Brian Flahaven

Zoning relief for 1500 Penn Ave SE, agency oversight hearing testimony and committee/task force chair elections were on the agenda for ANC 6B’s full commission meeting on Feb. 11. Here are the highlights:

• The commission voted unanimously to support a parking space size variance and roof line height special exception for a proposed 41-unit condo building at 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. The Board of Zoning Adjustment is scheduled to hear the 1500 Penn Ave SE case on Tues., Feb. 25.
• ANC 6B also voted unanimously to renew the Hill East and Outreach & Constituent Services Task Force. Both task forces will sunset in Feb. 2015.  Commissioner Brian Pate (6B05) was elected as chair of the O&CS task force while I was elected as chair of the Hill East Task Force. I’m grateful to my commission colleagues for allowing me to serve another year as chair of the HE task force.
• Commissioners Francis Campbell (6B10), Sara Loveland (6B07) and Kirsten Oldenburg (6B04) were elected chairs of the Planning and Zoning, Alcoholic Beverage Control Committees. Congrats to all three commissioners, each of whom have dedicated significant time and effort to their committee work.
• Mostly current and a couple of new resident members were reappointed to ANC 6B committees and task forces. I’d like to thank all of the residents from 6B09 who continue to serve as resident members.
• The commission unanimously approved testimony for 10 agency performance oversight hearings. ANC 6B will be testifying at hearings on:
  • Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA)
  • DC Auditor
  • District Department of Transportation (DDOT)
  • Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA)
  • Department of Human Services
  • Metropolitan Police Department
  • Office of Unified Communications (911)
  • DC Public Schools
  • Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions

  I plan to testify on behalf of the commission at the Department of Human Services oversight hearing. View the full DC Council agency oversight hearing schedule (pdf)

• The commission also retroactively approved my Feb. 11 testimony at oversight hearing for the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. My testimony focused on Reservation 13 and the Hine redevelopment.
• ANC 6B voted unanimously to oppose B20-563, the District of Columbia Sports and Entertainment Complex Feasibility Study Act of 2013. The DC Council Committee on Economic Development is holding a Feb. 25 hearing on the bill and I plan to testify in opposition.
• The commission voted 8-0 to send a letter to Mayor Gray outlining our views on what should be priorities in his FY15 budget. ANC 6B believes that the Mayor’s top priority should be school funding, though the letter also encourages the city to fund infrastructure costs at Reservation 13 and improvements at the Eastern Market Metro Plaza.
• I reminded attendees that ANC 6B’s Hill East Task Force will be discussing the city’s plans for the Eastern Branch Building (261 17th Street SE) during a meeting on Tues., Feb. 18, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at St. Coletta of Greater Washington (1901 Independence Ave SE).
• After a somewhat contentious debate, the commission voted 6-2 to send a letter to the District Department of Transportation urging the agency to install a stop sign or signalize the intersection of 8th & D Streets SE.  Some commissioners voiced concern about posting a stop sign on only one side of the street (impacting southbound traffic) would confuse motorists. I was comfortable voting with the majority, particularly after the language about considering a stop sign or traffic signal was added.
• ANC 6B’s March meeting will be on Tues., March 11, 7 pm at the Hill Center.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 14th, 2014 at 5:57 pm and is filed under ANC 6B. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.