ANC 2E – Georgetown, Burleith, Hillandale
At the meeting on April 29th:
* Commissioner Kishan Putta said he thinks a possible bus shelter to be installed by the District Department of Transportation at 35th Street and Dent Place NW is important for all ages. Commissioner Rick Murphy said there were not many emails from the community with concerns regarding this.
* Michael Alvino, from the Agency’s Palisades Trolley Trail, said a feasibility study is underway to make sure concept designs, structural ideas, and budgeting plans are realistic. Alvino said this could provide pedestrians and bicyclists a connection between Georgetown and the Palisades. He said some of the key questions to be answered within this feasibility study include what the costs are, if the bridge can be removed (from a historic resource perspective), existing and future liabilities associated with the bridge, what need the trail is actually serving, if the community actually supports it, and how the trail will connect with its surroundings.
He said a public meeting will be held in July with a date and location to be announced. Alvino said that at a previous meeting held last month, there was controversy on whether the trail should be be unpaved or paved.
Commissioner Rick Murphy warned Alvino that skepticism will inevitably occur due to how this trail will affect bike lanes.
* Robert Fuchs of TeleWorld explained that utilizing rooftops for small-cell 5G installations is a simple alternative to building towers. Fuchs said that property owners can list the small-cell 5G installation themselves, whether it be a microcell or macrocell. He said that the property owner will receive income each month from carriers as a sort of rental fee for using space. Essentially, Fuchs said this is a leasing process instead of using street space, and that it has been a successful nationwide process, though each of the carriers has different needs and their own standard leases.
Commissioner Joe Gibbons said that these installations are similar to solar panels as they can be offset on roofs to be more aesthetically pleasing.
- The commission voted unanimously in favor of a proposition that outlined recommendations mentioned at a February 6th meeting with Washington Gas. A representative from Washington Gas said there have been a substantial amount of gas leak activity in this area. She said it is currently difficult to provide updates about any shareholder sites.
Commissioner Gwendolyn Lohse said that progress is definitely being made both short- term and long-term.
Lohse invited the public to attend a gas leak meeting on May 15th at 2pm at the Public Service Commission’s Office on the 8th floor.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of a resolution for a Georgetown Canal Plan.
Scott Walzak of the National Park Services said to submit comments at www.parkplanning.nps.gov before May 11th. He invited the community to attend a canal clean-up on May 18th and a ‘Meet the Mules’ event on May 19th from 11am to 2pm at Fish Market Square.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of a resolution requesting that the District Department of Transportation synchronize the timing for traffic lights leading to the key bridge.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of two new capital bikeshare stations. Aaron Goldpeck from the District Department of Transportation said the bikeshare dock will sit on a small amount of concrete that will be added, rather than the sidewalk. Goldpeck
mentioned that the District Department of Transportation will be working with the National Park Service. He said he has met with people from Rose Park and has received their support and requests from the public to have it there. This will be implemented (optimistically) this summer or early fall. He said the bikes have a policy that restricts them from obstructing the streets so that recycling trucks and other cars will not be negatively affected.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of a resolution for a bikeshare dock to be located on the corner of 38th Street and Reservoir Road. Aaron Goldpeck said that last year the District Department of Transportation proposed to put a bikeshare on 36th Street north of Reservoir Road, behind Duke Ellington High School, but that this plan violated certain sidewalk standards. Goldpeck said he believes that this location is better because it is safe and will create a synergetic effect, since it is close to a bus stop.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of the Rosewood Hotel’s Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration license renewal.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of Tony and Joe’s (3000 K Street NW) Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration license renewal.
* The commission voted unanimously to resolve to sign settlement agreements.
* The commission voted unanimously to protest the renewal of Milton Alley’s settlement agreement.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of Angolo Ristorante’s settlement agreement
* The commission voted unanimously to protest Flavio (at 1069 31st Street NW’s) settlement agreement.
* Commissioner Rick Murphy said a meeting for the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration will occur in May.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of the installation of a temporary flagpole at the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of a coning commission application by Georgetown 29K Acquisition. Richard Levy thanked the Advisory Neighborhood Commission for their support at a recent meeting.
* The commission voted unanimously in opposition of the expansion of a property on 3313 N Street NW until the homeowner has approval from neighbors and design issues are fixed.
* In the absence of the applicant of 1426 Wisconsin Avenue NW, the commission had no comment for a resolution.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of a property owner to remove illegal construction, and to complete renovations, on 2801 M Street NW.
* The commission voted unanimously in support of the efforts of a property owner on
2731 O Street NW’s work with the CFA.
*The commission voted unanimously to support of a garage expansion at Tudor Place but provided no comment on the concept design. Mark Thefton of Tudor Place said that this garage addition is the first major endeavor of a master plan that has eventual goals to preserve and conserve the historic location while caring for the landscapes. He said this plan has already been approved in 2011 and 2012, and that it is only an update with virtually no changes. He said the majority of the construction will barely be seen.
A resident opposed the proposal because he said it will intensify a canyon effect on 32nd Street, will lower house values in the area, and will negatively affect the nature of the street itself. Gibbons said he would approve the concept design and that this canyon effect is a landscaping problem.
Another resident said that although she donates and is supportive of the missions of Tudor Place, she believes this garage addition will negatively affect the community.
Another resident mentioned privacy concerns that she believes will occur if this is to be built because people will be able to look into her home.
Another resident mentioned concerns on the sizing of the project. He said that this is an unsustainable site design and will deteriorate the landscape.
Commissioner Joe Gibbons said that this is out of the commission’s hands, and that the Old Georgetown Board will be more influential.
Tori Powell contributed to this post
