Category Archives: Uncategorized

Eastern Market Arts-Crafts-Flea & Prepared Food Vendors Return This Weekend

by Larry Janezich

June 25, 2020

The Eastern Market arts and crafts vendors will return to the 200 and 300 blocks of 7^th Street this Saturday, and Mike Berman of Diverse Markets, will bring the flea market back to the 300 block of 7^th Street on Sunday.  The 200 and 300 blocks of 7th Street, SE, will be closed to traffic to allow for vending, and will have space for a more than 50 non-food sellers and prepared food sellers.  The hours of operation will be from 9:00am – 3:00pm, and that will include farmers on the Farmers Line who have been grumbling about having to close down at 1:00pm.  The hours of operation for the indoor merchants will remain at 9:00am to 5:00pm.

All Phase One health guidance and regulations under the Mayoral Order continue to apply, including the requirement for patrons and vendors to mask up and to follow social distancing guidelines.

The reopening does not yet include the operation of the Saturday and Sunday flea markets on C Street, which is a private street owned by the Hine developer.  The city has not issued any guidance for the reopening of private flea markets, and the reopening of 7^th  Street to vending is made possible by a clause in the Mayor’s order that allows non-food vendors to “piggyback” on existing farmer’s markets.

Berman says he will put at least 20 vendors on the 300 block of 7th Street on Sunday and says he hopes to find a way to open up C Street for his Sunday flea market.  A different operator, Carole Wright, operates the Saturday flea market on C Street.

The Week Ahead…

By Larry Janezich

June 21, 2010

Monday, June 22

Phase Two of ReOpen DC begins today.

ANC 6A Community Outreach Committee (COC)

This meeting will be a Webex virtual meeting. Go here for the link & Call-In number to join this public meeting.  https://anc6a.org/wp-content/uploads/COCA0620.pdf

Among items on the agenda:

Presentation:  Gottlieb Simon, Office of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission

Presentation:  Hannah Jacobson Blumenfeld, Serve Your City

Tuesday, June 23

ANC6B Barracks Row Working Group meets at 7:00pm.

This meeting will be a Webex virtual meeting. Go here for the link & Call-In number to join this public meeting. https://www.anc6b.org/calendar/

Agenda:

This meeting will focus on continued COVID-19 issues such as social distancing and phased opening of businesses in our area.

Wednesday, June 24

ANC6B’s 1333 M Street, SE, Planned Unit Development (PUD ) Planning and Zoning Subcommittee  meets at 7:00pm.

This meeting will be a Webex virtual meeting. Go here for the link & Call-In number to join this public meeting. https://www.anc6b.org/calendar/

Agenda: 

Begin discussion of community benefits and amenities from the developer (required in exchange for a change in zoning permitting greater height, massing, and density than would otherwise be allowed).

Thursday, June 25

POSTPONED UNTIL WEDNESDAY, JULY 1

ANC6B’s Livable Communities Task Force (LCTF) meets at 7:00pm.

This meeting will be available on Zoom.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://georgetown.zoom.us/j/98212358847

Agenda: 

Updates on the opening date of the parcel 1 park including the playground which will be able to open in Phase 2, and to discuss recommendations for ANC6B to consider regarding the development of parcels 2 – 6 of the Eastern Market Metro Park.  Construction on the remaining parcels, including Parcel 4 where the entrance to Metro is located, will begin in October.

Phase II Reopening Likely to Begin on Monday, June 22 – Here’s What It Would Look Like

By Larry Janezich

June 17, 2020

Mayor Bowser said today at her 11:00am briefing that if the metrics continue the downward trend, Phase II reopening could begin on Monday.  She will announce a decision on Friday and issue a Mayoral order then, if appropriate.  She warned that unfavorable metrics after the Phase II reopening could cause a dial-back.

