Brianne K Nadeau's Official Website

For Immediate Release

On Saturday, March 3rd* from 10 am – 2 pm, DC Democrats from every ward will gather at UDC to caucus and select their delegates to the Democratic National Convention. In a year when the Democratic nominee for president will obviously be President Obama, many may not see the point in participating. Ward 1 Dems, however, have one good reason to show up, and his name is Jim Graham.

We talk a lot in this city about not having proper representation: no vote in Congress, no budget autonomy, and pay-to-play politics. There are many levels of disenfranchisement in DC, starting from the bottom at mismanaged ANCs, corruption on the Council, all the way up to lack of representation in Congress. But without full participation in the electoral process, we will never have full representation. Unless we stand up to bullies like Jim Graham – who is meddling with lottery contracts, pitting our Ward 1 neighborhoods against each other, and whose leadership is defined by quid pro quo politics – we cannot expect better.

Of course, this is not an election for Council. We have to wait two more years for that. But in the meantime, let’s get organized, stand together and make it clear that we want better for Ward 1 and for the District.

I’ve put my name on the ballot for delegate to the Democratic National Convention. I’d be honored to have your vote on March 3. Here’s what I can promise:
•   I will work hard for our community, just as I did as a 1B commissioner for four years and every day before and since then.
•   I will listen to you and give voice to your concerns and ideas, even if we disagree.
•   I will be upstanding and, most importantly, honest.

To learn more about me and the work I’ve done in our community, please spend some time here on my web site. I am always available to answer your questions at Brianne@BrianneKN.com.

The caucus will be held on March 3 from 10-2 at UDC’s Theatre Arts Auditorium, which is located at Connecticut Avenue and Windom Place, NW. You must be a democrat registered in DC to participate. Wards 1,2,6 & 8 caucus together, so if you vote in one of those wards, you are eligible to vote for me.

Updated information about early voting:

*Democratic voters who cannot vote at the Pre-Primary Caucus on Saturday, March 3, because of religious reasons for observing the Sabbath or who will be on out-of-town travel may vote early on Thursday, March 1, between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 and 6:00 p.m.  Voting will be conducted at 1050 – 17th Street, N.W., Suite 1000 (10th floor).  To make an appointment to vote, please call202.714.3368 or E-mail the DC Democratic State Committee at dcdemocraticparty@gmail.com.

Tuesday night Jair Lynch Development Partners convened a community meeting to provide an update on their project at V and 15th Street. This new, 95-unit development is tied to a renovation already underway at Paul Laurence Dunbar Apartments (formerly Campbell Heights), a senior community on the same lot as the new building site.

Last time we heard from Jair Lynch, they had gone before the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) and some changes were pending. Tuesday night we got to see a side-by-side comparison of the old and new design. Click here for the full presentation. Here are some of the updates:

• changing the glass to brick ratio to reduce the amount of glass. This is accomplished by taking four feet off the width and removing a section of the windows, as well as adding more masonry (brick)
• on the ground level, adding punch windows, which are windows that have a row of masonry between them, rather then a window wall all the way across.

With these changes, the project has received conceptual approval from HPRB, which allows Jair Lynch to move ahead with the rest of its applications.

Schedule for 2012

• In February they will go through another design review with HPRB and they will then convene a community meeting to report back.
• At the end of April/beginning of May they will submit the application for building permits. If that goes as planned permits would likely be received in September.
• Over the summer they will begin their general contractor procurement efforts.
• Construction would begin in October and take 16-18 months.
• October – December would be the loudest part of construction because it will involve excavation for the two levels of underground parking. Jair Lynch has elected to use a drilling mechanism rather than the (excruciatingly loud) option of driving the steel piles into the ground. They mentioned that drilling will cost up to $100,000 more than pile driving, but taking into consideration the proximity of neighbors on all sides, including the church, they felt this was a reasonable cost to incur.
• The excavation, sheeting and shoring will take about 1.5 months and then a crane will be erected.
• The concrete structure will take about 1.5 – 2 months to build.
• Outside and inside work will take place simultaneously after that.

