Police Report. Lt Johnson reported 10 property crimes in the past 30 days in ANC 3B compared to 16 for the same period last year. The second district has a new captain, Cpt Ronald Bridges. Lt. Johnson will ask him to attend an upcoming ANC meeting. A resident of Cathedral Avenue reported that speeding continues to be a chronic problem on that roadway. Another Cathedral Heights resident asked about a series of car break-ins along Garfield and nearby streets in recent weeks. Commissioner Mladinov said she had requested additional police patrols when those incidents were reported, and Lt. Johnson said patrols were continuing all around the area. They also referred residents to the District’s rebate program to help pay for purchase of private security cameras, which several neighbors already were pursuing. See ovsjg.dc.gov. Lt. Johnson emphasized that sharing photos from security cameras has been the greatest aid to MPD in locating the suspects in break-ins and other property crimes.
Discussion of Guy Mason Recreation Center (GMRC) Hours and Maintenance. Christopher Dyer, Community Engagement Manager for DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and Cesar Enriquez, DPR Regional Manager, spoke about the shorter hours at Guy Mason Recreation Center as well as maintenance issues with the playground and fields. Mr. Dyer said because of staff shortages, all DC recreation centers are now open shorter hours. Throughout DC, rec center hours are noon to 8 pm Monday through Friday and 9 am-1 pm on Saturday. DPR will re-assess next spring and consider extending hours at all centers. GMRC still operates the Pre-K Co-op program at Guy Mason on weekdays. The pottery program is also still operating through a contractor and DPR is looking into starting its own pottery program. Guy Mason no longer has a full time maintenance person. DC Department of General Services (DGS) is responsible for maintenance and DPW empties the trash cans. DPR is continuing its partnership with Friends of Guy Mason on maintenance and improvements, and Mr. Enriquez also said he and his team come to Guy Mason regularly and take action on urgent needs. If maintenance issues aren’t being addressed, please contact Christopher at Christopher.dyer@dc.gov, 202 702 9453 or Cesar at cesar.enriquez@dc.gov, 292 391 2215.
Presentation on application for Special Exception for an addition at 2646 39th Street NW. Marty Sullivan of Sullivan & Barros joined Arman Hekmat of Madison Investments and Eric Gronning, Project Architect, to present plans to build a rear addition, third story, and penthouse, and add 3 units to a 4-unit semi-detached building with a cellar in the RA-1 zone. They are applying for a zoning Special Exception to increase the number of units. Neighboring property owners have expressed support for the project and the ANC voted to support the application to the BZA, which has scheduled a hearing on the case (BZA 20851) on January 11, 2023.
Resolution on Proposed Bill B24-433 to change RPP parking permits from ward-wide to ANC
Councilmember Mary Cheh held a hearing on the proposal to change the area where Residential Parking Permits apply, so instead of allowing parking for more than two hours in RPP spaces within the entire ward, the RPP would apply only within the new ANC areas that will be in effect January 1, 2023 (and one block beyond the ANC boundary). Even though CM Cheh says that the proposed legislation will not move forward in the 2022 session, ANC 3B voted to submit comments to get on record numerous reasons for opposing the bill, including the vastly different sizes of ANCs. For example, while 3B is a half mile square, an adjoining ANC is 3 miles square. Similar differences exist in other wards across the city, which would make the proposal highly inequitable. Many other comments have also called for developing more practical zones that would reflect communities and patterns of travel and day-to-day life.
Next Meeting: December 8, 2022