ANC 6E • Pleasant Mann

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6E held its monthly meeting for December 2022 on Tuesday evening, December 6. Due to the restrictions on public meetings caused by the Coronavirus crisis, the meeting was held as a virtual conference. Commission Chair Michael Eichler (6E01) called the meeting to order with Rachelle Nigro (6E04, Vice Chair/Acting Treasurer), Patrick Parlej (6E05), and Kevin Rogers (6E07) in attendance. Alex Lopez (6E02, Secretary) entered the meeting later. There was a quorum to conduct official business.

Police Service Area (PSA) Reports

Captain Roth of the First District reported that overall crime was down 30 percent from the same point the previous year, but there have been problems with robberies. In one instance, there were three or four robberies within nine minutes. There was also the robbery of a dry cleaners at 400 K Street, NW, where the suspects were apprehended. The captain identified the First District’s priorities as reducing robberies and motor vehicle thefts. The police are trying to limit double parking to prevent carjackings.

Captain Moore of the Third Police District noted that there was a shooting at Fifth and M Streets, NW, where the perpetrator was caught. There was also an armed carjacking where the vehicle was later stopped, and the perpetrators charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Other incidents included a robbery of a down jacket from a Dunbar student at 460 N Street, NW, a car robbery at 1646 Third Street, NW, and a Louis Vuitton shopping bag with a purse inside stolen at 1739 Seventh Street, NW. Moore also said that there were currently three police foot beats in Truxton Circle and lower Shaw.

Parcel 42 Park

Developers Dantes Partners came to the ANC to present their plans for a park at their apartment project on Parcel 42 on the corner of Seventh and R Streets. Part of the parcel, which originally was District property, includes Lot 803, which is a small sliver of land separated by an alley from the main site. The developers decided to turn this lot into a park for the residents of the apartment building and the community.

Plans are to have most of the lot taken up with landscaping and a walkway. The park will have a sculpture, entitled “Steel I Rise,” designed by a local artist. Behind the sculpture will be a feature wall, displaying quotes from prominent people connected to the neighborhood.

The issue of who and what would be quoted became an issue. The developer did not want an involved process to determine what went on the feature wall because of the time it would take. A representative of the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development joined the conversation to say that her office wanted some evidence that the plans were supported by the community. She hoped the ANC could pass a resolution support the plans for the park. A motion for the Commission to support the plans was put on the floor but it did not receive a second. The developer promised to return to the Commission in January 2023 after the quotes had been selected with community input so that the ANC could approve the final plans for the park and its feature wall.

ANC 6E

by Pleasant Mann

Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Committee (ABC)

The ABC presented the following license requests to the commission.

District Champagne, 1301 Ninth Street, NW. Request for a new license for a liquor store specializing in high-end and sparkling wines. ABC Chair Alexander Padro noted that the business had already completed a settlement agreement with the ANC. Commissioner Lopez asked about a provision in the agreement, wondering if the establishment was actually required to discourage loitering outside the store. Padro replied that the provision was a standard provision of ANC 6E settlement agreements for retailers. Commissioner Eichler made a motion to support the license and the settlement agreement. Lopez wanted to take out a reference in the agreement that required the store to work with the MPD to restrict loitering, considering that the District does not have a loitering law. Padro mentioned that the Alcohol Beverage Control Board deletes unenforceable provisions in agreements before approving them. The motion to support the license passed with four yeas, one abstention.

Roasted Boon, 1018 Rhode Island Avenue, NW. Renewal of a license for a coffee shop that also offers wine. Padro said that the business did not have an investigative history and that the ABC Committee recommended supporting renewal. Eichler said that he had received unsolicited positive comments from the business’ next-door neighbors. A motion to support renewal passed unanimously.

Dolci Gelati Café, 1420 Eighth Street, NW. A request to support license renewal. Padro said there was no investigative history. The owner described his establishment as largely a gelato shop and that the pandemic had prevented an extension of the menu to include beer and wine until recently. Padro added that the license did not have an outdoor seating endorsement so that all alcohol had to be consumed within the premises. Commissioner Eichler made a motion to support renewal, which passed 5-0.

Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC)

The TAC had a request for a resolution that would ask the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to restore benches on the 400 block of K Street, NW. There had been benches there, but they were removed in 2021. The TAC asked DDOT why this was done, getting the reply that there is no record of why this happened. Commissioner Parlej explained that his constituents had brought up the issue. A motion to ask DDOT to replace the four benches that had been removed from the 400 block of K Street passed, four yeas, one abstention.

ANC 6E will next meet on January 10, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. as a virtual conference. After January 1, 2023, Shaw will no longer be part of ANC 6E. The new Shaw six-member commission will be ANC 2G. ANC 2G will hold its first meeting on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. Plans are to hold this meeting as a virtual conference. u