Protesting Pupatella Pizza – ANC 6C July

Image: Concept for a mural Eastern Market Main Street (EMMS) presented to ANC 6B, planned on the alley side of a building at 202 Seventh St. SE. Screenshot: ANC 6B/Webex

about the lack of parking enforcement relative to RFK stadium events in the spring. Gaither said signage on the streets needs to be corrected so that emergency signs are not necessary, an issue that DPW has raised with District Department of Transportation (DDOT).

Carter said that DPW shared some of Krepp’s frustration, telling her that in interagency conversations, DDOT has countered that they have insufficient staff and funding to replace signage. Carter said he was interested in a joint meeting of ANC 6B, DDOT and Events DC, which manages RFK Stadium, to discuss events and parking —but declined to organize it. Ward 6 representative from the Mayors Office of Community Relations (MOCR) Jasmine Coilton offered to take the lead on such a meeting.

A New Mural Near Eastern Market

ANC 6B voted unanimously to send a letter in support of a grant application. Eastern Market Main Street (EMMS) is applying for a DC Arts and Humanities grant to support a mural project. EMMS Executive Director Ann Blackwell said the mural is intended to go on the alley side of the building housing Clothes Encounters (202 Seventh St. SE), just across from Eastern Market. The mural is intended to serve as placemaking for the market itself, which lacks large signage. Blackwell said that in the age of selfies, murals have themselves become important economic drivers, pointing to her experience with a murals project in Hollywood, FL.

The art concept is titled “farm to table” and would be about 28 feet by 28 feet, covering nearly the entirety of the wall. The concept centers around the idea of the market as a site of diversity, exchange and local food.

Blackwell hastened to clarify that while EMMS would like to stay within the concept, there is still time to take feedback and discuss content. Business owners on either side of the alley have supported the project, as has the owner of the building in question. EMMS engaged art project management company DC ArtBox which facilitated the search for the artist, settling on art collective 5 Creatives. Art Box representative Tia Kane said the collective was made of four local artists who promote cultural diversity and the use of art to make a difference in the community.

Alcohol License Renewals

Commissioners voted to support a renewal of a restaurant liquor license for Aatish On The Hill (609 Pennsylvania Ave. SE), with an Settlement Agreement (SA) corrected to remove erroneous references to a sidewalk cafe, noting they would be willing to consider support for a sidewalk cafe application from Aatish if owners wished to make one to DDOT’s public space committee in the future.

Alcohol Beverage Committee (ABC) Chair Bryan Ready (6B03) noted that he and Single Member District (SMD) Commissioner Jennifer Samolyk (6B01) were well on their way to reaching a SA for the three restaurants owned by the Mendelson family, which include We the Pizza (305 Pennsylvania Ave. SE); Good Stuff Eatery (303 Pennsylvania Ave. SE); and Santa Rosa Taqueria (301 Pennsylvania Ave. SE).

Kirsten Oldenburg (6B04) said that there had been no movement on the SA with Paraiso (1101 Pennsylvania Ave SE) partially because the major concern is with noise and an expected sound test had not yet taken place. The ANC will protest their liquor license application pending agreement.

In Other Business

Commissioners voted to support a resolution regarding the DC’s role as a safe haven for reproductive health services introduced by Alison Horn (6B09). The resolution asks the District government to support access and affordability for reproductive health care and abortion in DC in light of the Supreme Court decision in the Dobbs case. Several commissioners voted in opposition to the resolution. Some cited an opposition to ANC opinion on “macro” issues. One commissioner cited their personal beliefs. Nonetheless, the resolution was supported by the commission 6-3-0 (Denise Krepp had to leave the meeting).

The ANC voted to support a Historic Preservation Application (HPA) concept for a detached twostory accessory structure at 323 Tenth St. SE. The structure would be landlocked in the backyard and would be set back from the rear of the house along the rear property line. It will be primarily used as a guest or entertaining property to augment the existing home, which is quite small.

The commission also voted to support an HPA for newly drafted plans for a commercial deck addition at The Brig (1007 Eighth St. SE), noting the applicant had responded to the concerns ANC6B had raised after the initial presentation of plans in November 2021. Commissioners then focused on the appearance of the deck and the location of the stairs, asking that the applicant ensure compliance with ADA requirements. The structure is non-contributing to the Historic District, having been built on the site of a parking lot. Oldenburg said Historic Preservation Office (HPO) appeared to have the greatest concern with the composition of the shed’s roof. In comments, commissioners noted that they are not clear why the roof is of such intense interest to HPO.

The commission also voted to support an HPA for a rear addition to 409 East Capitol St. SE, currently home to Sanabria & Co the Shop on the main floor. The project looks to expand the second-floor resident space with a third floor added 34 feet back from the street and improve access to the yard.

