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Minutes of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D
January 5, 2005
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D met at the Ernst Auditorium of Sibley
Hospital on Wednesday, January 5, 2005, at 7:30 PM. Present were Commissioners
Haas, Hamilton, Gates, Mulane, Shapley and Thompson; Commissioner Heuer was
absent per notice. There were about 40 people in the audience.
1. SWEARING IN OF COMMISSIONERS
1.1. Councilmember Kathy Patterson swore in the commissioners elected in the
2004 general election for terms beginning January 2005. Official documents were
signed and conveyed by Ms. Patterson.
1.2. The commissioners elected by unanimous vote new officers for 2005: Alma
Gates, Chair; Rachel Thompson, Vice-Chair; Sarah Shapley, Secretary; and Ann
Haas, Treasurer.
2. POLICE REPORT FOR PSA 205
2.1. Lt. Jeannie Sullivan presented the PSA 205 report, with the monthly summary
of statistics being available as a handout. Crime was down the past month.
Sgt. Tony McElwee, the traffic officer for PSA 205, reported on the speed
enforcement program which issued 218 tickets and other warnings throughout the
PSA. He judges that the police are having a positive impact on speed and that
their presence also acts as a crime deterrent. In addition to the live
coverage, the Metropolitan Police Department, through its citywide speed
enforcement program, is deploying two speed enforcement cars simultaneously in
different locations on MacArthur Boulevard. Officer Kevin Kennedy was also
introduced.
2.2. The Lieutenant said that Joel Lawson of the Office of Planning requested a
report from the police with regard to the area of Foxhall Road that is under
consideration for development. This area lies between the traffic light at the
Field School and the traffic light at Whitehaven. The commissioners requested
the police report coincide with the hours designated "peak hours" by the
developer's traffic expert.
2.3. The commission inquired about the skeletal remains found along the C&O
Canal at Arizona Avenue. Lt. Sullivan used this opportunity to clarify the
responsibilities of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Park Police
with regard to jurisdiction, as exemplified by the recent assaults in Glover
Park. Both investigations are being handled by the Park Police, as only
homicides on federal land are handled by MPD. Sergeant Fears is the contact
officer for the Park Police.
2.4. The public was reminded that the Second District and PSA 205 have a monthly
community meeting on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 6 PM at their HQ on
Idaho Avenue.
3. COMMUNITY CONCERNS
3.1. There were no concerns raised by members of the community.
4. DUNMARLIN, THE PHILLIPS ESTATE DEVELOPMENT
4.1. Jeannine Rustad, attorney for the development group, led a presentation of
the current plan to build 46 new homes on the former Phillips estate at 2101
Foxhall Rd. She emphasized that the property is zoned R-1-A, which requires
lots of 7,500 sq.ft. and 25 ft. front- and rear yard setbacks with 8 ft.
sideyard setbacks. Homes may not exceed three 3 floors or 40 ft. height. The
development will have average lots of 11,000 sq.ft. The plan has two parts: 12
homes along Foxhall Road and W Street, as a matter of right; and 34 additional
homes in the interior of the development on theoretical lots. The development
group has met with the immediate neighbors on the east side of W Street, as well
as with the DC Office of Planning, the National Park Service (as the eastern
boundary of the development abuts Glover Park), and DDOT. Their BZA hearing is
scheduled for February 15.
4.2. Details of the current plan were presented by Theodore Visnic, Jr., the
developer and Anthony S. Barnes, the architect. Mr. Barnes explained that
extensive research has been done that has provided the best examples of homes in
nearby neighborhoods to guide the basic elements of the plan. The development
will not be a gated community and houses along the perimeter will be placed to
fronting on current streets with driveways to the rear of those properties.
Following their meeting with the neighbors on W Street the plan has been
modified to provide only one access point from W opposite Foxboro Place. This
will provide the developer to align the houses that face on W Street in such a
way that fronts are staggered rather that exactly opposite the opposing homes.
The realignment will also provide a wider green buffer.
4.3. Mr. Barnes explained that a traffic expert, Lou Slade, principle of Gorove-Slade,
has been hired to advise them on traffic issues. The entrance to the
development will have an interior road to provide safer access to Foxhall Road
as well as better sight lines from north and south. Their October 2004 traffic
report is being updated for inclusion in the pre-hearing package for the BZA
hearing on February 15. In response to commission concerns, they said that the
main access off Foxhall would operate at level of service (LOS) C, as opposed to
the intersection of W Street which is at it is at LOS F. Mr. Slade has
estimated that the 46 homes will only add about 30 cars to Foxhall Road during
the morning peak hour of 7:30 - 8:30 AM.
