Thank you to our guests for attending the Monday, September 16, 2013 meeting:
Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie
Jon Mandel, Councilmember McDuffie’s Office
March Williams, Mayor’s Liaison for Ward 5
Commissioner Joyce Robinson-Paul
Ms. Carrie Thornhill – Dunbar Alumni Federation
Key update from the BACA Meeting:
- Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie was in attendance. The Councilmember and his staff will join Bates Area Civic Association community in a neighborhood safety walk with MPD, DCRA, DOH, DDOT and DDOE to address community concerns. Walk is Saturday, October 5 at 9:30am starting the Florida Avenue Park. Councilmember also addressed the funding for the commercial revitalization of Rhode Island Avenue and North Capitol Street, including funding for the Great Street Project and for the Main Streets Program. On Tuesday, September 17 Councilmember will make recommendations on half of the Ethics Committee to remove Councilmember Marion Barry from his position as Committee Chair. Councilmember will also be holding a taskforce meeting to address future uses of industrial land in Ward 5.
- Ms. Carrie Thornhill provided the community a brief history of the rich history of Dunbar High School, the grand opening festivities and the museum available for community to visit. Ms. Thornhill also addressed the community on behalf of the Dunbar Alumni Federation and Dunbar High School to clarify the Dunbar High School nor the planning committee had prior knowledge of the CAPCS school’s plans to pave the gravel parking lot. Ms. Thornhill further stated the construction of the lot began on the day the Dunbar grand opening festivities started (August 19) so the 50 parking spaces CAPCS had offered Dunbar were not available. Ms. Thornhill clarified that Dunbar or the Planning Committee would not have agreed to utilize the CAPCS lot had they had prior knowledge that the lot was built without permits and illegally.
- March Williams from the Mayor’s Office provided an update on DC oversight of the parking lot. According to Mr. Williams, CAPCS is being fined $4,000 per day by DC Office of the Environment since the date of construction (August 19. 2013) and until the violations are rectified. The parking lot was indeed built without permits, without water drainage system and environmental impact studies. DCRA has also conducted inspection and will issue a resolution by Thursday to the Mayor’s Office. Mr. Williams verified that CAPCS filed for building permits after construction had been completed. The Mayor’s Office will update the Bates Area Civic Association on the final resolution of this issue.
- Commissioner Joyce Robinson-Paul refrained from commenting on the CAPCS citing that she had no comment as that is now a legal matter. Commissioner did ask the community to come together, focus on the positive things happening in the neighborhood and move on. Commissioner reminded community members of the ANC Meeting on Tuesday, September 17 at Trinity Church (starts at 7pm).
Key Votes Held
With 33 voting community members, the following votes were passed:
- Bates Area Civic Association to support Mundo Verde Charter School to redevelop the J.F. Cook vacant building into a new state of the art green school. Project is estimated at $12 million.
- Bates Area Civic Association voted to pass a resolution for ANC consideration. The resolution is for the removal of the illegal 144 car parking lot and to restore the green space at the historic Armstrong Building where CAPCS operates. The Resolution has been submitted to Commissioner Joyce Robinson-Paul to consider for adoption by the ANC.
Bates Area Civic Association 
Thanks for the report on last night’s Bates meeting. It is not clear — is the parking lot at 1st & P St NW going to be removed — or is it going to remain ?
Thursday DCRA will issue it’s inspection results and requirements
The 50 spaces plus more were used on the first day of the celebration and the parking lot was used heavily for the remaining days of the celebration. At the Hanover Area Civic association, it was verified by long term residents that the green space was being used by unarthorized dog owners, whose poop and urine infected the soil and patches of grass on evenings and during the weekend when the school was not open. As I stated in the meeting, I will have nothing to do with a four page resolution that divides this community where I serve as a elected ANC Commissioner. Further, I will not comment on whose wrong and whose right or speak against neighbors, stakeholders and businesses in my single member district when it appears to be a WITCH HUNT by people who show envy or dislike toward the school and the church. I will continue to say MOVE ON to the many positive events going on in this neighborhood. If someone is perfect, then identify yourself and show what glass house you live in and continue throwing stones. I rest my case.
Thank you Commissioner for your response and update regarding your thoughts on the Resolution passed by the Bates Area Civic Association. The Bates Area Civic Association is basing the resolution on the process and legalities and the risks the violation of the construction permit process and the risk of flooding the project (as it is today) exposes our neighborhood to. Regards, Geovani A. Bonilla, President, Bates Area Civic Association.
Joyce – The issue here is that the lot was put in illegally. No permits were filed and an environmental assessment was not conducted. Since the lot went in the corner of 1st and P NW has been flooding. We aren’t talking about envy, dislike, or a witch hunt. You must be talking about your own feelings. There are no emotions involved here. The issue is the laws that exist to protect the environment and our city’s infrastructure, and those laws were broken.
Olivia
Has DCRA published the results of their inspection?
I also attended the HACA meeting, and Joyce is correct that long-term residents did express concern that the previous green space was used inappropriately. What was not discussed was whether the previous green space provided adequate drainage for storm water. The environmental impact of the new lot was not addressed at all because the Hanover Area Civic Association president used her position to cut off all discussion.
I find it appauling that ANC5 is taking the position that she does. I also question who does she represent? I live directly accross CAPCS and feel insulted that my rights as a homeowner have been violated. To say let’s forget and move on is just an easy way out. I am prepared to protect my quality of life, safety and property value. Let me go on record and clearly state, ” I do not envy nor do I have a dislike for the school or the church. What I resent is people overstepping their “assumed authority” to negotiate back door dealings thereby denying stakeholders, especially those of us who live within the 100 Block of P Street, NW, the right to be heard. I also question whether CAPCS would have been able to do the same in his community?