The Week Ahead & Some Photos from the Past Week

Posh Cannabis Gifting Outlet Opens at 317 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.  Friday morning saw the grand opening of Taste Budz, a new high-end cannabis gifting outlet.  Pictured above is CMO Andrew Neal. The shop is owned by Brenda Johnson and will be the the conpany’s second outlet, following the opening of aVirginia Beach outlet two years ago.  The owner plans to open at third Taste Budz in Georgetown in six weeks. 

Neal says that his goal is to educate, advocate, and destigmatize cannabis and its non-psychoactive products.  To that end, he and his business partner have created a welcoming space where he invites people to come and hang out.  He says they provide access to everyone, pointing to the newly installed ADA compliant elevator and the entrance ramp. 

Neal says the best part of the operation is the business staff – “knowledgeable, diverse, beautiful people.”  The retail end is handled by “tellers” (Julie and Xavi pictured above) similar to those  one might encounter in a bank – Neal says that inside the shop they are the “Budz tellers” and that customer service and satisfaction are priorities.  Taste Budz is open from 7 days a week, 11:00pm – 8:00pm. 

H Street NE Residential Project Runs into ANC Problem.  Last Thursday night, ANC6A voted to 6 – 0 to request that BZA delay its hearing on local developer Sanjay Bajaj’s plan to put up a $30 million, 78 unit, five story residential project at 1010 – 1016 H Street, NE.  The ANC had conditioned its support on the developer designating residential units on the ground floor as artist space/studios with the provision that this would be written into the condominium bylaws, and that the developer would make best efforts not to include natural gas in the building, and that if these conditions were not met, ANC 6Ashould oppose the request.  It was the consensus of the committee that the developer had not met these criteria.   Commissioners want more time to negotiate with the developer, so the vote to request the delay was coupled with the provision that if a delay is not possible, the ANC will not support the proposal unless the first floor is reserved for retail or another non-residential activated usage and a construction agreement is reached with the adjacent neighbors. 

Coastline Oyster Company opens on Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.  Just next door at 319 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, the former ZOCA Mexican restaurant has morphed into the Coastline Oyster Company – the latest restaurant concept by Chef-owner Danio Somoza and Partner Donna Serafini.  Coastline Oyster Company is a raw bar, seafood house, and sports bar with live music.  Here’s a link to their website and menu.  ZOCA Mexican Restaurant opened May 3, 2022. 

One With Eternity:  Yayoi Kusama’s exhibit at the Hirshhorn will end this spring.  Here’s an image of one of her Infinity Mirror Rooms. 

And here’s an image of her iconic Pumpkin. 

Free next-day passes are released daily on the museum’s website via Etix starting at noon.  Book up to two timed-entry passes per person online, selecting preferred entry time for the following day as available.  Visitors are encouraged to check pass availability and reserve online in advance of their visit.  Unclaimed passes are available online and in-person at the Museum’s welcome desk during public museum hours until all have been distributed.

For next day timed passes, go here:  http://bit.ly/3T9N62x

The Week Ahead & Some Photos from the Past Week

by Larry Janezich

Posted March 12, 2023

The Week Ahead & Some Photos from the Past Week

Monday, March 13

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

For info on how to access the meeting, go here:  https://www.anc6d.org/virtualmeeting/

Among items on the draft agenda:

• VPRA Long Bridge Program Update
• Safeway Concerns with Manager Mike Bigelow
• One K Street Presentation
• 701 6^th Street, SW, Mural Project

Tuesday, March 14

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

For info on how to join the meeting, go here:  https://anc6b.org/meetings/march-2023-meetings-of-anc-6b/

Among items on the draft agenda:

Presentation:

• Brandon Best, D.C. State Board of Education (SBOE)

ABC Committee

• Application for an Entertainment Endorsement for Hill East Burgers
• Discussion on Notice to Cure for Harvest Tide
• Status update of working group on protocol for ABC cases

Planning and Zoning Committee

• Election of Vice-Chair
• Presentation from Mark-Anthony Tynes – Department of Buildings
• 218 D St SE. Bureau of Zoning Adjustment Application.  Capitol Hill Day School; Special Exception to expand a private school use to the second story of an existing, attached, three-story commercial building
• 718 North Carolina Ave SE. Bureau of Zoning Adjustment Application.  To construct a two-story rear deck addition, to an existing, attached, three-story with cellar, principal dwelling unit.
• 718 North Carolina Ave SE; Historic Preservation Application. Two-story rear screened porch addition.

