Vision and placemaking...

Friend and fellow East of the River blogger Nikki Peele made an astute obeservation a few days ago--women in the community are leading (and blogging) the transformation of DC's neighborhoods.  Think about it, there are JD Land, Life in the Village, Congress Heights on the Rise, and The Brightwoodian to name a few.  Yet as I discovered thanks to a Real Estate Bisnow post "The Key to Cities" men are at the table "making" the plans.  According to the featured post, economic development planning should be about women and, incidentally, that woman-centered vision is about placemaking and smart growth. 

A leading voice on placemaking Project for Public Spaces describes the concept as breaking "through [institutionalization] by showing [developers] planners, designers, and engineers how to move beyond their habit of looking at communities through the narrow lens of single-minded goals or rigid professional disciplines."

This finding is shockingly clear in the development landscape in Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7C (and north Ward 7).  In testimony about extending the disposition agreements on three critical north Ward 7 parcels 7C04 Commissioner Sylvia C. Brown asked about the development teams' visions and efforts "to create a sense of place—enlivening streetscapes, engaging current community members, and getting future residents excited about the developments' and surrounding communities' potential."  The question was discounted.  (With only one woman among the development team members is there a correlation???) 

New buildings don't magically make blight disappear.  New buildings don't magically reduce crime.  New buildings don't magically produce an improved quality of life. Vision does. 

PROACTIVE vision does.

Proactive, progressive vision with a real commitment to the broader community's bottom line does.

DC Council Ward 7 Land Disposition Hearing... Commissioner Brown's testimony starts at 4:25.  The exchange with Chairman Brown is at 11:37.

WHATEVER HAPPENED WITH...

UNCLE LEE'S SEAFOOD

On Wednesday, April 13 the protest hearing against the Class A Liquor License application of Uncle Lee's Seafood was held. It was an empowering and enlightening experience.

A brief recap:

- It was a bit of a rough start because Commissioner Sylvia Brown was late and the proceedings are conducted as a court case with opening statements, exhibits, etc.

- Ronnie Streff, Vice President, Capitol View Civic Association, and Commissioner Brown were dinged because they tagged teamed; Commissioner Brown ended being the primary questioner with Streff as second chair

- Commissioner Brown's line of questioning bringing up the application's discrepancies of ownership and running another business brought in reasonable doubt of the applicant's ability to follow the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration's peace, order, and quiet standards for the Alcohol Control Board

- The board chair reprimanded the applicant's attorney two-three times to the point of questioning whether he was an attorney and nearly dismissing the case; the attorney was answering questions for his client instead of allowing the client to speak for herself. Thankfully, Commissioner Brown's request for an impartial third party translator was granted otherwise there could've been shenanigans.

- The applicant called up a supportive "customer." Questioning revealed the customer actually worked for the applicant getting paid in food and drink

- The applicant presented a petition of supporters as an exhibit. The protestants objected because the petition didn't say it was for a liquor store, several signors were not from the immediate area, and several signors used, shall we say, aliases.

- The alcohol board has 90 days to issue its decision.

WHAT'S NEXT

1) BY MON., April 25, 5:00 P.M. SEND OR PHONE YOUR OPPOSITION TO "THE FISCAL YEAR 2012 PROPOSALS TO EXTEND LIQUOR STORE HOURS TO 12 MIDNIGHT & ALLOWING CLASS A LIQUOR STORES TO SELL ON SUNDAYS" TO

The Honorable Jim Graham
Chairman
District of Columbia Council on Human Services
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 117
Washington, DC 20004
P: 202-724-8181
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL: jim@grahamwone.com, agerst@dccouncil.us

The Honorable Yvette M. Alexander
Ward 7 Councilmember
Member, Committee on Human Services
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004
P: 202-724-8068
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL: yalexander@dccouncil.us, jrmeyers@dccouncil.us

2) Mark the 3rd Wed., 6:30p (sharp), Kelly Miller Middle School, 301 49th St. NE on your calendars for the monthly Patrol Service Area 602 meeting.

• Wed., April 20
• Wed., May 18
• Wed., June 15
• Wed., July 20
• Wed., Aug. 17
• Wed., Sept. 21
• Wed., Oct. 19
• Wed., Nov. 16
• Wed., Dec. 21

3) The Far NE Livability Study recommendations will be revealed, Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m.  Show up & support the District Department of Transportation's budgeting the dollars to plan and reconstruct Sheriff Rd.

4) We need at least three people to join the economic development strategy team to implement the Deanwood Small Area Plan--Sheriff-Eastern node.