Here’s what reopening under Phase II would look like:

Gatherings up to 50 people

Indoor dining at restaurants at 50% capacity

Gyms, health clubs, yoga studios, dance studios, and workout studios at at five patrons per 1,000 square feet and social distancing

Parks, playgrounds, courts and fields for casual play (no league sports)

Non-essential retail indoor shopping at 50% capacity

Personal Services such as nail salons, tanning salons and wax salons by appointment (no waiting inside the shop)

Churches and houses of worship – indoor serves for up to 100 or 50% capacity, whichever is less (no choirs, singing or shared items)

Department of Recreation swimming pools for swimming classes or instruction

Museums with limited capacity under specific guidelines TBA

Libraries at 50% capacity

Camps no more than 10 in cohort and with social distancing

Theaters, cinema, and entertainment venues remain closed, but may apply for a waiver

Colleges and universities after approval of a plan which must be submitted to the city for review

In addition, the DC government will continue to operate in a modified telework posture, but starting Tuesday, the Department of Motor Vehicles will be open for in person services.  Telework is still recommended for most businesses.

For additional information go here:  https://coronavirus.dc.gov/phasetwo

ANC6B Commissioner Kelly Waud Will Not Seek Reelection

by Larry Janezich

June 17, 2020

ANC6B07 Commissionr Kelly Waud announced last week, that she would not seek reelection.  Waud told Capitol Hill Corner, “I’m not running again for the usual reasons… ANC is a big time commitment and I would rather contribute to the community in other, hands-on, direct ways.”

Waud became commissioner in April of 2018, succeeding Commissioner Aimee Grace who resigned earlier that year.  She was reelected to a two year term in November, 2018.

Waud has been an active commissioner, pushing the city to complete the redevelopment of the Potomac Avenue pocket parks, raising questions about the effect of the Southwest Boulevard and the proposed Bus Transit Support Facility on her single member district, lobbying the Department of Transportation of dangerous intersections at Potomac/Pennsylvania/14^th Street, SE and at the 11^th  Street, SE/395 off ramp.

She has taken a particular interest in Hopkins Apartments, working with Abena Disroe, President of the Hopkins Resident Council, to build the Hopkins community gardens, and starting a Go Fund Me page for Disroe when she lost everything to a fire.

When Congressional Aviation expressed interest in building a heliport at 11^th and Water Street, Waud helped organize a public meeting where residents expressed their concerns about noise and the lack of community involvement in the decision process.  The proposed project does not appear to have advanced.

Recently she has worked to mobilize her single member district to participate in the negotiations for community benefits and amenities under the Planned Unit Development of the massive mixed use project on the Anacostia waterfront at 1333 M Street.

She also joined other 6B commissioners in changing the ANC’s bylaws to allow for grant making during the declared COVID health emergency; the ANC is setting up a task force to establish a process and criteria for grants that will benefit the community.

Waud told her constituents in an email, “It has been an honor to serve you and I am proud of the work we have accomplished. I am happy to talk with anyone who has an interest in running about what they should expect from the role, please feel free to reach out by email.”

6B07 is a diverse single member district, including the commercial strip on the south side of Pennsylvania Avenue, Harris Teeter, the Potomac Avenue pocket parks, Potomac Gardens, and Hopkins Apartments.  The district borders the major CAS Riegler mixed use retail/150 – 180 apartments at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue, currently under construction, and is seeing other new residential construction as evidenced by plans for a multi- residential building in the in 1300 Block of K Street, SE, as well at the project at 1333 M Street.

Petitions for the November 3, 2020 General Election for ANC will be available on June 26, 2020 here: https://dcboe.org/Candidates/General-Election-2020-Petitions

COVID-19 Testing Resumes This Week on Capitol Hill  at Engine Company No 8

By Larry Janezich

June 15, 2020

Engine Company No 8 at 1520 C Street, SE, will resume providing free walk up testing this Thursday and Friday, 4 pm – 8 pm, and Saturday from 12 pm – 4 pm.

The expanded testing is part of a larger effort utilizing firehouses across the city.  The firehouse testing sites are free, walk-up, and no referral, no appointment, and no exhibition of symptoms is needed.

So far, more than 2,300 people have been tested at a firehouse. The testing at these sites is done by personnel from the DC Fire and EMS Department, the Public Health Lab, and the Department of Health.