Once a contractor is selected we will know more about things like traffic. It is up to the contractor to provide a traffic control plan, and to determine where loading and unloading will take place. There will be community meetings about these issues, and there will be a superintendent on site whose contact info will be available to the community.

Some more info on the project:

This project does not use any District or Federal funds.

Jair Lynch Development Partners says they make an effort to require as much DC-based and union hiring as possible, and that they have a responsible contracting policy with their equity partner. They will advise the contractor that workers should not plan to park on the street or on site.

The subdivision of lots has already taken place, but they do not yet know what the address of the new building will be. The entrance will be on 15th street and the address could range from 2003-2099. There is a covered walkway between the two buildings, which fulfills a zoning requirement allowing the new building to occupy maximum floor area ratio, but there will not be shared access between the two buildings.

There is no retail planned for the site, which is zoned R-5-D.

They do not anticipate any zoning variance requests.

The height of the new building, which is 90 feet, is by right.

The driveway for both buildings will have its entrance on V Street between the new building and Portner Place. Parking for the new property will be underground and right now there are 48 spaces in the plan (32 spaces are required), but that could change after the structural engineering review. They intend to maximize the number of bicycle parking spots available as well. Right now there is one bicycle spot each for half the units, but they hope to add more after the engineering review. Parking for Dunbar residents will be on a surface lot behind the building. Before a decision is made about where and how the driveway goes in there will be meetings with DDOT office of public space.

Jair Lynch expects to hold community meetings every couple of months throughout the process, or more often as needed.

Hearing on ANC Boundaries to be held on Tuesday, November 29 at 10 am in the Council Chamber. To read the full announcement click here.

Those who wish to testify should contact Carol Sadler at 202-724-8198 or csadler@dccouncil.us by Monday, November 28 at 5pm.

ANC1B has announced the date of the special election for the seat vacated by Aaron Spencer this summer. Spencer purchased a home and moved outside the boundaries of his district, making him ineligible to continue serving. There are two candidates running for the seat, Alexandra Lewin-Zwerdling, who I have endorsed, and Stanley Mayes.

The Board of Elections and Ethics has practically (or actually) no budget for ANC special elections, so they take place at a location and time determined by the ANC to be convenient for voters in the SMD. We’ve had only one in the time since I first served in the ANC and that involved slips of paper and a box.

However, while an ANC special election is executed with about as much fanfare as a student council election – or perhaps less in some cases – the results will have an impact on the community for years to come.

If you live in 1B02, please come out and vote:

The Ward One Redistricting Task Force has voted to propose a revised 4-ANC Map as the preferred map and a 5-ANC map as the alternate. To view the maps that will serve as the recommendation to the Council go to http://ward1ancredistricting.shutterfly.com/pictures. You will need to create a Shutterfly account if you do not already have one. A preferred map and an alternate are due to the Council next week.

The Council’s Subcommittee on Redistricting has not yet announced its next steps. Hopefully they will be announced here soon.

I arrived at 7pm due to work obligations, but it appears I hadn’t missed much. Anyone who can fill in the first 30 minutes of the meeting should feel welcome to do so in the comments.

I did gather that the Chairman had put forth a resolution with the 4-ANC map as the primary proposal and the 5-ANC map as the alternate. This was meant to represent what he had ascertained was the consensus of the task force.

When I sat down the chairman was reiterating his point that he hope the task force can start out by taking each plan one at a time, see if there are any amendments they would make to boundaries, and that there can be debate on which should be primary and which should be secondary. Ultimately they have to submit to the Council a primary and a secondary plan. Wants make sure the task force can agree on two plans in order to fulfill its duties.

The Chairman called for amendments to the 4-ANC map. Shelore Williams wanted to make sure all understood what that map was. She walked over to the map on the wall and pointed out that the version they are discussion honors the requests of all 4 ANCs that their boundaries not change dramatically (she identified the changes) and allows 1D 5 seats, allows 1C 8 seats, and puts 1A and 1B at 12 seats each. The Chairman added that it meets the SMD size guidelines, although some do push the limits. He commended the task force on their work on this map. No amendments were offered.

