Category: Meetings

My Resignation

Friends,

I write to you today to inform you that I will be resigning from my position as Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner of Single-Member District 2B02. I am relocating to Petworth, where I have recently purchased a home. While I am very excited to be a homeowner and to remain here in the District, I am also sad that I have to leave the community I have called home for over 10 years now.

As Commissioner, I have been fortunate enough to play a role in a number of important changes and developments across Dupont Circle. Before I resign, I want to take this opportunity to thank you, my community and supporters, and reflect upon some of the things that we have accomplished together.

I must give thanks to the dedicated public servants in District government for their tireless efforts to assist me and my fellow Commissioners as we work to make neighborhood services operate smoothly and to keep Dupont Circle a destination for locals and tourists alike. My Single-Member District has benefited the diligent efforts of folks like Matthew Marcou at the District Department of Transportation, as well as Ruth Werner, and Sherri Kimbel; two of the truly outstanding staff members of Councilmember Jack Evans.

I would also like to voice my appreciation to those at the Alcoholic Beverage Regulatory Administration (ABRA), with whom I have worked very closely in my capacity as ABRA Committee Chair with the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC). I am grateful for the assistance of Fred Moosally, Martha Jenkins, Bill Hager, LaVerne Fletcher, and Sarah Fashbaugh for their continued assistance in helping the ANC on alcohol policy matters ranging from small questions about the particulars of a Settlement Agreement to briefings on moratoria.

My appreciation also extends to the outstanding community groups I have worked with throughout my term, including Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets, Golden Triangle Business Improvement District, and Dupont Festival. Each makes vital contributions to our neighborhood and its unique character.

I am extremely appreciative to have had the opportunity to work with a number of talented Commissioners during the past three and half years. During my first term, I was able to serve with the support of long-time community leaders such as Bob and Susan Meehan, Victor Wexler, and Phil Carney. The guidance of Ramon Estrada on ABRA matters has proven to be invaluable; Jack Jacobson’s dedicated work ethic and focus is something I have strived to emulate during my two terms; and, I owe my initial interest in running for this position to the mentorship of Mike Silverstein and Mike Feldstein.

To my current colleagues, I could not be more proud to work with you. I know that under the leadership of my friend Will Stephens this Commission has and will continue to set the standard for the rest of the District. I could not possibly be more optimistic about the range of talents and experience my newer colleagues Leo Dwyer, Stephanie Maltz, Kishan Putta, Abigail Nichols, and Noah Smith bring to Dupont Circle. I am excited to watch them excel and regret that I will not have the opportunity to continue to work with them on the vast array of projects we have undertaken.

Over the past three and a half years, we have worked together to improve our neighborhood and make it a better place to live. I am proud to have helped bring more bicycle parking and bikeshare stations to my neighborhood; established model standards for businesses and residents to follow with regard to both public space and Settlement Agreement negotiation; led the discussions allowing for increasing restaurant licenses both on P Street and 17th Street; helped establish new rules and guidelines to improve the governance of our ANC; and supported progressive zoning and historic preservation guidelines to support the future growth of the District.

Finally, I would like to show my appreciation to my 2B02 constituents that I have tried my best to serve over the course of my terms. To the folks at The August apartment building where I have lived these past 10 years: thank you for your continued support and encouragement. To the folks I have worked with on different projects ranging from liquor matters, to zoning, and transportation (Karyn Siobhan Robinson, Peg Shaw, Alan Rueckgauer, Jonathan Padget, Rudi Riet, and far too many more) thank you for your passion and commitment to making our neighborhood a better place.

At the conclusion of our May 14th meeting, I will formally tender my resignation. With my absence on the Commission, I will be nominating our outstanding public policy intern and ANC2B02 resident Daniel Warwick to serve as liaison to the ANC until my replacement is elected. I encourage you to reach out to him and introduce yourself; I know that he will serve our community well.

Thank you for your time and for allowing me to serve. Know that I will always remain an active advocate for the well-being of my community District-wide, and that I look forward to working alongside you to help make the District of Columbia a better place for all of its residents.

All the best,

Kevin O’Connor

NEWS: Zoning, Preservation, and Development Committee Agenda for 5/7/2014

ZPD Draft Agenda (May – 2014)

Meeting to take place at the Dupont Circle Resource Center, 9 Dupont Circle NW on Wednesday, May 7th at 7:00pm

  • Application to HPRB for construction at 1337 22nd St (2B06)
  • Application to HPRB for construction at 3 Dupont Circle (2B02)
  • Application to HPRB for construction at 1620 Q St (2B05)
  • Application to BZA hearing #18773 for construction at 1528 Church St (2B05)
  • Application to BZA for construction at 1815 Riggs Place (2B01)
  • Review – Zoning Policy and Procedures Manual

NEWS: Transportation Committee Sets Goals for 2014

(This post is co-located at my ANC2B09 blog)

On April 23rd, the Transportation and Public Infrastructure Committee met for the first time. Created in March by ANC2B, the committee helps to coordinate many of the ongoing transportation, traffic, and infrastructure projects in our neighborhood and helps make real improvements to our community.

The committee membership is fantastic and includes five commissioners and five residents, all passionate about transportation and our neighborhood infrastructure.

At our first meeting, we set short- and long-term goals for the year that we believe are achievable and will have a significant positive impact in our neighborhood.