The new firehouse testing schedule is below:

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, 4 pm – 8 pm.

Engine 4 (2531 Sherman Ave NW)

Engine 11 (3420 14th St NW)

Engine 24 (5101 Georgia Ave NW)

Engine 31 (4930 Connecticut Ave NW)

Thursday and Friday, 4 pm – 8 pm, and Saturday from 12 pm – 4 pm.

Engine 8 (1520 C St SE)

Engine 10 (1342 Florida Ave NE)

Engine 30 (50 49th St NE)

Engine 33 (101 Atlantic St SE)

The firehouse testing sites are in addition to the many free testing sites across DC, including the walk-up testing site at F Street, NW between 4th and 5th Streets, NW and the drive-thru and walk-up testing sites at 2241 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SE in Ward 8 and at the UDC-CC Bertie Backus campus in Ward 5.

Residents are still encouraged to access testing through their health care providers so that they are connected to health care. However, anyone who needs a test can get a test at the testing locations listed above.

Find a full list of testing locations at https://coronavirus.dc.gov/testing

 

 

 

 

 

The Week Ahead…& Some Photos from the Week Past

by Larry Janezich

June 14, 2020

The Week Ahead….

Monday, June 15

ANC 6A Transportation & Public Space Committee Meets at 7:00pm. 

Call-in Conference via WebEx

Virtual Meeting via WebEx

Call-in Number: 202-860-2110 – Meeting number (access code): 160 435 3646

For those attending via WebEx: use this link:

https://dcnet.webex.com/dcnet/onstage/g.php?MTID=ea63f308257b2043b5819303bbfc54fef

Among items on the draft agenda:

Mozzeria, 1300 H Street, NE – Discussion of Mozzeria’s plans to create outdoor patio space on the 13th Street side of their establishment. A public space application has not yet been filed, however TPS willconsider a conditional recommendation to the ANC with regard to support for the application.

Tuesday, June 16

ANC6A Alcoholic Beverages Licensing Committee meets at 7:00pm.

Virtual Meeting—Held on WebEx

Call-in Number: 202-860-2110 – Meeting number (access code): 160 060 9373

For those attending via WebEx: use this link:

https://dcnet.webex.com/dcnet/onstage/g.php?MTID=e64d5229b8dc98639dfd55e64caf36d82

Agenda:

The Outsider at 1357-1359 H Street, NE –  Discussion of application by DC Culinary Academy, LLC, trading as The Outsider, for renewal of its Class C Tavern License.

 Wednesday, June 17

ANC6A Economic Development & Zoning Committee meets at 7:00pm. 

Virtual Meeting via WebEx

Call-in Number: 202-860-2110 – Meeting number (access code): 160 062 9697

For those attending via WebEx: use this link:

https://dcnet.webex.com/dcnet/onstage/g.php?MTID=e3ab97fdefd642703dd818edfa0dd8a51

229 14th Street, NE – Zoning Adjustment Application for a special exception to construct a two-story rear addition to an existing attached principal dwelling unit.

909 and 911 I Street, NE – Zoning Adjustment Application for special exceptions to construct two three-story buildings with penthouses in the RF-1 Zone.

128 12th Street, NE – Zoning Adjustment Application for a special exception under to construct a one-story rear addition to an existing attached flat in the RF-1 Zone.

308 11th Street NE – Zoning Adjustment Application for special exceptions to construct a new third floor addition and roof deck over an existing house, and a new second floor addition above an existing garage in the RF-1 Zone.

