Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 8F met both in-person at 250 M St. SE and online via Zoom on July 15. Present were Commissioners Vice Chair Markita Bryant (8F02), Chair Brian Strege (8F03), Secretary Edward Daniels (8F04) and Treasurer Liam Goodwin (8F05); Commissioner Nic Wilson (8F01) joined via Zoom.
The ANC unanimously supported a letter to Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith, formally asking for an emergency juvenile curfew in Navy Yard within the boundaries of ANC 8F from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for a four-day period from Aug. 10 to Aug. 13. Within the Juvenile Curfew Zone, persons 17 and under are prohibited from gathering in a group of nine (9) or more in any public place or on the premises of any establishment unless engaged in certain exempted activities such as travel for employment or accompanying a parent or guardian.
The vote came just after an appearance from Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D), Chair of the DC Council Committee on Public Safety and Justice. Pinto highlighted her legislative work, pointing to the comprehensive public safety omnibus bill she introduced the previous year and noting that there had been a 47 percent reduction in violent crime since she became chair. A new “Peace Plan” bill passed this year merges violence interruption programs, supports workforce recruitment for police and fire departments, and provides job and housing opportunities for people with criminal records. She noted recent budget actions, including funding for ranked choice voting. Finally, she noted ongoing negotiations to bring the Commanders football team back to RFK Stadium, emphasizing housing and community benefits.
During her presentation, Pinto thanked the ANC for their support of the emergency legislation that allowed MPD to institute earlier juvenile curfews in designated zones to prevent disruptive and violent behavior, emphasizing that the measure is not intended to increase police interaction with youth but to keep the community safe. She pointed to the zero arrests during institution of the emergency curfew the previous weekend as evidence of preventative success.
Lockridge on Therme DC
Wanda Lockridge, Director of Community Engagement for Therme DC, presented on the proposed anchor for development at Poplar Point in Ward 8, on the shores of the Anacostia River opposite Navy Yard, between the Frederick Douglass and 11th Street bridges.
The indoor/outdoor spa and recreational facility will include intergenerational spaces, recreation areas with saunas, communal bathing and water slides but also food and beverage options with arts and entertainment. Therme is investing $500 million in the project, Lockridge said, expecting 2.1 million visitors per year. The distribution of visitors is expected to mirror that in other locations, about 80 percent locals and 20 percent tourists.
The facility, expected to open in 2031, will anchor mixed development of the 110-acre site but still awaits land transfer from the federal government. The land is still in the portfolio of the National Park Service (NPS). An environmental assessment (EA) and land use plan, both in process, must be completed prior to transfer. Commissioners expressed concern about the impact of the number of visitors on parking and transportation. Lockridge noted that the facility is planned near to a new metro station entrance with plans to expand the nearby WMATA parking garage. Asked about benefits to local business, Lockridge emphasized Therme’s commitment to exceeding the requirements for use of Certified Business Enterprises (CBEs) and employment of residents. She said there are plans for future discussions of community benefit agreements (CBEs) with the ANCs.
Asked about a New York Times article that questioned the company’s ability to fund and develop the project, Lockridge said the story focused on a Canadian project (located in Toronto, Ontario). Lockridge said the umbrella company is financially strong, with assets of $1.5 billion reported just two weeks ago. She said that DC officials have vetted the DC proposal “and it was clean cut”.
There was no vote on the matter.
In Other Business:
The ANC voted to:
- Unanimously support a letter to DDOT and WMATA asking them to remind their employees not to park in neighborhood pickup and drop off (“PUDO”) zones. In introducing the letter, Daniels noted the spaces are intended for ride share and delivery driver use and said that Department of Transportation (DDOT) and WMATA employees are placing their hats in those cars “like a parking pass” while blocking the zone, causing congestion of travel lanes and danger to pedestrians and cyclists. The letter asks that DDOT and WMATA send out a reminder to the employees to follow specific parking protocol rather than blocking PUDO spaces.
- Support an application for a medical cannabis retail license as well as the settlement agreement (SA) for Say High (125 L St. SE). Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and the applicant has a signed SA with the ANC with set conditions around noise, parking and deliveries.
ANC 8F meets on the Third Tuesday of the month. Many ANCs do not meet in August. The next meeting is at 7 p.m. Sept. 16. Find more information and how to join at anc8F.org
