May 13, 2012 · 6:08 pm

The Week Ahead (And a Look Back… Crepes on the Corner to Apply for Liquor License)

The Week Ahead …

And a Look Back… Crepes on the Corner to Apply for Liquor License

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, May 15

Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee meets in EM North Hall at 7:00pm.  Watch for an update on Councilmember Tommy Wells’ Eastern Market legislation. (The City Council Committee on the Whole has scheduled a public hearing for this measure for Thursday, May 31, 2012, at 11:00am (may be re-scheduled for June 7th at 10am) in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue,  NW. The purpose of the public hearing is to discuss and provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the proposed legislation.)  For more information:

http://www.dccouncil.washington.dc.us/hearing-notices/eastern-market-preservation-and-development-amendment-act-of-2012

Also, look for an update on the status of the plan for a weekday Farmer’s Market at Eastern Market.  Starting so late in the season has presented difficulties in attracting produce vendors.  Eastern Market Manager Barry Margeson is focusing on attracting vendors outside of the usual weekend lineup, hoping to institute a Tuesday week day market.

Tuesday, May 15

ANC 6B Special Call Meeting on Reservation 13 will be held 7:00pm – 8:00pm at St. Coletta’s.  Staff from the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Planning and Economic Development will likely reveal a plan for reopening the request for expressions of interest, using this venue to solicit community feedback on what uses for the site should be included in the request.

Tuesday, May 15

CHRS Board of Directors meets at 6:30pm in Capitol Hill Townhomes, 750 6th Street, SE.  The Board will hear the first report on the success of the Society’s main fund raiser – the CHRS House Tour, which took place this past weekend.  Last year saw a drop off in attendance at the popular Mother’s Day event.

LOOKING AHEAD…

Crepes on the Corner showed up at the ANC6B meeting last Tuesday, offering that they would begin the process for applying for a liquor license for their 15th and C Streets SE restaurant.  That process will unfold over the next few months.

ANC6B’s Outreach and Community Service Taskforce will hold a meeting on Wednesday, May 23 on vacant and blighted properties.  If you have one on your block, call it to the attention of your ANC Commissioner.  http://www.anc6b.org/cms.html

ANC6B’s By-Laws Taskforce met last Thursday to revise the ANC’s outdated by-laws, with an eye toward making it easier for residents with full time jobs and families to serve on the ANC.  Currently, the structure of monthly meetings and committee membership makes it difficult for anyone other than retired individuals to easily serve on the commission.  By the way, the filing date for running for the ANC starts early this year.  The filing period is from July 9 to August 8.  A map of the slightly altered Single Member Districts for ANC6B can be found here:  https://sites.google.com/a/dc.gov/redistricting/updated-smd-and-anc-maps-mid-december-2011

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May 9, 2012 · 4:52 pm

New Traffic Patterns for Capitol Hill Imminent – Openings Scheduled for 11th Street Bridge

Mid September: New Southwest Freeway Outbound Ramp to DC-295 Northbound will open.

Late June: New DC-295 Southbound to the Southwest Freeway Inbound will open.

Late May: Access opens for Inbound traffic across the 11th Street Bridge onto the Southwest Freeway Southbound.

Mid May: A new M Street SE Outbound Ramp to I-295 Southbound will open.

New Traffic Patterns for Capitol Hill Imminent – Openings Scheduled for 11th Street Bridge

by Larry Janezich

Last Wednesday, Peter McDonough, 11th Street Bridge Project Manager, briefed ANC6B’s Transportation Subcommittee on the status of the project.  According to McDonough, the project is five months ahead of schedule.  This means that there will be four significant changes in Capitol Hill traffic patterns beginning next week through mid-September.

Mid May:  A new M Street SE Outbound Ramp to I-295 Southbound will open.

Late May: Access opens for Inbound traffic across the 11th Street Bridge onto the Southwest Freeway Southbound.

Late June:  New DC-295 Southbound to the Southwest Freeway Inbound will open.

Mid September:  New Southwest Freeway Outbound Ramp to DC-295 Northbound will open.

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May 6, 2012 · 11:47 pm

Photos from Sunday’s Literary Hill BookFest

Second Annual Literary Hill BookFest Draws Large Crowd

Literary Hill BookFest, Sunday, May 6th, 2012, North Hall of Eastern Market

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May 6, 2012 · 11:25 pm

The Week Ahead….

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

Monday, May 7

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

Tuesday, May 8

ANC6B meets at 7:00pm, Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital.

On the agenda:

Frager’s Hardware, 1113-1117 and 1123 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, variance for use to allow for the outdoor display / sale of seasonal merchandise and storage accessory to a retail store in the R-4 (rear) portion store lot.  (This appears to be no longer an issue as the matter is on its way to being worked out between the parties involved.  Regardless, Fragers has the support of the ANC for a vareance.)

