OCTOBER GENERAL MEETING

Resolution passed by PCA at its October 5 meeting:

Resolved that the PCA approve the recommendation of ANC3-D to urge the BZA to postpone its November 17 hearing until at least January 2000 to give the community and the ANC additional time to resolve outstanding issues concerning the proposed 10-year campus plan for The George Washington University at Mt. Vernon College.
Also, that letters be sent to the BZA, Office of Planning, the Mayor and appropriate City Council members.

General Meeting Notes

At the October 5 PCA general meeting we heard from Lt. Bob Cass of the National Park Service whose responsibilities include Battery Kimble, Glover Archibald Park, and the Capital Crescent Trail.
He said security on the Crescent Trail has not been a problem. Questioned about homeless people living under the Arizona Avenue Bridge and about a homeless couple who frequent the MacArthur Safeway area, Lt. Cass said that camping is illegal on any Park Service property.
Helicopters are sent out in the Fall when the leaves are down to spot camping sites. Those found camping are checked through police computers for outstanding warrants. Barring those, a warning is given in a “compassionate” way to move on.
Following his police report, Stg. Harry Hayes of the MPD was advised by a PCA member that she missed her bus because of illegal parking in front of the post office. A suggestion was made that the bus stop sign could be moved a block.
A Palisades resident raised the question of the speeding traffic on Arizona Avenue.
His wife and two children had recently almost had a tragic accident at the spot where Garfield Street enters Arizona.
His suggestions: the flashing school sign should be fixed; a stop sign should be placed somewhere on Arizona to break the traffic momentum; and sidewalks should be considered.
George Washington at Mt. Vernon and the Neighborhood Alliance both made presentations.
Mt. Vernon displayed a list of concessions they had made. The Neighborhood Alliance responded that the concessions were more cosmetic than substantial.
The PCA voted to support a resolution (see text above) to postpone the BZA hearing until more issues could be worked out between the two parties.
DC’s new Planning Director Andrew Altman spoke. He said planning had been “eviscerated” over the years. He wants to rebuild the ability of planning to be a partnership between developers, neighborhoods, institutions and organizations—and “bottom up, not top down.” Good planning takes everything into account— including land use, the environment, transportation.
He wants no “surprises” from his decisions. He sees the beginning of a “long-term relationship.”
A DC resident himself, Mr. Altman believes we are all “stakeholders” in planning.
He invites us to come to his offices at 801 N. Capitol Street NE and make use of the census, trends, and mapping data that “you have paid for anyway.” And get on the mailing list for his newsletter.
He can be reached at 442-7634.
—P.McG.