ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 6B
REGULAR MEETING
Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital
921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
February 11, 2014, 7:00 p.m.
MINUTES
ATTENDANCE: Brian Flahaven, Ivan Frishberg, Nichole Opkins, Brian Pate, Phil Peisch, Kirsten Oldenburg,
David Garrison
(ChanderJayaraman arrived at 7:06pm)
1. Adoption of Agenda
Commissioner Flahaven asked that the Special Call Meeting minutes be added to the agenda. Commissioner Pate added several
Resident Members while eliminating several others.
With the addition of adoption of the special call minutes and a few changes for the resident members for 6B05,
Commissioner Frishberg moved to adopt the agenda, 2nd by Commissioner Peisch. Approved 8-0-0.
2. Community Speakout
Kimberly Manning – Project Manager for the 11th Street Bridge Project. March 6th Update on Construction Projects that may
affect commute.
Sabrina Slater – lives in Potomac Gardens. Focused on offender re-entry and homelessness. 202-543-3428
Natalie Oranda – Community Outreach Planner,Seaberry Resources for Aging, introduced herself. Her email address is
Seaberryresourcesforaging.org
3. Community and Commission Announcements
Commissioner Opkins shared that there are several Ward 6 Candidate Forums coming up in February and encouraged the
audience to share the news with their neighbors and to attend themselves.
Commissioner Flahaven mentioned the Hill East Task Force meeting, set for February 18th 6:30 -8:30, at Saint Coletta’s,
1901 Independence Ave., SE. The Task Force will discuss next steps for the former Eastern Branch Boys & Girls Club
Building (261 17th Street SE). Michelle Chin from the DC Department of General Services will discuss her department's
plans to issue a Request for Expressions of Interest in the building.
4. Consent Agenda
Commissioner Pate moved to approve the consent agenda, 2ndby Commissioner Peisch. Approved 8-0-0.
Minutes
January 2014
Planning & Zoning Committee
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R1400027, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, raze: Eric May & Rob McClennan
HPA #14-159, 527 5th Street SE, one-story rear addition, Kathleen Grant & Papa-Kwesi Coleman
PS #87746, 656 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, District Taco, unenclosed sidewalk café: Chris Medhurst
Position and authorization for February 25, 2014 testimony on B20-563, District of Columbia Sports & Entertainment
Complex Feasibility Study Act of 2013
5. Renewal of Hill East Task Force, Outreach & Constituent Services Task Force, & Zoning Regulations Review Task Force
Commissioner Jayaraman moved to approve the resolution to renew the Hill East Task force. 2nd by Commissioner Pate.
Approved 8-0-0.
Commissioner Pate moved to approve the resolution to renew the Outreach & Constituent Services, 2 ndby Commissioner
Peisch. Approved 8-0-0.
The Commission agreed that it would not renew the Zoning Rewrite Task Force now since it is not yet clear that further
meetings will be necessary. Commissioner Garrison noted that the Chair of the Planning and Zoning Committee can ask that
one be convened should there be a need to do so.
6. Election of Committee and Task Force Chairs
Commssioner Frischberg nominated Commissioner Loveland as Chair for the ABC Committee. Approved8-0-0
Commissioner Opkins nominated Commissioner Campbell as Chair for the Planning and Zoning Committee. Approved8-0-0
Commissioner Garrison nominated Commissioner Oldenberg as Chair for Transportation Committee. Approved8-0-0
Commssioner Opkins nominated Commissioner Flahaven as Chair for the Hill East Task Force. Approved 8-0-0
Commissioner Peisch nominated Commissioner Pate as Chair for the Outreach &Constituent Services Task Force. Approved
8-0-0
7. Appointment/Renewal of Resident Members
Commissioner Frishberg moved to approve the roster en banc, 2ndby Commissioner Opkins. Approved 8-0-0
Alcohol Beverage Control Committee
Steve Hagedorn, 246 9th Street SE, 6B05 (David Feinberg, 212 9th Street SE, 6B05– REMOVED)
Susan McAvoy, 1370 G Street SE, 6B06
Clare Palace, 920 G Street SE, 6B04
Norberto Salinas, 1833 Burke Street SE, 6B10
Catherine Durbin, 408 4th Street SE, 6B03
Planning & Zoning Committee
Christian Alexander, 1442 Independence Ave SE, 6B08
Brynn Barnett, 1802 Bay Street SE, 6B10
Nicholas Burger, 1336 E Street SE, 6B06
Breese Eddy, 1391 Pennsylvania Ave SE, 6B07
Jennifer Rosen, 703 8th Street SE, 6B03
Tom Woteki, 143 Kentucky Ave SE, 6B05
Transportation Committee
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Andrew Cadmus, 1009 D Street SE, 6B04
