Bloomingdale Civic Association
General Membership Meeting
Monday, May 15, 2017 7:00 PM
St. George’s Episcopal Church, 160 U Street NW
Minutes
Executive Board in Attendance: Teri Janine Quinn, Horacio Sierra, Scott Roberts, Angela Prentice, Bertha Holliday, and Sherry Howard.
Meeting Commenced at 7:01 pm
- Cyril Crocker from Councilmember McDuffie’s office provided an update on various issues.
- Kathleen Steines, LCSW, discussed foster care opportunities in DC. She summarized the various ways the city supports foster children, parents, volunteers, etc.
- Jessica Cummings, who is leading the Bloomingdale Fun and Fit group, provided updates. Their next event is adult yoga at 8:30 am and kids yoga at 9:30 am at the Bloomingdale Community Day this Saturday.
- Sgt. Fauzy from PSA 501 provided a public safety and crime update. Community meetings will now be consolidated on the 4th Wednesday of every other month in different locations. Teri reminded folks to call 311 if a street light is out. Our current foot patrol is a midnight-shift cop on a scooter. The Segway officer is currently assigned to the NoMa area and there are four cops on motorcycles throughout 501. MPD has worked out a legal arrangement with the BP gas station on New York and Rhode Island Avenue wherein officers can now bar and subsequently arrest people for trespassing without having to ask the BP employees to report them.
- Maybelle Bennet and other representatives from Howard University provided details about their proposal to extract Carver Hall and Slowe Hall from its campus master plan so the buildings can transition from being used as student dormitories to private apartment buildings. They returned to provide details on how to relieve an influx of new parking demands in the neighborhood based on concerns expressed by BCA members at previous meetings. Some of the solutions Howard University came up with include 50 parking spaces at university-owned garages, 54 bicycle spaces, $50 SmartTrip cards, and a one-year Zipcar or Capital Bikeshare membership.
Angela Prentice made a motion to support Howard University’s contingent upon a request that the residents of both apartment buildings qualify only for Zone 1 RPP parking with a friendly amendment by Bertha Holliday that the final order contain language indicating that there parking garage lease will be for at least 10 years. The motion passed unanimously.
- Teri provided a report on Bloomingdale Beautification Day, which was on Earth Day. Kudos were given to Sherry Howard for her role in making the event successful.
- Teri provided a report on the Office of Planning’s presentation on Special Historic Zoning for Bloomingdale. The BCA executive board will offer more details once it meets to discuss the presentation.
- Justin Hobson of 55 V Street NW discussed his plans for renovating his home that will require BZA exception. He wants to add a second story to their garage, which juts out to the alley. DCRA has approved drawings thus far. He has to go through BZA because it is adding living space to an accessory building that is not attached to the house.
- Bertha presented a House Tour update, which will include nine houses. She also discussed an application from the DC Humanities Council and another from the ANC5E.
- Horacio presented an update on the BCA Scholarship.
- ANCE 5E Commissioners provided updates.
- Zack asked a question about the Office of Planning’s presentation on Special Historic Zoning. Jennifer Steingasser from the Office of Planning said to contact her with any questions.
Meeting adjourned at 8:51 p.m.
Minutes recorded by Horacio Sierra