Friends of McMillan Park Press Release 2013 06 28 - HPRB Strongly Criticizes VMP Plan for McMillan Park by Scott Roberts
Friday, June 28, 2013
Friends of McMillan Park: "HPRB strongly criticizes VMP plan for McMillan Park; National Trust warns of legal violations"
From Bloomingdale resident Hugh Youngblood:
Friends of McMillan Park Press Release 2013 06 28 - HPRB Strongly Criticizes VMP Plan for McMillan Park by Scott Roberts
Friends of McMillan Park Press Release 2013 06 28 - HPRB Strongly Criticizes VMP Plan for McMillan Park by Scott Roberts
Bloomingdale Farmers Market: Corn! Fire up July 4th
From: Robin Shuster
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 7:00 AM
Subject: Corn! Fire up July 4th
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 7:00 AM
Subject: Corn! Fire up July 4th
 |  |  |
Hi BFM Fans,
This one is a little different than the usual weekly email because I am giving you picnic ideas rather than a direct listing of the farmers and their harvest. Let me assure you that the market will be FULL of great local summer produce, eggs, cookies, pies, meats, breads, cheeses, fruits, pastas, jams and new flavors of Dolcezza gelato and sorbet.
If you are here.......and you want to make a great barbecue or picnic for Thursday.... Well, come to the market on Sunday! (Don't be a weather wimp. Come whether there is rain or not.-- bring an umbrella. It is dry under the tents) We have: berries, corn and tomatoes and all kinds of salads and all the summer veggies. Eggplant, carrots, potatoes, hot and sweet peppers, bok choy, beets, onions, fennel, leeks, kale, mesclun, arugula, herbs, celery (the real thing for Bloody Marys --not those watery supermarket sticks), cabbage, kale, arugula, baby greens, lettuces, radishes, turnips, green-wax-Roma beans, 6 kinds of summer squash, dog treats...pickles, Kimchi...and SALE on all the krauts (small/medium)
Menu ideas from the July 4th Market: and check fb for more recipes http://www.facebook.com/BloomingdaleFarmersMarket
*Grilled Grass Fed and Pastured Meats: Truck Patch pastured pork ribs, smoked pork chops, sausages and ground pork for burgers. Smoke or indirectly grill TP pastured pork shoulder. (Hint: Lightly Salt them 8-24 hours in advance for the deepest flavor. I learned that tip from a chef many years ago and it really works. ) Grilled Rose veal burgers, Goat and veal from Painted Hand. Sausages at North Mt Pastures. Mix pork and veal or turkey for the most decadent burger.
*Turkey and chicken (whole and parts) are great: boneless Turkey breast, drumstick, plus ground for burgers and meatballs in time for the picnics. Bryan likes a dry rub on the turkey breast and drumsticks. Brown sugar, salt and your favorite spices. Now he indirectly grills the breast for an hour wrapped in foil or directly uncovered for about 20 minutes. No grill but you are willing to use the oven? Then that turkey breast will cook in an hour at 200 degrees. Ground turkey makes the best white chili and a wicked burger: http://www.thebittenword.com/thebittenword/2012/06/mustard-turkey-burgers-avocado-parmesan-peppadew-peppers.html. I am partial to grilled chicken that has been marinated in lemon and oil and garlic and salt for a day (or even two) before it meets the heat.
*And don't forget the kimchi and the new baby whole Half Sours to go with those grilled foods! Number 1 Sons will have lots to go with all our sausages and burgers.
* Panorama olive oil and parmesan buns and ciabatts subs for all those grilled goodies. Their baguettes and ciabatta roles are great for sausages, too.
*Grilled Mexican-Style Corn (soak it in the husk in water first and grill in the husk until you smell the grilled corn. Let it get nice and grilled.). Strip off husk and slather with lime-slaked mayo, roll it in grated Parmesan or Keswick Aged Reserve and sprinkle with lime juice and cayenne or crushed red pepper. Want something similar? I like lime and olive oil. Lime-butter is nice, too.
*Grilled Veggie Salad: Toss eggplant, summer squash, red and white spring onions, purple and yellow and green peppers on the grill until tender (or cut them into pieces, drop into seasoned olive oil and grill on skewers as kebabs) Cut them up and dress with more olive oil seasoned with crushed garlic, thyme, salt, pepper. Drizzle lemon. Great at room temperature so they can soak up the dressing.
