Sent: Monday, November 5, 2012 8:27 AM
Subject: Press Release -- CM Michael Brown Reminded of Strong McMillan Opposition
Friends of McMillan Park
For Release: 5 November 2012
CM Michael Brown Reminded of Strong McMillan Opposition
Community leaders from Bloomingdale are reminding at-large Councilmember Michael Brown and all other elected officials of the continued strong opposition by local, citywide, and national organizations and elected officials to the District Government’s plan for the development of the historic landmark McMillan Park Sand Filtration Site. The particular focus on Councilmember Brown comes after a recent meet-and-greet in Bloomingdale during which he suggested that debate on the future development of McMillan “had been quiet” over the last few weeks.
"While public opposition to the city’s McMillan development plan has been less evident recently, it remains solid,” said John Salatti, host for the get-together and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. “Residents have been quiet because no hearings or other official actions are scheduled, and residents are waiting to see how the city and its consultants deal with the significant concerns raised by the Historic Preservation Review Board about the plan.”
Salatti pointed to the on-the-record votes against the current plan by the communities of Bloomingdale, Stronghold, and Pleasant Plains, by Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1B, by the local chapter of the Sierra Club, and letters of opposition from Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Howard University.
In addition, the Bloomingdale community has scheduled a meeting to discuss a “vote of no confidence” in ANC 5C on November 10th because of ANC 5C’s support of the city’s plan. “The recentANC 5C resolution was particularly problematic because it supported every aspect of the city’s plan without reservation—despite substantive formal comment to the contrary from affected neighborhood organizations,” said Hugh Youngblood, a Bloomingdale Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. "The communities most impacted by the proposed development call for, in very clear terms, a McMillan Park future with greater contiguous public park space, more historic preservation, commemoration of this Olmsted monument and engineering marvel, and less dense commercial development than the current city plan.”
“As he made clear during the meet-and-greet, I am sure that Councilmember Brown will listen and heed our voices as he has in the past,” added Salatti. “Residents of the communities surrounding the McMillan Site are ready to work with him to create a great plan that meets his objectives to provide housing and broaden the District's tax base while meeting the majority of the community’s demands for stormwater management solutions, to retain at least half of the site as a public park, and to create a destination for recreation. We also want to thank the Councilmember for his promise to intercede with the city to restore some access to the site to residents and visitors who would like an opportunity to tour this extraordinary place in the heart of DC.”
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1 comment:
And Salatti knows what's good for Bloomingdale. I think not. He only knows what's good for John Salatti. Look the man has copped out of every position he's held or attempted to hold and once again will lose when in comes to McMillan. It's a small percentage of the voters in Bloomingdale who oppose the development of McMillan no matter what that shit survey that was attempted to be put out the to public. The survey was a constructed in way to get the results this crew wanted to move their agenda along. Salatti will fall from grace and McMillan will proceed despite his ill attempts at stopping it again!
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