The Georgetown Metropolitan

Hello and welcome to your March Northwest Georgetown ANC update! It’s going to be 70 degrees at some point this week! Baseball’s getting played in Florida! Spring is coming!

There are lots of things going on with the ANC right now that I want to keep you up to date with. Here are the highlights:

Resident Only Parking

We are continuing to move towards making a formal request to the city to evaluate Georgetown for resident only parking (ROP). (I think most people are familiar with that system by now, but if not, here is a primer). We are scheduled to consider a resolution on the topic Monday night.1 As I write this (Saturday morning), I am anticipating this resolution being a statement of intent for the ANC that it is resolved to continue the process of evaluation and, where appropriate, implementation of ROP. Recent discussions with DDOT indicate that we need to do a little more work before the formal request to kick off the official DDOT evaluation process can be submitted.

In particular, DDOT is requesting that the ANC create a map of all the blocks that it wants considered for ROP. They want to work with us on what would even be possible, so a few draft may have to go back and forth. Once we settle on a map then we will formally submit it for consideration.

To be clear, this map would not be a guarantee that all the blocks flagged for ROP analysis will in fact get ROP in the end. But it does mean that if a block is not flagged for ROP analysis, it will not be evaluated for ROP and won’t get ROP.

I anticipate submitting my entire district for ROP consideration. We are squeezed between Wisconsin Ave. on one side and Georgetown University on the other, two major drivers of parking demand. I also have a small part east of Wisconsin Ave. that is similarly impacted. Just as a reminder, here are the contours of my district:

If you live within that blue box and you don’t want your block considered for ROP, let me know! If you live in other parts of Georgetown and want to express your preference to your commissioner, let them know. If you don’t know who your commissioner is, go here.

Lobby Bar Protest

The ANC is involved in a liquor license renewal protest against the Lobby Bar, which opened up at 1660 33rd St. last year. As many living around there know, even since it opened it has been operating its rear patio in an unacceptable manner. It stays open way past its permitted time frame and when it is open it is excessively loud.

Its license came up for renewal last year2 and the ANC protested its renewal based on the impact the bar’s violative behavior is having on the nearby residents. The Citizens Association and two abutting neighbors also protested. We were scheduled to hold the protest hearing on February 25th. Unfortunately the ABC Board had too full an agenda to fit it in, so it has been postponed. A new date has not yet been set.

I will keep you informed as the hearing is set and we proceed to the resolution.

Podcast

I started a podcast for Georgetown. It’s called Wisconsin and M and you can subscribe through Apple or Spotify. I will also be posting each episode through this newsletter. But if people find the extra emails annoying, please let me know!

I’m aiming for an episode every week or two covering topics from around the neighborhood. The episodes will be nice and short, 5-10 minutes. Although if it goes well, I may look into occasionally doing a slightly longer format with interviews or other deeper dives. We’ll see!

I’ve got a new episode on the annual spring events around Georgetown coming up next week. Stay tuned!

1

A complete draft agenda for Monday’s ANC meeting can be found here.

2

You may ask why a brand new bar would have its license come up for renewal so fast, but that is because the city renews all licenses at the same time, regardless of how long any particular license has been outstanding.

Photo by M.V. Jantzen.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s your weekly news round-up:

• The story behind the African American history plaques around Georgetown.
• Citizens Association of Georgetown hosting a community discussion tonight at 6:00 pm. I’ll be speaking but don’t let that keep you away!
• Business ins and outs.

The ANC will be meeting for our March session next Monday night at Visitation at 6:30 pm. A draft agenda is below.

The big ticket item of the evening will be our consideration of a request to DDOT to evaluate the introduction of Resident Only Parking and introduce it where appropriate in the neighborhood. For my part, I’ve heard fairly enthusiastic support for the idea from my constituents, so I look forward to pushing the idea forward. Come on out to let us know your thoughts!

Here is the full agenda:

Who needs another podcast? Nobody of course! But I’m going to do it anyway. I’ve been thinking about putting out a regular short (5-10 minute) podcast that covers news you should know as a Georgetown resident. My first podcast is about the state of the Potomac River and the Resident Only Parking proposal. Future episodes might cover fun history, short interviews, and other bits of info that make living here so great (or not so great, sometimes).

