Monthly Archives: December 2021

DC Lawmakers Shake Up Hill East Redistricting

by Larry Janezich

Posted December 8, 2021

On Tuesday, the DC Council – meeting virtually as the Committee of the Whole – approved a shakeup of the Hill East redistricting plan.  Acknowledging the legitimacy of CM Vincent Gray’s complaint that Ward 7 was getting short changed in the redistricting process, the lawmakers approved a redistricting plan to make Ward 7 larger.  The vote was 11 – 1 – 0, with CM McDuffie voting “No” and CM Gray absent after being hospitalized suffering from bronchitis and a mild stroke.  There will be a second and final vote on December 21. 

Last week, during an ANC6B Special Meeting on redistricting, Council Chair Phil Mendelson pointed out that Ward 7 was barely over the minimum number of residents in terms of the required equity among Wards, making it the smallest ward in the city.  Mendelson said he hoped that would be resolved by a conversation between councilmembers. 

That conversation apparently happened, and as the result, Mendelson changed the proposed Redistricting Subcommittee map to make – among other changes – two major changes that will have a significant impact on Hill East.

One of those changes moved the Ward 7 Boundary so that both Kingman Park and Rosedale would be in Ward 7.  Mendelson said the change would increase the population of Ward 7 by 6,000.   (The Redistricting Subcommittee had recommended taking Kingman Park from Ward 7 and including it in Ward 6 and leaving Rosedale in Ward 6.  Rosedale’s ANC6A commissioner Sondra Phillip-Gilbert had fought to keep Rosedale in Ward 6.)

The other change pulled back the Redistricting Subcommittee’s proposed Ward 7 boundary from extending south of Potomac Avenue, leaving the 2,300 residents there in Ward 6. 

(Ward 6 took another hit in that the lower end of 8^th Street- part of Commissioner Kirsten Oldenburg’s ANC6B04 including the area bounded by Virginia Avenue, 11th Street, SE; 7th Street, SE; and M Street, SE – will be included in Ward 8.  This area is also part of the Capitol Hill Historic District.)

The total effect of the changes would be to make Ward 7 the 4th largest ward instead of the 8th largest.  The adjusted boundary brings everything east of 15^th Street from Benning Road to Potomac Avenue, SE, into Ward 7. 

Here is the effect of Mendelson’s changes on the Hill East ANCs: 

• Commissioner Sondra Phillips-Gilbert’s ANC6A07 in Rosedale will now become part of Ward 7.
• Commissioner Brian Alcorn’s ANC6A08 will still become part of Ward 7.
• Commissioner Denise Krepp’s ANC6B10 will still become part of Ward 7.
• Commissioner Alissa Horn’s ANC6B09 will be divided and the portion in which she resides will become part of Ward 7.
• Commissioner Corey Holman’s ANC6B06 in its entirety will now remain in Ward 6. The original Redistricting Map would have included the part of 6B06 in which Holman resides in Ward 7. 
• Commissioner Edward Ryder’s ANC6B07 in its entirety will now remain in Ward 6. The original Redistricting Map would have included the part of 6B07 in which Ryder resides in Ward 7.

At a press conference on Monday where he announced the boundary changes, Mendelson said that there was a lot more drama around splitting neighborhoods between wards than is warranted.  He said, “Wards 7 and 8 did not grow the way Ward 6 has and Ward 6 has to lose population.  The choice is, where?  Any redistricting map is going to make some neighborhood unhappy.  The objection that the Redistricting map left Ward 7 minimally over the limitation is legitimate and it is not in the interest of Ward 7 to redistrict to the low end of the population average.“

CM Charles Allen, speaking of Hill East projects he had worked on and specifically singling out Gilbert-Phillips and Alcorn, said, “While they will no longer be in Ward 6 I won’t be walking away from those partnerships and commitments that I’ve worked on with neighbors.”  Looking ahead at what will happen to the ANCs in Ward 6, Allen said he hoped a small number of residences in the Historic District in a small part of the Navy Yard (residents of Potomac Avenue and lower 8th Street) which are becoming part of Ward 8 under the redistricting could be part of Ward 6 ANCs.  Mendelson had noted that prior to being elected to the city council, he had served as an ANC commissioner on an ANC which had been divided by ward boundaries, and the ensuing double representation had been advantageous. 

