CAPITOL HILL CORNER

Oldenburg Bounces Opponent from Ballot via Challenge – Tim Britt to Launch Write-In Campaign

By Larry Janezich

Tim Britt, who had registered as an opponent of ANC6B Commissioner Kirsten Oldenburg in the November election, was removed from the election ballot after an Oldenburg challenge revealed a single unqualified signer of the petition, leaving him one name short of the required number of signees.

Britt, who was unaware of the challenge until the DC Board of Elections came to its decision, responded to the news by vowing to launch a write in campaign for the seat.  Britt expects to have a website up and running this weekend, at timbritt4anc.com.

Oldenburg may be particularly vulnerable this election year:  some constituents are upset by her handling of the new Hill Center liquor license and operating hours; other neighbors of the Hine development cite her unqualified endorsement of Stanton-Eastbanc’s design for the Hine development.  The latter position put her at odds not only with the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, but also one of the District’s most prominent architects, D. Graham Davidson, FAIA, member of DC’s Historic Preservation Review Board.

Britt, a former 12^th Street neighbor of Oldenburg’s currently lives with his wife Lanna on 10^th Street, SE, across from Tyler Elementary School.  Britt has been a resident of the Hill since 2007 and served eight years as a U.S. Army Military Police officer, including a tour of duty in Iraq.

Final List of ANC6B Candidates – Critchfield to Seek Re-election; Oldenburg Challenged

by Larry Janezich

In the last few days to do so, ANC6B Chair Jared Critchfield, 1505 K Street, SE, has filed to seek re-election to represent SMD 6B06.  Tim Britt, 753 10^th Street, SE, has filed to run for the SMD6B04 seat held by Kirsten Oldenburg.

The period for filing for ANC6B candidacy for the November election closed today.  Candidates who have filed to run could still withdraw their candidacy before Election Day.  As of today, the list of candidates is as follows:

6B01 – Incumbent* unchallenged.

Dave Garrison*

6B02 – Incumbent* challenged.

Ivan Frishberg*

Gerald (Jerry) Sroufe

6B03 – Current Commissioner Norm Metzger is not seeking re-election; there are  two candidates for the seat.

Philip Peisch

Randy Steer

6B04 – Incumbent* challenged.

Kirsten Oldenburg*

Tim Britt

6B05 – Incumbent* challenged.

Brian Pate*

Steve Holtzman

6B06 – Incumbent* challenged.   There are three candidates:

Jared Cricthfield*

Chris Harlow

Nichole Opkins

6B07 – Incumbent Carol Green is not seeking re-election.  One candidate has emerged.

Sara Loveland

6B08 – Incumbent Neil Glick is not seeking re-election.  One candidate has emerged.

Chander Jayaraman

6B09 – Incumbent* unchallenged.

Brian Flahaven*

6B10 – Incumbent* unchallenged.

Francis M. Campbell*

ANC6B Hine Negotiators Face Challenge at Polls – Opponents of Chair and Vice Chair of Hine Subcommittee Step Forward

by Larry Janezich

The two ANC6B commissioners who negotiated the memorandum of agreement regarding benefits, mitigation, and amenities with the Hine developers will be opposed in the November election.  The seats of Ivan Frishberg, Chair of the Hine Subcommittee; and Brian Pate, Vice Chair, will be contested by Gerald (Jerry) Sroufe, 129 6th Street, SE; and Steve Holtzman 210 8th Street, SE, respectively.

Sroufe and Holtzman were outspoken critics of some of the key points in the memorandum of agreement reached between ANC6B and Stanton Eastbanc.  Both presented statements critical of the design of the Hine project before the Zoning Commission last month.  The ZC is likely to issue a zoning order or directive to the developer to make certain design changes to the project when it meets on September 10.

ANC6B approved the memorandum of agreement on June 13 by a vote of 6-4.  Many in the community felt that more concessions could have been wrung from the developers than were accomplished by Frishberg and Pate.

In another significant development, a candidate has emerged to succeed retiring Commissioner Carol Green.  Sara Loveland, of  951 14th Street, SE, has registered to be a candidate for SMD 6B07 and is so-far, running unopposed for the seat.

The period to register as a candidate will close at the close of business on Wednesday, August 8.

As of now, those who have registered for candidacy in ANC6B are as follows:

6B01 – Incumbent* so far unchallenged.

Dave Garrison*

6B02 – Incumbent* challenged.

Ivan Frishberg*

Gerald (Jerry) Sroufe

6B03 – Current Commissioner Norm Metzger is not seeking re-election; there are three (now two – see below)  candidates for the seat.

James M. Loots  (Update:   Loots has informed emmcablog that he has  determined that due to personal and professional obligations he will not be seeking the ANC 6B03 SMD position and will support Philip Peisch in the general election.  ed.)

Philip Peisch

Randy Steer

6B04 – Incumbent* so far unchallenged.

Kirsten Oldenburg*

6B05 – Incumbent* challenged.

Brian Pate*

Steve Holtzman

6B06 – Incumbent Jared Cricthfield has not yet filed for candidacy.  Two candidates have emerged.

Chris Harlow

Nichole Opkins

6B07 – Incumbent Carol Green is not seeking re-election.  One candidate has emerged.

Sara Loveland

6B08 – Incumbent Neil Glick is not seeking re-election.  One candidate has emerged.