*Grilled Eggplant Dip: Grill several large eggplant and a whole garlic until they are both very soft, Scrape out the flesh, combine, add olive oil, salt and pepper and whip, Season with chopped parsley, mint. Makes a great, smoky dip and it is addictive.
*Grilled Kale with Ricotta and cherries. If you like Kale chips, you will love this summer version done on the grill and punched up with Reid's cherries and Keswick's smooth, creamy, real Italian-style ricotta
*Deviled Eggs for your picnics? Sprinkle your deviled eggs with Spanish smoked paprika-- a beautiful shade of brick red.
Farmers Market Salad that won't wilt: Boil in a lot of salted water -- separately-- Green and Yellow wax beans, sugar snap peas. Remove from water. Boil RED and WHITE spring onions for a minute or two to gentle them. Remove to a bowl. Add steamed or boiled baby potatoes potatoes. Dress while still warm with live oil and lemon or vinegar, salt and pepper so that the oil and spices penetrate the veggies. Add lots of snipped chives and basil. And Keswick fetas..
Grated Mountain View or Garner Cucumbers, chopped garlic and salted Keswick Yogurt Dip for the grilled foods. It's a Greek/Med/Indian thing. Yum.
Picnic Frittata: Do this with thinly slice summer squash or swiss chard. Saute the veggies first with some chopped garlic and spring onions or leeks until soft. Then add the beaten eggs and cook very slowly (about 15 minutes) until the egg is set and can be either turned over or....stick the pan under a broiler for a minute to set the top. Cover with a plate and turn over. Let the frittata cool to room temperature. You can transport it as it is or cut into slices. You can sprinkle or add cheese while the eggs are still fairly liquid or some chopped chives or mint or basil if you are using squash. Details of Recipe at the market table.
Make ratatouille: It is great hot or cold or at room temperature and the perfect picnic food with a Baguette. Even better the next day.
Tip: easy ratatoullle. The classic way to make ratatouille is to cut each vegetable into cubes and saute them separately in olive oil, THEN mix them for a final marriage of flavours. That is the way it is done in Provence but here is a short cut. Cube the eggplant, squash, peppers, onion, several cloves of garlic and tomatoes separately and toss them separately in olive oil . Bake them on two cookie sheets at 350 until they are soft and then mix them together in a heavy pot with garlic and thyme for a few minutes of final melding of flavors. Add shredded basil. Serve at room temperature at your picnic.
See our great recipes for Slaws and Potato Salads at the Market Table.
Try a Thai Kohlrabi slaw this year, fx or Food52's Potato Salad with arugula and dijon mustard. (see our fb page tomorrow)
Spiced Cold Pink Beet "Gazpacho" This is the MOST refreshing soup/drink. And a gorgeous color. Recipe on the Market Table. Even if you don't like Beets, you will love this.
Sliced Red Tomatoes from Garner or Mountain View with blonde sweet cukes topped with Keswick Feta.
A Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad? Create a Sweet Dark Red Bing or Tartarian Cherries, red raspberries, blue blueberries berry bowl topped with yogurt or Dolcezza.. (Why stop there. Add red currants and red gooseberries too )
What could be better dessert for July 4 than Whisked's Cherry or Blueberry ...or Salted Caramel Apple Pies and Jenna's Italian Zucchini with sundried tomatoes or Mushroom Gruyere quiche?
Add sorbet/gelato on top of the sweet one. (If you want a larger pie, she has them in the coolers behind the table: just ask!
See you Sunday, rain or shine!
Ted, Robin and Charlotte
PS Don't forget to bring your bikes to our Free Bike Clinic run by Bike House. Free tuneup, oil checkup, brakes, tires, steering and you will learn how to fix your bike, too with our friends, theBike House volunteers.
PPS, Did you know that we support 6 food access programs at the market and our bonus bucks program increases the value of Food Stamps, WIC, CVC, Senior FMNP, Produce Plus so that everyone in the community can come to market? Ask us how it works.
