PUBLIC HEARING ON PESTICIDE CONSUMER NOTIFICATION AMENDMENT ACT OF 2007
A hearing on Bill 17-493, or the Pesticide Consumer Notification Amendment Act of 2007, was conducted on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008. Councilmember Mary M. Cheh, Chairperson of the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs was joined by Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser to hear written testimony from Loretta Carter Hanes, a Ward 4 resident who had been, along with her husband and two children, poisoned by improperly applied pesticides in her home over a decade ago. In addition to Hanes’ personal experiences, the committee heard from numerous other members of the community including residents, those in the business community, and representatives from various environmental organizations.

At the hearing, the proposed bill received overwhelming support from those testifying, although several suggestions were made for amendments that would clarify the proposed legislation and ease its implementation once passed. Gene Harrington, the Director of Government Affairs for the National Pest Management Association, made several suggestions including requiring landlords, not pesticide applicators, be responsible for the notification of the application of pesticides in a building, as they are already in frequent contact with tenants. Harrington’s suggestion was also supported later during testimony by Robert Dixon of Dixon’s Pest Control, reiterating that it would be inappropriate to require applicators to become involved in the relationship between a landlord and his or her tenants. Additionally, Herrington proposed that the legislation apply to all pesticide applicators, not just those legally licensed in the trade. He explained that this would eliminate potential competitive disadvantages created unintentionally by the proposed bill to licensed applicators.

The bill, drafted by Councilmember Bowser, is based on the statute currently in place in Maryland and would parallel the District with many other progressive jurisdictions around the country. Councilmember Bowser noted that the District has not passed major legislation relating to pesticides in over 30 years, making this bill pertinent to the future health of its residents.

WARD 4 NEWS BRIEFS
On Jan. 19, Councilmember Muriel Bowser joined Fire and Emergency Medical Service Department staff to go door-to-door during a Smoke Alarm Verification and Utilization event. The event focused on the 500 and 600 blocks of Quintana Place, NW, testing and installing free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors if needed. Councilmember Bowser noted that during her tenure, Ward 4 has had three fires with double fatalities, stressing the importance of working smoke detectors in the homes of all Ward 4 residents. Residents may call (202) 727-1600 or visit www.fems.dc.gov to schedule a FREE smoke detector installation in their own home.

District Chief of Police Cathy Lanier promoted Linda Brown to Commander of the Fourth District Metropolitan Police Department on Jan. 17. Commander Brown, who has spent her entire 20 year career with the Metropolitan Police Department, had been serving as the acting commander of the Fourth District since mid-November 2007.

A hearing on the status of several Petworth neighborhood development projects will take place on February 5 at 7 p.m. at the Israel CME Church at 557 Randolph Street NW. Councilmember Muriel Bowser will be on hand to update the community on the projects along with representatives from Safeway who will be there to present and discuss their plans for construction of a new store at their Petworth location. Also on the agenda will be the Park Place project above the Petworth Metro Station as well as the residences at 3910 Georgia Avenue. Representatives and spokespersons will be in attendance from all the development teams and District government agencies involved. For more information, contact Brandon Todd at (202) 724-8052

WARD 4 ANC NEWS

ANC 4B
The members of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4B met with community members and residents at the Emery Recreation Center on Jan. 24 for their first meeting of the New Year. On the agenda were two recommendations for the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB), one for a new single family home at 7112 Chestnut Street, NW, and another for New Testament Church at 400 Butternut Street, NW. Attendees heard testimony from the owner of the Chestnut Street property as well as his architect and voted to support a recommendation of the project pending approval from the HPRB. Representatives for the New Testament Church were not present at the meeting so a vote was not made.

A resolution was met with unanimous approval from the Commission to push the completion of a previously approved proposal for a signal light at Sheraton and Georgia Avenues, NW. Approved over a year ago, there still has been no progress made in the effort to increase the safety of pedestrians and motorists at this intersection which has been the location for several recent serious automobile accidents.

Also unanimously approved was the proposed curb cut at 501 Riggs Road, NE. The driveway permit request was made by representatives from the Riggs Park Recreation Center, an overwhelmingly popular recent addition to the community. The driveway would allow entrance into the centers public parking lot.

The January meeting ended with the election of new officers for 2008. Douglass Sloan (4B09) was elected Committee Chair, Faith Wheeler (4B02) was elected Vice Chair, Sara Green (4B01) was elected Secretary, and Frederick Grant (4B03) was elected Treasurer.

The next ANC 4B meeting is on February 28, 7 p.m., at the Emery Recreation Center at 5701 Georgia Avenue, NW.

ANC 4C
Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4C met at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Patrol Services Bureau Building on Jan. 8. Elections were held an hour into the meeting with all officers keeping their current positions on the Commission. Several items of new business were addressed, one of which was the request for the Commission to oppose the planned expansion of the Church of Latter Day Saints at 4901 16th Street, NW. Several neighbors from Single Member District 4C02, represented by Commissioner Damian Nickens, were in attendance. Complaints regarding the manner in which the project’s construction was being executed as well as noise levels from construction equipment in the very early morning hours were just a few of the things the community members brought forward as reasons to oppose the continued construction.

Next months ANC 4C meeting will be February 12, 6:30 p.m., in the Community Room of the Patrol Services Bureau Building at 801 Shepherd Street, NW.

ANC 4D
On Jan. 15, ANC 4D met at 7 p.m. in the 4th District Police Headquarters. A majority of the meeting was spent developing an agenda for 2008 by hearing community member’s comments and concerns. Guidance was requested from residents of First Street, NW, regarding a noticeably frequent occurrence of drug transactions outside of an apartment building on the street. Local contractors living within the community requested the ANC’s support to use as leverage to obtain government money for small contractors living in the Ward. Several small business owners in the 4D district requested more support of the business community from the ANC, stating that the Commission should show interest in both the citizens of their district as well as those involved in the economy of the district.

Chief Saunders of the Fourth Batallion Fire and Rescue spoke about the fatal fire at 5610 Kansas Avenue, NW, which had occurred the week previous, encouraging community members to check their smoke detectors in their homes as well as alert their neighbors and friends in the area about the importance of having a working detector. The Chief noted that had the home on Kansas Avenue been properly equipped, that two lives might have been saved.

ANC 4D will meet again on February 19 at 7 p.m. in the 4th District Police Headquarters at 6001 Georgia Avenue, NW.