All of this means there will be radical changes in ANC boundaries within both Wards 6 and 7.  Those changes will be the discussion of community meetings over the next couple of months. 

Here’s the schedule for rest of the redistricting process:

• December 21, 2021: The City Council’s second vote on the ward redistricting bill
• December 2021: Ward Task Forces (which provide recommendations on ANC redistricting) start meeting.
• February 2022: Ward Task Forces report out recommendations for new ANC boundaries.
• May 2022: Subcommittee mark-up of the ANC redistricting bill.
• June 2022: The City Council votes on the ANC redistricting bill.

The Week Ahead…and Some Photos from the Past Week

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, December 7

ANC6B Planning and Zoning Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

To join the meeting, go here:  https://anc6b.org/calendar/

Among items on the agenda:                     

• 1227 E Street, SE.  Historic Preservation Application – concept review.  Two story rear addition with cellar.  Rear yard deck with cellar level parking below. Interior renovations. 
• 321 D Street, SE.  Historic Preservation Application – concept review.  Three three-story rear addition; add a partial third floor on the existing house and renovate the existing house.
• 912 G Street SE.  Historic Preservation Application – concept review.  Add roof deck to garage.

Wednesday, December 8

ANC6C holds a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.

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

Among items on the agenda:

• 732 3rd Street, NE.  Historic Preservation Application – concept review.  Two story garage and studio at the alley. 
• Discussion:  Bus Priority Project, 8th Street, NE, from Florida Avenue, NE to East Capitol Street, NE.
• 518 E Street, NE.  Public Space Application.  Public space construction, replacement of sidewalk, retaining wall, and existing gate.
• Maryland Avenue, NE streetscape project, ANC recommendations for remaining items of concern, punch list. 
• Discussion – Dave Thomas Circle, final design plans.

Wednesday, December 8

Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm. 

To join the meeting, go here:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82378307147?pwd=bVVtelZVaEREZmprZjhSa0hzYWJLUT09

• Meeting ID: 823 7830 7147
• Passcode: 963135

Agenda:

• To be announced.

Thursday, December 9

ANC6A will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm. 

To join the meeting, go here: https://bit.ly/3p95vNI

 Among items on the agenda: 

• Presentation:  DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) update on DBH’s Covid 19 response related to increased Pandemic-related Depression, Suicide Prevention and Gun Violence Trauma impacting our City’s youth – Lanada Williams, Program Coordinator, Community Services Administration and Patricia Thompson, Ombudsman Program Office.
• Grant in the amount of $3,000 to Christ City Church to provide 150 $20.00 gift certificates for families who live in ANC 6A to secure food for the holiday season.
• Consideration of the revised ANC 6A Bylaws and the newly developed Standard Operating Procedures and Codes of Conduct for ANC6A.
• 1116 H Street, NE.  Consideration of a motion to protest the application of Milk & Honey, at said address for a Class C Restaurant License unless a Settlement Agreement is finalized prior to the protest deadline.
• 1116 H Street, NE.  Letter of support to ABRA for the Stipulated License application of Milk & Honey’s application in the event that a Settlement Agreement is finalized prior to the protest deadline.
• 820 Constitution Avenue, NE.  Letter of support to HPRB for the proposed construction of a two-story accessory building at the rear of the property that will not increase the number of dwelling units at said address. 
• 628 9th Street, NE.  Letter of support to BZA for special exception zoning relief and an area variance to construct a 2-story rear deck on the rear of their existing single-family rowhome in the RF-1 Zone at said address on condition that the lot occupancy remains at the same level as is included in the plans submitted (81.5%) .