This one is a little different than the usual weekly email because I am giving you picnic ideas rather than a direct listing of the farmers and their harvest. Let me assure you that the market will be FULL of great local summer produce, eggs, cookies, pies, meats, breads, cheeses, fruits, pastas, jams and new flavors of Dolcezza gelato and sorbet.
If you are here.......and you want to make a great barbecue or picnic for Thursday.... Well, come to the market on Sunday! (Don't be a weather wimp. Come whether there is rain or not.-- bring an umbrella. It is dry under the tents) We have: berries, corn and tomatoes and all kinds of salads and all the summer veggies. Eggplant, carrots, potatoes, hot and sweet peppers, bok choy, beets, onions, fennel, leeks, kale, mesclun, arugula, herbs, celery (the real thing for Bloody Marys --not those watery supermarket sticks), cabbage, kale, arugula, baby greens, lettuces, radishes, turnips, green-wax-Roma beans, 6 kinds of summer squash, dog treats...pickles, Kimchi...and SALE on all the krauts (small/medium)
Whether you are a carnivore, omnivore or vegetarian, be a locavore for July 4th.
Menu ideas from the July 4th Market: and check fb for more recipes http://www.facebook.com/BloomingdaleFarmersMarket
*Grilled Grass Fed and Pastured Meats: Truck Patch pastured pork ribs, smoked pork chops, sausages and ground pork for burgers. Smoke or indirectly grill TP pastured pork shoulder. (Hint: Lightly Salt them 8-24 hours in advance for the deepest flavor. I learned that tip from a chef many years ago and it really works. ) Grilled Rose veal burgers, Goat and veal from Painted Hand. Sausages at North Mt Pastures. Mix pork and veal or turkey for the most decadent burger.
*Turkey and chicken (whole and parts) are great: boneless Turkey breast, drumstick, plus ground for burgers and meatballs in time for the picnics. Bryan likes a dry rub on the turkey breast and drumsticks. Brown sugar, salt and your favorite spices. Now he indirectly grills the breast for an hour wrapped in foil or directly uncovered for about 20 minutes. No grill but you are willing to use the oven? Then that turkey breast will cook in an hour at 200 degrees. Ground turkey makes the best white chili and a wicked burger: http://www.thebittenword.com/thebittenword/2012/06/mustard-turkey-burgers-avocado-parmesan-peppadew-peppers.html. I am partial to grilled chicken that has been marinated in lemon and oil and garlic and salt for a day (or even two) before it meets the heat.
*And don't forget the kimchi and the new baby whole Half Sours to go with those grilled foods! Number 1 Sons will have lots to go with all our sausages and burgers.
* Panorama olive oil and parmesan buns and ciabatts subs for all those grilled goodies. Their baguettes and ciabatta roles are great for sausages, too.
*Grilled Mexican-Style Corn (soak it in the husk in water first and grill in the husk until you smell the grilled corn. Let it get nice and grilled.). Strip off husk and slather with lime-slaked mayo, roll it in grated Parmesan or Keswick Aged Reserve and sprinkle with lime juice and cayenne or crushed red pepper. Want something similar? I like lime and olive oil. Lime-butter is nice, too.
*Grilled Veggie Salad: Toss eggplant, summer squash, red and white spring onions, purple and yellow and green peppers on the grill until tender (or cut them into pieces, drop into seasoned olive oil and grill on skewers as kebabs) Cut them up and dress with more olive oil seasoned with crushed garlic, thyme, salt, pepper. Drizzle lemon. Great at room temperature so they can soak up the dressing.
*Grilled Eggplant Dip: Grill several large eggplant and a whole garlic until they are both very soft, Scrape out the flesh, combine, add olive oil, salt and pepper and whip, Season with chopped parsley, mint. Makes a great, smoky dip and it is addictive.
*Grilled Kale with Ricotta and cherries. If you like Kale chips, you will love this summer version done on the grill and punched up with Reid's cherries and Keswick's smooth, creamy, real Italian-style ricotta
*Deviled Eggs for your picnics? Sprinkle your deviled eggs with Spanish smoked paprika-- a beautiful shade of brick red.
