Abbreviations used in this Report:

ANC= Advisory Neighborhood Commission BCAC= DC Building Code Advisory Committee BZA= DC Board of Zoning Adjustment CFA= Commission of Fine Arts DC= District of Columbia DCPS= DC Public Schools DCRA= DC Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs DDOT= District Division of Transportation in DPW DPW= DC Department of Public Works

FHCA= Forest Hills Citizens Association HPRB = Historic Preservation Review Board MPD= Metropolitan Police Department NCPC= National Capital Planning Commission NPS= National Park Service OP = Office of Planning PSC= DC Public Service Commission UDC= University of the District of Columbia WASA= DC Water & Sewer Authority

 

Disbursements during FY 2001 totaled $2,596.15 which was within our budgeted amount, including significant printing and mailing costs for the Ad Hoc Committee on Tree & Slope Protection Overlay to provide information on the Overlay proposal to constituents. Major ANC cost centers were acquisition of digital camera, postage, printing and copying, telephone, public meeting space, office supplies and office space.

An Open Forum early in each business meeting lets community members raise new matters not placed on the formal agenda. Moreover, during discussion of each agenda item the Commission invited community input, including questions to speakers and comments on proposed Commission actions.

Issues raised by community members included concerns about
health inspections at major grocery stores
traffic problems near the Sheridan School
American University's proposal to develop its Tenley Circle campus (near St. Ann's Church)
cars running red lights at Connecticut Avenue and Windom Place
insufficiency of parking meters
parking by a restaurant's patrons on residential streets
lack of sidewalks in 3400 block of Yuma Street; need to reconstruct 3500 block of Yuma Street
planting of City-owned trees not desired by adjacent home owner
subdivision of 2900 Albemarle Street, N.W.
carwash at 4432 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
blocked storm water catch basins
hazards to pedestrians and drivers associated with UDC garage exit to Van Ness Street
dispersal of equipment that had been at the Tenleytown Fire House
expansions of institutions in Ward 3
restaurant quotas in Cleveland Park
plans for re-subdivision of three lots at 2800 Chesterfield Place
Hearst Recreation Advisory Council letter of September 13 to Director Neal O. Albert
DDOT program to invite community input in prioritizing projects

The ANC also co-sponsored the second Ward 3 Traffic Summit (on January 28, 2002, at Chevy Chase Community Center), a town hall meeting on the proposed Forest Hills Tree & Slope Protection Overlay (on May 13, 2002, at Capital Memorial Church), and held a community meeting to get public input on the Connecticut Avenue traffic study (on September 26, 2002, at Van Ness South Social Room).

The Commission gave notice of and conducted (during its monthly meeting on February 19, 2002) a special election to fill a vacancy in Single Member District 3F07.

At regular monthly business meetings, the Commission together with members of the community in attendance heard the following invited speakers:

Peter LaPorte                                               Director, DC Emergency Management Office
Juliana Tenge                                               ABRA representative
Gottlieb Simon                                             Executive Director, Office of ANCs
Robert Bozarth                                             Fannie Mae Corporation
Karen Stienson                                            Fannie Mae Corporation
Gloria Shelby                                               DCRA Lead Inspector for Ward 3
Peter Newsham                                           Commander, Second District, MPD
Alfred King                                                  Fannie Mae Corporation
Martha Jackson Jarvis                                sculptress
Bill O'Field                                                   D.C. BOEE (demonstrating new voting equipment)
Christine Wilson                                          Pepco
Robert Lambert                                            Intelsat
Bill Rice                                                        DDOT spokesman
Simon Rennie                                               DDOT
Preston Kelly                                              VMS, Inc.
Dan Tangherlini                                         Director, DDOT

The Commission also heard applicants for government actions being discussed and their representatives.

The Commission reviewed and did not oppose a few new or renewed alcoholic beverage control licenses and entered into voluntary agreements with applicants.

The Commission reviewed a few applications for permits to use public space. In some instances, the Commission did not oppose granting the permit. In others, the Commission did object to the design proposed and gave comments. In one case, that of the Delhi Dhaba Restaurant's application for a public space permit for a sidewalk café, the restaurant revised its plans and the ANC withdrew its objection, whereupon the Public Space Committee approved the permit.

The Commission recommended measures concerning vehicle traffic calming and signage, sidewalks for 3400 block of Yuma Street, and parking violations. In most matters addressed to DDOT, that agency (now a Department) implemented the recommendations, or took preliminary steps in that direction, or offered reasons for a different approach.

The Commission met with DDOT staff and a program representative of its contractor VMS, Inc., to improve communications as to Connecticut and Wisconsin Avenue sidewalks and tree boxes maintained by VMS under a "soup-to-nuts" contract with DDOT for major "federal highway" arteries.

DDOT began a traffic study (sought by ANC 3F) of Connecticut Avenue between Sedgwick and Albemarle Streets, including side streets between Reno Road to the west and Linnean Avenue to the east.

The MPD and DPW's parking inspectors conducted one-shot enforcement efforts.

Before the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), the Commission recommended that concept approval of a proposed house at 2807 Chesterfield Place, N.W., be conditional upon additional parking, saving the trees, and shrinking the house. The CFA required additional parking only.

