Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6D

St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church

Minutes

June 9, 2008

The meeting was called to order by Chair Roger Moffatt at 7:10 p.m.

Present: Commissioners Hamilton, Litsky, McBee, Moffatt, Siegel, Skolnik, Sobelsohn. 

1.    Approval of agenda

Commissioner Hamilton asked that the discussion of Shulman’s Liquors be moved to the beginning of the agenda because the owner was present at the meeting.  Commissioner Sobelsohn asked that a discussion of the Zoning Commission hearing on the Randall School be added as number 3 under Old Business. Motion: Commissioner Litsky moved / Commissioner Skolnik seconded a motion to approve the agenda as amended.  The motion passed 5-0.

2.    Community Comment

Gene Solon of Harbor Square had comments on several issues.

3.    New Business

Shulman’s Liquors

Shulman’s Liquors has applied to ABRA to change its license so that it can open at 9 a.m. daily, instead of the current 10 a.m.  The hearing is  on June 23d.  Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Skolnik seconded a motion to take no action on the application for a change in hours at Shulman’s Liquors. The motion passed 7-0.

Marina View Towers    

This is a request for support of a modification of the PUD for the Marina View Towers development.  The changes include changing the development’s “for sale” units to rental, changing the east façade of the new apartment house from balconies to bays, moving the swimming pool from the amenities building to the outdoor area; and changing the roof mechanical penthouse on the south IM Pei building.  In addition, modifications in the community benefits agreement offered by Fairfield Residential LLP include, because of the closing of Bowen School, a redistribution of contributions to Amidon School, Jefferson Middle School and the Friends of the Southwest Library, each of which will receive $22,000.  In addition, the developer will restore West Town Center Park, contributing up to $175,000, and will contribute $50,000 to the Shuttle Bug.  If the Shuttle Bug is not implemented, the money will be contributed to the Community Benefits Investment Fund.  The Zoning Commission hearing  is scheduled for July 14th.  Motion: Commissioner Siegel moved / Commissioner Skolnik seconded a motion to support Fairfield Residential LLP’s request for  modification of the PUD for Marina View Towers.  The motion passed 5-1-1, with Commissioner Litsky in opposition, and Commissioner Sobelsohn abstaining.

Meeting Notice Resolution

Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Litsky seconded the following motion:

BE IT RESOLVED, ANC 6D hereby adopts, as an approved method of notifying the public of business, administrative and presentation meetings, and of meetings to discuss matters in litigation and personnel matters, announcement of the meeting at a previous regularly scheduled ANC meeting.  The motion passed 7-0.

Public Portable Rest Stations at Waterfront Construction Site

Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Siegel seconded a motion relating to public rest stations at the Waterfront construction site:

WHEREAS, before demolition of the Waterside Mall, the Mall had public restrooms, and--

WHEREAS, several retail merchants remain at the Waterside Mall site, now a Waterfront Associates construction site and--

WHEREAS, people shopping at these merchants, and other people in the neighborhood, sometimes need a restroom while on the Waterfront Associates construction site,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that ANC 6D calls on Waterfront Associates to obtain and erect, during its construction on the former site of the Waterside Mall, temporary public restroom facilities.

Commissioner Litsky asked whether Waterfront Associates had been contacted to discuss the issue, and was told no. Commissioner McBee said that the delegation that met with the Safeway manager on the issue was not unanimous in the view that portable rest stations was the solution to the problem.  Motion: Commissioner Skolnik moved/Commissioner Litsky seconded a motion to substitute a motion to send a letter to Waterfront Associates requesting that they erect temporary public rest stations at the construction site, the letter to be written by Commissioners McBee and Skolnik.  The motion passed 6-1, with Commissioner Sobelsohn in opposition.  The motion, as amended by the motion to substitute passed 4-0.

4.     Old Business

Modifications to the RPP and TOPP

Motion: Commissioner Litsky moved/Commissioner McBee seconded a motion that the ANC send a letter to DDOT, responding to its request for recommendations on the RPP and TOPP, with a copy of the letter to Councilmember Wells, indicating the Commission’s strong support for maintaining the parking hours as publicized, and urging consistent enforcement of the hours, including Sunday. Also to be included is a request to have signs posted where necessary, and to consult with the Southeast community about the one-way designation of 4th Street SE.  The motion passed 6-1, with Commissioner Sobelsohn in opposition.

Corcoran Gallery/Randall School

Commissioner Sobelsohn reported that the Zoning Commission had unanimously approved the request of the Corcoran Gallery and Monument Realty for a modification of the phasing for construction on the Randall School site, without taking into consideration the ANC’s objections to the request based on unilateral modifications to the community benefits agreement made by the Corcoran. Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Siegel seconded a motion to write to the Office of the Attorney General requesting an analysis of the community benefits agreement between the ANC and the Corcoran Gallery and the legal ramifications of the modifications.  The motion passed 7-0.

5.            Committee Reports

Alcohol Beverage Control

Chair Coralie Farlee reported that she is still attempting to meet, and work out an agreement with, the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission on an agreement for alcoholic beverages at the stadium, which would include such provisions as notification of the neighborhood of non-ballgame events; a cool-down room and on-site breathalyzer, and portable rest stations in parking lots. 

She also reported that CAP Liquors has a show-cause hearing at ABRA for underage sales, which has been postponed because of absence of a translator; that Zanzibar is still pending; and that H2O has signed a strong voluntary agreement with the ANC.

She reported that there will be a joint meeting with SWNA and ANC 6D on Councilmember Wells’ proposed legislation on a ward-wide moratorium on sales of single bottles or cans of less than 70 oz, to assess community response to the issue.  The meeting will be on June 23 at St. Augustine’s.

Development and Community Outreach Committees

Neither committee had a report.

6.            Minutes

Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner McBee seconded a motion to postpone consideration of the revised April minutes.  The motion failed 2-5, with Commissioners Sobelsohn and McBee in favor.  Motion: Commissioner Skolnik moved/Commissioner Litsky seconded a motion to approve the revised April minutes.  The motion passed 5-2, with Commissioners Sobelsohn and McBee in opposition.

Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved/Commissioner Litsky seconded a motion to approve the May minutes, as amended.  The motion passed 7-0.  

7.            Treasurer’s Report

Commissioner Skolnik presented the June Treasurer’s Report (attached). The report shows that the opening checking account balance was $41.301.96, and that the savings account balance was $5,157.75.  There was an interest payment to the savings account of $1.14.  There were disbursements of $831.15 to Roberta Weiner for salary (Check #383); $90 to St. Augustine’s Church for meeting space rental (Check #384); $38.70 to the DC Treasurer for employee taxes (Check # 385); 394.74 to the US Treasurer (Check #386), $146.89 to Roberta Weiner for replenishment of the petty cash fund (Check #387); $144.95 to U-Haul for storage space (Check #388); $205 to Frager’s Hardware for locks for 1501 Half Street SWW, leaving a balance of $39,450.53 in the checking account, and $5,158.89 in the savings account.  Motion: Commissioner Skolnik moved/Commissioner Siegel seconded a motion to approve the May Treasurer’s Report.  The motion passed 7-0. 

8.       Community Concerns

The director of the Walker-Jones Health Center announced that it is relocating to 40 Patterson Street NE on July 14th, and will have a mobile unit between June 30th and July 11th, when its current location closes.

9.         Adjournment

Motion: Commissioner Sobelsohn moved and Commissioner Litsky seconded a motion to adjourn.  Without objection, the motion passed.  The meeting adjourned at 9:42 p.m.