Gt 01 13 2016

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The Georgetown Current

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Cheh pushes ban on gas leaf blowers

a day in the park

Design panel opposes AMC Theatres plans ■ Georgetown: Project calls

By BRADY HOLT

for replacing old ‘Loews’ sign

Current Staff Writer

Noisy leaf blowers have increasingly caused headaches for many in Northwest — literally and figuratively. But these residents may have a respite to look forward to eventually: In 2022, gas-powered leaf blowers would be banned in the District under a new bill introduced last week by Ward 3 D.C. Council member Mary Cheh. The Leaf Blower Amendment Act of 2016 — co-sponsored by Ward 2’s Jack Evans — would impose a $500 fine for using the devices after that date, and would shift enforcement from the Metropolitan Police Department to the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. There are already existing regulations intended to prevent noise impacts from leaf blowers, limiting sound output to 70 decibels heard from 50 feet away. But some residents allege that many gaspowered leaf blowers exceed those current levels. Cheh agreed in an interview that the specificity of this requirement has made enforcement difficult, and that police officers have better things to do than try to establish decibel readings for lawn equipment. The bill, in broadly banning the noisy devices, will more easily address a perennial grievance for many constituents, Cheh said. “The purpose of it, straight up, is to respond to the noise complaints,” she said. “Particularly starting in the fall, I get lots and lots of emails from people who complain about the noise.” The concept of a ban gained momentum last fall with a vote by Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D, which includes Foxhall, the Palisades, Spring Valley and Wesley Heights. That commission called for a ban after reviewing research by a group of Wesley Heights residents who said gaspowered leaf blowers cause polluSee Bill/Page 7

Vol. XXV, No. 24

Serving Burleith, Foxhall, Georgetown, Georgetown Reservoir & Glover Park

By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer

Brian Kapur/The Current

The first of the weekly non-competitive 5K “Parkruns” took place Saturday morning along the C&O Canal’s towpath, following a loop that began and ended at Fletcher’s Cove. The run’s participants included Mayor Muriel Bowser and Ward 3 D.C. Council member Mary Cheh.

AMC Theatres is in the early stages of planning interior and exterior renovations for its Georgetown multiplex, according to a recent presentation before the local advisory neighborhood commission. For the exterior, AMC’s architects are planning three major changes: a new AMC streetfront sign to replace the misleading “Loews Theatres” sign that currently tops the 3111 K St. NW building; a new sidewalk “blade sign” to advertise the redesigned theater to passersby; and a reduction in the number of doors entering the building, from six to three. An architect from the Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber firm presented the exterior concepts on Jan. 4 to the neighborhood commission, which voted to oppose the designs and request revisions. The interior matters are not subject to commission approval. The Old Georgetown Board, which deals with preservation issues for

Brian Kapur/The Current

The 3111 K St. cinema intends to renovate inside and out.

the historic neighborhood, followed suit a few days later. Neighborhood commissioner Bill Starrels, at the Jan 4. meeting, raised objections to all three aspects of the exterior proposal. He shared concerns about what would happen if theatergoers were forced to squeeze through only three doors in case of emergency. He also pointed out that the proposed AMC sign would exceed Historic Preservation Office guidelines for signage height of only 1 foot. “The logo is too large and not in keeping in any way, shape or form with the standards of Georgetown, especially this location across from the waterfront park,” Starrels said. See Cinema/Page 3

Choral group offers ‘encore’ performance to mature singers By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer

It’s never too late to learn something new, even if you’ve never sung a note in your life and that new thing is choral singing. That’s the guiding principle for Encore Creativity, a local organization that hosts biannual crash courses in choral singing for seniors over 55, with professional-level concert performances at the end. This spring, some changes are in store for the nonprofit’s largest program, Capital Encore Chorale. The D.C. program will be moving into a new home at the First Congregational United Church of Christ at 945 G St. NW, relocating from the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center. And in a new offering this spring, participants can choose between the traditional chorale and Encore Rocks D.C., a new rock ’n’ roll

Photo courtesy of Larry Kelly

Members of the 55-and-over chorale rehearse one of their numbers for a previous concert.

alternative. Even with the changes, the mission of helping older area residents discover a new passion remains intact, according to conductor Jeffrey Dokken. “We try to provide people with a profes-

sional opportunity. It’s not just getting together and singing in unison,” said Dokken, who will conduct Encore Rocks D.C. and four other Encore chorales this spring. “It’s just rewarding to watch these people who never thought they could do choral singing really just flourish in this system.” Encore Creativity was founded in 2007 by Jeanne Kelly, who previously created the Levine School of Music’s Virginia campus. The idea sparked from a National Endowment for the Arts study that Kelly worked on in 2001, which revealed that seniors who sing under a professional conductor tend to be healthier and more productive in their later years. The study concluded after three years, but its corresponding singing program continued. A few years later, Kelly decided to take it on full-time. See Chorale/Page 5

NEWS

SPORTS

SHERWOOD

INDEX

MLK plans advance

Sidwell tames Tigers

Playing the odds

Calendar/16 Classifieds/21 District Digest/4 Exhibits/17 In Your Neighborhood/14 Opinion/8

Planning commission is mostly supportive of library renovation plan but seeks tweaks / Page 3

Quakers’ girls basketball team edges Wilson 55-52 with help from penalties / Page 11

Americans seek record lotto payoff as D.C. GOP seeks to boost voice at convention / Page 8

Police Report/6 Real Estate/15 School Dispatches/10 Service Directory/19 Sports/11 Week Ahead/3

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