Here Are the Farmers Line Vendors Who Will Be at Eastern Market this Weekend, 9:00am – 1:00pm

by Larry Janezich

June 12, 2020

Here Are the Farmers Line Vendors Who Will Be at Eastern Market this Weekend, 9:00am – 1:00pm

Mask and social distancing requirements are in effect.

https://easternmarket-dc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Saturday-6-13-20.pdf

https://easternmarket-dc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Sunday-6-14-20.pdf

Here’s a list of Farmer’s bios and contact info – http://easternmarket-dc.org/our-farmers/

For more information, see here:  http://easternmarket-dc.org/

A “Shocked and Saddened” ANC6B Wants Stronger Action to Redress Justice/Equity Issues

by Larry Janezich

June 10, 2020

Last night, in its June virtual meeting, ANC6B adopted a package of resolutions aimed at redressing policing and social issues which arose out of the equity and justice demonstrations following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. The resolutions in the package, sponsored by Commissioner Corey Holman, were agreed to en bloc by a vote of 5 – 1 with 2 abstentions, and are addressed to various city council committees and to officials in the Office of the Mayor.

Holman said that he thought that commissioners had a moral imperative as elected officials to respond to this moment – “that it is important to say that these particular things express our values. “ Some commissioners expressed reservations that it undercut MPD, others objected to the all or none approach.  Several commissioners crafted added language stressing the thrust of the measure was not a reflection of MPD’s efforts and community engagement, but rather aimed at reallocating limited budget resources to address inequities.

Commissioner Chander Jayaraman was successful in striking two sections he objected to:  the first requested a 5% budget reduction for MPD per year and a study of the costs and benefits of dissolving MPD and creating a new safety and justice department.  The second would have required that the Metro Police standard operating procedures align with those of the MPD.

(Commander Morgan Kane of the MPD’s First District joined the virtual meeting for the discussion on the resolution, indicating the department’s interest in the reaction of elected officials to current MPD policing practices.  Halfway through the debate, she announced she had to leave to respond to a shooting near Pennsylvania Avenue.  This later proved to be a homicide near 15^th and K, SE.)

Under the provisions of the Resolution, the following preamble is to be attached to each of the separate subordinate resolutions.

“Like you, the commissioners of ANC 6B are shocked and saddened by the actions of local and federal police and paramilitary troops operating in the District over the last two weeks. ANC 6B recognizes the immediate cause of these protests is the murder of George Floyd, but the seeds have been sown for over 400 years in the form of systemic racism and oppression. As elected officials, we will dedicate ourselves to dismantling this system.

Further, we recognize that while the direct spark of these worldwide protests is police action, it underlies centuries of housing, educational, employment, and social formal and informal discrimination. ANC 6B encourages the [Council/Mayor] to reform community safety and justice, but also work to end unequal educational opportunities, exclusionary zoning/housing policy, disparate health outcomes, and all other aspects which continue to undergird our unjust social structure.

ANC 6B values the support and hard work of what MPD does in our community on a daily basis. This resolution is not a reflection regarding their community engagement, rather than reallocating our limited budget resources to address underlying inequities in the broader community.”

Here are the provisions of the Resolution as it passed the ANC:

The list of budget requests and the City Council committee to which the request is to be sent includes:

• Judiciary and Public Safety: To reject the Mayor’s request to increase MPD’s budget by $19 million and instead keep funding constant for FY20 and future budgets subject to downward revisions.
• Judiciary and Public Safety: To restore and expand funding for violence interrupter programs.
• Judiciary and Public Safety: That the City Council mandate the use of mental health and trauma experts in lieu of using MPD as school resource officers.
• Judiciary and Public Safety: To immediately ban the use of stop and frisk.
• Judiciary and Public Safety, Committee of the Whole: To create a Community Safety and Justice Revision Commission to replace the recently authorized Police Reform Commission and task it with shrinking the capabilities and responsibilities of MPD, and to update standard operating procedures and reporting requirements with a focus on equity and justice.
• Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization: To fully fund the $60 million in needed repairs to public housing in FY2021 and create a permanent fund to repair, maintain, and create public housing over the five-year capital budget window.
• Committee on the Whole: To include dedicated funding that requires the Office of Planning to create actionable area plans to build affordable housing units in the Capitol Hill Planning Area.
• Transportation and the Environment: To move Council Member Allen’s Metro for DC Bill to a hearing as soon as possible.

