Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6D
Ron McBee, Chair
December 13, 2010
Business Meeting

Minutes

As Approved by ANC 6D on January 10, 2011


Present: Commissioners Hamilton, Jorgensen, Litsky, McBee, Moffatt, Siegel, and Sobelsohn.

Commissioner McBee called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.

1. Agenda.

Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Siegel seconded to approve the agenda as proposed.  Commissioner Sobelsohn moved to amend the motion to add, to the agenda, dis­cussion of changing the name of the Metrorail station now called “Waterfront/South­east­­ern University.”  Without objection, the motion was so amended.  As amended, the motion to approve the agenda passed 5-0.  Commissioners Hamilton and Litsky did not vote.

2. November Minutes.

Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Jorgensen seconded to approve the proposed November 8, 2010 minutes.  Commissioner Siegel moved to amend the motion, to replace, in the November minutes’ report of St. Paul AUMP Church’s designation as a historic land­mark, the indication that “Commissioner McBee moved” with, instead, “Commissioner Siegel moved.” With no objections to it, the motion was so amended.  Commissioner Moffatt objected that, when a commissioner abstained, the minutes report that the motion passed by a certain vote without indicating the total number of commissioners who abstained. As amended, the motion to approve the November minutes passed 5-1, with Commissioner Moffatt opposed. Com­missioner Litsky did not vote.

3. Action Items.

   a. Development and Zoning.

      1) Zoning Regulations.

The DC Office of Planning has proposed replacing the current citywide requirement that new construction provide a minimum required number of car parking spaces with, instead, a citywide requirement that new construction provide a minimum required number of bicycle parking spaces; to establish in some instances a maximum permitted number of car parking spaces; and to permit greater sharing of loading docks in new construction. Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Jorgensen seconded to support, as a way to reduce motor-vehicle pollution in DC, the changes proposed to Zoning Regulations chapters B-15, B-16, and B-17 by the DC Office of Planning, Case No. 08-06, considered by the Zoning Commission on November 15, 2010. The motion passed 4-1, with Commissioner Siegel opposed.  Commissioner Litsky abstained and Commissioner Moffatt did not vote.

      2) Southeastern University.

The Graduate School, current owners of the vacant building that once housed Southeastern University, has solicited bids to buy the building.  Commissioner Jorgensen moved/Com­mis­sion­er Siegel seconded to support the bid of the AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation to purchase 501 I Street, SW, the former site of Southeastern University, from The Graduate School.  The motion passed 5-0.  Commissioner Sobelsohn abstained.  Commissioner Litsky did not vote.

      3) Metrorail Station Names.

         a) Waterfront.

Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Siegel seconded to urge the DC Department of Transportation and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to drop “South­east­ern University” or “SEU,” wherever either appears, from the name of the Metrorail station currently called “Waterfront-SEU” (or “Southeastern University”) because South­east­ern University is now defunct, the owner of the building that once housed the university has solicited bids to buy it, and it looks increasingly unlikely that the neighborhood will retain an institution called “Southeastern University.”  The motion passed 3-0.  Commissioner McBee abstained.  Commissioners Hamilton, Jorgensen, and Litsky did not vote.

         b) Navy Yard.

Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Jorgensen seconded to urge the DC Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to add “Capitol Riverfront” and the “curly W” the Washington Nationals use as a logo to the name of the Metrorail station currently known as “Navy Yard,” but both after the phrase “Navy Yard,” for the following reasons: (a) Adding “Capitol Riverfront” and the “curly W” to the name of the Metrorail station currently called “Navy Yard” will more accurately describe the area immediately served by that Metrorail station and encourage patronage of both the Capitol Riverfront and Nationals Park; and (b) Keeping the phrase “Navy Yard” first in the station’s name will reflect the historic status of the Navy Yard area and generate less confusion than putting the phrase “Navy Yard” second or last.  As an alternative to the “cur­ly W,” we support adding the phrase “Nationals Park” to the name of the Metrorail station currently called “Navy Yard.”  If DDOT and WMATA reject the use of the “curly W” logo, and consider “Navy Yard-Capitol Riverfront-Nationals Park” too long a station name, we urge DDOT and WMATA to rename the station “Navy Yard-Riverfront-Ballpark.”  This new name will more accurately describe the area around the station, and also lure visitors to the area, though not as effectively as adding “Capital Riverfront” and either the “curly W” or “Nationals Park.”  The motion passed 6-0.  Commissioner Litsky did not vote.

   b. Public Space: Street Races.

      1) SunTrust National Marathon.

From 8 a.m. until just after noon on Saturday, March 26, 2011, organizers of the Sun­Trust National Marathon propose to close portions of eight streets in Southwest.  A copy of the proposed route, including a list of proposed street closures, is attached to these minutes.  Diane Romo Thomas, community-relations director for the Greater Wash­ing­ton Sports Alliance, described the route as identical (in Southwest) to last year’s, reported no complaints from last year, promised both to go door-to-door and to arrange robotic telephone calls to alert residents affected by the road closures, and committed to make sure the police let cars cross the closed streets during breaks between runners. Based on these assurances and its proposed map and street closures, Commissioner So­bel­sohn moved/Commissioner Siegel seconded to send a letter supporting SunTrust National Marathon’s request to close the streets designated in its proposed route.  The motion passed, 5-1, with Commissioner Moffatt opposed.  Commission
er Litsky did not vote.

      2) Stop the Silence 8K.

From 9-10:15 a.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2011, organizers of the Race to Stop the Silence (Child Sexual Abuse) propose to close several streets in Southwest, all north of the Southeast-Southwest Freeway and therefore all outside ANC 6D’s residential areas.  A copy of the proposed route is attached to these minutes.  Based on its proposed route, Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Hamilton seconded to send a letter supporting Stop the Silence’s request to close the streets designated in its proposed route.  The

motion passed, 5-0.  Commissioners Jorgensen and Litsky did not vote.

4. Next ANC Meeting.

Commissioner McBee announced that ANC 6D’s next public business meeting would start at 7 p.m. Monday, January 10, at Arena Stage, 1101 6th Street, SW.

5. Adjournment.

Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Jorgensen seconded to adjourn.  Without objection, the motion passed.  The meeting adjourned at 9:55 p.m.