Brian Flahaven

On Thursday, Dec. 11, Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells will host a community meeting to discuss the Office of Planning’s final concepts for the Barney Circle-Southeast Boulevard Project Planning Study. The meeting will be from 7-9pm at Friendship Charter School Chamberlain Campus (1345 Potomac Ave SE, across from Harris Teeter).

The Office of Planning has circulated the following document with the final concepts:

• OP Concepts for the Barney Circle-Southeast Boulevard Planning Study (pdf)

In addition to OP, representatives from the District Department of Transportation will be on hand to gather feedback from the community on the concepts. I also plan to ask them for an update on their plans to temporarily reopen the Southeast Freeway.

Please bring your questions and comments to the meeting.

Some good news on the long-stalled development plans at Reservation 13. Late last week, Mayor Gray submitted legislation to the DC Council related to the surplus declaration and disposition of Parcels F1 & G1 of the Hill East/Reservation 13 development. The two resolutions (listed below) have been added to the agenda of an already scheduled Committee on Economic Development/Committee on Government Operations Joint Public Roundtable (pdf) on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2:00 pm in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building (1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW).

• Hill East Redevelopment Phase 1: Parcels F-1 and G-1 Surplus Declaration Resolution of 2014 (pdf)
• Hill East Redevelopment Phase 1: Parcels F-1 and G-1 Disposition Approval Resolution of 2014 (pdf)

If enacted, the city will formally transfer Parcels F1 & G1 to Donatelli Development and Blue Skye Development. The Donatelli/Blue Skye plans call for two mixed-use buildings with 354 apartments and around 20,000 square feet of retail space. Thirty percent (106) of the total units will be affordable housing units (53 at 30 percent of Area Median Income (AMI) and 53 at 60 percent AMI).

While the term sheet and land disposition agreement (LDA) have yet to be posted online, Michael Neibauer of the Washington Business Journal reports that the agreement prohibits “laundromats, check cashing establishments, adult entertainment, liquor stores and drive-thru services.”

I plan to testify in support of the legislation during Tuesday’s Joint Public Roundtable. ANC 6B will also consider the Disposition Approval Resolution during its Dec. 9 commission meeting (ANC 6B is already on record in support of declaring F-1 and G-1 surplus). If you would like to testify or submit written comments on the resolutions, send an e-mail to Tsega Bekele, Legislative Counsel to the Committee on Economic Development at tbekele@dccouncil.us.

On Tuesday, Nov. 18, I’m convening a community meeting to discuss the status of the 17th & 19th Street Safety Improvement Project. The meeting is from 6:30-8 pm at St. Coletta of Greater Washington (1901 Independence Ave SE). Representatives of the District Department of Transportation and DC Water will be in attendance to explain why the improvements are being delayed and to provide an updated timeline. Attendees will also get an update on the status of the reopening of the Southeast Freeway between Barney Circle SE and the 11th Street SE.

I encourage residents who live on or near 17th Street SE to attend the meeting.

Today is Election Day! Polls open at 7 am – 8 pm. Please VOTE – you can find your polling place on the DC Board of Elections website.

The following is the candidate statement I’ve been sharing with my constituents:

Dear Neighbor,

I’m running for reelection as your ANC commissioner to continue fighting to improve the quality of life of residents in Barney Circle and Hill East.

My second term has been a busy one. My single member district – ANC 6B09 – has seen a number of large construction projects. There are currently three residential projects underway or planned for the eastern end of Pennsylvania Ave. We’ve seen two great new businesses open along the 15th Street SE mixed-use corridor – The Pretzel Bakery and Curbside Café. And we are on the cusp of seeing the first phase of the Reservation 13/Hill East Development become a reality.

I’ve also been active on our behalf at the Wilson Building. Over the past two years, I’ve testified 8 times in front of the Council on issues such as Reservation 13, DC General and the future of RFK Stadium. I’ve also testified at Zoning Commission and Alcoholic Beverage Control Board hearings and been a strong advocate for projects that would connect our neighborhood to the Anacostia waterfront.

And I’ve been a leader on ANC 6B. For the past two years, I have had the privilege of serving as chair of the commission. During my tenure as chair, the commission has been extremely active weighing in on major citywide issues, from education to public safety to transportation. We have also improved our operations and procedures with the goal of making it easier for residents to understand and be engaged with ANC 6B.