5) Other neighbors want to replicate what we did and strategize on future liquor license renewals. There'll be a planning meeting in early-mid June. To join the liquor license strategy team, please email me directly

STAY ON TOP OF THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

ALL THINGS DEANWOOD

@DEANWOODDC

Deanwood Recreation & Library Center...9 months later

Last week, Councilmember Muriel Bowser, Chairman Committee on Libraries, Parks, and Recreation, toured the nine-month old Deanwood Recreation Center and Library.  Bowser, who is also Ward 4 Councilmember, was taking the opportunity to talk with community members and frontline staff to gain perspective on upcoming budget and planning hearings.

Public Oversight Roundtable: Summer Programs and Aquatics Readiness of the Department of Parks and Recreation

Monday, April 11, 11:00 a.m.

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Room 123

(Federal Triangle Metro)

The roundtable will inquire into the Department of Parks and Recreation’s preparations for the efficient administration of the agency’s summer programs, including arrangements to commence operation of all 31 outdoor aquatics amenities. As soon as District schools adjourn for summer, the utilization rates of our DPR facilities greatly increase. As safe, productive environments for District children, it is vital that we ensure DPR is ready to provide first-class recreation activities at first-class recreation facilities during this time. To that end, the roundtable will inquire into the agency’s efforts to hire sufficient staff, especially lifeguards; to prepare physical facilities like pools, spray parks, fields, and tennis courts; the mowing schedule; agency plans for engaging with stakeholders; and a description of all summer programs and camps for
youth, adults, and our seniors. The Committee will also review pending capital projects, Unity Park, summer hiring and other DPR vacancies.

THURSDAY, April 14, 10a - Budget hearing for DPR, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, COUNCIL CHAMBER (ROOM 500)

MONDAY, April 18, 10a - Budget hearing for DCPL, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, ROOM 412

Deanwood Recreation and Library Center's Opening Day June 2010 was a celebration (and joyous madhouse)!

Deanwood computer lab on grand opening day, June 2010

L-R: Bowser, DCPL Chief Ginnie Cooper, Deanwood resident Beverly Goode, and Deanwood Branch manager Winnell Montague

Bowser's tour coincided with the Deanwood Library's reading time.

CM Bowser listening intently to concerns raised by Deanwood neighbors Yvonne Johnson and David Smith.  Recreation Center Manager Orvin Wright joins the tour.

CM Bowser (c) with Deanwood Neighbors and DCPL Chief and Staff and DPR Manager

ANC7C Holiday meet 'n' greet

In a break from the norm, which is usually no meeting in December, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7C hosted a holiday meet and greet.

In recent weeks, the Commission has been faced with news of Wal-Mart's arrival at the Capitol Gateway site at East Capitol and Southern Ave.  With the Commission facing this and other high profile community and economic development plans, we felt it was critically important for residents, developers, and stakeholders to meet in a social and informal environment.

The development community certainly came out in full force with refreshment donations from Beulah Community Improvement Association and its partner UrbanMatter's Ray Nix and 4800 Burroughs Avenue.  New deli owner Eun Sun Kim profiled her eatery's new menu with a spread of three types of salad--chicken, seafood, and tuna, chicken wings, sandwiches, and potato wedges. 

Mark your 2011 calendars for the 7C meetings on the second Thursday, 7p, 5109 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE basement! 



Commission Chair Khaliq Elhillali welcomes attendees to the holiday meet and greet.



Neighbors partake in the spread donated by Uncle Lee's Seafood deli owner Eun Sun Kim.  The deli is located at the starburst at Eastern Ave-Division Ave-Sheriff Rd.



Chair Elhillali and 7C Office Manager Ginger Jevne share a laugh.

Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander chats with neighbors and stakeholders about prospects for Wal-Mart and other community happenings.  7C Commissioner Mary Gaffney is pictured to the right.

Neighbors in 7C07 SMD engage Chair Elhillali about the Commission's operations and how to get involved.

Rev. Turner, pastor of Beulah Baptist Church and head of its community development organization, talks with development partner Ray Nix.

Liquor Store Alley: Is Your Neighborhood on the Edge?

For much of the year the process of granting liquor licenses has been debated from working class Ward 5 to hipster Ward 2 to tony Ward 2.  The overwhelming opinion is that the District's liquor license process which is administered by the Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) is broken.  The common thread in these license debates, however, has been on-premises liquor consumption at bars, restaurants, and taverns.  Alcohol licensing for liquor stores is not, however, considered a part of the ABRA reform. 

