Category: Public Space

ANC 2B to Host a Discussion on Placemaking

In advance of select ANC 2B meetings, the ANC will host informal discussions with national experts to explore topics of community interest. The next discussion will take place on Wednesday, December 14th at 6:15 pm, in advance of the ANC’s regular December meeting the same evening at 7:00 pm. This discussion will focus on placemaking.

This discussion will be held online via Zoom and can be accessed at the following link: . If you do not have a computer or access to the internet, you may join the discussion via phone at (301) 715-8592 or (646) 558-8656 with meeting ID 880 1602 1565 #.

“Placemaking” is a planning and design approach to shaping public spaces and places that meet local needs, aspirations, desires, and visions. During this December discussion leading practitioners in the field will share how peer communities are successfully deploying placemaking concepts to grow their economies, attract new business, and encourage greater levels of civic engagement. Join in on a facilitated community conversation around how placemaking might shape existing and future investments within Dupont Circle and throughout ANC 2B.

For those who cannot attend, a high-level summary of the discussion will be included as part of the ANC’s formal agenda. This inaugural session is hosted by ANC 2B’s Land Use Committee (LUC) Chair, Commissioner William Herbig.

Meet the Experts:
Marian Liou, Director, Community Engagement and the Arts, Atlanta Regional Commission
Tim Keane, Director of Planning and Development Services, City of Boise

Public Meeting #2 for DDOT’s Connecticut Avenue Streetscape and Deck-Over Project

When:

Tuesday, June 25, 2019
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Presentation starts at 6:15 pm

Where:

The Dupont Circle Hotel
Glover Park Ballroom
(1500 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036)

Residents, business owners, and any other interested parties are invited to the upcoming public meeting.

Meeting Info:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host the second public meeting to show the public the preferred alternatives design of the Connecticut Avenue Streetscape and Deck-Over project on Tuesday, June 25, 2019.  Meetings will be held with the communities, businesses, agency representatives and all project stakeholders to generate public comment and feedback that will be incorporated into the project design to develop a plan that best meets the needs of the community. At Public Meeting #1 in April 2018, DDOT presented several concepts for the corridor and plaza. The comments DDOT received from the public were incorporated into a preferred alternative.

Please visit www.ctavestreetscapeplaza.com for more information on the project.

Project Background:

This project aims to enhance the vitality, economic opportunities, and quality of life for local business and residential communities in the Dupont Circle neighborhood. Improvements to the streetscape and pedestrian infrastructure will create a new public space and improve multi-modal access along Connecticut Avenue from Dupont Circle to California Street NW.  A new deck-over plaza will be constructed over Connecticut Avenue between Dupont Circle and Q Street NW to provide a public space for everyday activities, as a well as a space for special events such as a farmer’s market, movies, music, plays, and art and cultural events. The Connecticut Avenue underpass will remain in use for vehicle travel.

Study Area:

The study area covers Connecticut Avenue from Dupont Circle to California Street NW.

ANC 2B to Review Policies and Procedures Manual in December

In anticipation of the large quantity of regulatory matters that ANC 2B will have to review during the Commission’s regular November 2018 meeting, the ANC has decided to move review of proposed changes to the ANC’s Policies and Procedures Manual, including proposed changes to the ANC’s Public Space Guidelines, to a meeting held by the Commission in December. More information regarding the proposed changes and the date, time, and location of the meeting will be sent out soon.

Please let your single member district commissioner know if you have any questions about this matter.

REMINDER: ANC 2B Community Meeting on Public Space for Sidewalk Cafes + Survey Results

ANC 2B would like to thank those who participated in our recent survey on the use of outdoor space for sidewalk cafes. (For reference, here are the ANC’s current guidelines.)

As previously announced, ANC 2B is also holding a community meeting this evening on the topic. In advance of that discussion, we’d like to share high-level results of the survey:

  • There were over 230 responses, with the majority being residents of Dupont Circle and living on/near a mixed-use block.
  • Respondents largely feel that there are either too few or just the right number of establishments which may have sidewalk cafes / outdoor restaurants.
  • Most respondents typically patronize sidewalk cafes at least 2-3 times per month.
  • No one closing time is preferred by a majority of respondents, though the preferred distribution of closing hours was later for Friday and Saturday evenings than for Sunday through Thursday evenings.
  • A majority of respondents believe that the appropriate time to close sidewalk cafes / outdoor restaurants should be impacted by such factors as whether alcohol is served, whether there is amplified noise, and/or whether there is full food service being offered until closing.

The complete survey results can be found here. We appreciate the diversity of opinions and willingness to share your thoughts.

We look forward to seeing you at ANC 2B’s public space community meeting on Monday, October 22nd at 7:00 pm at the Society of the Cincinnati at the Anderson House, 2118 Massachusetts Avenue NW.

Daniel Warwick
Chair, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2B

ANC 2B Announces Community Meeting to Discuss Public Space for Sidewalk Cafes and Extends Deadline for Survey

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2B will hold a special community meeting in order to gather community input regarding public space management for sidewalk cafes in Dupont Circle.

The meeting will be on Monday, October 22nd at 7:00 pm at the Society of the Cincinnati at the Anderson House, 2118 Massachusetts Avenue NW. Community members are encouraged to attend, ask questions, and offer feedback.

Additionally, in response to community member requests, ANC 2B has extended the deadline for the ANC’s Public Space Survey. The new deadline to complete the survey is Sunday, September 30th at 11:59 pm and the survey is available .

The results of the survey and the community meeting will assist the ANC in drafting proposed changes to the ANC’s Public Space Guidelines. The ANC plans to consider the proposed changes during the ANC’s regular November meeting on Wednesday, November 14th.

Please let your single member district commissioner know if you have any questions about the Public Space Survey or the community meeting. We look forward to receiving your input.