TPI Goals
Click to read our 2014 committee goals

Detailed minutes, which include timeframes for the above goals, can be downloaded here: TPI Committee Meeting Minutes 4-23-14

The committee is also a forum and a resource for anyone in the neighborhood. We encourage you to bring issues to our monthly meetings or to contact us directly. You can contact the committee by emailing TPI@dupontcircleanc.net or contact me, the committee chair, at noah.smith@dupontcircleanc.net.

 

BLOG: Notes on April 2014 Pedestrian Advisory Council Meeting

[Cross-posted at www.willstephensanc.com]

The Pedestrian Advisory Council (PAC) met in April 2014 for committee-level discussions.  (The PAC trades off every other month between full PAC meetings and committee meetings.  For a report on my first full PAC meeting as Ward 2 representative in March 2014, find a prior blog post here.)

This was my first committee meeting, and I joined the “Walking Environment Committee.”  Our special guest was Earl Eutsler (earl.eutsler@dc.gov) from DDOT’s Urban Forestry Administration (UFA), to talk about the interplay between the walking environment, the tree canopy in DC, and UFA’s management of street and island trees.

The most useful and interesting discussion points were as follows:

  • Getting Repairs Done:  Earl advised that using the 3-1-1 system is the best way to get repairs into the queue for action by UFA.  Other DDOT staff confirmed that UFA in particular makes good use of the 3-1-1 system.
  • Tree canopy:  UFA manages about 10% of the total DC tree canopy, with National Parks, other Federal agencies, the Department of Parks & Recreation, and private space accounting for the remainder.  The District has a goal to reach 40% tree canopy coverage within the next 10-15 years.  Earl noted that all pavement, including sidewalks and streets, last longer with greater tree canopy coverage, because of the shade provided.
  • Flexi-pave: DDOT is now using a special porous material for paving around street trees called Flexi-pave.  This is meant to replace and improve upon the “rubber sidewalk” squares that they previously installed in places like 17th Street, which buckles after only a couple of years.  If there are places with rubber sidewalk buckling, residents should note this in the 3-1-1 system as a “tree inspection request,” and these areas will be prioritized for Flexi-pave installation (if they are not already in the system).
  • Mapping:  UFA has comprehensive, interactive maps of street trees, including planned replacement and planting spots, on the agency website.
  • UFA Representatives: The UFA representatives for our area are “Team 2” and include Carlson Klapthor (carlson.klapthor@dc.gov, mostly north of the Circle) and Simoun Banua (simoun.banue@dc.gov, mostly south of the Circle).

NEWS: Minutes from the April 16, 2014 ABRA Policy Committee Meeting

Committee Members In Attendance:

Commissioner Kevin O’Connor (2B02)

Commissioner Noah Smith (2B09)

Commissioner Abigail Nichols (2B05)

Commissioner Stephanie Maltz (2B03)

Soft Closings

Business Comments:

  • Soft closings are designed to address concentration issues when bars let out – if they don’t all let out at the same time, there may be less incidents on the streets at night.
  • The concept has been endorsed by Councilmembers in the past and by groups such as MADD, as it allows for a period for people to sober up after drinking.
  • Other cities, such as Boston, have recently decided to extend hours to address this issue
  • Businesses would have little incentive to stay open later with out support
  • Feedback from MPD may be helpful

Committee Comments:

  • Unsure how the concept would impact public safety and noise.
  • In the past, the ANC has granted soft closings to establishments as test cases. There has not been enough evidence to support a conclusion for or against.
  • There concern that businesses may not be motivated to stay open the extra time if granted.
  • The committee, overall, looked favorably at exploring more soft closings in the neighborhood.

Action items:

  • The ANC will work with Skip Coburn to identify businesses on a block that may be interested in trying soft closings to help determine if there is an impact.
  • If businesses are interested, the ANC will suggest to ABRA to try a limited test of soft closings on a particular block for a period of 3 months to determine the impact on the neighborhood. Businesses would be placarded but would not incur any fees from the proposed experiment.

 

Follow-up: ABC Establishment Promoter Licensing Act of 2014

Alternative language was presented by the public, which would alter existing law and place the onus and responsibilities of hiring of promoters on the establishment.

The Public and the committee were skeptical about why responsibilities should be split between promoters and establishments.

The Committee believes that advocating for a business-support position within ABRA would help address many of the technical questions posed about promoters.

It was decided that the ANC would take no action on the ABC Establishment Promoter Licensing Act of 2014.

Noise Task Force Update

ABRA is set to release results of the Noise Task Force on April 28. As such, discussion was tabled.

Protest Updates

Bistro Bistro (2B01): Renewal granted after refilling application. The ANC contests whether it was properly notified.

Midtown (2B05): Hearing date April 23

Dirty Martini (2B05): Protest Hearing held April 10

Rose Bar (2B05): Mediation May 2

Public Bar (2B06): Substantial change application withdrawn after new Settlement Agreement filed.

18th St Lounge (2B06): Roll Call April 21

Bar Code (2B05): Protest date postponed

Chi-Cha Lounge (2B08): New Settlement Agreement signed.

Other Business

Heritage India (1901 Pennsylvania Avenue NW) seeks changes to Settlement Agreement. They wish to change provisions related to their entertainment endorsement. The Committee agreed to make changes in exchange for including information on a Security Plan in the Settlement Agreement. To be added to the May 2014 agenda.

Local 16 (1602 U St NW) seeks changes to its Settlement Agreement regarding how noise provisions are restricted/enforced. The Committee agreed to delegate negotiations to Commissioner Will Stephens and study the request.