ANC6B Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee holds a virtual meeting at 7:00pm. 

To join the meeting, go here:  https://anc6b.org/calendar/

Agenda:

• 522 8^th Street, SE.  Request for New Retailer’s Class “C” Restaurant; for Han Palace, a restaurant serving Chinese food, beer, wine, and spirits. Total Occupancy Load of 38 with 18 seats inside. Sidewalk Café with 10 seats.

Saturday, December 11

• The Friends of Southeast Library will hold a Book Sale at Southeast Library, 10:00am – 3:00pm. 

ANC6A Fights Redistricting Plan in Order to Keep AN6A Together

by Larry Janezich

Posted December 2, 2021

ANC6A is pushing back hard against the redistricting plan to bring Ward 7 into the north end of Hill East.

The Commission held a special virtual meeting on Thursday night to consider a letter to the city council, stating that the redistricting map proposed by the Subcommittee on Redistricting’s fails ANC6A, single member district ANC6A08, and Capitol Hill as a whole.  Commissioner Brian Alcorn, whose ANC6A08 single member district would be most affected, sponsored the 14 page letter. The redistricting proposal would bisect his constituency, leaving 1178 in Ward 6 and moving 1181 to Ward 7.

Last November, the ANC agreed that all of ANC6B should remain together, and Kingman Park should be returned to Ward 6.  The response of the Redistricting Subcommittee was a redistricting map returning Kingman Park to Ward 6, but trimming the edge of ANC6A closest to RFK Stadium – Alcorn’s single member district. 

Council Chair Mendelsohn has said that the map may be fine-tuned but not revamped.  Alcorn’s letter urged the council to make minor adjustments which would result in keeping ANC6A together. 

The letter proposes adjusting ANC6A borders to accomplish this and offers several alternatives based on using a more natural boundary instead of using 15^th Street as an arbitrary boundary to define a concept of nebulous Hill East which is targeted for annexation to Ward 7. 

1. Use East Capitol Street or Independence Avenue as a more natural boundary.

And:

2. Return Kingman Park to Ward 7

A copy of the letter which discusses boundary alternatives in detail and provides maps of the proposals can be found here:  https://anc6a.org/wp-content/uploads/ANCA120221.pdf

Debate on the proposed letter was brief, reflecting the consensus of the Commission.  Commissioners Sondra Phillips-Gilbert, Phil Toomajian, and Mike Soderman were all strongly in favor of the letter, which passed on a unanimous 7 – vote. 

Here’s the schedule for redistricting:

• December 7, 2021: First vote by the full Council on the ward redistricting bill
• December 21, 2021: Second vote on the ward redistricting bill
• December 2021: Ward Task Forces (which provide recommendations on ANC redistricting) start meeting
• February 2022: Ward Task Forces report out recommendations
• May 2022: Subcommittee mark-up of the ANC redistricting bill
• June 2022: Council votes on the ANC redistricting bill

ANC6B Debate on Response to Redistricting Hill East Turns Heated

By Larry Janezich

Posted December 2, 2021

In a contentious four hour meeting, ANC6B backed away from a proposal saying it had no opposition to moving Hill East into Ward 7, and ended up supporting sending a letter to the City Council listing the issues it has with the proposed redistricting map approved by the Redistricting Subcommittee.

More than 100 residents joined the virtual meeting and heard from CM Charles Allen, CM at Large Silverman, Council Chair Phil Mendelsohn, and CM at Large Henderson. 

The special meeting of the ANC was called by three Hill East Commissioners who would see their single member districts moved from Ward 6 to Ward 7 under the proposed redistricting map.  The three commissioners – Corey Holman, Alissa Horn, and Edward Ryder – supported a letter to the City Council saying that ANC6B does not oppose the move to Ward 7, but recommended several issues the council should consider to remedy deficiencies in the proposed map.  A fourth affected commissioner, Denise Krepp, vehemently opposed the letter saying that voting for it was a vote to move Hill East into Ward 7. 