In too many neighborhoods in Wards 7 and 8 there is a concentration of liquor stores--both beer and wine (Class B) and beer, wine, spirits (Class A).  Generally, there is an automatic expectation that a voluntary agreement and/or monetary donation can be made and the ANC will acquiese to the inevitable, ABRA granting the license.  This underlying tone favors the business instead of favoring the community and lets the business off the hook for actually having a business plan that doesn't leech off predominantly low-income neighborhoods.  In many cases in Wards 7 and 8 a VA will not be sufficient because the concentration of liquor stores is too high; we're saturated. 



Google Maps. Uncle Lee's left, Jock's Liquor right

 I am contending with this very issue right now with Uncle Lee's Seafood.  There is a new owner who is "just trying to survive."  The owner has a background in operating a deli with a speciality in breakfast.  She has changed the menu to include breakfast and lunch.  Unfortunately, survival is based on the lottery and liquor sales and not using her talent and skill on meeting an unmet market--an eatery with quality food and not typical carryout. 

No liquor license issuance is the only option for Uncle Lee's Seafood. Vibrancy and sanity of the neighborhood will not be enhanced with six liquor stores within a half mile radius! 



Google Maps. Liquor Store Landscape

 While I appreciate my neighbors west of the River writing about making the liquor license process less contentious, it is important to note the impact of concentrating licensees, specifically liquor stores.  Maybe there's room in ABRA reform to separate liquor stores from the licensing for restaurants, taverns, and nightclubs to take these matters into consideration.  Maybe even 7C should pursue a moratorium like Georgetown.  Otherwise, we'll continue to pick at the contention of "who is in the catbird seat--the licensee business owner or the Advisory Neighborhood Commission/community?" 

Ward 7 residents define "livability" for their streets

A cross-section of residents in north Ward 7 gathered recently to help the District Department of Transportation and its consultants put a pin in the oft-used term "livability" at the second meeting of the Far Northeast Livability Study.


In transit and smart growth circles, livability means multimodal transportation, transit-oriented development, and a Complete Streets policy.


Many attendees weren't versed in the new terms entering the community development lexicon, but they do know their neighborhood and the ward can be better with more sidewalks, improved crosswalk markings and pedestrian signaling, slowing speeding traffic on narrow neighborhood streets and thoroughfares, and improving bus service.


The Far Northeast Livability Study area encompasses all of north Ward 7, between East Capitol Street, the Anacostia River, and the District line. A unique feature of the study process is an advisory council made of community members which shapes the meeting format, engages neighbors, and gives insight on key points.

This advisory council is especially important because the area has already been the focus of numerous studies in the past. Residents want to see action, not just a study that sits on the shelf.

DDOT Director Gabe Klein Photo Courtesy SBrown

Fortunately, DDOT Chief Gabe Klein agrees. At the monthly general meeting of the DC Federation of Citizens Associations, Klein pointed out the agency has $3 million invested in the DDOT Livability Program, including "money in the obligation plan to put solutions in place." The funds to implement the Livability Program are also included in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's five-year Transportation Improvement Program. Klein pledged to attend the next huddle.

The gathering discussed tools that transportation engineers use to deal with speeding and cut-through traffic, and to integrate biking connections. The toolbox includes simple, low-cost methods like painted medians, high visibility crosswalks, and in-street pedestrian yield signs. At the other end of the spectrum, there are high impact, mid- to high-cost solutions like chicanes, roundabouts, landscaped medians, and raised crosswalks.

Residents discussed these options and weighed the pros and cons of each along problem corridors like Sheriff Road, 49th Street, East Capitol Street, the Minnesota Avenue-Benning Road intersection, and the Nannie Helen Burroughs-Minnesota intersection.

The next steps in the process include a review of the meeting comments in December and a follow-up in January. With a population of nearly 30,000 people, it is critically important for north Ward 7 residents and stakeholders to be on the ball and make sure the "study" gets implemented.

Crossposted at Greater Greater Washington.

Live, work, play, shop, worship...New age livability

District Department of Transportation will be a busy bee in Ward 7 this weekend.  The agency is sponsoring the DC Circulator study at Benning Road Library (which has been renamed the Dorothy Irene Height Memorial Library) at 1:30 p.m.  In the morning the transportation team and its consultants are hosting the second Far Northeast Livability Study. 

The Far Northeast Livability Study covers all of north Ward 7.  Saturday's meeting will cover the Solutions Tool Boxes that transportation engineers grapple with when faced with speeding, cut-through traffic, etc.  Residents will have these tools at their fingertips and be able to weigh the good and the bad with implementation along problem corridors like Sheriff Road, 49th Street, East Capitol, Nannie Helen Burroughs-Minnesota intersection, etc.  With a population of nearly 30,000 people it is critically important for north Ward 7 residents and stakeholders to be on the ball and make sure the "study" GETS IMPLEMENTED. 

Livability Flyer