Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Da-dum-dum, da-dum-dum, da-dum-dum-duhhh...

At the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) hearing on Tuesday, January 10, Uncle Lee's owners exhibited further evidence they are not ethical. You'll recall the hearing was to consider a minor modification application to extend the business hours to midnight.

The Office of Planning (OP) receives a copy of the application. Doing due diligence, OP informed the Zoning Administrator (ZA), which is in the Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs. The ZA issued a finding that the owners applied for a separate tax lot/address for the liquor store. Raising into question whether the extension request is for the carryout or the liquor store.

Based on the ZA's information OP recommended that BZA not rule because the body doesn't have jurisdiction over the extended hours request; the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) does because the request is for the liquor store.

OP & ZA rightly saw through the hours extension application as one for the liquor store, not the carryout. Uncle Lee's owners are trying to skirt the ABRA process using the BZA application as cover.


This instance provides evidence that no leniency is needed for this nuisance business, its owners, or the landlord.

BZA "out of an abundance of caution" extended left the record open until February 7 to give the applicant, Eun Sun Kim, a chance to clarify. However, the board is inclined to deny the application at the February hearing. If you cannot attend the continuance hearing at 441 4th St. NW Rm. 270N (One Judiciary Square), the hearing will be live webcast.

P.S. Thanks to Through His Eyes Ministries  parishioner Marilyn Day for attending the hearing. Additional appreciation to neighbor Sherrie Lawson and Ward 7 Councilmember for their letters opposing the extended hours application.

Friday, January 13, 2012

PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING #pubsafety #civicactivism

Cross post from New Columbia Heights

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Contact Commissioner Sylvia C. Brown at 202-398-5100 to caravan to the training!

Let's start 2012 the right way, TOGETHER, building a stronger community! In the spirit of service, on the Tuesday after the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, let's commit to serving our neighborhoods. All DC neighborhoods are welcome to join in!

Neighborhood Watch Training
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
6:30 PM to 9:00 PM
St Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church, 1525 Newton St NW, Upstairs Auditorium, PARKING & ENTRANCE ON 16th Street NW

Agenda
6:30 PM to 7:00 PM - Sign-in, Meet Your Neighbors, Light Dinner
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM - Crime Prevention Training with Samantha Nolan
8:00 PM to 9:00 PM - Small-group Discussions - Issue Identification and Goal Setting

Sponsored by the Northwest Columbia Heights Community Association with support from Target, the Columbia Heights Shaw Family Support Collaborative and the UPS Store.

Training is free-of-charge, all are welcome, free refreshments provided!

Want to volunteer to help with the Neighborhood Watch Training event? We need small-group discussion leaders and help with meeting logistics. Please sign up on the registration form, or contact Cecilia: 202-299-7868

Contact Commissioner Sylvia C. Brown at 202-398-5100 to caravan to the training!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

#unclelees Owners Plan to Attend ANC7C Public Meeting

According to ANC7C Chair Khaliq Elhillali, the owners of Uncle Lee's Seafood and Liquor, Eun Sun Kim and Peter Jung, have asked to be on the Commission's agenda on Thursday, January 12. This is quite a turn of events since the owners have rebuffed previous requests to attend meetings and to meet with residents and stakeholders.

If you don't come to another community meeting,
you need to be at this one!!
BRING A NEIGHBOR

ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 7C
PUBLIC MEETING
THUR., JANUARY 12, 7:00 P.M.
SARGENT MEM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (BASEMENT)
5108 NANNIE HELEN BURROUGHS AVE. NE

AGENDA INCLUDES UNCLE LEE'S OWNERS
(EUN SUN KIM & PETER JUNG)

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7C
4651 Nannie Helen Burroughs Ave. NE Suite 2,WDC 20019
202-398-5100, anc7c@verizon.net

Come with your questions, comments, and to meet the owners (and the landlord, Paul Ince). Your presence needs to be seen, heard, and felt.

I'M COUNTING ON YOU!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Yeah, what she said! Life in the Village: Economic Development in #Ward7

My neighbor, Miss V, summed it up well at Life in the Village (Washington, DC): Economic Development in Ward 7. You can watch the hearing at the Council's website or through the Office of Cable Television.

PUBLIC OVERSIGHT ROUNDTABLE BY THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS/PROJECTS IN WARD 7
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2012, 6:30 P.M.
DOROTHY HEIGHT/BENNING LIBRARY
3935 BENNING ROAD, NE

Council Chairman Kwame R. Brown announces the scheduling of a Public Oversight Roundtable by the Committee of the Whole on Economic Development Programs/Projects in Ward 7. The public oversight roundtable is scheduled for January 11, 2012, at 6:30 p.m., Dorothy Height/Benning Library, 3935 Benning Road, NE. The purpose of the public oversight roundtable is to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the proposed economic development programs/projects in Ward 7.

Individuals and representatives of organizations who wish to testify at the public oversight roundtable are encouraged to sign up online by visiting our Council website at http://dccouncil.us. Individuals may also contact Priscilla McIver, Administrative Assistant to the Committee of the Whole, at (202) 724-8196, or via e-mail at pford@dccouncil.us and furnish their names, addresses, telephone numbers, and organizational affiliation, if any. They should also bring 20 copies of their written testimony. Persons presenting testimony may be limited to 3 minutes in order to permit each witness an opportunity to be heard.

