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The
meeting was called to order by Chairman John Finney at 7:30 pm. Present
were Commissioners Finney, Heuer, Shapley, Gates, and Mullane.
Commissioner Hamilton was absent, and former Commissioner Polk’s seat is
vacant. There were some 18 in the audience.
1.0 POLICE REPORT, SECOND DISTRICT, PSA 203
1.1 Sergeant Charles Forbes reported that there is a very dangerous
armed robbery team in the area that is suspected in some eleven events.
They prey on persons in isolated spots near their homes. Detailed
statistics on crime were referenced in the data report provided as a
hand-out to the commission and the public.
1.2 On traffic problems, he reported that over 2,600 tickets had been
served on New Mexico Avenue (2800 block), over 800 on Loughboro Road
(5000 block), and over 1,500 on MacArthur Boulevard (5700 block).
1.3 On the city-wide emergency crime initiative, he reported that its
term is being extended through January 2004. This means that leave is
curtailed and all hands are on duty to provide round-the-clock coverage.
1.4 He promised to follow up with the district captain on our request
for end-of-day foot-patrol coverage of the 49th and U Streets
intersection, at the heart of the MacArthur Blvd. market area, where
such deterrence is needed for homeward bound local shoppers. Captain
Michael Jacobs is responsible for supervising daytime deployment in the
Second District.
1.5 Citizen reports or complaints may be addressed to the police at
their website, <http://www.mpddc.org>,
where one follows the links to Second District and then to PSA 203.
2.0 COMMUNITY CONCERNS
2.1 Gottlieb Simon, head of the city’s Office of Advisory
Neighborhood Commissions, was present and invited to address the
commission on recent developments intended to serve better the
commissioners.
2.1.1 The maps, in digital and paper formats, are being re-done to
reflect the re-districting of single-member districts. The Commissioners
asked that they be conveyed to us in both formats.
2.1.2 Residential parking permits for commissioners are still in the
pipeline, as the format and definition of the privilege is still being
worked out by city attorneys.
3.0
GENERAL MATTERS of COMMUNITY INTEREST
3.1 Commissioner Gates reported that she would circulate her testimony
at the BZA Hearing on St. Patrick’s School’s application for a new cap
on student enrollment and faculty/staff employment. Also to be
circulated is the testimony of Mr. Michael Lovendusky, a resident
opposed to the expansion in the new junior high school facility on
MacArthur Blvd. Mrs. Katherine Bradley said that this facility should be
occupied and open in January 2004, to which end the school is driving
the final stage of its construction operations.
3.2 The Chairman, John Finney, announced the upcoming election of new
officers for ANC-3D in January 2004. Due to reasons of health, he stated
his intention not to stand for another term but to remain on the
commission; he also declined to stand for any other officer position.
3.3 The Chairman also announced that the February election to fill the
vacant seat of Single-Member District 09, formerly held by Scott Polk,
covering Foxhall Village and the Georgetown Reservoir area, would be
supervised by Judge Mize.
3.4 Commissioners Gates and Shapley spoke of the necessity and value of
our taking the training for participants in the city’s Emergency
Preparedness program. Commissioner Gates will be undertaking the CERT
(Emergency Response) function.
3.5 Commissioner Gates also reported on the Ward 3 Transportation Task
Force and suggested that we post on their website our ANC-3D agenda. The
Mayor’s Parking Task Force has a new draft which should be released
after December. The extension and designation of emergency routes to
include MacArthur Blvd. and Reservoir Road eastward to make a logical
connection of these major roadways was discussed and will be
recommended.
3.6 Commissioner Shapley corrected any misapprehension from news reports
of a new city-wide soil standard for Arsenic and the present clean-up
level agreed for the Spring Valley project area. The Army Corps of
Engineers present operation using the agreed level will not be affected
by this new proposed regulation, which is aimed at brownfields
restoration and involves many potential chemical contaminants. She
registered concern that there was not coordination between the parts of
DC Department of Health, which is involved in the Spring Valley WWI
clean-up and also responsible for the brownfields issue; hence, the
community became aware of the latter only after the period of public
comment had expired! Nor is it evident that there was or is any routine
for informing interested parties and local commissions of such a
proposal from this part of the the DC Department of Health. She asked
Gottlieb Simon to review this problem.
4.0 ABRA #11901 - Sutton Place Gourmet in Wesley Heights
4.1 Located at 3201 New Mexico Avenue, NW, this grocery store, now under
new management, has applied to renew its Class B liquor license to sell
beer and wine. Appearing to present the application was Daniel Broeker,
general manager and COO of the new owners, and Joel Dannick, store
manager. The new owners of the Sutton Place Group were previously known
to residents through their establishment of Fresh Fields (now Whole
Foods) in DC. Commissioner Mullane said he had not heard any complaints
connected with the liquor sales from this store. The parking
arrangements, disrupted during renovation of the whole complex in
2002-03, are now operating as planned, with 24 spots for this store.
4.2 ANC ACTION
The Commission voted to support the application by a vote of 5-0-0.