Farmers Market Salad that won't wilt: Boil in a lot of salted water -- separately-- Green and Yellow wax beans, sugar snap peas. Remove from water. Boil RED and WHITE spring onions for a minute or two to gentle them. Remove to a bowl. Add steamed or boiled baby potatoes potatoes. Dress while still warm with live oil and lemon or vinegar, salt and pepper so that the oil and spices penetrate the veggies. Add lots of snipped chives and basil. And Keswick fetas..
Grated Mountain View or Garner Cucumbers, chopped garlic and salted Keswick Yogurt Dip for the grilled foods. It's a Greek/Med/Indian thing. Yum.
Picnic Frittata: Do this with thinly slice summer squash or swiss chard. Saute the veggies first with some chopped garlic and spring onions or leeks until soft. Then add the beaten eggs and cook very slowly (about 15 minutes) until the egg is set and can be either turned over or....stick the pan under a broiler for a minute to set the top. Cover with a plate and turn over. Let the frittata cool to room temperature. You can transport it as it is or cut into slices. You can sprinkle or add cheese while the eggs are still fairly liquid or some chopped chives or mint or basil if you are using squash. Details of Recipe at the market table.
Make ratatouille: It is great hot or cold or at room temperature and the perfect picnic food with a Baguette. Even better the next day.
Tip: easy ratatoullle. The classic way to make ratatouille is to cut each vegetable into cubes and saute them separately in olive oil, THEN mix them for a final marriage of flavours. That is the way it is done in Provence but here is a short cut. Cube the eggplant, squash, peppers, onion, several cloves of garlic and tomatoes separately and toss them separately in olive oil . Bake them on two cookie sheets at 350 until they are soft and then mix them together in a heavy pot with garlic and thyme for a few minutes of final melding of flavors. Add shredded basil. Serve at room temperature at your picnic.
See our great recipes for Slaws and Potato Salads at the Market Table.
Try a Thai Kohlrabi slaw this year, fx or Food52's Potato Salad with arugula and dijon mustard. (see our fb page tomorrow)
Spiced Cold Pink Beet "Gazpacho" This is the MOST refreshing soup/drink. And a gorgeous color. Recipe on the Market Table. Even if you don't like Beets, you will love this.
Sliced Red Tomatoes from Garner or Mountain View with blonde sweet cukes topped with Keswick Feta.
A Red, White and Blue Fruit Salad? Create a Sweet Dark Red Bing or Tartarian Cherries, red raspberries, blue blueberries berry bowl topped with yogurt or Dolcezza.. (Why stop there. Add red currants and red gooseberries too )
What could be better dessert for July 4 than Whisked's Cherry or Blueberry ...or Salted Caramel Apple Pies and Jenna's Italian Zucchini with sundried tomatoes or Mushroom Gruyere quiche?
Add sorbet/gelato on top of the sweet one. (If you want a larger pie, she has them in the coolers behind the table: just ask!
See you Sunday, rain or shine!
Ted, Robin and Charlotte
PS Don't forget to bring your bikes to our Free Bike Clinic run by Bike House. Free tuneup, oil checkup, brakes, tires, steering and you will learn how to fix your bike, too with our friends, theBike House volunteers.
PPS, Did you know that we support 6 food access programs at the market and our bonus bucks program increases the value of Food Stamps, WIC, CVC, Senior FMNP, Produce Plus so that everyone in the community can come to market? Ask us how it works.
Brookland resident Daniel Wolkoff: "Support parks and increase property values"
From:
Daniel Wolkoff <amglassart@yahoo.com>
Sent:
Friday, June 28, 2013 1:26 AM
Subject:
Support Parks and increase property values
Urban
Turf reports today that Mt. Pleasant is stable and historically protected and
has skyrocketing housing values because it is adjacent to Rock Crek Park. If
McMillan is developed the neighborhood will be subject to specualtion by real
estate interests who force values down , in order to buy up sections and the
development onslaught rolls ahead. Your blocks may be next. Protect McMillan Park, your homes
will increase in value, as any desirable parkside location does, like M.
Pleasant, Cleveland Park, etc.
Urban
Turf June 27, 2013
A home in Mount Pleasant
In
the current housing market, almost every neighborhood in DC has homes that
garner multiple offers and sell for above their asking price. But Mount
Pleasant is in a class of its own.