The Chairman called for amendments to the 5-ANC map. Shelore Williams offered an amendment in the form of a substitute to provide for a 5-ANC map that draws a hard boundary down 16^th street and a boundary down Sherman Avenue. Shelore explained that she had convened a group of the task force and community members at her home on Saturday morning at 7 am to work towards a 5-ANC map that provides the least intrusion possible.  It was not easy. They had to recognize that there is an interest for a 5-ANC map, but that this would mean splitting 1A and 1B, who had resolutions expressing no wish for boundary changes. The Chairman summarized by saying that the 5-ANC map proposed last week would take most of the area of 16^th and 17^th in the north and put it in 1A, leaving three ANCs in Mount Pleasant. He asked how SMDs would be drawn in 1D. Shelore indicated the SMDs would have the same boundaries as the 4-ANC map. In the amended 5-ANC map, the SMD boundaries in 1A and 1B would be the same as the SMDs in the 4-ANC map for the parts that remain in those ANCs.

The Chairman opened the floor for anyone who would like to speak in opposition to the amendment. Thomas Boisvert rose to discuss the two versions of the 5-ANC map, specifically the 16^th street boundary. He indicated that the map that has the border jumping west east of 16^th street will provide the opportunity to empower those residents who would be redrawn into 1A, while allowing those remaining in 1D to have a more effective ANC. There are two parts of Mount Pleasant that have been in a relationship for a long time, and the eastern part identifies more strongly with Columbia Heights and would be more politically empowered by joining 1A. The western part wishes to continue associating with the eastern part, but if one party wishes to reassociate, the western part should not keep hanging on.

Commissioner Dottie Love Wade indicated she had looked through the guidelines of redistricting and found nothing about political ramifications or how a neighborhood feels about its association. She asked, if 1A annexes Mount Pleasant Street, will the area remaining in 1D no longer be associated with Mt. Pleasant? But her bigger problem is 1E annexing parts of 1A, and adding part of 1D to 1A does not resolve this issue. She added, she as a 1A commissioner, does not wish to inherit the problems of 1D. It’s not realistic to think that by joining 1A residents of the eastern part of Mount Pleasant will get everything they want.

ANC1A Chairman Bill Brown said he sees problems with having the Mount Pleasant corridor coming over to 1A, because those remaining in 1D will have what is happening in the Mount Pleasant commercial district impact them the most. In terms of what’s happening with high rises versus single-family homes, 16^th street has always been a boundary. Leaving 1D with 3 commissioners makes it too small. Maybe there is more unity or cohesion between the apartment dwellers along 16^th and Columbia Heights, but moving the boundary west would be very radical. He is more comfortable with the map being proposed in the amendment than the 5-ANC map proposed last week.

Beverly Wheeler spoke, noting that she is one of the people who worked on the 5-ANC map proposed last week. Initially she believed that 16^th street boundary should be maintained. But then she started talking to members of the community and found that in addition to the residents living around Georgia Avenue not having a voice, the people along Mt. Pleasant Street were not having their voices heard. That is why they proposed moving the boundary east.

ANC1D Chairman Gregg Edwards spoke about the process. He suggested that the amendment as proposed does not meet the guidelines set out for making the SMDs as equal as possible and is against the law. Further, 16^th street need not be a hard and fast boundary, as there is plenty of traffic back and forth and fluidity between those parts of the ward. He further pointed out that the 5-ANC map proposed last week does indeed allow for great weight for those to the west remaining in 1D due to the 500 feet proximity. He also does not believe reducing 1D to 3 ANCs makes it too small.

ANC1C Chairman Wilson Reynolds said he has been guided by two basic things throughout this process – make the least amount of changes as possible, and honoring the resolutions from 1A and 1B asking that they be permitted to maintain their boundaries. He strongly supports the 4-ANC map and jokingly indicated he’d be willing to support it twice as the primary and secondary map. He feels the 5-ANC map, while designed in good faith, goes against these two basic principles. But he is trying to listen to fellow task force members in other parts of the ward he doesn’t reside in to see if they want something different. He is hearing that they don’t want change.  He hasn’t heard strong support among the task force members supporting the 5-ANC map.

ANC1B Chairman Juan Lopez reiterated concerns that shrinking 1B would also shrink its budget and make it more difficult to operate.