Enhanced RPP (Residential Parking Permit) extension north of Pennsylvania Avenue SE.  (This issue is likely to move fairly quickly later this year.)

License renewals for Albert’s Liquors, 328 Kentucky Avenue SE; Capitol Hill Wine & Spirits, , 323 Pennsylvania Avenue SE; Chat’s Liquors 503 8th Street SE, Gandel’s Liquors, Pennsylvania Avenue SE; Hayden’s, Inc.. 700 North Carolina Avenue SE; JJ Mutt Wine &  Spirits, 643 Pennsylvania Avenue SE; S&J Liquors, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue SE; Safeway, 415 14th Street SE; World Liquors, 1453 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.  (No issues here.)

Thursday, May 10

ANC 6B Bylaws Review Working Group meets at 6:30pm at Hill Center.

Thursday, May 10

CHRS Zoning Committee meets at Kirby House, 420 10th Street, SE.  Details:  Gary Peterson, 547-7969.

Saturday, May 12

The Capitol Hill ART League presents its Third Annual Metro DC open juried exhibition: Opening reception 5-7pm  at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop.  Show runs through June 1.

Saturday and Sunday, May 12- 13

CHRS Annual House and Garden Tour.  More information available at: http://www.chrs.org.

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May 4, 2012 · 9:57 am

Ward 6 Medical Marijuana Dispensary Comes before ANC 6B

Ward 6 Medical Marijuana Dispensary Comes before ANC 6B

by Larry Janezich

At last night’s ANC 6B ABC Committee hearing, chaired by Commissioner Carol Green in Southeast Library, Vanessa West, General Manager of the Metropolitan Wellness Center, made a brief presentation to Commissioners as they prepared to answer questions posed by the DC Department of Health as part of the review and certification process for medical marijuana dispensaries.  Metropolitan Wellness Center, which is proposing a dispensary at 409 8th Street, SE, on Barracks Row, is one of four dispensaries with an active application before the city, and it is the only one in Ward 6.

Commissioners posed many questions to Ms. West regarding the process by which the dispensary’s product and transactions would be safeguarded.  Also present at the meeting were several neighbors, who acknowledged the efforts of Mike Cuthriell, founder of Metropolitan Wellness, to assuage neighbors’ concerns, but pressed Commissioners to remain vigilant in their oversight and consideration of the dispensary.

Unlike alcoholic beverage licenses, where the ANC works to craft a voluntary agreement with the applicant and records an up or down vote on the license, its renewal, or any exceptions to it that ABRA then takes under advisement in its approval process, the dispensary’s application will not go before the ANC for an up or down vote.  Instead the ANC is charged with supplying answers, in narrative form, to DC’s Department of Health regarding the “potential adverse impact” of the dispensary on the surrounding neighborhood; the local of the dispensary relative to others; and its proximity to substance abuse treatment centers, day care centers, and halfway houses.

Commissioner Ivan Frishberg volunteered to draft the ANC’s response, which will most likely be voted on during the ANC’s meeting on Tuesday, May 8.

The District of Columbia passed a medical marijuana law, widely recognized to be the most stringent in the nation, in 2010.  Neighbors and Commissioners, as well as the Metropolitan Wellness Center, recognized that, in dealing with the first round of applicants under a new law, this was new territory that merited close attention.

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May 3, 2012 · 9:41 am

Mayor Gray Eyes Performance Parking Funds to Salvage Metro Budget Crisis – Wells Prepares Counter Move to Keep Capitol Hill Funds for Ward 6

Mayor Gray Eyes Performance Parking Funds to Salvage Metro Budget Crisis -Wells Prepares Counter Move to Keep Capitol Hill Funds for Ward 6

by Larry Janezich

For the past several years, Capitol Hill has received money from the Performance Parking Transportation Fund, which collects parking fees from specially designated areas and uses that money for non-automotive transportation projects in the community.

The PPF was originally instituted in 2008 to manage curbside parking around National Ballpark.  The concept involves varying the parking rate according to demand and is marked by the singular large parking kiosks, one on each side of the block.  Any monies accruing to the program in excess of the level which would have accrued had the “stick” meters remained in place go back to the community in the form of non-automotive transportation projects.

Examples of PPF projects on Capitol Hill include the Big Belly Solar Powered Trash Compactors, ornate metal benches, Capitol Hill Historic Disc signs, and ornate bike racks for Barracks Row, Pennsylvania Avenue and Southwest DC

According to ANC6B Commissioner Brian Pate, there is currently $3.5 million in the fund in the city’s Performance Parking Fund.