If you are unable to testify at the roundtable, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted to: Committee of the Whole, Council of the District of Columbia, John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 508, Washington, D.C. 20004.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Board of Zoning Adjustment to hear #UncleLee's Case #civicactivism

Tomorrow, January 10, 9:30 a.m. the BZA will hear the Application of Eun Sun Kim case #18147 to extend business hours from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. There are seven items on the agenda and the meeting is a public meeting with no testimony. The members can choose to approve, deny, or postpone the case.

Watch the proceedings live if you cannot attend in person.

Application of Eun Sun Kim
Case # : 18147
Case Name : Application of Eun Sun Kim (dba Uncle Lee's Seafood)
Case Summary : (Special Exceptions) Pursuant to 11 DCMR § 3104.1, for a special exception to allow a fast food establishment under section 733, in the C-2-A District at premises 1100 Eastern Avenue, N.E. (Square 5200, Lot 805).

441 4th St. NW Room 220 South (Red Line Judiciary Square Metro)
ANC : 7C

Here is a history of the community's interaction with the business owners.

http://deanwooddenizen.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-tha-what-when-will-unclelees-work.html

http://deanwooddenizen.blogspot.com/2011/12/unclelees-part-ivthe-saga-continues.html

http://deanwooddenizen.blogspot.com/2011/04/whatever-happened-with.html

http://deanwooddenizen.blogspot.com/2010/12/liquor-store-alley-is-your-neighborhood.html

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

WHAT THA WHAT?! When will #unclelees work WITH #deanwooddc! Sheesh!





PLEASE CALL 911 to report open container violations/public drinking. Try your best to get physical and clothing descriptions of the individuals.

Additionally, register a complaint with the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration by completing an ABRA Complaint Form, emailing William Hager, or calling the issues in to the Enforcement Division at (202) 442-4423. You can make an anonymous report for the following complaints:
  • Loitering
  • Public drinking
  • After hours operation
  • Noise
  • Overcrowding
  • Parking/traffic issues
  • Trash
  • Sale to intoxicated persons
  • Violent activity
  • Sale to minors
  • Other
Uncle Lee's Class A liquor license is up for renewal March 2012. The 911 calls, the ABRA complaint registrations, pictures, etc. are all documentation for getting the license revoked, not having the license renewed in 2012, and brokering concessions.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

IDEA PCS EMERGENCY COMMUNITY MEETING #ward7 #deanwooddc #edreform

Shortly before the holidays The Washington Post reported that IDEA Public Charter School, located in Deanwood, was in danger of closing because of poor academic progress.
Mr. Morris Redd, the school's community liaison, alerted stakeholders to a meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the school, 1027 45th Street NE. The email alert is below.

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Morris Redd Tue, Jan 3, 2012 at 3:17 PM
To: Morris Redd
IDEA PCS EMERGENCY COMMUNITY MEETING

Welcome to 2012, Family and Friends:
I hope your holiday season was smooth sailing. Additionally, I pray that the best is yet to come! Unfortunately, I returned to rough waters, here at IDEA. I encourage you, however, not to be alarmed. I too believe, the best is yet to come.
The purpose of this brief correspondence is to address what ruffled me. You may have heard rumors, speculation, or news reports that IDEA PCS is closing. The truth of the matter is that we were delivered a proposal from the DC Public Charter School Board (PCSB) informing us that our charter is in danger of being revoked. The PCSB has made a preliminary recommendation to revoke the charter of IDEA Public Charter School in 2012 for failing “to meet [our] academic goals and student achievement expectations”. In a nutshell, this means that the school could permanently close its doors after the June 2012 graduation, if we do not immediately and effective address these issues.
We are indeed addressing these grave concerns, in house, as we speak. I’ll share some of our strategy with you soon. Right now, we are also seeking your support in this fight to stay open. In addition to the families we serve, you, our partners, friends, and stakeholders, can paint the true picture of the value that IDEA brings and of the good work we do here (in Deanwood, in Ward 7, and throughout the City).
On Wednesday, January 4, 2012, we will conduct a Community Meeting to address our supporters on this matter. There, folks will find out what IDEA is doing to address the PCSB’s concerns and how you can help. We will also discuss what we do not want you to do. For now, I would very much like for you (or a representative) to be at IDEA for that important meeting. Secondly, I’m asking that you bring a letter of support from your Office/Organization, sighting the cooperative relationship that we have shared. Specific examples and warm stories are wonderful tools in demonstrating value. I’d be more than happy to assist with your draft, if you’d like. You can give examples such as:
Our providing student and adult participants in one or more of your programs;
Our bringing your organization into our school to provide a wider audience for your products/services;
Student service learning projects, or color guard performances that we have partaken;
Our coordinated support of your agency’s programs and initiatives (financially, programmatically, or otherwise;
Our opening of our doors for community meetings and other events;
Etc.
The letter can be addressed to the school’s Executive Director, Norman N. Johnson at IDEA Public Charter School, 1027 45th Street, NE – Washington, DC 20019.
NOTE: What we are not asking you to do is petition, lobby, or otherwise antagonize the Public Charter School Board. We do not want letters or calls going to them on our behalf. The PCSB is an independent Chartering Authority who has merely identified some issues that we, as a school community, must address. So, again, PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE DC PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD FOR ANY REASON ON OUR BEHALF. We are handling this as professionally, comprehensively, and expeditiously as possible.
Thanks for your continued support. I hope to see you at the Emergency Community Meeting on tomorrow, Wednesday, January 4 at 6:30 PM.
Be blessed,
Morris