Bates Area Civic Association

As a reminder, BACA will meet tomorrow at 7:00 PM at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church Old Sanctuary (located at 3rd and Q Street, NW). Please join us!

To review meeting minutes from February, please see below or click here: BACA Meeting Minutes February 2018.

Bates Area Civic Association

Meeting Minutes

February 5,2018

Meeting Convened: 7:00 PM

• Secretary, Kate Mevis welcomed the group. Financials: $3,500 in bank. Approximately 28 members. New year so membership renewal time. $20 per person, per house.

December meeting recap:

1. Developers from FlyWheel working on project at N Cap and P.
2. NE Boundary Tunnel presentation. Member of Bloomingdale Civic Association shared some challenges with underground work done around 1^st and V St NW.
3. Hearing on Big Bear looking to expand use of space.

• MPD not available.
• Updates from Councilmember and Mayor’s Office
  Councilmember McDuffie’s Office: Kelly provided list of community meetings and update on cold emergency plan. The Council is in budget season for next two months. If you have input into that, please testify. Preference is to come in person. Other option is sending in a written testimony via email. Contact information for hearings provided in flyer that was distributed.

  BP Gas Station on Florida Ave. has had vagrancy issues. Met with owner. Owner wants to participate in clean-up. Going to work with him to put a plan together. Call 911 regardless of issue. Working with Mayor’s Office to get materials out to people hanging out on resources available to them. The more calls MPD gets, the more the record shows the extent of issues.

  Question about fence put up in triangle park at Florida and N Cap. Not sure what plan is. Clean-up was part of money coming from Councilmember’s office. Plan to plant trees and plants in spring. Space won’t be for public space use. Beautification was done to improve the green space.

  No update on Councilmember’s position on DCRA being re-organized into two divisions.

• No rep from mayor’s office.
• PEPCO Capital Grid Project: no one available.
• ANC Commissioner Updates
  Katie McClelland: Big Bear put in application to expand to second floor and roof top. ABRA ruled to let Big Bear expand to second floor with additional noise barriers installed and to rooftop with max capacity of 45 people and closing at 10 pm all days of the week. Second floor intended for community space.

  Starting Nov 2018, 3^rd Street between Rhode Island Ave and Florida Ave will be closed, and one lane of Florida Ave for two years to plan for NE Boundary Tunnel. Concern about construction impacting surrounding area. Engineering report was done but unclear on extent of impact of vibrations both underground and caused by steel plates. Very little notice on when construction is happening already. Neighbors noticing issues already. One of the blocks effected by this has been designated a historical landmark. Office of historic preservation is granting this designation. Commissioner looking into an appeal process and additional protections for that block.

  Haven’t heard an update on notice of 410/412 Richardson Place. Building permits were revoked in May 2017. Decision was supposed to be made within six months. DCRA has been unresponsive about questions.

  No update on 319 R Street (corner of block that got historical designation.)

  Resurfacing going on Florida Ave in area that was worked on by DC Water subcontractor.

  Concern about drug dealing in parking lot near 4^th and Q Street NW. Some movement down 4^th street NW.

  Bradly Thomas: ANC Meeting is third Tuesday of the month (February 20) at Armstrong School. Front door on O Street NW side.

  Update on DDOT resolution. All priorities in ANC bounds were included. Outside of our boundary but close—David Thomas Circle (intersection of Florida NE, New York Ave NE, and 1 street NE.) Plans included taking some or all of the property where Wendy’s currently exists. City would need to acquire property to do something with it. Negotiation is currently occurring to try to buy the property. It’s being studied and plan hasn’t been finalized.

  Request to have MPD available at March meeting. They will be invited. We can put together a synopsis for MPD about loitering and illicit activity at 4^th and Q, 3^rd and P, N Cap and Florida.

• Community Discussion
  NEAR Act was discussed: way to address community issues through a public health lens and not just relying on police intervention. Act passed 1.5 years ago and was funded the past year. It’s not fully funded yet. There needs to be pressure in order to implement it. McDuffie introduced the legislation.

  Update Republic Cantina (Unit block of N Street NW): ANC5E, HACA, and two groups (one of 18 and one of 23) of concerned residents filed protests against liquor license. Settle agreement was worked out. Settlement agreement on http://www.anc5edc.org website.

  Commissioner Thomas is running as a candidate for Ward 5 Council seat.

  Other Discussion: (1) Property that fell down on unit block of Q Street is in continuing lawsuit with adjacent property. (2) Dunbar High School pool has been fixed. It’s back up and running.

  Adan: Asked about vacant schools on P Street. BACA was going to renew effort for potential re-uses for those schools. Kyle was going to follow-up with Geo on the issue.

Dunbar Track is open 6-8 am not during football season (fall.) Need for information on it.

• Marcus Goodwin: Not present.

Meeting Adjourned 8:01 PM