The cash resource has now caught the eye of Mayor Gray, according Charles Allen, chief of staff for Tommy Wells who attended last night’s ANC 6B Transportation Committee.   A move to redirect PPF funds to other purposes would be in keeping with Gray’s decision last year to use the PPF money to help balance the budget.  Now Gray is looking again to the Performance Parking Program as a source of income.   For the new Fiscal Year beginning October 1, Gray’s budget proposes sweeping up all of the unobligated funds in the PPF and similar accounts and using it to subsidize WAMATA.  As many readers may already be aware, the federal government has proposed dramatic cuts to its funding of Metro rail, despite the fact that many of its employees rely upon it in order to commute to work.

Gray has also proposed extending the PPF throughout the city and using those funds as well as future funds from the existing programs on Capitol Hill near the Ballpark, on Barracks Row, and on H Street to subsidize WAMATA, in effect changing what was once a ward-by-ward funding process into a general city revenue to fund public transportation.

There are four Capitol Hill non-automotive projects in the pipeline:  the information kiosk at Eastern Market Metro Plaza, landscaping for the Plaza, a CHAW signage project, and new sidewalks on the east side of Garfield Park.  These would not be affected, but funds accruing to the project in the future would go to WAMATA under Gray’s proposal.

On Thursday, Councilmember Wells will attempt to grandfather the Performance Parking Funds for the National Ballpark, Capitol Hill, and H Street, NE, thus preserving those funds for community use alone.  The transportation budget will come up in Councilmember Mary Cheh’s Committee on the Environment, Public Works, and Transportation, which is comprised of Cheh, and Councilmembers Wells, Alexander, Bowser, and Graham.  Wells reportedly has the support of Cheh and Graham for his budget amendment.  The proposal will then have to be passed by the Committee of the Whole and the full Council.

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April 29, 2012 · 11:46 am

The Week Ahead: Medical Marijuana Dispensary on Barracks Row, Frager’s, Performance Parking North of PA Avenue

The Week Ahead: Medical Marijuana Dispensary on Barracks Row, Frager’s, Performance Parking North of PA Avenue

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, May 1

ANC 6B Planning & Zoning Committee meets from 7pm – 9pm at St. Coletta of Greater

On the agenda:

Frager’s Hardware, 1113-1117 and 1123 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, variance for use to allow for the outdoor display / sale of seasonal merchandise and storage accessory to a retail store in the R-4 (rear) portion of Lots 44 and 838 in a CHC/C-2-A and R-4 district

Permit for Yarmouth Realty to put a digital display box in front of 309 7th Street SE

Permit for Boxcar Restaurant for a 79 square foot unenclosed sidewalk café with three tables, six seats, and two umbrellas.

Permit for Le Pain Quotidien for 20 additional seats and 10 tables for outside café on Pennsylvania Avenue and 8 seats on 7th Street without umbrellas or railings.

Wednesday, May 2

ANC 6B Transportation Committee meets from 6:30pm – 8:30pm, Hill Center.

On the agenda:

Enhanced RPP (Residential Parking Permit) extension north of Pennsylvania Avenue SE

Non-automotive transit improvement budget: Performance Based Parking Pilots

Update on 11th Street Bridges Project

Thursday, May 3

ANC 6B ABC Committee Meets from 7pm – 8pm, Hill Center

On the agenda:

Metropolitan Wellness Center, Inc., 409 8th Street SE—Medical Marijuana Dispensary

License renewals for Albert’s Liquors, 328 Kentucky Avenue SE; Capitol Hill Wine & Spirits, , 323 Pennsylvania Avenue SE; Chat’s Liquors 503 8th Street SE, Gandel’s Liquors, Pennsylvania Avenue SE; Hayden’s, Inc.. 700 North Carolina Avenue SE; JJ Mutt Wine &  Spirits, 643 Pennsylvania Avenue SE; S&J Liquors, 1500 Massachusetts Avenue SE; Safeway, 415 14th Street SE; World Liquors, 1453 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

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April 27, 2012 · 5:00 pm

Editorial: HPRB Advances Hine Project – With Reservations

HPRB Votes To Advance the Hine Project 5-3

Photo credit:  Maggie Hall

Editorial*:  HPRB Advances Hine Project – With Reservations

by Larry Janezich

Yesterday, the Historic Preservation Review Board voted 5 – 3 to advance the Hine Project, but not without some board members expressing serious reservations about the design of the southern façade of the Pennsylvania Avenue Office Building, the design of the north façade of the North Residential Building, the plaza’s water feature, and the connection between the residential and office buildings facing Pennsylvania Avenue.  One board member recommended taking “at least one floor” off of the 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue Office Building.

Though the Board felt Eastern Market fell outside of their purview, Chair Catherine Buell nevertheless urged HPO staff, Councilmember Wells’ office, the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development’s office, and the developer to provide a greater accommodation for the weekend flea market.