Chairman Roth said that although Mount Pleasant represents 1/7^th of the ward, it has taken up 6/7ths of this discussion. He likened the current situation in Mount Pleasant as a couple in a rocky marriage that has stayed together for the children and should have gotten divorced long ago with one partner still hanging on.  He called for a vote on the amendment. Shelore asked for one last opportunity to defend the amendment. She said that if you believe the husband and wife’s problems will be solved through the divorce, the child will still be on Mount Pleasant Street, and this will not solve the problems. She finds it sad that Mr. McKay and Mr. Edwards cannot resolve their issues and that they have brought them to this process.  1E would benefit from either proposal, but it is sad to think they the leaders in 1D cannot sort it out through a meeting of the minds.

The Chairman called for a vote on the amendment.

Boisvert – no

Boyd – yes

Brown – yes

Edwards – no

Lopez – yes

Norman – no

Reynolds – yes

Wade – yes

Wheeler – no

Williams – yes

Roth – no

The amendment in the nature of a substitute passed and Shelore’s map became the 5-ANC map that the task force works from moving forward.

Commissioner Dottie Love Wade offered an amendment that the task force offer no alternative that includes a 5-ANC map. The Chairman asked if she wished to propose another 4-ANC map. She said she would if this was adopted. The Chairman said that in the absence of a substitute that would have a different alternate plan, he ruled her amendment out of order because the law requires an alternate plan.  Dottie argued that the task force was not given an opportunity to generate other 4-ANC options. The Chairman indicated she had been given every opportunity to offer one. She could have come this evening and proposed one, and still could do so in opposition to what the task force adopts. Her motion is ruled out of order.

The Chairman asked if there were any amendments to tinker with SMD lines on either map. None were offered.

Gregg offered a motion to keep the language that says the 4-ANC map is the strongly preferred version and that they offer two versions of the 5-ANC map noting the vote count. Commissioner Tony Norman seconded the motion.

The Chairman spoke to say he thinks they are getting down in the weeds. He indicated there is strong consensus for the 4-ANC map. He would like the task force to move ahead with a motion that is likely to actually be considered by the Council. Tony said he feels strongly that we have a map with a Georgia Avenue corridor, and he doesn’t necessarily support the motion but wants to make sure there is discussion. Gregg withdrew his amendment with unanimous consent.

The Chairman reviewed the primary resolution, which put forth the 4-ANC map as the primary map and the 5-ANC map as the alternate. He asked for amendments.

Thomas offered a motion proposing the priority of the two maps be switched. Gregg seconded. Thomas went on to explain he thoughts on this process as an opportunity. He believes the 5-ANC map is good for 1A, 1B and especially for the proposed 1E. He does not feel Georgia Avenue is neglected by 1A or 1B. But he believes the commercial development that is in progress it would be invaluable for the community to be united in one ANC that can spotlight the needs of the corridor. This is not change for change’s sake. This is change that would be for the good of our community.

The Chairman asked to hear from those who wished to speak in opposition to Thomas’ amendment. Shelore commended the work of the task force. But to put the 5-ANC map as the primary would be a valiant effort just for change’s sake. She cited the primary reason for the lack of development of the Georgia Avenue corridor as lack of government funding. She said that the last time she took a count of the task force members there was primary support for a 4-ANC map. She believes the 5-ANC map is a radical change, and though it will move forward, it should not be the primary recommendation. Four ANCs will still look out for Georgia Avenue. She does not believe switching to a 5-ANC map at the last minute, when there is a 4-ANC map available with minimal disruption, is the right thing to do.

Tony said he thinks the task force has come full circle, and that the 4-ANC map is the proposal that best represents the sentiments of the task force.

Thomas rebutted that another goal initially set out was to keep the ANCs manageable, and that in the 4-ANC map 1A and 1B become unwieldy.

The Chairman called a vote on Thomas’ amendment to switch the priority to the 5-ANC map.

Boisvert – yes

Boyd – no

Brown – yes

Edwards – yes

Lopez – no

Norman – no

Reynolds – no

Wade – no

Wheeler – yes

Williams – no

Roth – no

The amendment failed 4-7.