Mark Adelson, 105 13th St SE (Will Fleishell, 17 Gessford Court, 6B05– REMOVED)
Carol Grissom, 1338 A Street SE, 6B08
Norm Metzger, 638 G Street SE, 6B03
Keith Smith, 803 17th Street SE, 6B09
Hill East Task Force
Steve Hagedorn, 246 9th Street SE, 6B05
Jennifer Howard, 1522 Potomac Ave SE, 6B09
Andrew Johnston, 1366 G Street SE, 6B06
Ruby E. Lewis, 1409 E Street SE, 6B06
Nike Opadiran, 1520 Pennsylvania Ave SE, 6B09
Ross Parman, 1514 Pennsylvania Ave SE, 6B09
(Sharon Raimo, 127 Kentucky Ave SE, 6B05– REMOVED)
Claudia Vilato, 321 18th Street SE, 6B09
Katherine White, 1408 E Street SE, 6B06
Outreach & Constituent Services Task Force
Darren Cole, 701 Kentucky Ave SE, 6B09
Floyd Mills, 109 13th St SE, 6B05 (Martha Huizenga, 113 Kentucky Ave SE, 6B05– REMOVED)
Ania Nadgrodkiewicz, 1015 C St SE, 6B05
John F. Kreis, 20 6th Street SE, 6B02
Tony McGovern, 23 16th Street SE, 6B10
Stephen Merrill, 1002 D Street SE, 6B04
John Neal, 1360 G Street SE, 6B06
8. Planning & Zoning Committee
BZA #18713, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, pursuant to 11 DCMR § 3103.2, variance from the parking space size
requirements under subsection 2115.2 for a new apartment building in the C-2-A District: Eric May. owner& Rob
McClennan, attorney.
o The Committee recommended that the Commissioner support the requested parking variance. The Committee also
recommended support for a separate request for a variance for roofline height. The owner, Eric May restated his
request that ANC6B support the roofline having varying heights. Commissioner Flahaven advised the Commission
that the 6B was notified that what was needed regarding the roof line matter was a special exception rather than a
variance. The owner’s attorney, Mr. McClennan, confirmed that information.
Commissioner Pate inquired if it would be possible to lower the height of the elevator tower five feet to
bring it in line with the top of the staircase towers. Mr. May replied that the elevator tower cannot be any
lower. Commissioner Pate states that he does not have an issue with it if it is not visible from the street.
Commissioner Frishberg moved that the Commission support a special exception for the roofline height,
2ndby Commissioner Peisch. Approved 8-0-0.
o Parking Space Issue: Came to the Commission as a motion to approve parking space size variance. Approved 8-0-0
HPA #13-630, 719 12th Street SE, third-story rear addition: Michael Watson, owner.
o Garrison stated that CHRS comments on the case point out that the size of the addition would be 3426square feet ,
not including the roofdecks. Thus, the addition would be substantially larger than the current building, estimated to
be 2700 square feet. This means that the addition would likely overwhelm the existing structure, normally an
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undesirable result in the historic district. Flahaven states that his objection is not based on the size of the rear
addition vis-a-vis the orginal house but on the other arguments presented.
o Heidi Williamson, owner of adjoining property at 721 12th Street SE, addressed the Commission. She said she still
has not be given a copy of the plans to review. She expressed her concern that over the last 5 months her attempts to
communicate with the owner of 719 12th Street have not been unsuccessful. She said her attorney was told by the
owner’s attorney that Ms. Williamson should not have gotten the ANC involved and that she should not speak on
this matter anymore.
o Michael Bruggman. Owner of 722 11th Street, SE, expressed his concerns about the view of the proposed addition
from 12th Street. .Commissioner Frishberg stated that “not being visible’ is not the test or the standard. Mr.
Bruggman said he is opposed to the plan in its current form.
o Commissioner Oldenbergsaid fears that even if this project was to go through, she has serious doubts that the
addition the building would be built in the way that owner states it will. There is a general lack of confidence in the
owner since he has failed to be communicative with neighbors.
o Commissioner Oldenberg moved that the Commission oppose the 719 12th Street SE HP application because the rear
façade of the 3 story addition will be visible from 12th Street SE and the plans available to the ANC do not show a
rear elevation designed to be compatible with the historic district. 2nd by Commissioner Garrison. Approved 8-0-0
HPA #14-165, 614 A Street SE, rear addition: Dane Cherry & Kim Jones
o Came to the Commission as a motion. Approved 6-2-0.