Listen to the first episode here!

The podcast will publish through the newsletter but I’m also going to make it available on all the usual platforms, if you want to get it there. Here is the RSS feed.

And let me know what you think! Even if you hate it! Maybe especially so! But also if you like it!

In January I reported that a long vacant lot on O St. just east of Hyde-Addison school was for sale. Now the new or prospective owner is proposing the construction of a new home on the lot, according to a recent Old Georgetown Board filing.

As I discussed in January, this lot is empty due to the previous owner controversially razing an existing home on this lot in 1997. The OGB filing includes news clippings covering that controversy, including photos of the building before and during the razing:

The plans submitted to OGB appear fairly conceptual at this point, which is a common approach in situations like this. This enables the owner and architect (Christian Zapaka in this case) to get a general sense for what the board will accept before they spend too much time and money on fleshing out the details.

One aspect of the design that the applicant is floating relates to the footprint. One option, (seen above) pulls back the east facade from the property line and puts the entrance on the east side, seen here from the east:

The other option would have the house go right up to the east property line and keep the entrance on the streetside:

To long time observers, the history leading up to the razing represented the epitome of demolition of neglect. Rumors have long circulated that as a form of informal punishment for the alleged demolition by neglect, no plans would be approved for a new building as long as the same owners held the lot. I cannot confirm those rumors at all, but it would be notable if almost 30 years later plans for a home get approved only along with an ownership change.

Photo by M.V. Jantzen.

Good morning Georgetown, here’s your weekly news roundup:

• Georgetown’s first cat cafe shuts down amidst claims of union busting.
• Where to find some women-owned restaurants around Georgetown.
• L.A. coffee shop coming to Wisconsin Ave.

Below is another periodic update on Hyde-Addison from Hyde parent Phil Mone:

Hyde Addison Elementary School (3219 O St NW) is a public school with grades PK-3 to 5 with an average class size of 19 (not including Hyde’s PK-3 class which is capped at 16). The school’s in-boundary attendance zone includes the neighborhoods of Georgetown, Burleith, and Hillandale. 

I have lived in Georgetown and Burleith for 15 years and this is our fourth year at Hyde.  Our three eldest children are students there now (3^rd grade, 1^st grade, PK-4) and they love it.

I believe Hyde is the best elementary school for my kids

I’ve been impressed with Hyde.  One reason is the focus on learning, and the standardized test scores bear that out (Hyde has the highest of all public elementary schools in DC).  Another is the Hyde community—the students/families, the teachers (amazing teacher retention—the average teacher at Hyde has been there for 7 years), and the administration (including the award winning principal, Dr. Calvin Hooks).

Just last week we learned that Hyde has been designated as a Cahn Fellowship School. This designation is due to Dr. Hooks selection as one of a small number of principals chosen nationally for a Cahn Distinguished Principals Fellowship (scroll down to see Dr. Hooks here: https://www.cahnfellowship.org/fellows-2025-2026 )

Another reason Hyde is excellent is the annual six-figure fundraising by Hyde’s PTA, with 100% of contributions directly supporting school programs and activities beyond the basics, such as extra books and supplies, field trip scholarships, and professional development for Hyde’s excellent teachers.  Hyde is financially supported by Hyde families (my wife and I donate annually), residents of Georgetown and Burleith who do not have students at the school (but who love supporting and strengthening their local public elementary school), and local business. 

Hyde’s annual Spring Gala will be held at St John’s Episcopal (right across O St from Hyde) on Saturday April 25.  The Spring Gala is Hyde’s biggest fundraiser and is a great opportunity for local businesses to show the Hyde community that they support excellence in public schools. 

If you know of a local business interested in being a sponsor, please message me and/or direct them to the Spring Gala sponsorship page!

https://hae.schoolauction.net/jazzafterdark/register/ticket_sales

My ANC colleagues, Daniel Chao and Paul Maysak, and I were asked to submit an editorial to the Georgetowner on the resident only parking proposal. In case you missed it, here it is below:

The ANC is exploring a change to how parking is managed in Georgetown that we think it will make the lives of residents a little easier. It’s called Resident Only Parking (ROP) and here’s why we think it’s worth introducing to Georgetown.

