Alcohol on the Rocks
ANC 6A appointed Commissioner Mary Beatty to testify before the July 11 DC Council hearing on the Ward 6-wide ban on single sales of beer. ANC 6A is the only ANC in the ward with a current moratorium on singles, making their experience an important one to highlight at the hearing.

Beatty, in her testimony, also sought inclusion of small bottles of spirits, which was added in the most recent version of the bill. Beatty reports that the process for exemptions was also tightened, “with the burden shifting to [the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration] to prove that an establishment should be allowed” to sell singles.

The Ward 6 legislation proposes a clause that allows individual commissions to sign voluntary agreements (VAs) that would allow the sale of singles in individual establishments, which the ANC decided to oppose. Chair Joe Fengler proposed that if the VA clause is allowed to stand, that they set a high hurdle, requiring a two-thirds vote in order for an ANC to sign a VA allowing single sales. He proposed that a commission be allowed to revoke such a VA if approved by a simple majority of commissioners present at a public meeting. He also suggested that the ward ban include spirits, as the ANC moratorium bans spirits in half-pint containers or smaller.

The ward ban will have no effect on the existing ANC 6A moratorium, which is stronger. However, the ward ban is a permanent ban, not a moratorium, which carries an expiration date.

The commission also voted to seek a VA regarding noise mitigation with the Radius at the Ohio, a new restaurant to be located at 1380 H St. NE. The Radius is also seeking an entertainment endorsement but said they wouldn’t use it for at least five years. Their location is at the old Ohio, as the name reflects, and they are planning to have a covered patio and rooftop seating. The ANC plans to request physical attributes built into the outdoor seating areas that would mitigate noise.

Commissioner Nick Alberti abstained from this decision and will continue to abstain from certain decisions related to alcohol, as his new position on the ABC Board forces him to recuse himself in matters that could cause a conflict.

The ANC also decided to seek legislation to reverse the current situation in which VA signatories relinquish their right to hold party status in a protest of an establishment.

The ANC also decided to seek legislation which would increase the number of residents or property owners needed to protest a liquor license from five to 15, and require that all 15 live within a 600-foot radius of the establishment. All 15 would have to be present at a status hearing, which some commissioners worried was too great an obstacle, as many people have jobs that do not allow time off, as much as a person would want to appear at the hearing. Some argued that if a protest could not garner 15 people willing and able to appear, it must not have a significant enough base of support.

They considered allowing the use of power of attorney as a proxy for up to 25 percent of the protestors, but that amendment failed. They decided first to seek the legislation and to hammer out the details as the legislation moves forward.

A Streetcar Named H Street?
Jason Broehm of the Sierra Club appeared at the meeting to ask the ANC to support streetcars on H Street. The Sierra Club works on regional air quality, including improvements to Metro and a long-term plan for creating streetcar lines. An Anacostia line has encountered some problems, but Broehm said there is broad community support for the H Street line, which shows great promise. Broehm said a successful H Street streetcar line could persuade other neighborhoods across the city – he specifically mentioned Georgia Avenue – to install streetcar lines as well. Broehm highlighted the fact that while Metrorail exists more to get people in and out of the city, streetcars would be an option to transport people from neighborhood to neighborhood within the city limits.

ANC 6C had already signed on to join with the Sierra Club’s letter to the District Department of Transportation as a partner organization, and ANC 6A had no trouble deciding to lend their support as well. The vote was unanimous, and the Transportation Committee offered to help in any way.

The H Street line would go from Union Station to the Minnesota Avenue Metro station along H Street and Benning Road, though plans are not yet firm. The Sierra Club and other proponents hope streetcars will take cars off the road by giving people a convenient alternative to driving and a more appealing one than the bus. The ANC also hopes that an additional transportation option will bring more traffic to the H Street corridor, which is not served by a nearby Metro station.

Several tests remain for the streetcars. For example, the most common power source for streetcars is overhead wires, but there is a law dating to the late 1800s that is read to prohibit overhead wires in the L'Enfant city (which includes H Street.) “Other options that I understand may be under consideration are underground power and battery power,” said Broehm.

Though the costs are not completely known yet, sources say the H Street Great Streets streetscape contract is for about $30 million, including the laying of tracks. The three streetcars already purchased by DDOT for the Anacostia line cost about $3 million each, and DDOT Director Emeka Monome has said the H Street line would need about five cars. The costs associated with the power source and building a maintenance facility are unknown.

Peak Oil
The ANC took up the issue of a proposed new gas station at 1400 Maryland Ave. NE. Neighbors are opposed to it for a number of reasons but primary among them is the public space the gas station will inevitably use. Though plans show all of its installations on its own property, access to the station would pass through public space.

The ANC agreed to the Economic Development and Zoning Committee’s recommendations to ask DDOT to ensure a number of requirements for the gas station, including no parking, signs or equipment on public space; no new curb cuts; limitations on the width of the easement; landscaping of the surrounding public space and the payment of market rate rent to the city for the use of public space. The ANC acknowledged that a prohibition on new curb cuts would make it very difficult for a gas station to function.

The ANC also agreed to ask the BZA to delay their ruling on the gas station until they get these limitations on use of public space established. They are also asking DDOT’s Public Space Committee for a public hearing regarding the public space application.

ED&Z committee member Barbara Halleck noted that according to her research, neighbors’ protests of proposed gas stations on the basis of noise and trash never win. The public space angle may prove more effective.

Garage Objection
Commissioner David Holmes reported that the Historic Preservation Review Board formally approved the application for a garage deck at 225 Ninth St. NE, which was discussed at the previous meeting but never received an up or down vote by the ANC. Holmes said it was the first such approval in memory in a historic district and suggested the ANC might want to consider objecting.

Crime Fighters
Joe Fengler noted that crime has been flat or down from last year for all crimes except for assaults, which are way up in PSA 102. He said white men walking after 9:30 at night wearing iPods seemed especially vulnerable.

Commissioner Bill Schultheiss mentioned that his neighbor, Tony Snesko, almost singlehandedly caught a burglar behind the Atlas. Snesko reportedly called the police and chased the burglar down while police were on their way. The burglar was locked up.

Creative School Fundraising
Commissioner Beatty reported that she had met with Charles Vincent, head of the Options Public Charter School at 1375 E St. NE, who let her know the school is considering putting three Verizon antennae on top of the school. They had found suitable spots that were high enough to transmit from and wanted ANC approval. Verizon would pay $24,000 in rent.

ANC 6A meetings are held the second Thursday of each month at 7 p.m., at Miner Elementary School, at 601 15th St. NE. There will be no meeting in the month of August. Visit www.anc6a.org for more information. The listserv for ANC6A is anc6a-announce@yahoogroups.com.