ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 1B
Government of the District of Columbia
Minutes
Thursday, April 3, 2008, 7 PM, 1200 U Street
NW
The
regular monthly meeting of ANC1B was held on Thursday, April 3, 2008, at 7:00
pm in the True Reformer Building, Commissioner Smith being present as Chair,
and Commissioner Nadeau present as Acting Secretary. Other Commissioners present: Akinmboni, Conklin, Hoerrner,
Hunter, Matthews, Moss, and Spalding.
At 7:15pm,
Chairman Smith called the meeting to order and noted there was not a quorum,
but the meeting would proceed. The
meeting agenda would start with items that do not require a vote and community
announcements. He then asked for
introductions.
Officers Reports
Commissioner
Nadeau presented the minutes from the March meeting for approval. The minutes were approved unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report
Commissioner
Spalding indicated that the only financial activity for the month of March was
for two checks to Bianca Body for Administrative Assistant work. The checks were for $138.40 and $127.48. The checks do not require a vote because the
funds were previous approved as a part of the budget.
The synopsis
of the 2nd Quarter Report for January 2008 to March 2008 was
included in the Commissioners’ packets.
There was a beginning account balance of $60,184.83. The Commission received three district
allotments, but due to late grant reporting the allotments were held up and one
grant was slightly docked as noted last month.
The three allotments yielded a deposit total of $22,932.70 and a new
account balance of $83,117.53. The
quarterly included very minimal expenses for printing, office supplies,
purchase of office equipment, and some bank charges. The total quarter disbursements are $435.65,
leaving a balance of $82,681.88
Commissioner
Spalding motioned Commission to approve the 2nd quarter 2008
report. Commissioner Conklin seconded
the motion and the motion was adopted 8-0.
Committee
Reports
Commissioner Spalding discussed
last month’s vote to form two additional committees, ABC Committee and Design
and Review Committee. Chairman Smith
will assist with the Design and Review Committee. Commissioner Spalding stated
that neither committee has been formed yet due to a lack of advertising by
Chairman Smith and himself. Advertising
will occur in the next two weeks.
Commissioner Spalding encouraged community members to join the
committees and to e-mail Chairman Smith or himself about the committees.
Commissioner Spalding motioned to
add the names of the new committees to the Commission’s Bylaws. Commissioner Moss seconded the motion and the
motion was adopted 8-0.
Events
and Announcements
Commission
Commissioner Spalding announced
that the Cardozo- Shaw Neighborhood Association meeting will be held Thursday,
April 10, 2008 in the True Reformer Building at 7pm. There will be an initial
presentation by KBG Company about the redevelopment of the 1300 block of U
Street (the Rite-Aid strip) with a hotel.
Also, there will be a discussion on the lack of infrastructure in Square
361(Vermont Ave, U Street, 9th Street, and T Street). There is a
development proposal for Square 361 that will create more landlocked commercial
and residential property on the space. The Cardozo-Shaw Neighborhood
Association wants to give the community residents and business owners the
opportunity to see what the plans entail.
Commissioner Akinmboni announced the
following:
·
CFSA
Budget Hearing will be held April 8, 2008 from 9:30am-12pm at 812 7th
Street, NW.
·
Peaceaholics
Community Meeting will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2008 from 10am-2pm at the
Columbia Heights Community Center located at 15th and Girard
Streets.
Commissioner Nadeau announced the
following that the 15th Annual Metro Teen AIDS auction will take
place Thursday, June 26, 2008 at the Embassy of Finland. Tickets are $100 and are available on the
internet at www.metroteenaids.org.
Commissioner Hoerrner announced
that ANC 1B11 will have community meetings on the 2nd Monday of
every month. Meetings will be held in
the basement of the LeDroit Park Apartments, 2125 4th Street, NW,
from 6-7pm.
Community
Wilson Reynolds, Chairman of
Planning, Zoning, and Transportation Committee of ANC 1C, announced a project
the Department of Transportation to facilitate traffic flow plans for the
intersections at 16th and Euclid Streets and Clifton and Euclid
Streets. Traffic plans are needed
because of the congestion that will arise when the new Harris Teeter Grocery Store
opens on April 23, 2008.