Wilson offered a friendly amendment to add the word “strongly” to the recommendation of the 4-ANC proposal. There was some discussion about whether everyone would feel comfortable supporting the proposal with that language. The amendment was withdrawn.

The Chairman called for a vote on paragraph one, which makes the 4-ANC map the primary plan.

Boisvert – yes

Boyd – yes

Brown – yes

Edwards – abstain – said he believed the proposal was illegal

Lopez – yes

Norman – yes

Reynolds – yes

Wade – yes

Wheeler – yes

Williams – yes

Roth – yes

The Chairman called for a vote to make the 5-ANC map proposed by Shelore Williams the alternate map.

Boisvert – yes

Boyd – yes

Brown – yes

Edwards – abstain – said he believed the proposal was illegal

Lopez – yes

Norman – yes

Reynolds – yes

Wade – yes

Wheeler – yes

Williams – yes

Roth – yes

The chairman called for a vote on the resolution as amended.

Boisvert – aye

Boyd – aye

Brown – aye

Edwards – abstain

Lopez – aye

Norman – aye

Reynolds – aye

Wade – aye

Wheeler – aye

Williams – aye

Roth – aye

The task force continued some housekeeping and the meeting was adjourned.

I’m hoping the chairman will post the final maps up on the shutterfly site, but I took some photos of the southern SMDs in 1B along U Street in the 4-ANC map, which were of great interest to me.

1A-1B boundary

1B01 & 1B02

1B12

Redistricting Task Force Meeting 9/27/11

Opening

Chairman Roth reiterated that there does not seem to be a majority in favor of a 5-ANC proposal, but there may be a majority in favor of a 5-ANC alternate plan. There is another 5-ANC map now circulating that was created by Thomas, Gregg and Beverly.

Community Input

The community presentations began with Sylvia Robinson, of the Georgia Avenue Task Force. They have been advocating for development and a common vision around Georgia Avenue. Right now there are 8 major development projects coming up, and a lot of change happening. They as a community are very concerned about how they can shape that development along Georgia Avenue corridor. The current ANC configuration has Georgia Avenue split between 2 ANCs. They’ve been working with that, but since they as a community have been trying to have a common focus, it has been difficult to navigate the different visions of the 2 ANCs and have them understand the vision of the Georgia Avenue Task Force. They believe this is a good time to have a Georgia Ave ANC, with all the decisions coming up. They’re concern is that the current configuration dilutes the focus. Georgia Avenue is a developing area, and really needs the same kind of focus that U Street and 14^th Street got as they were being redeveloped. The Task Force has come up with recommendations that they want for the corridor that will be beneficial to the community. They are looking for a way to get that focus not just from the residents that have been meeting twice a month for the last few years, but filtering that vision up to our ANC commissioners. That is largely what their vision is for having an ANC focused on the Georgia Avenue corridor.

Patrick Nelson has lived in his house for 22 years and has seen a lot happen on 14^th street and U Street and up and down Georgia Avenue. The Task Force has done a tremendous amount of work to get some cohesion on the strip itself. Two projects they worked on that had great bearing on the neighborhood include the park at the Bruce Monroe site (which was a huge fight and took a year to implement) and the streetscape work that has been in the works and proposed for Georgia Avenue for six or seven years. The city was trying to reallocate funds from the Georgia Avenue streetscape project to a program on New York Avenue. If the Task Force hadn’t lobbied to reinstate the funds, the money would be gone.  He believes it is important to have both a 4 and 5 ANC option, and it’s important to him that the Task Force adopt a 5 ANC plan.

Darren Jones noted that there are 8 major proposals for the Georgia Avenue corridor. That will take a lot of work, and having an ANC focused on that work will help get things done. He hopes that the Task Force will consider the new 5 ANC map proposed by the 3 redistricting task force members.

EJ Green-Young is a 10-year resident of the Howard Manor apartments at Georgia and Girard. She spoke on behalf of the 40 residents of her building, asking, should the ANCs remain split with 2 ANCs sharing representation of the Georgia Avenue corridor, who will address the issues facing the growing area?