9. Alcohol Beverage Control Committee/Outreach & Constituent Services Task Force
Authorization for testimony for DC Council oversight hearing on Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration
o Came to the Commission as a motion. Commissioner Flahaven states that although this testimony comes to us as
bullet points, the Commissioner who testifies must share the testimony with the entire Commissioner. Approved 8-
0-0.
Authorization for additional DC Council oversight hearing testimony
o Comes to the Commission as a motion to approve testimony. DCRA (Pate), MPD (Peisch), OUC (Pate), DOH
(Peisch), DCPS (Frishberg), ANC (Pate), DHS (Flahaven), DC Auditor (Pate), DMPED (Flahaven).Commissioner
Pate suggested that Commission testimony being submitted for the record should come from the Office of ANC6B.
The plans for Commissioner testimony was approved 8-0-0.
Input on Mayor Gray’s FY15 budget priorities
o Commissioner Frishberg presented a budget priority approach that the Committee discussed and approved. He
noted that these priorities would makeANC6B’s main focus for the Mayor’s priorities beon schools. Commissioner
Pate moved approval of the priorities as proffered by Commissioner Frishberg, 2nd by Commissioner Garrison.
Approved 8-0-0.
Rat abatement on Eastern Market Metro Plaza
o Comes to the Commission as a motion. Commissioner Frishberg moved further that the ANC 6B statement should
go to the appropriate agencies with a cover letter from the Commission and that the Commission forward these
recommendations to the Mayor, DGS, and DDOT and ask them to act on those recommendations. Further,
Commissioner Frishberg moved that the Commission request that DDOT extend rat mitigation efforts to affected
tree boxes in the vicinity of the Metro Plaza. Approved 8-0-0.
Finalized testimony for each of these hearings is attached.
10. Transportation Committee
FY14 Performance Parking Zone Community Benefits Program
o Commissioner Oldenberg has reached out to DDOT for clarification on DDOT’s proposed procedures for seeking
grants from the Baseball Parking Zone fund. DDOT has not replied.
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o Resident Member, Andrew Cadimus, has created a google doc page where anyone can add a comment/idea
regarding how the benefits should be used in the community.
Request for assessment on installing stop sign at 8th & D Streets SE (northwest corner)
o Comes to the Commission as a motion (see attached letter).
o Commissioner Oldenberg is not in favor of asking DDOT to install the stop sign. She stated that asking DDOT to do
a full assessment is far more powerful than asking for one stop sign.
Raj Sabharwal– Lives on the block in question. He encouraged the ANC to be as aggressive as possible on
the issue.
Jonathan Page –Lives on the block in question. Shared a picture of an accident that happened just this
evening. He said he seconds Mr. Sabharwal’s sentiments.
Susan Eads-Role – Livesnear, walks, and drives through the intersection in question. Sees this as an overall
8th street issue from the D Street intersection north of Pennsylvania Avenue on the north side to the D Street
intersection on the south side. Each of the two D Street intersections are hazards.
Commissioner Garrison said that having a single stop sign for southbound traffic at D Street would create a
dangerous situation for both cars and pedestrians. He said he knew of no pedestrian crossing in the city
where there was a stop sign on only one side. He argued that asking DDOT to consider installing signals
was a much better option.
o Commissioner Pate moved to amend a motion from the committee that the Commission send a letter to DDOT
requesting that DDOT install a stop sign at the northwest intersection of 8th& D St SE, barring any overriding safety
concerns. Pate's amendment related to content of the letter. Frishberg seconded the amendment. Amendment
approved 6-2-0 (Commissioners Garrison and Oldenburg voting no). Motion approved 6-2-0.
Authorization for testimony for DC Council oversight hearing on the Department of Transportation
o Oldenburg set forth several points she proposed be included in her testimony on DDOT and moved that they be
approved, 2nd by Commissioner Garrison. Approved 8-0-0.
11. Eastern Market Report –
There was no report this month.
12. Adoption of Special Call Minutes
Commissioner Peisch moved to approve the Special Call Minutes from the 1/29/14 meeting, 2ndby Commissioner Jayaraman.
Approved 8-0-0.
13. Adjournment
At 9:43, with no more business, Commissioner Garrison moved that the meeting be adjourned until the regular March
meeting. Approved on a voice vote.
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