Since Covid, there has been a surge of people who commute to Georgetown and park all day. Parking enforcement has collapsed as an effective deterrent. We have helped our neighbors call, email, beg, and plead for enforcement and our ANC issued multiple resolutions as well.  But few improvements have been achieved.

The city is facing steep challenges in staffing that have and will continue to limit how much more enforcement we can expect to see. We have no choice but to consider other available strategies. That’s where ROP comes in.

Currently, anyone can park in any space for two hours.  Then they have to leave. Residents with Zone 2 stickers, of course, are exempt from the two hour limit and can remain for as long as they want. Contractors, nannies, etc. who hold a valid visitors parking pass (VPP) are also exempt and can remain for as long as the pass is valid.

Under ROP, approximately half the spaces on the block would be set aside for residents or those with a VPP. No one else would be allowed to park there. The other half of the spaces would remain as they currently are, open to anyone.

Each ANC Commissioner must first ask DDOT to study the blocks they wish to designate to receive ROP and DDOT will evaluate the need, then affirm or deny the request. After a block is designated ROP, if it does not help alleviate the problem as expected, the ANC reserves the right to ask DDOT to switch back to the pre-existing RPP for that block.

The city piloted the ROP in other parts of the city ten years ago with success. Residents found it easier to park closer to their home and not have to worry about carrying heavy groceries or items in and out, or resort to double parking for a minute and face the ire and angry horns of an impatient driver who can’t pass.

Based on that experience, we believe Georgetowners would see a similar improvement. We expect to consider the formal request at our March 2nd meeting.  We welcome your input about what you are seeing on your block and look forward to hearing from you.

Perhaps you’ve heard, but if not: there was a massive sewer main break up along the C&O Canal near the DC and Maryland border. Millions of gallons of raw sewage poured out and into the river. It was really bad.

Well it’s still really bad. All that incredibly harmful material is still working its way downstream. And as a consequence, the river has exceedingly high levels of dangerous materials like E. Coli and Staph. Councilmember Pinto put out a warning yesterday to tell people to stay away from the river right now:

As DC Water continues to work to address the recent sewage spill into the Potomac River, my primary focus remains protecting public health and our ecosystem, and I want to provide you with important updates you need to know:

Your drinking water is treated and remains safe. The overflow occurred downstream from the Washington Aqueduct’s intakes at Great Falls.

It’s now estimated to take 4-6 weeks of additional time for cleaning and repairs after a recent inspection of the Potomac Interceptor revealed a blockage inside the sewer line.

Keep distance between the riverbank, river water and you and your pets. Do not have any contact with the river water, including fishing and boating. Clean yourself or your clothing as soon as possible if you touch water or land along the riverbank.

Remember it is never safe to walk on frozen ice over the river.

Freezing may preserve the bacteria, which can be released later when the ice melts again.

We will continue to share what we know and work towards long-term remediation plans.

So stay away from the river until you hear the all clear!

Last year I reported on the sad news that despite what I previously thought, deep cold stretches in the winter do not reduce the amount of mosquitos in the following summer. I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, but here’s what I wrote last yeat:

One consolation I have long taken from intense cold snaps Iike the one we are experiencing now is that it would kill off more mosquitos and lead to a less buggy season next summer. If you have also had this understanding, I am sorry to inform you that we’ve been wrong.

It is true that mosquitoes become less active when the temperature drops below 50 degrees. And many do die with the onset of freezing temperatures. But they long ago evolved as a species to handle cold winters. Depending on the species, they either enter hibernation or lay eggs. And in both cases the creatures are able to withstand much colder weather than we’re dealing with right now.

And really, that makes a lot of sense, seeing as places like Alaska or northern Canada have huge swarms of mosquitos, despite also having bitterly cold winters.

The good news? There is one climate phenomenon that actually can reduce the mosquito levels. As insect expert Dr. Daniel Markowski told WUSA a few years ago: “consistent cold isn’t as bad for mosquitos as cycles of warm and cold days that keep waking them up throughout the winter. Waking up burns energy, and if it happens often enough, it can be deadly for the insects.”

So if we get a nice midwinter thaw, followed by another freeze-up, not only will that give us a respite from the cold, it may actually make our summer gardens a bit more pleasant!