4.4. The layout of this development will preserve many valuable mature trees and
will provide two small teardrop parks for public use. Some 50 trees have been
identified and will be conserved and more than 270 new trees will be added.
Stephen Crum and Mark Burchett presented environmental aspects of the design.
All utilities will be buried. All water runoff will be collected in an
underground facility at the southern end of the property and filtered before
discharge to the wetland that lies south of the stormwater system, and then
flows into Foundry Creek which lies within Glover Archbold Park. The Army Corps
of Engineers has required a 25 ft buffer around the wetland. The National Park
Service has requested a fence along the perimeter with the park to prevent
encroachment by residents and dumping by lawn crews.
4.5. ANC ACTION: Chairman Gates declined to take a vote on the project until the
revised traffic report had been presented to the commission.
5. WC & AN MILLER DEVELOPMENT OF 49th ST. COMMERCIAL LOT
5.1. J. Patrick Brown and William Miller presented an update on the plans for
development of the Miller corporate HQ and commercial lot off Massachusetts
Avenue and Yuma Street, between 49th and 50th Streets. The proposed covenant
change was presented in detail to the commission at an earlier meeting. The
Miller Companies has designed a website devoted specifically to this development
project, where all documents associated with it may be found.
5.2. Mr. Brown explained that the covenant between the company and the original
residential group, the Spring Valley and Wesley Heights Citizens Association,
contained an amendment clause which would be exercised to cover the change in
the plan due to a different configuration of the buildings and addition of an
underground parking garage. A meeting of the Spring Valley Court and Spring
Valley West Homeowners Association was held in early December. A follow up
meeting will be held on January 27.
5.3. The traffic study by Osborn George will be done in consultation with DDOT
and will be shared with residents and the commission. Some new ideas to enhance
the flow of traffic associated with users of the commercial services are: a
lay-by for the 4910 building, change to No Parking on Yuma and 50th streets,
moving back the stop line on 49th street approaching Mass Ave, and a left turn
signal for outbound Mass Ave onto 49th street. All these adjustments would have
to follow DDOT regulations for rulemaking as well as having DDOT approval.
Traffic is the aspect of this project of most concern to residents, who wish to
prevent commuters using Spring Valley streets and to prevent congestion at the
intersections along Massachusetts Avenue. The latest Miller plan has 49th
Street as an entry-only access to their parking facility by visitors and 50th
street as an access for monthly parking users and the exit for all.
5.4. The commission asked that the Miller seek a letter from the Zoning
Administrator to ensure it is in compliance with the Zoning Commission Order.
ANC 3D was a party to the zoning hearing.
6. 4700 UPTON STREET CURB CUT
6.1. The condominium project has six apartments and must provide four off-street
parking places. Two of the spaces have been set off the 47th street side of the
corner property and require a curb cut to be accessed. SMD Commissioner Shapley
moved that the commission approve the request for a curb cut.
6.2. ANC ACTION: The commission voted unanimously to support the permit.
7. 4933 MACARTHUR BOULEVARD HOME HISTORIC DESIGNATION
7.1. Skip and Debbie Singleton have nominated their home, known as Glen Hurst,
for landmark status and must secure approval of the Historic Preservation Review
Board. The board requested input from ANC 3D on the nomination. SMD
Commissioner Gates recommended approval of their application and noted its
mention in Harold Gray's "History of the Palisades."
7.2. ANC ACTION: The commission voted unanimously to support the application.
8. ANC POLICIES REVIEW
8.1. The chair noted for the members of the commission that there are policies
with regard to the following:
8.2. Only the chair speaks for the commission and only the chair uses official
ANC 3D letterhead. From time to time, the chair may delegate this
responsibility to other commission members.
8.3. A commissioner may always speak for their Single Member District and may
design appropriate letterhead for that purpose.
8.4. The commission is seeking a new webmaster for its website. Suggestions
were forthcoming from Commissioners Thompson and Hamilton who agreed to
coordinate search efforts.
9. ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS
9.1. The December Minutes were accepted unanimously.
9.2. The Treasurer's report was accepted.
9.3. The Commission approved a resolution to permit participation in the ANC
Security Fund for the year 2005 and the expenditure of $25.00 for that purpose.
9.4. The next meeting will be Wednesday, February 2, 2005.
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