The NorThwesT CurreNT
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Vol. XLIX, No. 30
Serving Chevy Chase, Colonial Village, Shepherd Park, Brightwood, Crestwood, Petworth & 16th Street Heights
Affordable housing rules to tighten
SUMMER PASTIMES
■ Zoning: Commission set to
finalize reform in September By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer
Developers will likely be required to provide some newly built rental apartments to tenants earning less than 60 percent of the region’s median family income, following a preliminary vote by
the Zoning Commission last Wednesday. The commission unanimously adopted a reform to the 9-year-old inclusionary zoning program, which requires that a developer set aside affordable housing in a project that creates 10 or more residential units — currently 8 to 10 percent of most projects. The program also allows developers to exceed some density restrictions if part of the extra space is set aside
as affordable. But in a region with many high-income households, the Zoning Commission concluded that the current inclusionary zoning, or IZ, standards weren’t adequate. Today, most of the units are provided for households at 80 percent of the median family income; the primary change in the Zoning Commission’s new rules reduces that level to 60 percent for rental See Housing/Page 5
Disability access faulted at Lafayette Park By BRADY HOLT Current Staff Writer
Brian Kapur/The Current
As part of the D.C. Public Library’s annual summer reading program, Washington Nationals pitcher Shawn Kelley read to kids at Chevy Chase Library on Saturday. The program encourages children to log eight hours of reading to earn Nationals tickets and other prizes.
When the District proudly unveiled the renovated playground at Lafayette Park in early 2015, Chevy Chase resident Jamie Davis Smith was optimistic. Her 10-year-old daughter needs assistance to walk and generally uses a wheelchair, and Davis Smith was looking forward to all of her children being able to use the park near their home together. But the family was quickly disappointed: Following the $1.5 million renovation of the 5900 33rd St. NW site, access to the playground had actually become more challenging for people with disabilities. What’s more, Lafayette Park — along with the playgrounds that were renovated this year at Kalorama Park — appear to violate federal Americans with Disabilities Act standards. According to a complaint filed July 14 on Davis Smith’s behalf by the
Brian Kapur/Current file photo
The Lafayette playground is one of two newly renovated facilities to draw an ADA complaint.
Disability Rights DC agency, the parks present multiple barriers to entry by wheelchair users. Kristina Majewski, attorney for the disability See Playgrounds/Page 13
Harry Potter mania set to return to Northwest
Panel gives preliminary nod to Georgia Eastern project
By MARK LIEBERMAN
■ Development: Mixed-use
Current Staff Writer
Molly Olivo grew up counting down the days before the midnight release parties for the latest Harry Potter books. And like many of her fellow Potter obsessives, Olivo went into a kind of mourning following the July 21, 2007, release of J.K. Rowling’s final novel in the series, feeling the loss of a tradition that defined her adolescence. “Harry Potter was the first time that I ever read a book and wanted to live in that world,” Olivo said. Olivo and the legions of Potterheads worldwide couldn’t have anticipated that Rowling would commission a British theater production to pick up with the narrative of Harry Potter — or that the script for that production would be released in the United States as a stand-alone publication.
building will include grocery Brian Kapur/The Current
Barstons Child’s Play is one of several local shops hosting midnight release parties on Saturday.
Now Olivo gets to be a part of the Harry Potter phenomenon once again. But this time, she’s behind the scenes, planning Saturday’s festivities as part of her duties as the new book buyer for Barstons Child’s Play at 5536 Connecticut Ave. NW in Chevy Chase. The store’s party is one of several across Northwest that will welcome Potter fans of all ages in the hours leading up to the release of Jack Thorne’s See Potter/Page 13
By MARK LIEBERMAN Current Staff Writer
A major Ward 4 development near the Maryland line scored key support Monday as the Zoning Commission took proposed action on approving the project after months of back-and-forth with neighborhood leaders and residents. The Georgia Eastern project from Douglas Development, at 7828 Georgia Ave. NW, would
consist of 199 apartment units and 56,000 square feet of retail space for a full-size Harris Teeter grocery store. The site would offer 130 below-ground parking spaces for Harris Teeter customers and 141 for apartment residents, all accessed from nearby Kalmia Road NW, as well as a community room for neighborhood use. The new structure would replace aging low-rise commercial buildings on Georgia and Eastern avenues. The Zoning Commission’s final action on the project is scheduled for Sept. 12, with the developer expected to work out issues See Georgia/Page 15
NEWS
GETTING AROUND
SPORTS
INDEX
Superfresh project
Bike lane blocked
Tiger picks Hokies
Calendar/16 Classifieds/22 District Digest/4 Exhibits/17 Getting Around/14 In Your Neighborhood/12
Development’s scale continues to divide American University Park neighbors / Page 3
Area cyclists lament disruption to L Street NW protected lane during construction project / Page 14
Wilson High star receiver Sean Savoy will play football for Virginia Tech in 2017 / Page 9
Opinion/6 Police Report/8 Real Estate/11 Service Directory/20 Sports/9 Week Ahead/3
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