Elizabeth McIntire, former 1A Commissioner and lives on Park Road, asked that the Task Force not take into consideration preserving SMDs for the benefit of sitting commissioners. The Georgia Avenue focus appeals to her a lot, in that it would give the area that has been marginalized and overlooked more attention and focus.  She believes 16^th Street should remain the boundary between east and west. She’d be interested to hear what Mount Pleasant thinks about becoming a 3-member ANC (as would happen with the new 5 ANC map).

Commissioner Gabriela Mossi, representing ANC1C04 said she doesn’t care if her SMD changes, and if she is drawn out of it, she’ll run in her new district. She believes it’s most important for the residents to speak about how they feel about their neighborhoods. It is important to be mindful of boundaries that create challenges for people to access resources.

Commissioner Myla Moss of 1B01 commended the work of the Georgia Avenue Task Force, but believes just because there are different personalities to work with while Georgia Avenue is split, does not warrant another ANC. In fact, having another ANC may even lead to another layer of bureaucracy. She advocates for keeping the ANCs as they are with a 4 ANC map.

Mack Thompson from Columbia Heights Village Apartments asked if his building would stay in its current SMD. Commissioner Dottie Love Wade indicated that it is unclear because so many versions of the map floating around. She also said that ANC1A voted that its boundaries remain the same. Commissioner Thomas Boisvert also mentioned that in the most recent version of the map it would remain in 1A. All agreed nobody knew yet if it would remain in 1A11. Mack Thompson continued by explaining that the Columbia Heights Village complex, which has 1,000 residents is actually split by 1A and 1B.  Any further division, for example of making 14^th street a boundary, would make this even more confusing. Chairman Roth explained at this point that the latest version of the map moves the boundary between 1A and 1B down to Girard, which would put the whole complex into 1A.

1A08 Commissioner Kent Boese commented that the resolution 1A passed expressed the desire to keep the boundaries as stable as possible, not that no boundaries would shift. Kent is a strong advocate of the 4 ANC configuration, and his constituents most affiliate with Ward 4 and the community to the west. He believes if you have a commissioner who is active and attends all the meetings, you can get some good things done for Georgia Avenue.

Commissioner Jack McKay of the Mount Pleasant ANC believes the iteration of the map where the Mount Pleasant ANC jumps the 16^th Street boundary does not work. He talked a bit about the 2,000 person SMD requirement causing a problem in 1D. He proposes that 1D take on population from Lanier Heights. He is sympathetic to the fact that ANC1C would prefer its boundaries not to change, but something has to give. He hopes the people of Adams Morgan can recognize that.  Then ANC1C would have to make up some population from 1B, but crossing that boundary further south makes more sense than up north. Thomas noted that the maps Jack has sent around has the least amount of change, and is worth acknowledging.

The Chairman jumped back in and corrected Jack’s point that ANCs have to be a multiple of 2,000 people  an integral multiple of 2,000 residents. What the law actually says is that SMDs should be approximately 2,000 +/- 5% with a deviation that means they must be between 1900-2100 people, that they be as equal as possible, and there are exceptions allowed for public policy justifications. After this there was an outburst from Jack a request from Jack that he be permitted to clarify his statement, which was denied through some loud gaveling from the Chairman. As well as a threat from the Chairman that he would call the police if Jack didn’t sit down. That moment was kind of like attending an ANC1B meeting during the Hunter regime.

Denis James of Kalorama responded to Jack’s description of his proposal, and said that he would like to see the least amount of change possible. The places to look for changes should be the places with the most population change.

Commissioner Vickey Wright-Smith from 1A02 said she feels it makes no sense to move the boundary of Mount Pleasant across 16^th Street, when nobody in that area identifies with Mount Pleasant.

William Jordan introduced himself as former commissioner for 1A05 and “community pest.” He is concerned that once we get to the SMD level there will be some problems for the residents of 1A04 and 1A05. What the Task Force should do is draw things so that if you look at the core areas, various districts touch so everyone has an interest, and people are forced to work together. He also believes that boundaries should be drawn in a way that assures checks and balances. He has an issue that 1A, which is the area with the least area necessary, is being chopped up.

