Bates Area Civic Association

ANC 5C 01 REPORT TO THE BATES AREA CIVIC ASSOCIATION

SEPTEMBER 12, 2011

The following is a recap of activities in Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 5C generally,  and our Single Member District (SMD) ANC5C01 in particular, since June 6, 2011:

ANC 5C SUMMER 2011 MEETINGS

ANC5C held four public meetings over the summer, with regular meetings on June 21st, at All  Nations Baptist Church and July 19th at the Harry Thomas, Sr. Rec. Center and special meetings on July 5th at The Summit at St. Martins and August 4th at First New Hope Baptist Church.

At the June 21st regular meeting, MPD 5th District Commander Andrew Solberg discussed police redistricting, efforts to address parking congestion on Sundays and plans to target crime in certain
neighborhoods.  Johnny Barnes, director of the American Civil Liberties Union, spoke about the ACLU’s D.C. Statehood efforts. Other agenda items included consideration of several new grant applications, National Night Out, the August 5th Art Walk, the M.M.Washington senior citizens
building project, the McMillan Reservoir project and bike lanes in Eckington and Bloomingdale.

The special public meeting on July 5th addressed several items which couldn’t wait until the July regularly scheduled meeting. The ANC voted to support 1) the request for a 2 year extension of time to apply for a permit to build the 1600 North Capital Street NW project (northwest corner of
Florida Avenue & North Capitol Street); 2) North Capitol Main Street’s petition to close the unit block of T Street, N.W., for the Arts Walk festival on August 6th; 3) an application by Global Wines at 175 R Street, N.E., for a stipulated liquor license and 4) the interim appointment of Commissioner Sylvia Pinkney to the Recording Secretary position vacated by Comm. Youngblood’s resignation.

The July 19th meeting began with a formal vote to elect Comm. Pinkney Recording Secretary of ANC5C. The next item was a discussion of the formation of the Ward 5 ANC redistricting committee to which Councilmember Thomas’ chief of staff, Ayanna Chase Webster, has been
appointed chair. A contested proposal to install bike lanes on R Street was referred to the ANC5C Transportation Committee. A proposed resolution to oppose Taxi Cab regulatory legislation pending before the City Council was referred to the Legislation and Public Policy Committee. The
proposal to move forward with a D.C. Statehood video project was approved without opposition.

The ANC held another special public meeting on August 4th. On the agenda was approval of the ANC’s 3rd Quarter Financial Report, emergency funding for an August 6th Back To School even
planned by the Stronghold Civic Association, request by the developer of the Firehouse restaurant project for a stipulated liquor license, the R Street bike lanes issue and grant requests from several applicants. The financial report was approved with a stop payment placed on the yet uncashed grant check previously issued to the Dunbar P.S.A. The Stronghold Civic Association’s request for a $398.50 grant to rent a tent for its Back To School event was approved unanimously. The Firehouse project manager’s request for support was rejected because of his refusal to sign a voluntary agreement with the community. He was instructed to return if and when he changes his position. The ANC voted to approve the grant requests of the Friends of Edgewood Recreation for musical instruments and the Amateur Kickboxing Federation for a planned September 10th community event.

OTHER SUMMER 2011 MEETINGS & ACTIVITIES:

On Thursday, June 23, 2011, I, along with Commissioner Pinkney, co-hosted a joint 5C01/5C02 SMD meeting at which the community heard from Althea Holford (D.C. Dept. of Real Estate Services), Selene Faharin (D.C. Dept. of Education) and Arthur Dade (Youth Build Public Charter School) on the status of the Cook School Building. Youth Build is seeking one or more partners to occupy the building based on 1) strategic alignment or compatibility, 2) level of commitment, 3) financial wherewithal, and 4) community support. As a follow up, a public tour of the building was held in July. Also in June, I attended a community meeting on the McMillan reservoir site project, co-hosted by Commissioners Fournier, Salatti and Youngblood and I hosted an Economic Development Committee meeting to approve plans for the M.M. Washington development. Both meetings took place on June 16th. Lastly, on Tuesday, August 16th, I had the honor of joining Mayor Gray, Councilmember Thomas and several BACA members at the official groundbreaking for the reconstruction of the Florida Ave. and First St. Park where I made a few brief comments on behalf of the neighborhood. Construction is scheduled to be completed by November 15th.

ADVISORY CABINET

Saturday, July 30th, we held the fifth meeting of the our Advisory Cabinet of ANC 5C 01 at the home of Kathleen Davis. Turnout was high and a wide spectrum of quality of life issues were discussed. No meetings were held at the end of June because the last Saturday in June was “Flower Power” Day. We also cancelled the meeting scheduled for the last Saturday in August because of the visit of Hurricane Irene to the area. We will resume our monthly schedule in September.

UPCOMING ACTION ITEMS: The following are action items I would like all 5C01 residents to make note of this month:

Item 1: The Metropolitan Police Department has set up a web site called “iwatch” for reporting suspicious or criminal activity. The link is http://www.mpdc.dc.gov/iwatch.

Item 2: Next week is “Build Week” for the new Kaboom Playground to be constructed between the Slater and Langston Schools in the unit block of P Street, N.W. We’re looking for 200 volunteers (100 of which are coming from the Washington Capitals organization) to build the new playground
in one day, Thursday, September 15th.) Prep Day is Tuesday, September 13th. On Build Day, breakfast and lunch will be provided for all volunteers. No particular skills are required. If you can get away on Thursday, come join us beginning at 8:00 a.m. It will be fun.

Item 3: Speaking of Slater and Langston, the Historic Preservation Review Board has scheduled a public hearing, for October 27th at 10 am, at 441 4th St., N.W., R-220 South, on applications to designate the Langston School and Slater School Buildings, next door to each other in the unit block of P St., N.W., as historic sites. Property owners nearby have the right to testify for or against the designation. The two schools have fascinating histories. If you like, I will send you information on
their role in the history of public education in this city and particularly, the Shaw community.

Item 4: Commissioner Sylvia Pinkney (ANC5C02) and I will be hosting another joint SMD meeting on Thursday, September 29, 2011, at 7 pm, at the CAPCS facility, 1400 1st St. N.W. There will be two major items on the agenda: 1) Efforts are underway to redraw the ANC boundaries in our
Ward.; and 2) An update on the status of the redeployment of the Cook School building.

Item 5: Public meetings of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 5C are held on the third Tuesday of each month. I encourage the attendance of residents of our Single Member District at these meetings. Locations rotate around the 5C area. We will host the December 20th meeting here at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church. Meanwhile, the September 20th meeting is scheduled to be held at Nash United Methodist Church, 2001 Lincoln Road, N.E., beginning at 6:45 p.m. The special guest will be D.C.’s delegate to Congress Eleanor Holmes Norton.

That’s my report.

Bradley A. Thomas
(202) 670-0151
5C01@anc.dc.gov