During the meeting, numerous commissioners and residents commented on the proposed redistricting map, the redistricting process, and their personal feelings about moving Hill East to Ward 7.  Comments were varied, with many seemingly resigned to making the best of a situation they regarded as inevitable, some opposed to the move, and some who supported it. 

CM Charles Allen said, “I don’t like this…losing any part of Ward 6.  To say that neighbors, people, leaders will now be in a different ward is not something I enjoy…but I know it will happen.”  He said communities will not be separated by Ward lines – parking, school districts and police districts will stay the same.  And he shared concerns of residents – “some,” he said, “are happy, some are fired up and unhappy…some support moving the Ward 7 boundary further west, which is not something I support….I have worked with you and made a hell of a lot of progress and these relationships and work don’t just disappear.” 

Council Chair Mendelsohn noted the council is well along in the process and cautioned residents not to expect radical changes to the map between now the first council vote on the map next Tuesday; “For us to make changes to boundaries between 7 and 8 is not likely – that would open things up again.  The council looks at all the wards and how they will be affected and I’m not hearing that as part of the discussion tonight.  It’s not the end of the world to split neighborhoods between wards or ANCs.  There are advantages and disadvantages.  It’s inevitable to split communities – a multiplicity of representation can be advantageous.” 

The meeting was into the fourth hour when commissioners began a debate on the proposed letter to the council, and procedures went far astray from Roberts Rules of Order.  Acting ANC6B Chair Steve Holtzman had to caution commissioners about the use of inappropriate language.  The debate became heated as voices were raised and accusations made regarding motives of commissioners.   

The commission appeared to be at an impasse, and given the lateness of the hour there seemed to be no appetite for word-smithing the proposal.  Standing in the way of a vote were references concerning 6B’s lack of opposition to losing residents to Ward 7.  Long-serving commissioner Kirsten Oldenburg proposed stripping out all the controversial language including the declaration that “ANC6B is not opposed” to the move of Hill East into Ward 7.  After considerable tinkering, the letter took a form that a majority of commissioners could support, and it passed on at 6 – 3, as follows:  Those vote aye:  Sroufe, Holtzman, Holman, Ryder, Wright, Horn.  Those voting nay:  Samolyk, Oldenburg, Krepp

A slightly edited version of the main points of the letter is as follows:

ANC 6B has thoroughly reviewed the Subcommittee Map and has the following comments:

• Ward 7’s population is simply too small, 114 residents above the legal minimum, while not using natural features or census tracts as the boundaries. Ward 7’s population should be roughly equal to Ward 6 and 8.
• The approved map splits a coherent commercial corridor in Eastern Ward 6, focused on Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Potomac Avenue Se, and 14th Street SE.
• Census Tract 71, the triangle bounded by Pennsylvania Avenue SE, 11th Street SE, and the Anacostia River, should remain intact and not be split down Potomac Avenue SE as this small, isolated portion of Ward 6 forms a coherent community of interest.
• The approved map likely means the end of the SMD solely comprised of residents of the DC Jail as the west of the river portion in Ward 7 would only be able to constitute a 5-person ANC. The DC Jail SMD has always been in an ANC of at least 6 commissioners to allow for regular vacancies as residents return or are sent out of state.
• Less than 100 residents would live in buildings contributing to the Capitol Hill Historic District in Ward 7 along Potomac Ave SE and K Street SE. These residents would be represented in an ANC where over 99% of the residents will be in non-designated buildings and have no interaction with historic building regulations.
• The 1,565 residents in Census Tracts 69 and 71 were not included in any of the draft discussion maps (despite many submitted map proposals including this area). Residents feel blindsided and voiceless in these decisions as most did not participate in the Ward 6 or citywide hearings as they noted they were unaffected by the discussion maps.

Thursday, December 2, ANC6A will hold a virtual Special Meeting on Redistricting at 7:00pm. To join the meeting, go here:  https://bit.ly/3p95vNI