UrbanTurf
is not prone to hyperbole, but the neighborhood adjacent to Rock Creek Park
bordering Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights is the most competitive
neighborhood housing market in the city right now.
First,
the data. In 2013, homes on the market in Mount Pleasant have averaged just six
days on the market, the lowest level for any neighborhood in DC. The average
sale to list price ratio stands at 107% for the year, and last month, it was
110%. This means that more often than not, homes fetch 10% above their list
price. While the average list price in June was approximately $899,000, the
average sale price was $80,000 higher ($980,163).
The
entire area from McMillan to Catholic University, , Harewood Rd, The AFRH, St.
Pauls, 901 Monroe, Brookland Metro, North of metro, will add over 3000 new
housing units on top of devastating flooding in
Bloomingdale. Who has the analysis of excatly how this much paving, thousands
of appliances, kitchen sinks, toilets and washing machines, added to the
existing storm water and sewer system will be secure from the flooding in the
Bloomingdale area. If it is true that the parking lots at WHC alone produce
more runoff than the massive retention system can hold, then how does this
work? We have had areas of Brookland paved and added to the storm water runoff
problem, as well as over 100 mature trees removed. I would like to see the
objective analysis of how this problem is not made much worse. That is why with
such massive over urbanization, leaving Mcmillan as an oasis of green, and
storm water retention is essential to the qulaity of life for our families and
especially the children. I don't think we can even expect a city govt., who's
stewardship both of Mcmillan and the sewer and water system, has been so
miserable for so many decades, to have an appropriate perception, as seen in
the 27 year failure. The investment made in the VMP plan, since it was never
open to any other option, given whole hog to th community as a fait-accompli,
should be wasted, and people who were arrogant and presumptive, should fail,
and pay the costs. But the real solution to the flooding is the re-engineering
of the WHC parking lots runoff. So why
doesn't VMP put it's numerous design firms on the job, with their medical
office buildings and work on the WHC to
solve the storm water runoff catastrophe..
Historic
District is a very smart thing for a neighborhood as can be seen in Mt.
Pleasant. Brookland had the initial stage of an application for Historic
District 11 years ago. Opposition was strong, and many still cannot comprehend
why. But as time advances and our neighborhood is over run with development,
wiping out the character, historic interset and greenspace, with virtually no
protections, one must ask what has this rejection of Historic District
accomplished?
Daniel
Goldon Wolkoff
12th
and Randolph Street, NE
Washington,
DC 20017
Tel:
202-232-8391
Thursday, June 27, 2013
National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) letter dated 06-26-2013 to the DC HPRB regarding McMillan;"we urge the Review Board to reject the conceptual plans for the McMillan Park Reservoir site"
See this 06-27-2013 message from an unnamed person from the Friends of McMillan Park:
Please post the following to your blog.
Thank you.
The Friends of McMillan Park
Here is the link for this document from the Friends of McMillan Park website.
Mid City East: historic tour of Bloomingdale -- Saturday, 06-29-2013
From: DC Office of Planning and District Department of Transportation <joyce.tsepas@dc.gov>
Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 12:21 PM
Subject: Mid City East: Historic Tours on June 29
Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 12:21 PM
Subject: Mid City East: Historic Tours on June 29
|
view the DC Water presentations to the residents of Flagler, V and Thomas St NW
Bloomingdame sent a message earlier today about DC Water posting its presentations at http://www.dcwater.com/bloomingdale from the Wednesday, 06-19-2013, meeting with Flagler Place NW residents, the Tuesday, 06-25-2013, meeting with V Street NW residents and the Wednesday, 06-26-2013, meeting with Thomas Street NW residents.
Here are the direct links:
- June 19 - Block meeting with residents at Flagler Place NW/Adams Street NW (to view the presentation, click here)
- June 25 - Block meeting with residents at V Street NW (to view the presentation, click here)
- June 26 - Block meeting with residents at Thomas Street NW (to view the presentation, click here)
From the last page of the presentations:
Next Steps
Refine duration and sizes of construction areas through Collaboration Period – July 2013
Finalize construction documents – July 15, 2013
Award construction contract – October 2013
Continued coordination with neighborhood throughout construction
Construction completion –March 2016
You might wish to look over these presentations even if you don't live on these blocks.