A community member from 10th
and 11th Streets between P and W Street announced community members
concern about a building on the corner of 10th and W Streets. Residents sent a memo about the property
being in disrepair for years and it has been the home to, rats, raccoons and
trash. There are documented reports on
the property and it has been cited. The
owners of the property are non-responsive.
They have heard that the property might be turned into a carry out. Community members want the neighborhood to
remain residential. Community members
look forward to working with Commission in the future on this issue. Commissioner Spalding pointed out that the
community members submitted a letter to the Commission voicing their concerns
Presentations
Chairman Smith introduced
representatives of the DC Caribbean Carnival, Inc to the Commission and the
community. He stated that the DC
Caribbean Carnival is an event that takes place on the last Saturday in June
every year. The event travels down the
Georgia Avenue corridor with floats and other forms of Caribbean heritage are
displayed.
Laughton Sargeant, Executive
Director of DC Caribbean Carnival, requested a letter of support for the 16th
Annual DC Caribbean Carnival that will be held the weekend of June 28-29,
2008. The parade will be held on June
28, 2008. It begins at Missouri Avenue
and end at Barry Place across from Howard University. The activities at Banneker Recreation
Facility include Caribbean cuisine, arts and crafts, international entertainment
from throughout the US and Caribbean.
Activities will also be held on June 29, 2008 at Banneker Recreation
Facility and will include entertainment, arts and crafts, and food. DC Caribbean Carnival, Inc has already
received letters of support from Councilman Jim Graham (Ward 1) and Councilman
Muriel Bowser (Ward 4).
Chairman Smith moved that ANC 1B
support the DC Caribbean Carnival on June 28-29, 2008. Commissioner Hoerrner seconded the motion and
the motion was adopted 8-0.
BZA, HPRB, DDOT Applications
BZA
Commissioner Spalding indicated
that BZA 17786-True Gospel Church is located in his single member
district. The application involves the
church and a vacant lot next to the church.
The two will eventually switch places and a new church will be
built. The request is for a special
exception to 214.1, a vacant lot to be used for a church accessory parking
lot. The actual zoning is for parking. Commissioner Spalding then introduced
Henderson Walker to the Commission and the community. Mr. Walker reiterated the purpose of the
application and stated that the new church will be built on the current vacant
lot and an 11 space parking lot will be erected when the old church building is
torn down. Commissioner Spalding
inquired about screening for parking lot because the church is in a residential
neighborhood. Mr. Walker agreed with the
use of screening.
Commissioner Spalding moved to
support BZA application 17786 and designate himself as a representative for
this application. Commissioner Moss
seconded the motion and the motion was adopted 9-0.
HPRB
Arcadia
Design Services representative Jim Foster presented to the Commission on behalf
of PM Hoffman the house design for the existing vacant lot at 1349 V Street,
NW. Commissioner Hunter motioned that
ANC 1B vote to approve the concept submission for HPRB application 08-xxx. Commissioner Akinmboni seconded the motion and
it was amended designating Commissioner Spalding as the representative on this
matter. The motion was adopted 9-0.
ABRA Licenses
Commissioner
Spalding indicated that all information about licenses was included in the
Commissioners’ packets. He would take
any questions or concerns from Commissioners after the list was reviewed.
- Gary Chaw of YES! Organic Market spoke to the
Commission and community about the opening of a new store. The store will open in the early summer
and it will be the 5th Yes! Organic Market in the
District. Mr. Chaw stated that the
store would be applying for a B license to sell upscale wines and imported
beer. Commissioner Spalding
indicated that when the Commission receives notice of placarding, Mr. Chaw
would be invited back for another presentation.
- The old King Pin will be restored under the new
name of Parliament House. This
license will be further discussed at next month’s meeting.
- Chix is applying for a DR01 license, a beer and
wine on premise license.
- The W Street Market license is now in safe
keeping.
- Eatonville will be opening at the end of the
summer or early fall in the PM Hoffman building.
Commissioner
Akinmboni asked about the 7 Days Grocery license. Commissioner Spalding stated that the license
is in safe keeping. The license has been withdrawn, still exists, and the
business is closed. The owners still own
the license, but the business will re-open at another location.