Transportation Committee

• Presentation from DC Water on Ongoing Projects Causing Roadwork
• Presentation from DPW on Parking Enforcement
• Presentation from DDOT on Additional Speeding Cameras
• Presentation by Mark Sussman on a Kidical Mass Chapter for Capitol Hill
• Report of the March 2, 2023 Special Call Transportation Meeting

Southeast Library Task Force

• Letter of Support for Budget Funding for Interim Services for the Southeast Library

Letter of Support for Councilmember Allen’s Ward 6 Budget Request #8: Garfield Park Connector Enhancements for Addition of 4 or More Pickleball Courts

Report for the Public Parks and Recreation Spaces Task Force

Report for the March 6 Special Committee on Public Safety Meeting

Report for the Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7D will hold a virtual meeting at 6:30pm. 

For info on how to join the meeting, go here:  https://anc.dc.gov/event/anc-7d-monthly-meeting

Among items on the agenda.

Presentations: 

• DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson
• Mayor’s Office of Community Relations & Services (MOCRS)
• Office of Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent Gray
• Metropolitan Police Department/MPD 1st, 5^th & 6th Districts
• DC State Board of Education Ward 7 Representative (TBD)
• Stacee Hemby, DDOT, Arboretum Bridge and Trail
• Chris Dwyer, DPR Summer Camp Registration Process

New Business Items

• ANC 7D Committees
• Letter to BZA Regarding Case #28021

                                                                                           ***

Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization (W6PSPO) will host a virtual Middle School Principals Panel Discussion at 7:00pm.  Leadership from Jefferson Middle School Academy, Eliot-Hine Middle School, Stuart-Hobson Middle School, and Capitol Hill Montessori@Logan will share their ideas on what makes a good middle school, how their schools help all students reach their highest potential, what extracurricular activities they offer, and more.  Denise Forte, the President and CEO of the Education Trust, will be the moderator.  Parents whose children will be middle school next year as well as parents whose children will attend middle school in the coming years are encouraged to attend.

You can register for the Middle School Principals Panel Discussion at

https://bit.ly/W6PSPO23MSPrincipals   

Wednesday, March 15

ANC6A Economic Development & Zoning Committee will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm. 

For info on joining the meeting, go here: https://anc6a.org/community-calendar/

Among items on the agenda:

• 1207 H Street, NE. Informational update on zoning and development of the property at 1207 H Street NE (currently the AutoZone).
• Racial Equity Tool. Discussion of the revised DC Zoning Commission Racial Equity Tool, and how it will be used on zoning projects within ANC 6A.
• 912 Maryland Avenue, NE. Request for area variance relief to construct a rear addition to an existing, attached, two-story with basement, principal dwelling unit.
• 336 11th Street, NE. Request for special exception relief to construct a rear and side addition to an existing attached, two-story with cellar, principal dwelling unit in the RF-1 zone.
• 214 Warren Street, NE. Request for special exception relief for a project to construct a two-story rear addition, to an existing semi-detached, two story principal dwelling unit.
• 721 H Street, NE. Proposed map amendment to rezone the property from NC-16 to NC-17.

                                                                                         ***

Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton’s will hold a Virtual Town Hall with the National Park Service and Smithsonian Zoo at 6:00pm.  (all DC residents welcome, see attachment to register)  https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-hold-town-hall-meeting-national-park-service-national-zoo-and-district

Thursday, March 16

Friends of Kingman Park Community will hold a virtual and in-person meeting at 7:00pm at St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church. Families and children welcome. 

Info on how to join the meeting: TBA.