Rafael Grocery & Deli 1st Annual Customer Appreciation cookout -- Saturday, 06-29-2013
See this 06-27-2013 message from Teri Janine Quinn:
The
owner of Rafael Grocery & Deli (233 Florida Avenue, NW - between 2nd &
3rd Street NW) wants to say thank you to our community for their support over
the years. Kita, the owner, is a fixture on that block and has been for
decades. She knows a surprising number of her customers by name - although she
calls most of us "Baby". So this Saturday, please venture over to
Florida Avenue and say hello to one our longtime Bloomingdale business
owners.
Best,
Teri
Janine Quinn
McMillan now at 2:45 pm this afternoon on today's HPRB agenda
From: DC Government <dcdocs@dc.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 4:21 PM
Subject: Revised HPRB Agenda June 27 2013
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 4:21 PM
Subject: Revised HPRB Agenda June 27 2013
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
NOTICE: Three cases scheduled for tomorrow's HPRB Hearing are deferred until a later date:
ANACOSTIA HISTORIC DISTRICT
11:30 – 12:00 1526 U Street SE, HPA #13-384, two-story rear addition [deferred at request of applicant]
HISTORIC LANDMARKS
2:45 – 3:30 Bond Bread Factory and Central Bus Garage, 2146-2112 Georgia Avenue NW, HPA#13-338, raze and revised concept for additions [deferred at request of property owner]
Consent Calendar
BLAGDEN ALLEY AND SHAW HISTORIC DISTRICTS
1320 9th Street NW, HPA #13-395, concept/2-story rear addition to 2-story commercial building [deferred at request of ANC 2F]
________
Also Note that the Town Center East nomination hearing will expand to fill the time slot for the Anacostia Historic District Case and the McMillan Reservoir presentation will now begin at 2:45 instead of 3:30. The McMillan hearing will continue until 5:00 pm as originally scheduled.
The revised June 27 Agenda is listed below and is posted on our website at
or is accessible through the following abbreviated URL: http://tinyurl.com/kxkh5jf
______
HPRB AGENDA
June 27 and July 11, 2013
The Historic Preservation Review Board will meet to consider the following items on June 27 and July 11, 2013. The meetings will begin at 9:00 AM at 441 4th Street, NW in Room 220-South. Applicants and those interested in testifying should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the assigned time for the case.
CONSENT CALENDAR
HISTORIC LANDMARKS
A. 1733 16th Street, NW, Scottish Rite Temple, HPA #13-391, concept/renovations, ADA access
MOUNT VERNON SQUARE HISTORIC DISTRICT
B. 117 New York Avenue NW, HPA #13-385, concept/3-story rear addition to 3-story rowhouse
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS HISTORIC DISTRICT
C. 1837 Kalorama Road NW, HPA #13-327, concept/rear addition
JUNE 27TH AGENDA
HISTORIC PRESERVATION REGULATIONS
1. 9:00 – 9:15 Proposed update and revisions to DCMR 10-C, Chapter 3 HPRB and CFA Review of Work Affecting Historic Landmarks and Historic Districts , Section 319: Expedited Review under Delegation to the HPO.
LANDMARK DESIGNATION HEARINGS
2. 9:15 – 9:30 Informational presentation: Context study on Farms and Estates
3. 9:30 – 10:00 George M. Lightfoot House, 1329 Missouri Avenue NW, Case #13-13
4. 10:00 – 10:45 Sterrett Residence, 3530 Springland Lane NW, Case #13-14
5. 10:45 – 12:00 Town Center East, 1001 and 1101 3rd Street SW, Case #13-16
12:00 – 1:00 LUNCH BREAK
BLAGDEN ALLEY AND SHAW HISTORIC DISTRICTS
6. 1:00 – 1:45 1322 9th Street NW, HPA #13-322, concept/new 5-story residential building
HISTORIC LANDMARKS
7. 1:45 – 2:30 Randall Junior High School, 65 I Street, SW, concept/rehabilitation and 12-story addition
2:30 – 2:45 BREAK
HISTORIC LANDMARKS
8. 2:45 – 5:00 McMillan Park Reservoir, 2501 First Street, NW, HPA 13-#318, concept/park and community center building, rowhouses, grocery and apartment building, office buildings
Bruce Yarnall
Historic Preservation Office/DC Office of Planning
1100 4th Street SW Suite E650
Washington, DC 20024
T (202) 442-8835
F (202) 442-7638
Visit the DC Office of Planning on Facebook and on Twitter @OPinDC
Greetings: The HPRB hearing will be webcast live at 9 am. Citizens may view the hearing through this abbreviated URL:
http://tinyurl.com/44u8rq8 Please select "View Live Video".
