Minutes of April 4, 2007

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D

Approved by Vote on May 2, 2007

 

 

The regularly scheduled monthly meeting of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D was called to order at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday April 4, 2007.  Commissioners present: Gates, Haas, Heuer, Smith, Thompson and Wells.  Commissioner Sandza was absent with notice.

There were approximately 35 people in the audience.

 

Police Report

 

Officer McElwee gave a traffic report.  In the 4600 block of Massachusetts Avenue, there were 40 speeding violators during a recent 4-hour police radar mission. The average speed, among speeders, was 45 mph in a 30 mph zone. On Canal Road, there were 44 stops between the hours of 6am-10am.  The average speed there was 55 mph in a 35-mph zone.

 

The use of cell phones is spreading and police are cracking down. Commissioner Smith complained that people are using Tilden as a cut through from Massachusetts Avenue to Rockwood Parkway (and Dalecarlia) and there is no stop sign on Tilden when coming off Mass. Avenue at University until 49th Street. The police will be stationing a car there for observation.

 

Chair Thompson made several announcements. She welcomed representatives of DDOT and WASA to the meeting.

 

Community Concerns

 

·         Kristin Barden from the Mayor’s Outreach Office invited everyone to participate in the Voting Rights March scheduled for Emancipation Day.

·         Kent Slowinski talked about watershed cleanup.  He showed photos taken at cleanup. Met with John Thomas from SPA – how to provide more oversight.

·         Commissioner Haas is putting together a site visit to Phillips property. The new director of Environment should be included.

 

Guest Speaker: Emeka Moneme, Director, Department of Transportation

 

Moneme made a presentation to the Commission covering the issues presently of concern to ANC3D. He took questions from ANC commissioners and members of the public for roughly an hour. He distinguished between different street categories. Those determined to be arterial streets qualify for federal funding whereas local streets do not. So-called federal streets cannot have speed bumps, whereas local streets can. The budget for local streets is never sufficient, but in the case of D.C. is in the range of $10-13 million annually.

 

DDOT addressed a number of issues that had been presented to the agency in an outline form ahead of the meeting. Including:

 

·         Street paving – Palisades, Foxhall, Spring Valley

·         Concerns about effectiveness of temporary repairs

·         How to obtain speed bumps or other traffic calming measures

·         Street light replacement in Spring Valley

·         Incorporation of neighborhood petitions, community knowledge about traffic and traffic safety

·         Other specific district concerns

 

Half a dozen members of the community raised their concerns, in particular about the need for traffic calming on Macomb and Watson Streets. Residents of both streets offered to pay for a stop sign or speed bump. Commissioner Smith asked about the possibility of private funding for a much needed stop sign.

 

Commissioner Wells asked Mr. Moneme if private funds could be used to finance roads and safety improvements.  He promised to get back to ANC3D with an answer.

 

ANC 3D submitted to DDOT an outline of concerns and backlogged requests that can be updated in the future.

 

WASA Lead Replacement Program

 

At ANC 3D’s request, WASA representatives made a presentation about scheduled lead replacement blocks in ANC 3D. They also explained the replacement process, and options for individual households to have their lead pipes replaced simultaneously.

 

Foxhall Village Application for Historic District Status

 

Paul DonVito from Foxhall Village made a preliminary presentation concerning Foxhall Village’s application to obtain Historic Designation. He was asked to return in May to make a full presentation with a focus on the process by which he worked with members of the community.

 

Commission Business

Minutes from March meeting were approved 6-0-0.

Treasurer’s report was given – there is a balance of $23,545.32 in the Bank of America checking account..

No further business, meeting was adjourned at 9:45 PM

 

Respectfully submitted

Rachel Thompson

Acting Secretary