claim that the DC Comprehensive Plan proposed changes will allow bigger, taller buildings "intended to negate recent court decisions, such as McMillan"

Bloomingdale's McMillan court case is mentioned below.

From: HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com [mailto:HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Saturday, February 3, 2018 9:52 AM
To: HistoricWashington@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HistoricWashington] ANCs Hit Comp Plan Changes at Meeting with Mendelson

About 100 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners filled a meeting at the Wilson Building Monday evening (1-29-18) called by Council Chair Phil Mendelson to hear Office of Planning Director Eric Shaw explain the changes to the DC Comprehensive Plan that OP has submitted to the Council, but the commissioners would have none it.

From across the District, but particularly from Wards 1, 4, 7 and 8, commissioners condemned OPs proposals because:

--ANC’s had not been given the opportunity to review and comment on the changes, as promised by OP and required by law.  In fact, Dir. Shaw did not deny that he had told an earlier meeting that his office did not have to pay attention to ANC positions.

--The changes to the definitions will allow bigger and taller buildings and intend to negate recent court decisions, such as the McMillan Park case, that communities are using to curb neighborhood-destroying over-development, -- new language that came directly from developers and their supporters, such as Greater Grater Washington.

--The OP proposals state that displacement in the District has been a voluntary migration “because of family ties, increased opportunities and lower cost of living,” not the forcible dislocation caused by rising taxes and housing costs, as happened in Foggy Bottom and Georgetown and now across the city.

Dir. Shaw said that the evaluation of 3,000 amendments was a much bigger job that expected, that they would be made public and that the Plan should be looked at as whole, of which the current proposals are a part.  Chairman Mendelson invited all participants to come and voice their views at the March 20 Council hearing where he will preside.

Among the ANC commissioners participating in the Chairman’s meeting were: Anthony Muhammad (SMD 8E02), Holly Muhammad (8A01), Paul Trantham (8B02), Tyrell Holcomb (7F01), Robin Marlin (7B05), Renée Bowser (4D02),  Nancy MacWood (3C09), Sherice Muhammad (7D06).


Nick DelleDonne
ANC Commissioner (2B04)
202-667-9639