5.0 ABRA # 50156 - MacMarket & Deli, 5185 MacArthur Blvd.
5.1 This application for renewal of a Class B license to sell liquor was
presented by the new owner Robert Sahni. He is undertaking an upgrade of
the foods offered here in line with the general upgrade of such stores
along the Boulevard. He said he aims at the “serious foodie”. He pledged
to continue the policy of selling beer only in six-packs, rather than
single bottles. Discussion centered on the new ways to check for
underage purchasers of liquor and his plan to use the latest technology
for this. On parking, he has one spot for the store in the strip and all
other spaces are for customers. His employees will park on side streets.
5.2 ANC ACTION
The Commission voted to support the application by a vote of 5-0-0.
6.0
BZA # 17097 - EXCEPTION FOR 5240 SHERIER PLACE ADDITION
6.1 Georgia and Hamilton McGraw presented their application for a
special exception (variance) to add to their home, situated on a
non-conforming lot at the corner of Arizona Avenue and Sherier Place.
They have lived there four years and now intend to adopt a child and
need to provide more space for their family. It is a semi-attached
house, the other half of which has already had built a much larger and
more noticeable addition. They have consulted with neighbors and secured
signed assents to the addition, which will not intrude on their views
and the streetscape. Commissioner Finney, in whose Single-Member
District it is, favored the application, as did Commissioner Gates who
had visited the site
6.2 ANC ACTION
The Commission voted to support the application by a vote of 5-0-0.
7.0
BZA # 17101 - EXCEPTION FOR 5609 SHERIER PLACE ADDITION
7.1 Catherine and Gerald Tyson presented their application for a special
exception (variance) to build a one-storey addition and an open deck to
the rear of their home. They have obtained the assent of their immediate
neighbor at 5607 and others nearby. One side has the property line
already at only 3 ft. from the house, the other at 9.3 ft. Because
Sherier Place and the Public Alley at the rear are higher than the house
itself, there is a significant drainage problem for normal rainfall at
the center and north side of the lot, and this constrains the prudent
way to add to the rear of the house. The homeowner has already
undertaken remedial construction of an underground drain. Also, the
current proposal would preserve a mature tree in the backyard.
Commissioner Gates, in whose Single-Member District this is, favored the
action.
7.2 ANC ACTION
The Commission voted to support the application by a vote of 5-0-0.
7.3 FOLLOW-UP
The Commissioners noted that this Public Alley presents drainage
problems to many residences over several streets in the area and pledged
to pursue action by DC’s Department of Transportation to remedy.
7.4 ANC RECOGNITION BY BZA
The Commission also registered their strong insistence with Mr. Gottlieb
Simon, Director of the DC Office of ANCs, that the BZA in deed give
“great weight” to the advice on such application by the ANC and also
that the BZA should include in its judgments an address to the points
raised by the ANC in its advice on an application. Mr. Simon said that
the BZA was supposed to respond to ANC comments in its judgment,
according to the 2001 amendment governing their operation. The
Commission noted that we do not receive any response other than that
which may be contained in their Order and Finding.
8.0
NEW DRIVEWAY AT 3050 UNIVERSITY TERRACE
8.1 Mr. and Mrs. Steven Dreyer, who were not present, propose to create
a new driveway at their home, at a place where there is no curb, no
drain or sidewalk at present.
8.2 ANC ACTION
The Commission resolved that approval was only to be recommended pending
a water management study by the appropriate departments so as to prevent
run-off problems for neighboring properties. This resolution was
supported by a vote of 5-0-0.
9.0 COMMISSION BUSINESS.
9.1 Website: The routine will be that Beverley Monroe, our
administrator, will send postings to Robert D. Andrew, our web master.
We shall strive for more timely postings, but the Chairman will do a
bullet-style summary suitable for immediate posting after meetings and
for release to the next weekly issue of the NW Current.
9.2 Treasurer’s Report. The treasurer’s report was given. The
quarterly allotment has not yet been received. Nor has the DC auditor’s
letter. The amount of income is expected to be at the same level as last
year, because of the Continuing Resolution on federal funding of the
budget.
9.3 Secretary’s Minutes. The minutes from the November meeting
were approved and signed for the record.
9.4 Next Meeting. The next meeting will be held Wednesday,
January 7th, 2004 at the Ernst Auditorium of Sibley Hospital.
9.5 Congratulations were tendered to our esteemed Chairman, John
Finney, on his 80th birthday. The Chairman noted that while some
commissioners may have issues to raise with the ANC that go beyond our
area boundaries, his approach has been to take of area business first
and foremost which tends to absorb the time we have to deliberate, in
any case. He also reiterated his strong sense of the need for the ANC to
provide a counter-weight to mayoral power and, thus, to review major
city actions, such as the Comprehensive Plan from the Office of Planning
and Neighborhood strategies emerging from the Citizen Summits. He opined
that we need to register our views with the City Council not just at the
annual budget oversight hearing.
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Sarah Stowell Shapley,
Secretary, ANC-3D
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