Request to be sent to the Office of the Mayor with the above preamble attached:

• Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice: To not renew collective bargaining with the DC Police Union expiring on September 30 and to request a public process involving community members, especially those willing to participate who have experienced harm or trauma from MPD.
• Chancellor Ferebee: To implement at-risk preference through MySchoolDC for all schools for School Year 2021-22 not just new schools and to require this preference of charter schools as well as public schools and place this preference at the top of the lottery preference.
• Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice: To immediately direct MPD to revise standard operating procedures to end the use of stop-and-frisk and to review and expand the scope of regulations on unbiased policing to include increased reporting requirements on racial makeup of stops by ward and police district.

CHC asked Chander Jayaraman, who is running for an Independent seat on the City Council, to comment on the ANC’s action:  “The resolution captured the anguish of the community and the broad systemic inequities in our city.  I am glad that we voted to restate our support for the violence interruption program, limit the role of armed officers in our schools, and took a stance against stop and frisk.”

Afterward, Holman told CHC:  “The resolution is not perfect, not exhaustive, and certainly not sufficient. However, it reflects the state of the council budget process and ANC calendaring limitations.

Our neighborhood, city, and nation are taking on the barriers that have for hundreds of years have prevented equality for our black neighbors. It is imperative that we not only say that black lives matter but take active roles in listening to and amplifying the voices of those who continue to experience trauma and harm from our racist institutions…As a Commission, we must use our limited power and position of influence to actively participate in the dismantling of the systems which prop up structural racism.

 

The Week Ahead…ANC 6D and 6C Consider Election/Protest Issues & Photos from the Week Past

Posted June 7, 2002

by Larry Janezich

Monday, June 8

ANC 6D will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.  Below is the link to the ANC website which has the link to join the meeting.

www.anc6d.org/virtualmeeting

Among items on the draft agenda:

Public Safety Report- First District MPD (PSA 103, PSA 105 & PSA 106) Capt. Dorrough, Lt. Donigian.

2021 Budget Briefing – Executive Office of the Mayor, Jay Melder.

. Covid-19 Scams and Frauds Presentation – US Attorney General’s Office – DC, Douglas Klein.

Pepco Capital Grid Project – Stacee Hemby, Jamaal Jordan.

Resolution on mask wearing and Covid-19.

Letter to AG Karl Racine on 5G Monopoles.

Resolution on recent protests and redress.

Roy Boys – 1025 1st Street, SE, Extended hours.

Westminster PUD Set Down – Bozzuto.

1st Street, SE, Bike Lane Project – DDOT, Andrew DeFrank, Aaron Goldbeck.

4th Street, SW, Residential Parking Permit Extension – DDOT, Andrew DeFrank, Greg Matlesky.

Parcel H – Brookfield Properties.

Tuesday, June 9

ANC 6B will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.  Below is the link to the ANC website which has the link to join the meeting.

https://www.anc6b.org/2020/05/23/june-2020-meetings-of-anc-6b/

Among items on the draft agenda:

203 3rd St, SE, Rear – Zoning adjustment application – Special exceptions and variance to permit a second story addition to existing alley building.

ANC 6B Comments – text amendments regarding development on alley tax lots.

Report on DDOT Presentation on the Penn Potomac Project.

ANC 6B support for closing parking/roads to allow for larger occupancy by restaurants.

Discussion of ANC6B’s BID/Mainstreet Grant Flexibly Resolution.

ANC 6B Bylaws and Grant Discussion: Proposed Revision to ANC 6B Bylaws.

Proposed Change: ARTICLE VIII. FINANCIAL – SECTION 2. FUNDS – B: The Commission shall not regard itself as a governmental funding or grant dispensing agency except during a period for which a public health emergency has been declared by the Mayor pursuant to section 5a of the District of Columbia Public Emergency Act of 1980, effective October 17, 2002 (D.C. Law 14-194; D.C. Official Code § 7-2304.01), the Commission may approve grants to organizations for the purpose of providing humanitarian relief, including food or supplies, during the public health emergency, or otherwise assisting in the response to the public health emergency anywhere in the District, even if those services are duplicative of services also performed by the District government. The Commission shall not be a regular source of funds to subsidize community group’s operations and activities.

