MINUTES
SPECIAL
MEETING OF
ADVISORY
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 3C &
ADVISORY
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 3F
ON SIDWELL FRIENDS SCHOOL
BZA
APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL EXCEPTION, NO. 17149
The Washington Home
3720 Upton Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20016
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
1.
CALL TO ORDER [7:42 pm]
Chairs
Perry and MacWood called the meeting to order and thanked The Washington Home
for hosting it. Commissioners
MacDonald, Welsh, and Hogan of ANC 3C and Commissioners Kessler, Maudlin,
Bardin, Dennis, and Wiss of ANC 3F introduced themselves. Commissioners Hahn and Nord of ANC 3C
arrived later. Chair MacWood of ANC 3C
announced that this would be an information meeting only, without either
commission taking a vote.
2.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Mary Hoyt-Joyce, a member of the Board of Managers of The Washington Home, welcomed everyone and announced two upcoming fundraisers for The Washington Home: a golf tournament at Kenwood Club on May 24 and the annual Walk for Hospice at 9:00 am on June 12 at The Washington Home. All may participate. For information, call Karen Pierce at 202-895-0160.
3.
PRESENTATION BY THE
SIDWELL FRIENDS SCHOOL
Lane Heard, Clerk of Sidwell’s Board of Trustees, discussed the comprehensive planning process the school had undergone to determine its facilities needs and its goal to incorporate green architecture and design in all of its buildings.
Michael Saxenian, Assistant Head of School for Finance and Operations, introduced the team that has been working on this project. He then outlined the process Sidwell had undertaken to inform the community about the plans for expansion, including holding community meetings, mailing 3,000 postcards to residents of ANC 3C and ANC 3F about this meeting, sending out e-mails, and posting the BZA application on the school’s web site.
He presented slides on the proposed project, which includes a partially underground parking facility along Wisconsin Avenue with a playing field on top, renovation and expansion of the middle school, a new gymnasium and tennis courts along the northern boundary with The Washington Home, enhanced art space, and a Quaker Meeting House behind the historic Zartman House.
The first project will be the parking facility along Wisconsin Avenue with a driveway to enter from the signalized intersection at Rodman Street. Mr. Saxenian stated there will be 23 more parking spaces on campus than are required by the Zoning Code. The facility will be landscaped along Wisconsin Avenue. The driveway will have queuing space for drop off and pick up of students. This should draw traffic off 37th Street. Only 5th and 6th graders will be allowed to be dropped off on 37th Street in front of the middle school. Student release time will be phased to reduce congestion. Carpooling will be encouraged, as will Metrochek for students and staff. Shuttles will continue to operate. Bike lockers will be installed. Visiting buses will be parked on campus. There will be an explicit policy on traffic and parking in the enrollment contract. Student parking on neighborhood streets will be randomly enforced.
The next project will be renovation and expansion of the middle school. A new wing will extend along 37th Street toward the boundary with The Washington Home. Mature trees will be retained. A teaching garden will be located on the north side of the building.
A new Quaker meeting house is planned behind Zartman House, the administration building which is on the Register of National Historic Sites. Mr. Saxenian stated that the DC Historic Preservation Office has asked the school to relocate the meeting house further from Zartman House to open up the view corridor from Wisconsin Avenue. They also have scaled down the size of the meeting house.
A major facet of the project is sustainable design. Native plants will be used for landscaping. Storm water will be captured, treated, and reused. To understand the hydrology of the campus, thirty geotechnical borings have been made – 29 of them to a depth of 10-55 feet and one to a depth of 400 feet. In none of them was rock encountered. Water was not encountered until the 100-foot level of the 400-foot deep well.
Mr. Saxenian apologized that the school’s current enrollment of 800 students exceeds its cap of 780 students, set by the BZA in 1996. To mitigate the impact of the extra students, some employees have been moved off campus. The school is seeking an increase in the enrollment cap to 825 students to avoid exceeding it in the future.
Construction access to the project will be from Wisconsin Avenue.
4.
PRESENTATION BY THE
COMMUNITY
a) George Idelson, President of the Cleveland Park Citizens Association, thanked the school for discussing its project with the community. He stated he would like to see issues resolved so that this application goes to the BZA unopposed and hopes that the school will follow the recommendations of the Ward 3 Private School Expansion Task Force.
b) Barbara Beelar of 3505 Tilden Street, a former Sidwell student, announced that 112 residents have signed a petition asking the school for more time. She gave a Powerpoint presentation on five areas of concern to her and other nearby residents:
(1) Noncompliance with the existing BZA order.
