Brian Flahaven

I’m hosting a Neighborhood Town Hall meeting this Thursday, May 28, 6:30-8 pm at Historic Congressional Cemetery Chapel (1801 E Street SE). Representatives from the Goldstar Group and NOVO Development will be on hand to provide updates on their projects at 1500 and 1600 Pennsylvania Ave SE, respectively. Washington Gas representatives will also provide an update on the gas line replacement happening on 17th and D Streets SE. And I’ll provide updates on Reservation 13, Eastern Branch Building, 17th Street Safety Improvements and other issues.

Please bring your questions and concerns to the meeting. Use the main gate located at 18th & Potomac Ave SE to enter the cemetery.

Hope to see you there!

Here is a brief recap of major actions at the May 12, 2015 ANC 6B meeting:

• The commission voted unanimously to send a letter (pdf) to the District Department of Transportation and the District Department of Environment asking the agencies to include Freedom Way SE in the District’s Green Alley Program. A big thanks to John Cochran and Caryn Ernst, residents of 15th Street SE, who have helped organize this resident-driven effort.
• ANC 6B voted unanimously to send comments (pdf) to the Marine Barracks Washington voicing support for Alternatives 4 and 5 for the new site of a Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ) for the Barracks. Alternatives 4 and 5 are located on sites already on federal property (Alternative 4 is located in the Washington Navy Yard while Alternative 5 is located at the current site of the Marine Annex). ANC 6B strongly opposes Alternatives 1,2 and 3, sites ripe for retail and residential development. You can read more about MBW’s plans for a new BEQ at http://www.mbweis.com/.
• The commission voted unanimously to support a new liquor license (pdf) for Elaine’s One, a new restaurant by the owner of Rose’s Luxury slated to open at 715 8th Street SE. The commission and the applicant signed a settlement agreement outlining key issues related to hours, noise and trash.
• The commission voted to support a number of liquor store liquor license renewal requests, including renewals for World Wine & Spirits (1453 Pennsylvania Ave SE), S&J Liquors (1500 Massachusetts Avenue SE) and Albert’s Liquors (328 Kentucky Ave SE). All three of these applicants agreed to sign settlement agreements with ANC 6B. You can review the letters and settlement agreements of all the May cases on the ANC 6B website.
• Metropolitan Police Department First District Commander Jeff Brown shared an update on public safety and crime trends in the neighborhood. Commander Brown referenced an increase in burglaries in PSA 108, which covers a good portion of Hill East (and all of 6B09). MPD is putting additional resources into areas seeing a spike in crime, particularly violent crime. As always, MPD encourages attendees to call 911 if they see anything suspicious.
• After an attendee said she was put on hold by 911 after hearing gun shots near her home, Commissioner Denise Krepp (6B10) asked the commission to add a letter to the Office of Unified Communications, which oversees 911, to the agenda, to relay this troubling incident. The commission voted unanimously to send a letter (pdf) to OUC. Representatives from Mayor Bowser’s office and Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen’s office also said they would follow-up on the issue.
• ANC 6B’s June meeting will be on Tues., June 9, 7pm at the Hill Center (921 Pennsylvania Ave SE).

• On Thurs., May 21, ANC 6B’s Hill East Task Force will hold a meeting from 6:30-8 pm at St. Coletta of Greater Washington (1901 Independence Ave SE). Topics include a discussion on crime and public safety in the neighborhood with PSA 108 Lt. James Dykes and an update from Donatelli Development on plans for Hill East/Reservation 13.
• I’ll be holding a Neighborhood Town Hall meeting on Thurs., May 28, 6:30-8 pm at the Congressional Cemetery Chapel (1801 E Street SE). Representatives from Goldstar Group and NOVO Development will be on hand to provide updates and answer questions related to their respective projects at 1500 and 1600 Pennsylvania Ave SE. Representatives from Washington Gas will also provide an update on their pipe replacement project on the 300 block of 17th and 1700 block of D Streets SE. And, as always, I will open the floor for any questions on city or neighborhood issues.
• Tonight (Fri., May 15), Congressional Cemetery is hosting its first “Cinematery,” an opportunity to watch Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds  under the stars. Gates open at 7:30 pm and the movie begins at 8:30 pm. There is a suggested donation of $10.
• The 36th Annual Capitol Hill Classic is this Sunday, May 17. The CHC is an annual fundraiser for the Capitol Hill Cluster School. You can learn more and register for the 10K, 3K and fun run on the CHC website. Be advised that the race will close East Capitol Street between roughly 8:30 am and 11 am so plan your travel accordingly.
• If you have not already done so, please visit the much improved ANC 6B website and sign up to receive e-mail notifications of commission meetings and other events. Just type your e-mail address in the box in the top right hand corner of the homepage.