Current: ARTICLE VIII. FINANCIAL – SECTION 2. FUNDS – B: The Commission shall not regard itself as a governmental funding or grant dispensing agency. It shall not be a regular source of funds to subsidize community group operations and activities.

Request for dedication of park at 15th/Kentucky/Potomac/G as Will Hill Park.

Wednesday, June 10

ANC 6C will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.  Below is the link to the ANC website which has the link to join the meeting.

https://anc6c.org/hot-topics/

Among items on the draft agenda:

Discussion of Maryland Avenue, NE, Project.

627 Orleans Place, NE, Zoning adjustment application for exceptions to construct a rear deck.

NoMa Parks, update.

Dave Thomas Circle, update.

New Business:

1. 1. Board of Election primary election issues.
   2. MPD performance during protests.

Thursday, June 11

ANC 6A will hold a virtual meeting at 7:00pm.  Below is the link to the ANC website which has the link to join the meeting.  (Call in information will be posted 24 hours prior to the meeting.)

https://anc6a.org/community-calendar/

Among items on the draft agenda: 

$3,000 grant to “Serve Your City/Ward-6 Mutual Aid Network” to support vulnerable ANC 6A residents during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Letter to DDOT (now that automated traffic enforcement is in their purview) requesting that they consider a list of locations for speed and/or red-light cameras.

Duffy’s Irish Pub, 1016 H Street, NE – Motion that ANC 6A amend its settlement agreement with Callister Technology and Entertainment, LLC, t/a Duffy’s Irish Pub to permit amplified sounds in the summer garden until 11:30 pm Sunday through Thursday evenings and 12:30 am on Friday and Saturday evenings and the evenings before federal and District of Columbia holidays.

906 11^th Street, SE – Zoning Adjustment Application for special exception to permit a penthouse and to permit a guardrail.

Community Presentations:

Ward 6 State Board of Education Representative – Jessica Sutter.

FY 21 Budget Update – Paul Kihn, Deputy Mayor for Education.

Anacostia River Cleanup – Pepco, DDOE and CAG.

 

Free COV-19 Testing On and Near Capitol Hill & Looking forward to Phase II Reopening

By Larry Janezich

On Monday, DC will begin free testing for COV-19 at select Fire Stations. One of those is in Hill East and another is near H Street, NE. 

On Tuesday, free walkup testing is available for residents from 4:00pm – 8:00pm at Engine 8 Fire Station, 1520 C Street, SE, a half block from the Pretzel Bakery. 

On Wednesday, free walkup testing is available from 4:00pm – 8:00pm at Engine 10 Fire Station, 1342 Florida Avenue, NE, a short distance from the east end of H Street before it intersects the starburst.

Last Friday, Mayor Bowser and city officials briefed on the status of the city’s response to the Covid-19 health crisis and discussed criteria for moving to Phase II of the reopening, and what that reopening would look like.

Under Phase II, gatherings would increase from the current limit of 10 to up to 50, some indoor restaurant dining with social distancing would be permitted (but no buffets or bars), and expansion of non-essential retail, personal care services and recreation facilities – all with social distancing.

Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director of the DC Department of Health, says it will take three weeks to assess the effects of Phase I reopening, and the earliest the DOH could consider making a recommendation re Phase II is June 19^th.

As of today – Sunday – the city had marked 6 days of sustained decline in community spread.  A 14 day decline is the first benchmark which has to be reached before the DC Health Department will consider making a recommendation to reopen.

Benchmarks also have to be achieved in a low transmission rate, a low positivity rate, sufficient health care capacity, and continued tracing capacity.  A setback in any of these categories could trigger an “intervention” and possibly delay moving to Phase II.

Obviously, the lack of social distancing which occurred during the past 8 days of demonstrations in the city against police brutality are a concern.

You can see a list of other fire stations offering free testing, track the daily progress on DC Health Metrics for Phase II, and the Community Spread Rate under the NEWS tab – (click the like to the June 5 situational report) here:  https://coronavirus.dc.gov/