The school’s overenrollment shows it does not have “clean hands”. She recommended that the school reduce its enrollment over the next 4 years to show good faith.
(2) Traffic, Parking, and Congestion.
Students are being dropped of in the middle of 37th Street and are walking between cars, as shown in photographs in the application’s transportation management plan. The school has no one assigned to prevent this. Delayed dismissal time for the middle school has not been effective in reducing congestion because parents arrive at the school early and park along 37th Street.
Consideration should be given to plans for expansion of Hearst Elementary School, which also has student drop off and pick up on 37th Street. Hearst is slated to add a 4th grade in SY 2004-2005 and a 5th grade in 2005-2006. Because 90% of students attending Hearst live elsewhere in the city, vehicle trips to Hearst could double. Simply limiting Sidwell’s drop off and pick up on 37th Street to 5th and 6th graders will not be enough.
Buses from visiting schools are not parking on campus now. During homecoming, 30 cars and one visiting bus parked on property of the Hearst School and playground.
Ms. Beelar expects no real change in use of public transit under the new plan. Carpooling has to be more than “encouraged” to be effective. Shuttle service must be provided.
Use of cars by students should be constrained. Seventy percent of juniors and seniors drive to school. They have been observed parking in restricted zones and in McLean Gardens, which is private. Sidwell does have a tough policy on student drivers: they may not park on campus. She recommended that the school build a two-story garage to accommodate all its student drivers on campus and to limit those allowed to drive to those with good grades or who carpool.
Ms. Beelar recommended that the school delay its application for a special exception for a year to implement and test the effectiveness of its traffic management plan, as other schools have done.
(3) Institutional intrusion on the residential neighborhood.
The expanded middle school and new gym will be very close to the school’s boundary with The Washington Home at 37th and Tilden Streets. The middle school will be a long three-story building considerably elevated above 37th Street. Ms. Beelar recommended that the addition be angled back away from the street to make it less intrusive and break up its appearance of mass.
(4) Hydrology.
At the request of residents, Sidwell has been conducting a hydrology study, but results were not available at the time this presentation was being prepared.
(5) Historic Preservation.
The Zartman House (“The Highlands”) is a category II landmark. Ms. Beelar measured its proposed location as about ten feet from an old spring house connected to the Zartman House.
(6) Construction Management Plan.
The school should develop a construction management plan.
5.
QUESTIONS AND
COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS
Commissioner Kessler asked Barbara Beelar about her position on reducing the requested enrollment cap in view of the school’s current overenrollment of students. He commented that he would not want a one-year test period for the traffic management plan because it would keep traffic on 37th Street longer. He recommended the school have a construction management plan.
Commissioner Wiss asked for (1) the distances from The Washington Home of the proposed new gymnasium, tennis courts, and middle school extension, (2) the elevation of the middle school above the curb at the northeast corner of the property, (3) the elevation of the new gym in relation to The Washington Home, (4) for sun-shade (daylight) studies to be done of the gym, (5) whether the new tennis courts would be lighted for night games, and (6) whether evergreen screening would be provided between The Washington Home and the new gym and tennis courts. She stated she found the idea of angling the middle school addition away from 37th Street attractive and feels the change would allow more sunlight to grow trees to screen the building and plant the garden. She also commented that she does not believe that on campus drop off for 5th and 6th graders at the driveway from Wisconsin Avenue would be dangerous.
Commissioner MacDonald commended the school for its design. She said she would like the number of parking spaces increased by digging an additional level of parking below the one being proposed. This would accommodate future parking needs. She also recommended that Sidwell not ask for an increase in enrollment, at least above its current level of 800. She likes the idea of angling the middle school addition. This would enhance the garden and give the building style.
Commissioner Perry is concerned about parking and believes it is not satisfactory to request merely that students park only in unrestricted zones on neighborhood streets. Students should be told either not to drive, or parking should be provided for them on campus.
Commissioner MacWood expressed concern that not enough parking is being provided to meet the zoning regulations, based on the size of the new gym. She also asked about louvres on the gym (Steve Kieran, architect: They are for natural ventilation); whether the gym will be rented out (Michael Saxenian: Yes, the school rents its facilities on occasion); whether fumes will emanate from the middle school science rooms (no); whether adequate landscaping will be possible on the berm around the parking facility facing Wisconsin Avenue (Steve Kieran: The playing field above the parking garage will be 2 to 3 feet higher than the tennis courts now. It will not be bermed completely to allow ventilation of the garage. The berm will be 10 feet wide, enough to be landscaped).