DC Water met with Thomas Street NW residents last night on the 1st Street Tunnel Project
See this tweet and pic from last night's DC Water meeting with the residents of Thomas Street NW regarding the dropshaft project planned for their block starting next year. DC Water has had similar meetings with the residents of the 100 block of V Street NW and the 2200 block of Flagler Place NW.
Good turnout in #BloomingdaleDC for tonight's block meeting on 1st Street Tunnel Project. pic.twitter.com/i1Y9PCbdT6
6:15 PM - 26 Jun 13McKinley Middle School hard hat tour -- Saturday, 06-29-2013
From: Ward Five Council on Education <ward5coe@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 10:47 PM
Subject: McKinley MS Hard Hat Tour
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 10:47 PM
Subject: McKinley MS Hard Hat Tour
Begin forwarded message:
Hello Ward 5 neighbors and prospective McKinley Middle School families—
I am excited to invite you to a Hard Hat Tour of the new middle school wing of McKinley Technology Education Campus on Saturday, June 29, beginning at 3:00. McKinley Middle School will be opening this coming August, and students can enroll now.Space is limited, and tours will depart at 3:00, 3:30, and 4:00. Because visitors will be touring a construction zone, closed-toe shoes are required and participants must be 18 years of age or older. Students who are under 18 are welcome to attend and learn more about the school through a multi-media presentation. (There will be no air conditioning during the tour so be prepared for warm temperatures)See you soon!Dr. Louise JonesPrincipal, McKinley Technology Education Campus
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
CM McDuffie introduces bill requiring transparency in affordable housing
From: "Jackson, Darrell (Council)"
To: "ward5@yahoogroups.com"
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 4:47 PM
Subject: McDuffie Introduces Bill Requiring Transparency in Affordable Housing
To: "ward5@yahoogroups.com"
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 4:47 PM
Subject: McDuffie Introduces Bill Requiring Transparency in Affordable Housing
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
McDuffie Introduces Bill Requiring Transparency in Affordable Housing
Today, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie (D – Ward 5) introduced legislation designed to improve how the District measures the affordability of housing units.
The “Truth in Affordability Reporting Act of 2013” – co-introduced with Councilmembers Jack Evans (D – Ward 2), Mary Cheh (D – Ward 3), Muriel Bowser (D – Ward 4), Tommy Wells (D – Ward 6), Marion Barry (D – Ward 8), David Grosso (I – At-Large), and Anita Bonds (D – At-Large) – requires the District to measure the affordability of housing projects against the District’s Median Family Income (DCMFI) in addition to the federal Area Median Income (AMI) standard. Currently, the District evaluates whether a housing unit is affordable by determining the cost of the rent or mortgage compared to the AMI.
“Although there is a vast gap between AMI and DCMFI, we still measure the affordability of our D.C. housing units against the AMI,” said McDuffie. “But what is affordable in Northern Virginia is not always affordable for many families here in the District.”
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires the District to use AMI, a statistical measurement that represents the average income of households in the District combined with Maryland and Virginia suburbs. By including these extremely wealthy suburbs, average incomes for the metro area skew upward. For example, the AMI for the D.C. metropolitan area is $107,000 for a family of four, but in the District, the median income for a family of four is approximately $70,000.
McDuffie’s legislation requires the Chief Financial Officer to annually calculate and report the DCMFI. Using the DCMFI, the bill requires the Mayor’s Affordable Housing Database to track housing data by both measures.
“We want a representation of D.C. residents’ income that doesn’t include extraneous data from the suburbs to paint a false picture of prosperity,” stated McDuffie.
