Monday, 07/17/2017
Bloomingdale Civic Association meeting
St. George’s Episcopal Church, 160 U Street NW
Board members in attendance: Teri Janine Quinn, Sherry Howard, Angela Prentice, Bertha Holliday, Serita Sanders, Scott Roberts
The meeting began at approximately 7:05 pm.
President Quinn advised there will be no BCA meeting in August 2017.
Public Safety
PSA 501 Sergeant Fawzi & Sergeant Querizma introduced themselves. Some neighbors have reported about car break-ins on the unit block of U Street NW.
Meeting attendees described cars driving around doing paintball around 1st & Florida and 1st & Q Street NW.
It was noted that the B & V Market at 1304 North Capitol Street NW has been closed by marshals. B & V Market has served as a magnet for the alcohol and drug set.
The next PSA 501 meeting will be at St. George’s on Wednesday, 07/26/2017.
Bloomingdale Fun and Fit Committee update
Ms. Quinn reported on the successful Off Road DC Spin50 class event. The participants walked from 1st & U St NW to the Off Road DC location near 9th & U St NW. The BFF August event will be a pool party at the Harry Thomas Rec Center. The BFF Committee is asking for some money for non-alcoholic food & beverage to offer at the pool party. A motion to provide $150 to the BFF Committee was passed.
DC Department of the Energy and the Environment
Two representatives of the DC Dept of the Energy and the Environment spoke about the RiverSmart program. The Green Zone Environmental program, which is available for a summertime six-week program, was described. The program provides lawn services to senior citizens, such as mowing lawns, pruning. The program participants are from McKinley Tech.
2017 Bloomingdale House Tour
Dr. Holliday provided an update on all of the activities planned. A social media person and a photographer have volunteered. Tickets should go on sale in August. A house tour website should be available soon.
Zoning exception for 22 Bryant Street NW
The owners of this property, who are Bloomingdale residents, spoke about their interest in developing 22 Bryant St NW into three units. No exterior changes will be made. The lot, which exceeds 2700 square feet, can now only have two units, as a result of the pop-up zoning regulations. The BZA hearing will be held the last week of September 2017. No vote was taken, but look forward to the 09/17/2017 BCA meeting.
Executive Office of the Mayor
Ward 5 MOCR Hakeem Rogers provided a long list of activities, including a DYRS program, that has youths providing community service mowing lawns, etc. A neighbor commented about trash containers that are not labelled with street addresses. Another neighbor asked about traffic enforcement for cars parked in alleys.
Bloomingdale Beautification Committee
It was noted that resident Jean-Christophe Deverines has volunteered to chair the BCA Beautification Committee.
BCA T-shirts
Resident Mark Mueller showed off the Bloomingdale Civic Association T-shirts. Ms. Quinn mentioned that the remaining inventory of T-shirts and dog bandanas are available for purchase.
Ward 5 McDuffie’s office
Cyril Crocker reported on last week’s DC Council roundtable on DDOT. He announced the MPD 5D Beat-the-Street event in September at 1st & O Street NW.
Washington Gas merger
Ms. Quinn briefly mentioned that Washington Gas will be merging with another company. She said that BCA might wish to participate in the discussion.
ANC5E06 Commissioner Katherine McClelland
Commissioner McClelland advised that mediation is underway for Big Bear Café’s expansion plans. It would more than double the capacity of the existing café. The ABRA liquor license has been protested. A Settlement Agreement may be pursued.
ANC55E07 Commissioner Bertha Holliday
She has filed, as a private citizen, a brief with the DC Court of Appeals regarding the segregated senior housing component of the proposed McMillan project. She obtained some pro bono legal assistance through AARP.
McMillan update
Dr. Holliday mentioned that recent Mayor’s Agent hearing. The developers did not address two main questions – adverse impacts and benefits. The next hearing will be held in September.
Historic preservation
Ms. Quinn reviewed the recent topic of a BCA survey. The most recent vote was to include only two choices – pursue neighborhood Historic District designation or use existing zoning regulations. The question at tonight’s meeting is to consider adding back to the survey a third option of special zoning.
Ms. Sanders distributed two fliers:
“Definition for Special Zoning for Bloomingdale”
“Chapter 16 Proposed Bloomingdale Building Zoning Code”
She read off key items from the proposed zoning code flier. She briefly provided examples of some of the items, such as new construction standards and building height.
She said that the costs of materials to meet Historic District regulations are higher than non-HD options. Her statement was challenged by some meeting attendees.
A neighbor asked how standards would be enforced for something like “eliminating irresponsible development of buildings by novice developers.” To extent of the items that might need some definitions, those issues need to be worked out.
Dr. Holliday wants to know what the enforcement guidelines would be for special zoning. She suggested that the special zoning proposal be fully vetted by the DC Office of Planning before it should be voted on.
Some meeting attendees suggested during the discussion to only have two choices for the BCA survey — pursuing neighborhood Historic District designation or using current zoning regulations. Ms. Prentice clarified that a third option should be available. A motion passed that the survey only contain the two items and to not include special zoning.
Dr. Holliday offered a motion to eliminate the survey and use a ballot instead. Property owners would need to submit their completed ballots at a public place and show identification. The motion failed.
Motion: Eliminate the Bloomingdale Civic Association Historic Preservation Committee survey and use a ballot instead. Motion failed.
It was noted that the results of the ballot or survey would not be binding.
The meeting ended at 9:30 pm.
Motion summary
| Motion # | Motion | Results of motion |
| 1 | Eliminate the Bloomingdale Civic Association Historic Preservation Committee survey and use a ballot instead. | Motion failed; no vote taken |