Commissioner Hogan asked about the traffic patterns for buses from Sidwell and visiting schools (Michael Saxenian: All will use Wisconsin Avenue. The parking level below the playing field will be lowered to accommodate buses); the location of trash collection, recycling and composting (Trash will be collected at the north edge of the parking structure. The school has not yet figured out its composting program); and whether the school would commit in writing to provide shuttle buses for older students who stay after school hours (The school relies on Metrobus, which runs fairly frequently).
Commissioner Walsh is pleased that drop off will not be on 37th Street. He noted that the shuttle bus between Sidwell’s two campuses is not well utilized.
Commissioner Bardin asked about the residency of Hearst and Sidwell students. Denise Dawkins, a teacher at Hearst, said that all Hearst students live in DC. Michael Saxenian said that approximately 50% of Sidwell’s students live in DC. Commissioner Bardin asked Sidwell to draw up a plan to deal with visitor parking so that visitors do not park on Hearst property and to coordinate its expansion plan with Hearst.
Commissioner Dennis is in favor of an additional level of underground parking. He also mentioned that the key question in historic review for Zartman House is what the boundary of the landmark is.
6.
QUESTIONS AND
COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY
Josh Horowitz of 3408 – 34th Place, a Sidwell parent, stated that this project would be a “pearl for the city”. He believes the process has been productive and requests that the application not be held up because it ultimately would mean the school would have fewer funds to provide diversity in the student body.
Peter Espenschied of 3414 Newark Street commended the school for its openness in resolving the enrollment cap issue. He believes it makes no sense to build a parking garage that does not provide for more than current parking requirements. The school may need to go down one level more. Student parking should be prohibited or provided for on site.
Cathy Livingston of 3704 Quebec Street says that parking is an issue for her. Students park on her street in the restricted zone. She has talked to the school about this. When she went to school, students were bused. She believes busing is more environmentally sensitive than having each student driven in a single car.
Beth-Ann Gentile of 3519 Rodman Street has a daughter who graduated from Sidwell. She stated that parking on Rodman and Quebec Streets is a serious issue, with nothing done about it since 1992. The school needs a student driving plan to be “sustainable”.
Dixie Scott of 3530 Quebec Street noted that she went to school a long time ago. In those days, schools imposed rules. Although students griped, they were grateful later. She noted she cannot access the school’s web page because she does not have a computer. She also asked about the school’s construction management plan and stormwater plan.
Michael Saxenian replied that the school will make available hard copies of the application to all who ask. The school mailed 3,000 post cards to the community two weeks ago and advertised this meeting in the Northwest Current. As for the construction management plan, all traffic will enter and leave from Wisconsin Avenue. Vehicles will park on site, and the work will be staged.
Jose Armintana (sp?) said the stormwater management plan will deal with water quantity and quality. The Zartman House and playing field are on the ridge line. Some water infiltrates, while the rest runs off into the sewers. In this plan, 55% of the site will be pervious. Water falling on these areas will infiltrate. The school plans to capture run off from the 45% of the site that will have impervious surface, filter it, and reuse some of it for irrigation and toilets. Less water will leave the campus than at present.
Steven Amter of 3625 Tilden Street has a daughter at Sidwell and another at John Eaton. He has seen bad traffic on 37th Street, with side mirrors broken off. He stated that some of the worst problems come from Hearst parents, who often pull up in front of the school instead of taking open spaces. There is gridlock on Tilden Street. Sidwell has improved things. He would like Hearst to have a plan. He has been impressed by the process of this application.
Amy Shannon of 3521 Quebec Street believes that parking enforcement is key. She suggested that the school develop a list of transit alternatives so that clusters of students living in the same area can be linked with buses that go to Metro. Using Metro is more environmentally-friendly than driving.
Tim Harr of 4106 – 42nd Street, a Sidwell parent who lives across from National Presbyterian Church, which generates its own traffic, would like the school to keep working on the traffic issue, but believes that traffic is something urban neighborhoods must tolerate. He finds the existing middle school building ugly, but feels it will be improved in the proposed plan.
Fran Lowenstein of 3700 Quebec Street, a former Sidwell parent, asked how lighting around the campus will be changed; whether the proposed parking garage would be open for groups that rent facilities after school hours; and whether the meeting house would be used for meetings on Sunday.