Before the HPRB, the Commission supported designation of the 4400, 4500 and 4600 blocks of Grant Road, N.W. as a historic district, and the HPRB acted favorably to designate.

The Commission did not object to adding four floors of housing atop the landmarked "Sears-Hechinger" property at 4500 Wisconsin Avenue (at the Tenleytown Metrorail station), and the HPRB approved.

The Commission urged prompt HPRB approval of agreed design for exterior of Tenley Fire House; and the HPRB ultimately approved a final compromise. Construction is now in progress.

The Commission opposed applications to the HPRB for parking spaces on the south lawn of 3901 Connecticut Avenue, a designated landmark, and for an encroaching canopy (over the driveway leading to 3883 Connecticut). The HPRB disapproved both proposals.

The Commission opposed the Levine School of Music's application to the HPRB for concept approval of a "roof alteration" which would repeal the School's commitment to remove "temporary" air handlers from the roof of so as to restore its landmarked building. The School withdrew its application.

The Commission recommended to DCRA effective enforcement and implementation of BZA conditions, zoning regulations, and nuisance prevention and abatement laws with very limited effect.

The Commission advised the BZA of no objection to an accessory apartment on Ellicott Street, which the BZA then approved.

Before the BZA, the Commission supported the ALJ's decision on appeal that Kuri Brothers, Inc., was in fact operating a repair garage (at 4221 and 4225 Connecticut Avenue) without a valid certificate of occupancy (Civil Infraction Appeal Case No. 99-OAD-1821E), but the BZA reversed the ALJ because DCRA had issued a certificate for an "automobile service center" (a use occupancy missing from the zoning regulations); the BZA suggested that DCRA could revoke its certificate of occupancy (which DCRA subsequently did, leading to an appeal now pending).

In BZA Appeal No. 16742 regarding 2944 Chesapeake Street the Commission further supported appellant; and the BZA held that DCRA had issued a building permit for a house exceeding the height limitation prescribed by the zoning regulations.

The Commission opposed The Washington Home's application to the BZA for a Special Exception which linked a proposal to add four hospice beds to a request to expand the parking lot from 75 to 173 spaces. The Commission based its opposition primarily on the proposed parking lot. The BZA has concluded hearings and the matter is pending decision. (After the fiscal year ended the Commission voted to limit its opposition to parking lot expansion.)

The Commission did not object to a special exception for a side yard at a grand-fathered lot on Albemarle Street, which the BZA then granted.

The Commission advised the ZC to set down for hearing a Forest Hills Tree & Slope Protection Overlay sought by the FHCA (4-2-1), rejected a motion to request that the ZC return that Overlay to the neighborhood for further debate and consideration (5-2-0), and recommended several amendments to that Overlay (4-2-1). (After the end of the year, on October 28, 2002, the ZC approved the Overlay with some ANC amendments ­ among others ­ and announced that it would publish the revised Overlay and schedule a further 60-day comment period.) The Commission's Ad hoc Committee on Tree and Slope Overlays worked on these matters under co-chairs Cathy Wiss and George Clark and, then, under co-chairs George Clark and David J. Bardin.

On the ANC's behalf, designated Commissioners testified at legislative and oversight hearings of the District of Columbia Council and hearings of the Zoning Commission (ZC), Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA), Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), Public Space Committee, and Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB), questioned witnesses before the BZA, secured pertinent legal opinions from the Office of the Corporation Counsel, negotiated with DC Government Departments and private companies, participated in multi-ANC bodies and met with officials of the U.S. Post Office.

Commissioners Perry and Wiss served on behalf of the ANC on the Ward 3 Traffic Policy Committee.

Commissioner Perry served as the Ward 3 representative on the DCRA Advisory Council.

Commissioner Wiss represented the ANC on the Wilson High School Facilities Committee. She also helped organize clean-ups of Soapstone Creek on the Wilson High School property and facilitated drawing up the tree protection and preservation plan for 3901 Albemarle Street, pursuant to the ZC Order.

Commissioner Wiss represented the ANC on the Steering Committee for the Upper Wisconsin Avenue Commercial Corridor Study.

Commissioners Bardin and Wiss served on behalf of the ANC on the D.C. Building Code Advisory Committee (BCAC).

SMD                                                                          2002                                                2001
3F01 Phil Kogan                                                      Vice Chair                                       Vice Chair
3F02 Karen Lee Perry
3F03 Robert V. Maudlin                                                                                                   Secretary
3F04 David J. Bardin                                               Secretary                                         Chair
3F05 Doug Mitchell                                                 Treasurer                                         Treasurer
3F06 Cathy Wiss                                                      Chair
3F07 Lyn Oglesby, Ph.D. (2001)
3F07 Todd Strauss (2002)

Commissioner Maudlin served as webmaster. Commissioner Oglesby resigned effective November 14, 2001. Commissioner Strauss was elected on February 19, 2002, and took office by the March meeting.
 

This report, unanimously approved at the Commission's regular business meeting on November 18, 2002, is respectfully submitted by:

                                                                        /s/ Cathy Wiss
                                                                       Cathy Wiss, Chair
 
 

* Also, special election to fill vacancy in SMD 3F07, conducted until 9:00 p.m.