Norton Is Positive on Chances for Statehood

Chair Amber Gove (6A04) called the Advisory Neighborhood (ANC) 6A meeting to order at Miner Elementary School, 601 15th St. NE, with Commissioners Mike Soderman (6A03), Brian Alcorn (6A08), Ruth Ann Hudson (6A05), Marie Claire Brown (6A01), Phil Toomajian (6A02) and Sondra Phillips-Gilbert (6A07) in attendance. Commissioner Stephanie Zimny (6A06) was absent.

Committee Recommendations The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Nortron Speaks on DC Statehood

Congresswoman Norton updated the ANC about her recent efforts and provided some background on how her position in Congress has changed over her time in the House of Representatives. In her efforts to achieve statehood for DC, Congresswoman Norton predicts her bill, H.R.51, will pass the House and she believes passage in the Senate is more likely than is generally expected. Speaker Pelosi has expressed support for DC statehood and according to Congresswoman Norton, about two thirds of Democratic Senators are also in favor of statehood. H.R. 1, an omnibus bill aimed at revitalizing our democracy that received unanimous Democratic support and no Republican support in the House included an endorsement for DC statehood. Senate Minority Leader Senator Schumer included this among other items from H.R.1 in his first bill presented to the Senate.

The Congresswoman was proud that she, a non-voting member of the House of Representatives, was still ranked as the most effective House Democrat in the last Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking having already passed four bills through the House.

Commissioner Alcorn thanked Congresswoman Norton for her advocacy towards resolving DC’s use of RFK Stadium. According to the Congresswoman, Mayor Bowser no longer seems to be planning to return the Redskins to the RFK Stadium and Chairwoman Gove expressed ANC 6A’s strong opposition to remaking the site into a new sports venue. 

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) 1st District Lieutenant Dyn and 5th District Sergeant Rosa
MPD 1st District Lieutenant Dyn shared that violent crime is down 40% and property crimes are down 17% within the ANC. However, thefts from cars are up across the city. Lt. Dyn strongly encouraged residents to take all valuables out of their cars and to make doubly certain they are locked when left unattended. Lt. Dyn offered his email address, Daniel.dyn@dc.gov as a good option for sharing specific concerns with the MPD.

Sergeant Rosa, MPD 5th District, reported that although the Summer Crime Prevention Initiative has ended, 5D will not lose the patrols and additional resources that were assigned through the summer. This includes patrols on the 1500-2100 blocks of Benning Road NE, inside the Pinnacle Apartment complex, as well as on other targeted blocks and a couple patrols specifically for traffic enforcement along the Benning Road NE corridor.

Transportation and Public Space (TPS)
ANC 6A will send a letter to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) in support of an addition of a gate to access parking spaces in the rear of 1519 Constitution Ave NE at such time as an application is filed, on the condition that it is consistent with the plans as reviewed by the TPS.

Alcohol Beverage Licensing (ABL)

1. ANC 6A will approve the proposed Settlement Agreement with Kitchencray H, LLC t/a Kitchen Cray (1301 H Street NE) in lieu of a protest of its license application. The recommendation passed 6-0.
2. ANC 6A will take no action concerning the substantial change application of Mythology, LLC t/a Mythology & Lore/Dirty Water (816 H Street NE) regarding the addition of Sports Wagering to its operations.
3. ANC 6A will protest the license transfer application of T and A, LLC t/a Montana Liquors (710 H Street NE) unless a signed settlement agreement is submitted before the protest deadline. Additionally, if a settlement agreement is reached with the establishment, the ANC support a stipulated license
4. ANC 6A will protest the license transfer application of Naomi’s Ladder II, LLC t/a Smokin’ Pig (1208 H Street NE) unless a signed settlement agreement is submitted before the protest deadline that includes language requiring that the kitchen stay open and operational until at least one hour prior to closing and the establishment not host events where a cover charge is required for entry.
5. ANC 6A approved the proposed Settlement Agreement with the Gold Room Bar Lounge, LLC t/a The Gold Room Bar/Lounge (1370 H Street NE) in lieu of a protest of its license application, and send a letter to ABRA supporting a stipulated license.
6. ANC 6A will take no action concerning the substantial change application of Callister Technology and Entertainment, LLC t/a Duffy’s Irish Pub (1016 H Street NE) regarding the addition of Sports Wagering to its operations.
7. ANC 6A approved the following changes to the ABL Committee: Remove Jay Williams, Reuben Baris, and Ramin Taheri; add Nicholas Alberti (as Co-Chair with Mark Samburg) and Laura Gentile.

Economic Development and Zoning (EDZ)

1. ANC 6A will send a letter of support to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) to construct a two-story rear addition to an existing, attached principal dwelling unit in the RF-1 Zone at 114 15th Street NE (BZA #20101).
2. ANC 6A will send a letter of support to BZA for a Modification of Consequence to an approved PUD Z.C. Case No. 10-03 Square 912, Lot 55 to permit veterinary hospital use in the ground floor of the approved mixed-use residential building on the property at 901 H Street NE (BZA # Pending).
3. ANC 6A will send a letter of support to BZA for an application to rezone the five properties along the south side of the 1100 block of H Street NE from NC-16 to NC-17. 1101 – 1107 H Street NE on the condition that the developer look into increasing the number of affordable units, add an amendment to their condo bylaws to enforce Residential Parking Permit (RPP) restrictions, make design changes to bring it into conformance with H Street design guidelines, and make best efforts to get letters of support from neighbors.
4. ANC 6A will send letters of support to the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) and BZA for special exceptions to construct a one-story rear addition to an existing, attached principal dwelling unit in the RF-1 Zone at 1356 North Carolina Avenue NE (HPRB Case #HPA#19-44, BZA Case #20100 with the caveat that the applicant consider potential drainage issue.

Visit www.anc6a.org for calendar of events, changes of date/venue, agendas and other information.