Michael Saxenian replied that the school will have 24-hour security. The school does rent to outside groups and will continue to do so. Most likely, the garage will be open to renters, as the surface parking lot is now, as well as to those attending Sunday meeting. He will look into lighting on campus. Under the environmental standards they will be using, lighting must not shine beyond the campus. Iris ____ (consultant) said that lighting would be designed so that lamps cannot be seen off campus.
Mark Bravin of 4019 – 37th Street stated that his home will look directly at the middle school building. He believes that the building will seem too massive from 37th Street and will need a green buffer. He suggested turning the addition away from the street, setting it back further from the street, and buffering it.
Steve Kieran, architect, replied that the position of the addition had already been changed in response to comments at earlier meetings. It is set back from the corner and has been pushed back into the campus. If the building were canted, the pedestrian path from the Wisconsin Avenue driveway would be cut off.
Sara Bravin, also of 4019 – 37th Street, reiterated the request that the addition be pushed back. Steve Kieran responded that if it were set back further, the school would have to give up the hardscape play space planned in that location for the middle school. A green buffer and garden are being planned on the north side of the building.
Commissioner Perry asked the school to consider ways to make this building look less like a long brick wall, such as by using architectural “cut outs” or balconies. She suggested that as time was running short, people who still had questions write them down and send them in.
Tom Graham of 3600 Ordway Street, a Sidwell parent, says that the school send him letters once or twice a year giving instructions on traffic management and student drop off. At least 40 students live in the neighborhood and walk to school.
Karen Guberman of 3503 Quebec Street stated that Sidwell has not done enough to inform the community about its plans, although she did receive notice about this meeting through the post card the school sent out and the posters put up by the community. She pointed out that other schools have monthly mailings.
Elvan Ongun , who lives in McLean Gardens across from the school, said he likes to run on the school track and is startled when the gate is closed.
Barbara Beelar announced that Mrs. Barnarda Tally, principal of Hearst Elementary School, and Neil Rodgers from the DC Department of Parks and Recreation had wanted to speak about the impact of the plan on Hearst School and Hearst Recreation Center but had had to leave.
7.
NEXT STEPS
Chair Perry of ANC 3F summarized the information requested from Sidwell by ANC 3F commissioners:
· Elevation plans for the gym next to The Washington Home
· A lighting plan, including lighting at the tennis courts if planned
· A plan for taking student parking off the streets
· A plan to have all student drop off and pick up on campus
· The number of students from Maryland, Virginia, and DC, as requested by Commissioner Bardin
· Possible architectural softening of the middle school beyond merely planting trees
· A response to Commissioner Dennis’ question about historic designation
· A plan for renting the facility, with information on the number of anticipated events/rentals, when the school will be rented, and whether the school would be willing to limit the use of the facility by outside groups
· A plan for dealing with special events like homecoming, including a plan for overflow parking
Chair MacWood of ANC 3C requested that the school submit the same materials to ANC 3C, as well as elevations in color to show what the buildings will look like. She would also like to see the model presented at an earlier meeting to be able to understand the scale and elevation of the proposed construction. Without the model, she may not be able to vote on the project.
As for upcoming meetings, both ANC 3C and ANC 3F meet on the same night. The next meeting of ANC 3C will be on April 19 at 7:30 pm at the Second District Police Headquarters, 3320 Idaho Avenue, N.W. ANC 3C will consider the school’s HPRB application at that meeting. ANC 3F will also meet on April 19, but may not consider the HPRB application. ANC 3F meets at 7:30 pm at the Capital Memorial Church, 3150 Chesapeake Street, N.W.
Both ANCs will meet on May 17 at the times and places given above to consider the BZA application. If there is new information, ANC 3F may have more discussion, possibly 10 to 15 minutes each for the school and the community. Agendas of each ANC will be coordinated so that Sidwell and the community can attend both meetings.
8.
ADJOURNMENT [10:19
pm]
Chair MacWood thanked Sidwell, Barbara Beelar, and the Cleveland Park Citizens Association for their work. Chair Perry thanked everyone for coming to the meeting and The Washington Home for hosting it. The meeting adjourned at 10:19.
These minutes were approved 7-0-0 by ANC 3F at a duly noticed public meeting on May 17, 2004, with a quorum present.
Respectfully submitted,
Cathy Wiss
Secretary, ANC 3F