1D01: Vacant
Mount Pleasant 1D04: Phil Greiner
Commission
1D02: Adam Hoey
Chairperson 1D05: China Boak Terrell
1D03: Jack McKay
Secretary and Treasurer 1380 Monroe St NW, #117 website: www.anc1d.org
Minutes of the November 18, 2014 meeting of Advisory Neighborhood
Commission 1-D
These minutes accepted at the ___ember 18, 2014 meeting.
Call to order
[7:08 pm] Chair Adam Hoey called the November meeting of ANC1D to order at 7:08 pm. Three commissioners
were present: Phil, Adam, and Jack, constituting a quorum.
Public Discussion
[7:08 pm] The meeting was opened to public discussion.
Secretary’s report
[7:11 pm] Jack asked if there were corrections to the minutes of the October 21 2014 meeting. No corrections
were offered, and the minutes were declared accepted.
Treasurer’s report
[7:11 pm] Jack asked if there were any concerns about two routine expenditures: Tony Grillo, $50, postering for
this meeting; Hearsay Interpreting, $100, for Spanish interpreting at this meeting. No concerns or
objections to these expenditures were expressed by the commissioners.
Jack noted that a security update to the Drupal software underlying the anc1d.org web site was needed,
and asked approval to have Ben Siegler do this update, at a cost to be determined. Approved, 3 to 0
vote.
Oppose Oakwood Terrace design concept
[7:12 pm] Adam offered the following resolution:
RESOLVED: ANC 1D advises the Historic Preservation Review Board to reject the design concept
currently proposed at 17th St. NW and Oakwood Terrace (3430, 3432 Oakwood Terrace).
WHY: The proposed design does not follow guidelines for new construction in historic districts of the
District of Columbia. Specific design shortcomings include orientation, proportion, rhythm, massing,
ANC1D meeting minutes, November 18, 2014, p. 1 of 3
height, exterior materials, roof shape, and ornamentation. ANC 1D advises the HPRB of the following
issues and concerns regarding the currently proposed plans:
(1) The proposed building will sit at a raised point of entry to (or exit from) the neighborhood and will
be visible on all four sides. Special attention should thus be given to the overall shape of the building.
While the project is proposed as two rowhouses, the ordinary rowhouse form – essentially a box with
decorative elements on the front and back – does not suit this site. A more sculptural approach is
needed.
(2) The orientation of the building, with a rear elevation on 17th Street and a blank side wall facing its
nearest neighbor, is problematic. The building permit for 3434 Oakwood Terrace shows that the house
was turned to face the vacant lot to the south after the building inspector found that “it will not go on
this lot the way is it laid off [sic].” The vacant lot was then recognized as its “parking terrace.” The
applicant thus proposes to build in the officially recognized front yard of the adjacent house, a situation
without precedent in the historic district. The proposal would require the houses on the west side of
17th Street to face the rear of the new building, close to the street and approximately 50 feet in height.
(3) The building should not look like an apartment building. If two rowhouses are intended, there
should be a repetition of features between them that makes this use obvious. Those features should
reflect the elements (such as windows and rooflines) of historic homes nearby as opposed to the non-
contributing apartment building at 3410 17th Street. For example, double-hung windows should be
substituted for some of the sliding glass doors in the current proposal. A mansard or gabled roofline
would be more in keeping with the historic context.
(4) Similarly, materials used should reflect those of historic properties. The cedar panels and metal
balconies and trellises proposed to accent the brick are not consistent with surrounding properties or
with contributing properties generally within the historic district. Moreover, the vertical lines of the
different materials echo the lines of the apartment house across the street. If accents are needed to
complement the brick, another kind of masonry would seem indicated, applied in a more traditional
manner.
(5) As parking for two cars is required by zoning for new construction of this kind, the best solution
here would appear to be surface parking.
(6) The neighborhood remains very concerned about the damage that will inevitably be done to the red
oak tree and the ramifications of the excavation and shoring that will be required to build on this site.
The neighborhood will seek further review of these aspects by other agencies and would appreciate the
cooperation of the Historic Preservation Office where appropriate.
Passed, 3 to 0 vote.
Assure an attractive 17th Street frontage to 3430-3432 Oakwood Terrace (Jack)
[7:16 pm] Jack introduced the following resolution:
Resolved, that ANC1D advises the Historic Preservation Review Board to consider the design of 3430-
3432 Oakwood Terrace, HPA #13-335, with special care as it will be seen from the 17th Street side,
and to apply esthetic standards to this side of the buildings as rigorous as to the Oakwood Terrace
frontage.
Why: Due to the narrowness of this lot, the rear side of the flats proposed for this project will abut 17th
Street, and will be visually as prominent as if this structure fronted on 17th Street. From the public
space of the street, and from residences across 17th Street, this backside of the buildings will be the
ANC1D meeting minutes, November 18, 2014, p. 2 of 3
public view of the buildings. Residents are quite appropriately concerned that this view will be less
than pleasant, as the backside of buildings tends to be inferior in appearance, and the rear of buildings
is commonly used for utilitarian purposes, such as trash bin and yard tool storage. The garages opening
onto 17th Street are potentially an esthetic problem, if these in practice are left open and exposing
cluttered interiors. The HPO staff report suggests that a lower standard is being applied to the 17th
Street side of the buildings, concentrating attention on the Oakwood Terrace frontage.
Clearly the rear side of these buildings should be treated as carefully as if this were the front, because
this side of the building abuts the public space, and is so exposed to view from the west side of 17th
Street, as if this side were the primary frontage.
Passed, 3 to 0 vote.
Adjournment
[7:20 pm] The meeting was adjourned at 7:20 pm.
ANC1D meeting minutes, November 18, 2014, p. 3 of 3