Five community organizations, including ANC6B, the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, Eastern Market Metro Community Association, Eyes on Hine, and the Hine Site North Neighbors all sent representatives to express serious concerns about the project.  A common concern of all was the height and mass of the development.  The most critical of the organizations was the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, which, in addition to calling on HPRB to reconsider its prior approval of the height and massing of certain components of the Hine Project also submitted a lengthy report criticizes design elements in great detail.

Michael Berman, owner of Diverse Markets Management which manages the Flea Market, also appeared before the HPRB to testify on the inadequacy of the developer’s plan to site the weekend on the to be reopened C Street and the associated plaza.

ANC 6B Commissioner Kirsten Oldenburg testified in support of the Hine Project and urged Board approval.  Her testimony included support for the “unique design” of the south façade of the 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue Building, its “commanding presence,” and opposed any reduction in height of the building, saying “reducing the height would be a step backward.”

The vote of the board was as follows:

To approve the motion to approve the staff report:  Chair Catherine Buell and Board Members Rauzia Ally, Andrew Aurbach, Maria Casarella, Joseph Taylor.

Opposing the motion to approve:  Board Members Robert Sonderman, Gretchen Pfaehler, Graham Davidson.

Board Member Nancy Metzger, former Chair of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society’s Historic Preservation Committee, has recused herself from consideration in this matter.

* The author of this posting presented testimony on behalf of EMMCA at yesterday’s hearing.

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April 25, 2012 · 7:46 pm

Restoration Society Calls for HPRB Reconsideration of Hine Project

Restoration Society Calls for HPRB Reconsideration of Hine Project

by Larry Janezich

In testimony to be delivered at tomorrow’s hearing before the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB), the Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS) will ask the board to reconsider its earlier concept approval regarding the design, scale, height, and mass of the Hine project’s 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue Office building, the most prominent part of the project and its signature building.

“We consider this element to be completely incompatible with the historic character of Capitol Hill and Pennsylvania Avenue SE,” the CHRS submits, adding, “It is stylistically incongruent with the buildings I connects and highly out of place in the historic district.”  And, “We ask HPRB to please reconsider its earlier concept decisions regarding his building’s design, scale height, and mass.”

The statement is a strongly worded submission, making it clear that the CHRS views the 7th St. and Pennsylvania Avenue buildings as too big, too tall and too massive in relation to the scale of the surrounding historic district.  The CHRS asks that the seventh floor be dropped and the sixth floor set back at least as far as the seventh is now.

Regarding design of the building, the statements says, “This is not the right design for such a prominent and highly visible location on a primary corner in the heart of the historic district,” and adds that at this prominent location, the building should “shine, rather than loom.”

CHRS also calls for reducing the scale of the 7th Street building, adding its voice to neighborhood concerns regarding a “canyon” effect on that narrow commercial strip.

However, the CHRS finds little to fault in the north building or the 8th Street residential building, both of which have received robust criticism from the surrounding neighborhood.

The statement concludes with a reference to the 2009 Stanton/Eastbanc proposal, a plan which CHRS supported.  But as they note in their HPRB testimony, that earlier proposal was six stories on Pennsylvania Avenue, with a sixth story deeply set back on 7th Street and the Pennsylvania Avenue corner.  Stanton/Eastbanc’s current plans call for an office building that is six stories with a 7th story set back 20 feet from 7th Street and only 12 feet from Pennsylvania Avenue.  Similarly, the plaza building on 7th and C Streets is five stories where it was once four, and it has crept onto 7th Street where it faces two story historic structures directly across the street.

Thursday’s HPRB hearing is to consider Stanton-Eastbanc’s response to concerns raised by the HPRB in its review of the projects design concept last summer.  In contrast to the opinion of CHRS and other community organizations, including EMMCA, EOH, and the Hine Project North Neighbors, the Historic Preservation Office Staff Report “recommends that the Review Board find that the revisions improve the compatibility of the conceptual plan,” and urges HPRB approval. If approved, the HPRB would be advancing a design widely held to be incompatible with its neighborhood and without any significant grassroots support from households which are forced to comply with stringent HPRB standards when renovating their own properties.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:00am, in Room 220, 441 4th Street, NW.  Indications are that the Hine project won’t come up until after 12:00 noon.

 

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April 23, 2012 · 7:43 am

The Week Ahead….

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

Tuesday, April 24

ANC 6B Executive Committee Meets at 7:00pm in Hill Center, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Wednesday, April 25

Mayor Gray’s meets with residents of Ward 6 to outline his FY13 budget and take questions from residents.  6:30pm – 8:30pm at Eastern High School, 1700 East Capitol Street SE

Thursday, April 26

The Historic Preservation Review Board monthly meeting.  Among the items on the agenda are consideration of the revised concept drawings for the redevelopment of the Hine Junior High School project and the rear addition to Northeast Library.  9:00am, Room 220, 441 4th Street, NW.

Saturday, April 28

The Eastern Branch Building (261 17th Street SE) will be open for community tours. 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.

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