To make it easier for residents to interpret affordable housing data, McDuffie’s bill requires that when affordable housing units are advertised to the public, the affordability level must be presented in terms of AMI and accompanied by the corresponding dollar figure. For example, a unit marketed at 50 percent AMI would also specify that 50 percent AMI means $54,000 per year for a family of four.
The legislation also requires that a tax abatement financial analysis for an affordable housing subsidy include the calculation of AMI, the actual income band represented by AMI, and the DCMFI that will be served by the proposed housing development. This information will give the Council a clearer picture of the range of affordability subsidized with taxpayer dollars.
“It is important to note that this measure does not replace the AMI that HUD requires us to use,” said McDuffie, “but instead the bill creates a new tool to help determine whether the affordable housing we are creating is truly affordable.”
The “Truth in Affordability Reporting Act of 2013” was referred to the Committee on Finance and Revenue.
###
CM McDuffie takes legislative action to improve air quality
From: "Jackson, Darrell (Council)" <DJackson@DCCOUNCIL.US>
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 6:41 PM
Subject: McDuffie Takes Legislative Action to Improve Air Quality
Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 6:41 PM
Subject: McDuffie Takes Legislative Action to Improve Air Quality
Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
McDuffie Takes Legislative Action to Improve Air Quality
Washington, D.C. – Today, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie (D – Ward 5) – along with Councilmembers Mary Cheh (D – Ward 3), Tommy Wells (D – Ward 6), and David Grosso (D – At Large) – introduced legislation to strengthen air pollution enforcement and engage residents in the air quality complaint process.
“Ward 5 contains a high percentage of the city’s industrial land,” said McDuffie. “As a result, our residents experience many of the unwanted effects of industrial businesses, including overwhelming odors from auto body paint shops and trash transfer stations.”
The “Air Quality Amendment Act of 2013” requires the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) to develop a written plan for investigating, analyzing and responding to air quality complaints. Additionally, the bill improves communication between DDOE, residents who make complaints, and affected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners through required complaint status updates.
The bill raises the maximum penalties for air quality violations from $5,000 to $10,000 and further develops criteria for determining whether emissions interfere with residents’ quality of life.
“I know that these businesses want to be good neighbors, and this legislation will encourage DDOE to work more collaboratively with residents and business owners to reduce air pollution,” stated McDuffie.
The “Air Quality Amendment Act of 2013” was referred to the Committee on Transportation and the Environment.
###
Showtime Lounge at the G-8 bus stop in the morning
See this tweet:
Iced coffee from the homie Jason. Much needed, it's hot out here! #bloomingdaledc #showtimelounge pic.twitter.com/sXopAJlLvT
9:30 AM - 25 Jun 13
Friends of McMillan Park: A letter of sympathy for VMP
I have been asked to post this message from an unnamed person from the Friends of McMillan Park:
Posted on
A Letter of Sympathy for VMP
Poor VMP.
Despite its tremendous wealth and extremely strong ties to DC’s political and media establishments, it’s stuck with the unenviable job of touting a plan that nearly everyone — including VMP! — is ashamed of. Time and time again, VMP rolls out the same deceptive photograph of the green space in its plan (the one aspect of its plan we sort of like!) while hiding the other 75% — namely the mausoleum-inspired office buildings and dense suburban town homes. Of course, VMP makes no mention of the nearly total destruction of the underground cells and obliteration of any sense of the sand filtration plant’s history, and we understand why they leave those details out.
Click here to see the single VMP image and media campaign you’ve seen over and over again ad nauseum: http://us5.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b7518c1d8629514e23ee2dfa8&id=a9594f9d22&e=3a1a27c24b
Now click here to see the office buildings that VMP continues to hide: http://friendsofmcmillan.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/VMP-Mausoleum.png
Looking at the Soviet-era architecture, is it any wonder VMP only shows the renderings of the park? And do they really expect us to trust them regarding traffic, flooding, jobs, affordable housing, historic preservation and a host of other issues when they refuse to be honest about the buildings they themselves designed?
You can’t help but feel almost sorry for VMP’s herculean task of having to make their plan palatable to a savvy public. Unfortunately for VMP, Washingtonians are much smarter than VMP thinks and can see the pig clearly through the lipstick VMP keeps smearing on it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)