Ward 6 ANCs generally do not meet in August. ANC 6B holds their next full meeting Sept. 13, with executive and committee meetings taking place during the two weeks prior. Learn how to attend meetings and connect with the commission by visiting anc6b.org. u

Protesting Pupatella Pizza

ANC 6C July RepoRt

by Sarah Payne

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6C met virtually via WebEx July 13. Commissioners Christine Healey (6C01), Karen Wirt (6C02, Chair), Jay Adelstein (6C03), Mark Eckenwiler (6C04), Joel Kelty (6C05) and Drew Courtney (6C06) were all in attendance.

Commissioners voted unanimously to both protest the application for a Class C liquor license and potentially ask the District Department of Transpor-

tation (DDOT) Public Space Committee (PSC) to delay the hearing for a sidewalk cafe outside Pupatella Pizza (301 Massachusetts Ave. NE). The two main concerns raised with the proposal were neighborhood disruption and the storage of trash and grease.

The hours currently proposed for the interior space are Sunday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 2 a.m and Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 a.m. The hours for the proposed 130-seat sidewalk cafe are Sunday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. The application also includes a proposal for live entertainment inside the premises from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Commissioner Jay Adelstein (6C03) said neighbors are concerned about late night noise. At the meeting, a community member echoed Adelstein’s comments, saying she was excited for the restaurant but also apprehensive about implications for neighbors.

“We do want Pupatella, we just don’t want those very late hours that are going to have such an impact on a residential street,” she said. “It’s not the same as something like Union Pub [201 Massachusetts Ave. NE] —sometimes it’s open till 2 and 3 a.m., but it’s a world of difference when the noise is absorbed by Massachusetts Avenue.”

Michael Berger, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Pupatella, told commissioners he is hopeful about reaching a settlement agreement (SA) with the commission, adding there are no specific plans for live entertainment. Berger emphasized that while he is not looking to “disrupt the neighborhood” his team has worked hard on plans to mitigate challenges in a difficult situation. “It’s a really difficult building to make work and it’s been sitting vacant for four years,” Berger said.

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Kelty acknowledged that the space presents challenges but noted that it’s “not [ANC6C’s] problem that it’s a tough building.”

Joel Kelty (6C05) and Drew Courtney (6C06) encouraged Berger to amend the application to re ect the lack of plans for live music. Courtney emphasized the willingness of the ANC to work with local businesses to make changes once they are operating and mutual trust has been established.

If an SA is in place with the establishment before July 28, the ANC plans to send a witness to the PSC hearing to outline the concerns of the committee. The commissioners unanimously agreed and authorized Commissioner Karen Wirt (6C02) to serve as a witness if needed.

Parking Concerns on Florida Ave. NE

Commissioners voted unanimously to support, with conditions, a Planned Unit Development (PUD) from NRP Development for an alla ordable unit residential building at 301 Florida Ave. NE and to authorize Eckenwiler to testify on behalf of the ANC at the hearing before the Zoning Commission.

The building is a mixed-use 12-story development with 115 units plus penthouse. Half of the units will be available at 30 percent AMI and half will be available at 50 percent AMI. 2,873 square feet of ground level space will also be dedicated to a non-residential use. The building has been reviewed by the ANC several times. Concerns remain about the applicant’s proposal for a curbside loading zone on the north side of N Street NE and what commissioners termed the “cascading consequences” of cars and trucks parked in the middle of the street.

NRP representatives discussed changes made to their proposal af-

ter discussion with the ANC including a 50 ft. truck size restriction in the loading zone, requiring sixday trash collection and providing one free Capital Bike Share membership per unit. The only condition that the applicant did not meet was the condition to bar tenants, by penalty of lease termination, from applying for a Residential Parking Permit (RPP).

But Courtney for one was perturbed, “I continue to be really excited about this project moving forward,” Courtney said. “I have to say, without undercutting the committee, I’m a little less concerned about the idea of the RPP parking and terminating the lease —that actually does make me a little uncomfortable. I wish we had better tools. I’m not sure I want people losing their leases over that kind of misbehavior.”

Kelty expressed disagreement and said enforcement of RPP is crucial to the surrounding neighborhoods.

“We had a number of residents in the a ordable units (elsewhere) who were illegally obtaining parking permits to park on Fifth Street,” Kelty said. “Once that lease termination provision was brought to their attention, those vehicles miraculously disappeared.”

Kelty also noted the proximity of the building to public transportation and a grocery store in addition to the transit subsidies that NRP plans to provide.

The Commission Voted Unanimously To:

• Adopt the Transportation Public Space (TPS) Committee recommendation to amend and approve a construction permit application at 1150 First St. NE for a new curb cut on Pierce Street NE to a private alley. This application was

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