Monday, 11/20/2017
Bloomingdale Civic Association meeting
St. George’s Episcopal Church, 160 U Street NW
BCA officers in attendance: Teri Janine Quinn, Sherry Howard, Angela Prentice, Bertha Holliday, Scott Roberts
The meeting commenced at 7:06 pm.
It was noted that invited guest US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jessie K. Liu would not be able to attend tonight’s BCA meeting.
Public Safety
PSA 501 Sergeant Nicole Brown reported that PSA 501 crime has decreased. She advised that the Fifth District now has 19 new officers. It was reported that a MPD beat book has been placed at a retail store on the 200 block of Florida Avenue NW, which requires officers to sign in during their shifts at this business.
Bloomingdale historic district survey
Ms. Quinn advised the she received two estimates from non-local vendors to conduct the neighborhood-wide historic district survey – from Connecticut and from Indiana.
A dual postcard would be used. The BCA would pay for the postage stamps to send the survey postcards out and not pay for the return postage. The estimates from the two vendors include mailing out the postcards, receiving the postcards mailed back, counting the votes cast in support or opposition, doing some quality checks, and reporting on the results.
Vendor #1’s estimate: $1618
Vendor #2’s estimate: $1846 – includes a barcode
Ms. Quinn advised that help is needed to design the survey postcard. Ms. Howard is pursuing obtaining a master list of Bloomingdale street addresses from the DC Office of Tax and Revenue.
The goal would be to have a BCA vote on the results of the survey at the January 2018 BCA meeting.
How much time do we want to provide for return postcards? 30 day period might be too long; perhaps two weeks might be better.
Discussion about eligibility to vote:
Each property owner gets a vote, so if a property has multiple owners of record, each property owner gets a vote.
A motion was made by Ms. Prentice to select vendor #2 – and allow four business days past the postmark. This vendor’s proposal includes a potential fee of $3646.43.
Mr. Roberts provided some additional clarifying info:
- Only owners of record will be participating in the survey, which necessarily excludes renters and business owners who are also not property owners.
- The results of the survey are nonbinding. The BCA will take a vote using the results of the survey as input.
- The BCA historic district survey will be sent to owners of record as of a certain date as supplied by the DC Office of Tax and Revenue. Brand-new property owners who do not appear on the list of property owners as supplied by the DC Office of Tax and Revenue will not receive a survey postcard.
Dr. Holliday asked that the survey postcard be updated to add two blank lines for survey completers to add free text in order to explain how they voted. No one expressed interest in pursuing this suggestion.
Motion passes, 8 to 0.
Zoning special exception for 137 S Street NW
Two architects representing the owners of 137 S Street NW distributed copies of architectural renderings for the renovation project. A zoning special exception is needed to alter the front architectural element, which is a partial turret. The owners want to raise the existing turret and create a Mansard roof and replace the existing turret. The by-right design would be to build the new top floor behind the existing turret. There was discussion about recreating the full turret.
It was noted that the neighbors on either side are absentee-owners.
A motion was made to support the BZA special exception. A friendly amendment was presented and accepted that the owners will complete the partial turret as part of the project. Motion passes 4 to 3.
Volunteers for the December 2017 Annual Holiday Party
Three meeting attendees volunteered to help coordinate holiday festivities at the December 2017 BCA meeting. $250 will be allocated for the meeting’s festivities.
Community representatives and presentations
Hakeem Rogers from the Mayor’s Office
A DPW SWEEP inspector was introduced. Street sweeping has been suspended for the season. Leaf collection period begins in Bloomingdale next week. The Mayor’s Fit 5K race will be held on January 1, 2018. The Mayor produced a letter supporting the October 2017 BCA House Tour and Reception.
Cyril Crocker of Ward 5 CM McDuffie’s office
The Ward 5 Holiday Party will be December 15, 2017.
ANC5E06 Commissioner Katherine McClelland
A hearing has been scheduled on Wed, 12/06/2017, regarding the expansion plans for Big Bear Café. Commissioner McClelland’s goal is to obtain a Settlement Agreement.
ANC5E7 Commissioner Bertha Holliday
Commissioner Holliday advised that final numbers from the October 2017 BCA House Tour are not yet ready.
Other
Ms. Quinn solicited volunteers for BCA fundraising.
Ms. Quinn reported on the fun Bloomingdale Fun Fit Halloween event next to Bloomingdale Wine and Spirits.
A brief review of paying one’s BCA dues and voting: In order to be able to vote at a BCA meeting, dues must be paid 30 days in advance or at the prior BCA meeting.
Joe Levesque announced a Bloomingdale Historic Designation Coalition meeting on Wednesday, 12/06/2017, at St. George’s Church. The DC Office of Planning Historic Preservation Office, the DC Preservation League and Prologue DC will be presenting.
Approximately 30 people attended tonight’s meeting.
The meeting ended at 08:49 pm.
Motion summary
| Motion # | Motion | Results of motion |
| 1 | To select vendor #2 to conduct the Bloomingdale historic district survey | Motion passed. |
| 2 | To support the zoning special exception to alter the front architectural element at 137 S Street NW | Motion passed. |