I stood up and spoke then, but I said the same thing I always say, which is a Georgia Avenue corridor is the way to go. Oh, and keep the park in the same SMD as 15^th Street residents. You can see my arguments in more detail about halfway through this prior post.

Commissioner Adian Miller of 1C05 said that her community in Lanier Heights identifies with Adams Morgan because of the natural physical boundary there.

Task Force Response

Beverly Wheeler said she has worked on a 5 ANC map, but asks The Georgia Avenue Task Force, what can we say to Kent and residents that don’t want to be in the Georgia Avenue ANC to make this happen?

Darren Jones indicated that they’ve been reaching out to help people identify with the corridor, and they can continue doing that to broaden their reach. Sylvia added that part of the problem is people don’t have a reason to identify with Georgia Avenue, but if they start the visioning process it will help.

Gregg  Edwards said ten years ago he pushed hard for the Georgia Avenue ANC and it lost by one vote. He is concerned that if ten more years go by, the opportunity will pass. He believes there are some transportation solutions and other amenities that would unify the corridor.  The reasons discussed ten years ago are even more important now, and he believes the Georgia Avenue piece is the most important thing to be looked at because it is the most important thing for the future of the Ward.

Dottie Love Wade took issue with people claiming that 1A and 1B are not working hard on behalf of Georgia Ave. She went on to outline developments the ANCs have worked to bring to Georgia Avenue as well as ones they had worked to prevent. Georgia Avenue has been on the back burner, but it hasn’t been because of 1A or 1B, it has been because of developers not wanting to come into the area. She mentioned 14^th Street as an example of a corridor that hadn’t come along until the metro development happened. She also outlined concerns about the city needing to provide additional funding and resources, should a 5^th ANC be created. The easiest thing to do, she said, was to change the boundaries as little as possible. Change for the sake of Change, to change 3 commissions to create a new one, does not make sense. It is making this process a lot more complicated than it needs to be.

Tony Norman pointed out that nobody is going to die if you group the north and south of Georgia Avenue. Most of them don’t even know what ANC they live in. He also called for a working meeting where the task force sits down and works out the maps over some beer. They cannot be limited by the time they have the space in the community center reserved.

The Chairman talked a bit about procedure and the opens meeting act. He expressed concern that having 6 of the task force members in the same place meeting would require public notice. He asked that the task force do what they need to do so that they have proposals to vote on by Monday night.

Ms. Janie Boyd objected to anyone dealing with this city’s future over a glass of wine or anything else. They need to be real serious about everything they’ve been assigned to do.

Thomas Boisvert referred to the maps he had worked on. He explained that he does not think Georgia Avenue is neglected by 1A or 1B. He looks at it more as an opportunity to spotlight Georgia Avenue. In his map, the only thing that changes from last week’s discussion is the boundary between 1A and 1B.  He said he thinks of this version of the map as creating a Columbia Heights ANC that puts the commercial strip as the hub. Part of the idea was to unite some communities.  This version of the map puts the commercial corridor in 1A, but all the establishments in proximity to Mount Pleasant within the 500 feet needed to give their concerns great weight with the agency of jurisdiction. He indicated his wish that the task force present two options to the council, and that one should be a 5 ANC map and one should be a 4 ANC map.  He also noted that no matter what the task force recommends, the Council will make the final decision.

Shelore Wiliams took a moment to talk about Georgia Avenue. She noted Georgia Avenue is not neglected because of any ANC. Forty years ago DC had a riot. 14^th Street looked like a war zone. The reason 14^th Street got developed is because the lot sizes were easier to develop. Georgia Avenue has small, narrow lots that are less desirable for development. She added, Howard University is the biggest landlord—slumlord—that has held up development.  If people buy the argument that it’s alright for 1C not to change based on lack of meaningful population growth then, don’t change 1A either. Everyone needs to change here. She wants to work on a 4 ANC map, but also present a 5 ANC map to the Council. Nobody will be happy with 5 ANCs and she wants to make sure that plan is enacted for the sake of Georgia Avenue at great cost to the other ANCs.

The Task Force will continue working in small groups on using the following two maps as the blueprints:

4 ANCs – Draft 1 from 9/22

5 ANCs – the new map proposed by Beverly, Gregg and Thomas