Chander Jayaraman

6B09 – Incumbent* so far unchallenged.

Brian Flahaven*

6B10 – Incumbent* so far unchallenged.

Francis M. Campbell*

Three ANC6B Commissioners Will Not Seek Re-election – Filing Deadline is August 8

by Larry Janezich

At least three ANC6B Commissioners will not seek re-election this fall:  Commissioners Neil Glick, Carol Green, and Norm Metzger have all announced they will not be candidates in the November election.

Three candidates are seeking Metzger’s 6B03 seat, including James M. Loots, 634 G Street, SE; Philip Peisch, 506 G Street, SE; and Randy Steer, 535 7th Street, SE.

Chander Jayaraman, 1436 Independence Avenue, SE, is the only candidate currently registered to run for Glick’s 6B08 seat.

So far, no one has registered for candidacy Carol Green’s SMD, 6B07.

Commissioner and ANC6B Chair Jared Critchfield has not yet filed for candidacy and is undecided about running, but two 6B06 residents are seeking Critchfield’s  seat –  Chris Harlow, 1306 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE #202 and Nichole Opkins, 542 14th Street, SE.

The deadline for filing for candidacy is Wednesday, August 8, and additional candidates could emerge.

Commissioners Dave Garrison 6B01, Ivan Frishberg, 6B02, Kirsten Oldenburg 6B04, Brian Pate, 6B05; Brian Flahaven, 6B09; and Francis Campbell, 6B10 are all seeking additional 2 year terms on the Commission.

ANC6B has ten seats, each representing a single member district (SMD).  The new SMDs for ANC6B governing the November election can be found here: www.ancdc.us

The Advisory Neighborhood Commissions consider a wide range of policies and programs affecting their neighborhoods, including traffic, parking, recreation, street improvements, liquor licenses, zoning, economic development, police protection, sanitation and trash collection, and the District’s annual budget.

In each of these areas, the intent of the ANC process is to ensure input from an advisory board that is made up of the residents of the neighborhoods that are directly affected by government action.  The ANCs present their positions and recommendations on issues to various District government agencies, the Executive Branch, and the Council.

Nothing this week.

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

July 17, Tuesday

ANC6B Bylaws Review Working Group meets, 6:30pm – 8:30pm, Hill Center, to continue review of ANC6B Bylaws and proposed standing rules.

July 17, Tuesday,

CHRS Board of Directors meets at 6:30pm, Capitol Hill townhomes

Note:

The filing deadline for those who seek to run for one of the ten ANC6B Commission seats is (corrected to August 8).  Those who have filed as of last Thursday are as follows:

6B01Dave Garrison *

6B02 Ivan Frishberg*

6B03 Philip Peisch

6B03 James M. Loots

6B03 Randy Steer

6B04 Kirsten Oldenburg*

*incumbent

The Week Ahead….

by Larry Janezich

July 10, Tuesday

ANC 6B Commission meets, 7:00pm – 9:00pm, Hill Center. 

Watch for:

Hine School Redevelopment: Discussion and possible action regarding recent events related to proposed Eastern Market legislation. (According to press reports this week, Mayor Gray opposes the bill.  ANC6B has made its support of the Memorandum of Agreement regarding benefits and amenities concerning the Hine project, contingent on resolution of the issues related to  the weekend flea markets which the proposed legislation purports to address. 

July 10, Tuesday

Inauguration of an afternoon weekday farmers’ line, 3:00pm – 7:00pm, at Eastern Market.

July 11, Wednesday

Zoning Commission holds the third and probably the last day of hearings on the application of Stanton-Eastbanc for a change in zoning for the Hine site.  The meeting will be 6:30pm at One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, NW, Washington, DC.

July 12, Thursday

ANC6B Transportation Committee meets at 6:30pm in the basement of Southeast Library to discuss extension of the Performance Parking Pilot boundaries north of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Weekday Eastern Market Farmer’s Line Starts Tuesday Afternoon

Ten Vendors – Five New Faces

by Larry Janezich

On Tuesday, July 10, a late-afternoon weekday farmers’ line will begin operation at Eastern Market.  The hours will be 3:00pm – 7:00pm.

The initial farmers’ line will include five new vendors plus five regulars from the current weekend farmers’ line.

The new faces include:

John Stoltzfus and Christian Hertzler from the Amish Farmers Market in Charlotte Hall, MD;

Ben Hertzler, “The Watermelon King” from St. Mary’s County, MD;

Julie “Baaaa Baaaa” Bolton Groff’s Content Farm, MD;

Shyla and Steven “Heirloom” Kennedy from Purcellville, VA;

Charles Flemer from Walnut Hill Farm in Colonial Beach, VA.

The current weekend farmers’ line regulars who will participate include:

Lee and Stephanie from Barbour’s Fruit Farm, PA;

Daniel and Russell from Dunham’s Produce, W VA;

Ashton Farms from W VA;

Ma Brown’s Stand – Freshly Baked Goods;

Bob King and his Swiss Peelers.

The Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee (EMCAC) voted unanimously in late March to direct Market Manager Barry Margeson to establish a weekday farmer’s market.

Margeson was further directed to seek out organic and local producers for the market in so far as spaces are available.  The possibility of a weekday farmers’ line at the Market has been discussed for the past ten years.  EMCAC will review what is essentially a pilot program periodically and make adjustments as necessary.