Commissioner
Moss discussed license 00237 for Columbia Lodge #85 IBPEO. There was an ABRA hearing on April 2, 2008 on
the summary suspension of the Elks lodge liquor license. Chief Lanier closed this establishment on
March 30, 2008 after a triple stabbing that occurred on the 2nd
floor of the facility. During the hearing the Lodge Council had discussions
with the board about an offer and compromise which would detail a security plan
for the site. The next hearing will be
on April 23, 2008 to determine the next steps for the site. Commissioner Moss wrote a letter to the ABC
Board asking the Elks Lodge to meet with the community to develop a voluntary
agreement and security plan. The letter
also strongly suggested a 6 month license suspension. Commissioner Moss, the
LeDroit Park Civic Association, and representatives from the Elks Lodge will
meet on April 9, 2008 to begin discussions about voluntary agreement and
security plan. Commissioner Moss moved to table a vote on this license. Commissioner Spalding seconded the motion and
the motion was adopted 9-0.
Commissioner Spalding discussed the new
Republic Gardens. He emphasized that the
business has new owners but the same name.
The new owners and their attorney were present to answer any questions
from the Commission and the community.
Commissioner Spalding stated that the draft voluntary agreement and
security was in the final editing phase and only need a few minor changes. He also indicated that the owners should
apply for a CN03 license instead of a CN02 license. Questions were raised about the notification
time the community had on this issue.
After lengthy discussion on the license, community notification time,
and the financial hardship the business would face by not opening soon the
Commission came to a consensus about Republic Gardens. Commissioner Spalding moved that ANC 1B table
the motion for approval of license 78849 for
Grant Applications
Commissioner
Mathews gave a brief explanation of grant application 08-01 for Home Roots
Foundation. The grant application was before the Commission last month for a
presentation. Two representatives from
the organization were in attendance to answer any questions the Commission had
about the grant application. The
Commission discussed the issue of Commissioner Mathews’s name appearing on the
grant application. Commissioner Spalding
stated that Commissioner Mathews could remove his name from the application or
he could leave his name and not vote on the application. Commissioner Spalding needed clarification on
the specific purpose of the Loving our City, Loving Ourselves. Representatives explain that their event
focuses on a broad spectrum of issues in the community, ranging from health to
environmental to employment.
Commissioner Mathews moved that the Commission adopt grant application
08-01. Commissioner Moss seconded the
motion and the vote was as follows:
Commissioner Moss- yes
Commissioner Hoerrner- yes
Commissioner Conklin- yes
Commissioner Nadeau- yes
Commissioner Spalding – no
Commissioner Akinmboni- yes
Commissioner Smith- yes
Commissioner Mathews- abstain
The
motion was adopted 6-1-1.
Chairman
Smith announced the Arts Under the Stars grant
application will be on next month’s agenda.
Representatives
from the Marie Reed Neighborhood Association presented information on their
grant application. The grant will be used to take a group of students on a
music trip at Kings Dominion in Virginia.
Commissioner Hunter moved that ANC 1B vote to suspend the rule for 30
day grant application receipt and vote to approve the grant application for the
Marie Reed Neighborhood Association.
Commissioner Moss seconded the motion and it was adopted 9-0.
New Business
Commissioner
Hunter asked that the Commission take a position of opposition on the announcement
of warrantless searches for guns that the Metropolitan Police Department is now
conducting. The ACLU and other community organizations are holding a rally at
Freedom Plaza on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 12pm in opposition to the
searches. Commissioner Hunter moved that
ANC 1B go on record in official
opposition of the policy of warrantless searches and that the Commission
designate Commissioner Hunter to draft a letter to the Mayor and the City
Council advising them of the Commission’s opposition. Commissioner Moss seconded
the motion with the amendment that the Executive Committee will draft the
opposition letter. The motion was
adopted with 8-1, Commissioner Spalding abstaining from the vote.
Commissioner
Hunter discussed a problem with the February minutes concerning the
Metropolitan Baptist Church grant report to the Commission. He moved that the Commission amend the
February minutes to say that
Commissioner
Moss inquired about business cards.
Chairman Smith stated that he would work on getting the business cards.
The meeting
was adjourned at 9pm.