
1208 D Street, SE. Historic Preservation Application – Concept Review for second story addition to existing one-story garage.
237 8th Street, SE. Zoning Adjustment Application – Area Variance to construct a new, detached, one-story accessory garage.
Comments on DDOT Daytime School Parking Zones Proposed Rulemaking.
Comments on DDOT Fast Tracking Process for Roadway Safety Projects.

Presentation:

Food Safety and Hygiene Division of the Department of Health.

Planning and Zoning Committee

316 2nd Street, SE. Zoning Adjustment Application – Use Variance to convert an existing, three-story, attached, principal dwelling unit and two-story accessory building to a three-unit apartment house.
1227 E Street SE. Zoning Adjustment Application – Special Exception to construct a rear, two-story addition to an existing, attached, two-story with cellar.

Wednesday, November 10

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6C will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

To join the meeting, go here: https://anc6c.org/hot-topics/

Among items on the draft agenda:

Transportation and Public Space Committee

Announcements: Dave Thomas Circle; Maryland Ave NE streetscape project.
Proposed rulemaking, Daytime School Parking Zones.
New DDOT process for traffic safety investigations.
1100 block of 7th Street NE—Traffic safety investigation.
300 block of M Street NE—Safe accommodations concerns.

Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee

622 Eye Street NE, Zoning Adjustment Application – Further revisions with special exceptions to convert a residential building into a four-unit apartment.
301 Florida Avenue, NE, planned PUD – Proposed all-affordable project of 115+ housing units at 30% And 50% AMI.
621 A Street, NE, Zoning Adjustment Application – Expedited review for relief from lot occupancy requirements to construct a two-story rear addition to an existing two-story residence.
103 Fourth Street, NE, Zoning Adjustment Application – Expedited review for relief from lot occupancy requirements to construct a second-story rear addition to a two-story residence.

New Business

Council hearing on comprehensive cannabis legalization, regulation, and taxation.
Supreme Court expanded security perimeter.

ANC6A will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm. (Moved from Thursday – Veteran’s Day)

To join the meeting, go here: https://anc6a.org/community-calendar/

Among items on the draft agenda:

Presentations:

DC Redistricting Process – Councilmember-at-Large Elissa Silverman
Department of Parks and Recreation Update – Christopher Dyer, Community Engagement Manager.

Community discussion of 2021 draft of ANC 6A Bylaws

Transportation and Public Space Committee

Letter to DDOT expressing the need for expansion of electric vehicle charging throughout the District; urging both public and private solutions to electric vehicle charging for residents without off-street parking, including measures to facilitate extending charging cables from residences to the curb, with all due consideration for safety and ADA compliance.
Letter to DDOT supporting Transportation Study Application for the 300 block of 18th Street, NE, including consideration of speed humps and raised crosswalks.
Letter to DDOT supporting Transportation Study Applications for the 1500 -1900 blocks of Benning Road, NE, including a full traffic safety investigation; consideration of speed humps, raised crosswalks, signal timing, and all other traffic calming measures; and that DDOT consider extending the planned H Street dedicated bus lanes to this corridor as a traffic calming measure as well as to improve transit.
Letter to DDOT requesting that 20 MPH speed limit signs be placed on all collector streets in ANC6A that do not yet have signs.
Letter to DDOT requesting the installation of a contraflow bike lane on the 1100 block of F Street NE.
Letter to DDOT supporting Transportation Study Application for the intersection of 13th Street, NE, and Wylie Street, NE, including installation of raised crosswalks for the entire intersection.

Economic Development and Zoning

Letter of support to BZA for a special exception from the rooftop and upper floor requirements to construct a third story addition to an existing, attached, two-story with cellar, principal dwelling unit with the caveat that the owners make best efforts to get letters of support from nearby neighbors.

New Business

Letter to the DC Council Redistricting Committee requesting that the Committee ensure that the current ANC6A boundaries are retained in the Redistricting Process, and that ANC 6A remain a part of Ward 6.

Thursday, November 11, Veteran’s Day Commemoration – The American Legion Kenneth H. Nash Post No 8 will sponsor a Veterans Day Commemoration at 11:00an in Folger Park, 3rd and D Street, SE.

Program:

Performances: The U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps & the DCFD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums
WELCOME David Carmichael Commander, Kenneth H. Nash Post 8
REMARKS Charles Allen; Councilmember Council of the District of Columbia C. Dixon Osburn, Executive Director Service members Legal Defense Network

This year’s program will be streaming live at: https://www.facebook.com/KennethHNashAmericanLegion

Saturday, November 13

Southeast Library Book Sale, 10am until 3:00pm, 7^th and D Streets, across from Eastern Market Metro Plaza.

Rock and Roll Marathon (will affect streets in Capitol Hill NE)

The 2021 Rock ‘n’ Roll Washington DC Half Marathon will take place on Saturday, November 13. The race begins at 8:30 am on Constitution Avenue, NW, at 14th Street. The race course takes runners on a tour of DC past many of the Capitol’s monuments and finishes at the RFK Stadium grounds.

ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION

For course Maps, Road Closures, No Parks and Alternate Access Information go here: https://www.runrocknroll.com/dc-road-closure

Here’s a rendering of a birds-eye view of the renovated Southeast Library. Note the skylight on the roor which will bring daylight to every floor of the library, including the lowest level. The ground level triangualar skylight below the second row of windows will also illumiate the lowest level.

A view in cross section. The ground level skylight for the lowst level is more visible in this rendering.

Actually, the view here is looking south from D Street, SE. The staff entrance and emergency exit on the left caught the eye of commissioners who wondered about the alcove becomeing a gathering space for habitués of the corner of 7th and D Street.

Here’s how the south-facing side of the library will look, with the entrance to the library’s lower level. The plan envisions keeping the current main entrance on the library’s east side, as is.

Tuesday night’s ANC6B Planning and Zoning Committee virtual meeting.

Proposal to Renovate Southeast Library Advances

by Larry Janezich

Posted Novemb er 3, 2021.

Last night, ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee, chaired by Commissioner Corey Holman, held a virtual meeting and voted unanimously to support both the Historic Preservation and the Zoning Adjustment Applications for the renovation of Southeast Library. The applications now move to the full ANC and will be taken up at their November 9^th meeting for what will likely be a swift endorsement. The renovation will expand the existing library from 8,500 sf to 19,925 square feet.

Prior to the vote, commissioners raised some issues for the design team and DC Public Library personnel. Commissioner Samolyk sought assurances that the concerns of the Friends of Southeast Library had been resolved. The Friends group, headed by Neal Gregory, had protested that the renovation would leave them without space to organize for the popular monthly book sales to benefit the library.

Martha Saccocio, Director of Community Engagement at DCPL, assured the ANC that the DCPL had come to an agreement with the Friends regarding the allocation of additional space and that the Friends had expressed support for the proposal.

Commissioners Jerry Sroufe and Steve Holtzman expressed concern that the proposed emergency exit and staff entrance on D Street would serve as a gathering spot for the habitués who frequent the corner of 7^th and D Street. The design team said they were aware of that potential and would look for ways to address the problem in addition to the security camera which would monitor the entrance/exit.

With respect to the time line, the renovation process is approaching the midpoint of the design phase which will continue through mid-2022. Construction will begin in 2022 and reopening is anticipated in 2024

Consideration by the ANC is the first step in agency approval. The plans for the renovation now move to the Historic Preservation Review Board and the DDOT Public Space Committee on November 18. Next comes a review by the Bureau of Zoning Adjustment February 22, 2022. Then reviews by the Commission on Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission in the winter of 2022.