While I’m proud of these accomplishments, there is much work left to be done. If I’m re-elected, I will:

• Push the Mayor and Council to continue making progress on mixed-use development plans for Reservation 13
• Urge city officials to find alternative housing for families living at the temporary emergency family shelter at DC General so that the facility can be closed and demolished
• Continue to oppose the reopening of the Southeast Freeway and advocate for a Barney Circle-Southeast Boulevard plan that doesn’t increase commuter traffic through Hill East
• Ensure that the neighborhood has a voice in the city’s Request for Proposals process for the Eastern Branch Building
• Push DDOT to expedite the long-stalled safety improvements to 17th and 19th Streets SE
• Increase neighborhood engagement with, and ANC support for, Payne, Watkins and our DC public schools
• Support efforts to bring more retail and restaurants to the eastern end of Pennsylvania Avenue SE

In addition, I plan to keep my constituents engaged and informed on ANC activities by posting frequent updates on my blog, holding periodic community meetings, distributing flyers with information on key meetings and events and organizing groups of residents to contact and/or visit with DC Councilmembers.

To learn more about me, visit www.flahaven6b.com or e-mail flahaven4anc@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter at @BFlahaven.

Thank you for your time, consideration, and hopefully, your support. It has been an absolute privilege to represent our neighborhood on ANC 6B. I ask for your vote on November 4.

Brian

Brian Flahaven
Candidate, ANC 6B09

Thanks to a large number of planning and zoning cases that ended up on the consent agenda, we had a relatively light load for ANC 6B’s Oct.14 meeting. Here are the highlights:

• After a lengthy debate, the commission voted 6-0-2 to protest the application for a substantial change to the liquor license at Ugly Mug (723 8th Street SE). The Ugly Mug is seeking to almost double their seating capacity by expanding into second floor and adding a retractable roof. In considering the case, the commission heard from a number of neighbors about problems with noise and trash at the property, including the illegal storage of kegs in the alley. Though my inclination is to try to work with Barracks Row businesses on expansion plans, it is clear that the Ugly Mug is having trouble managing noise and trash at its current capacity. Thus, I voted with the majority to protest the substantial change.
• The commission voted to approve liquor license renewal requests for Roland’s of Capitol Hill (333 Pennsylvania Ave SE), Capitol Supreme Market (501 4th Street SE) and 7th & L Street Market (700 L Street SE). All three establishments signed settlement agreements with the commission outlining how they will deal with noise, trash, etc.
• The commission did vote 7-0-1 to protest the liquor license renewal for Yes! Organic Market (410 8th Street SE), mainly to afford the commission and owner some additional time to reach a compromise on disputed settlement agreement language. I’m confident we will reach an agreement.
• ANC 6B voted 7-0 to send a letter (pdf) to the Metropolitan Police Department requesting a red light camera on the south side of the Pennsylvania Ave and 7th Street SE intersection.
• The commission also voted 7-0 to send a letter (pdf) to the District Department of Transportation in support of the proposed expansion of the Navy Yard-Union Station and Potomac Ave-Skyland Circulator bus routes. However, the letter does urge DDOT to ensure that the proposed expansions do not diminish reliability of service on the lines and to add weekend service to both of the lines.
• Interim DC Fire and EMS Chief Eugene Jones provided an update the commission and community with an update on the department. Chief Jones will likely serve as interim chief until a new mayor is sworn in next January.
• I announced that the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development’s office would be holding a disposition meeting for parcels F1 and G1 of the Hill East/Reservation 13 development on Wed., Oct. 29, 6 pm – 8 pm at St. Coletta of Greater Washington (1901 Independence Ave SE).
• Two representatives from development teams interested in responding to the Eastern Branch Building RFP introduced themselves and shared brief details about how they would use the site. The RFP deadline is Fri., Nov. 20.
• The commission voted unanimously to ratify ANC 6B Executive Committee action for a one-month lease extension for the commission office at the Hill Center and for the funds to pay an additional month’s rent. The commission still plans to move its office to Eastern Market but is working with the Department of General Services on an appropriate office space.
• Since the second Tuesday of November is Veteran’s Day, the commission’s November meeting will be on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 7 pm at the Hill Center.