Category Archives: ANC

Student Group Aims to Encourage More Solar Panel Use

Last week, GM previewed tonight’s ANC meeting. One of the items is a presentation on the topic of solar energy by some group labeled Georgetown Energy. A Google search didn’t come up with an answer what exactly this group is. But hanging off the doorknobs of Georgetown yesterday was the answer. Georgetown Energy is a group of G.U. students who are committed to encouraging more solar panel use by area residents.

The website provides a couple handy guides such as one on the merits of installing solar panels. The group uses as a model a coop that was created in Mount Pleasant. But how likely is it that solar panels can find much of a home in Georgetown? Continue reading

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ANC Preview: Lousy Smarch Edition

After the drama of last month’s ANC meeting, most normal ANC meetings would seem boring. But from its agenda, next week’s seems especially so. If the agenda has one redeeming quality, it would be brevity.

But GM will bite the bullet and try and make it at least sound interesting:

Solar Panels

Some organization named Georgetown Energy will be presenting on solar panels. Solar panels have a particularly tough time finding an application in Georgetown given the strict design review protections, but it doesn’t mean they have no place here. What this group will specifically discuss, though, GM hasn’t a clue.

So Long Traffic Lights

Several months ago the traffic lights on P St. in the East Village were converted to stop signs after a trial period of flashing red lights. The experiment was transfered over to the West Village last month. Presumably the trial red lights worked out and soon 33rd and Q, 34th and Q, and 34th and Reservoir will convert to stop signs. Continue reading

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ANC Round Up: The Great Jelleff Battle of 2010

Passions ran high last night at the February ANC meeting as the commission addressed the deal between the city and the Maret School concerning the Jelleff fields. Constituencies from across the board were represented by speakers throughout the entire two hours spent talking about it. Huge kudos go to Chairman Ron Lewis for managing the contentious and difficult discussion. While it was the most dramatic ANC meeting GM has ever attended, the tenor of the discussions was civil and (for the most part) orderly.

Here’s an audio recording of the Jelleff discussion:

The Case for the Deal

The discussion started off with a brief statement from acting Director of Parks and Recreation, Jesús Aguirre. Aguirre began describing how great it was that the city purchased the land from the Boys and Girls club. He then casually transitioned into a discussion of the deal with Maret. But cutting to the chase: Aguirre has only been acting Director for two months. He had little to do with this process and, frankly, added little to the proceedings last night other than to acknowledge that the process was not ideal.

The responsibility to defend the deal fell primarily to Maret School Head Marjo Talbott. Talbott rested her defense on three main points: Continue reading

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ANC February Preview: The Hangover Edition

Last month the Old Georgetown Board did not meet. This had the fortunate by-product of making January’s ANC meeting short and sweet. Unfortunately, as the bender is followed by the hangover, so is the short ANC meeting followed by the tedious marathon.

The February ANC meeting must address all the Old Georgetown Board applications that have been queuing up for the last two months. As a result, we’ve got 15 different projects to trudge through next week. But nestled in that morass are several interesting items.

The first item that jumped out at GM as soon as he saw it is Brooks Brothers’ application to redo the Pottery Barn storefront. At the meeting we’ll find out whether Brooks Brothers is going to occupy the entire building or just one of the sections (the building has the Pottery Barn and the old Smith and Hawken spaces). Also, we ought to get a decent idea on when the store will open up.

The second item that ought to cause some interest is the presentation of the plan to renovate the Jelleff sports fields. GM has weighed in on his opinions, but at the meeting the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Maret School will be present to explain/defend the proposal. Continue reading

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ANC Round Up: Small Country, Short Meeting

Liechtenstein: Actual Size

Last night the ANC made good on GM’s prediction and held what is likely to be its shortest meeting of the year. This was mostly as a result of the fact that the Old Georgetown Board took a powder for January, and that cuts out about half the items from the agenda. Or as Commissioner Birch said “we learned tonight what it’s like to be a commissioner on an ANC that doesn’t have to send 15 projects to the Old Georgetown Board every month.” Although according to what GM’s heard about other ANC’s, like the notorious Foggy Bottom ANC, lacking Old Georgetown Board items is no impediment to interminable meetings.

While the meeting was short on OGB applications, it was still long on interesting items.

Crime Report

Lieutenant Hedgecock gave a presentation on crime and MPD’s efforts in Georgetown. One item at the top of the list was the probable resurfacing of the Georgetown Sexual Assaulter. On early Sunday morning a woman on Calvert St. in Glover Park was awoken with a man hugging her. After he started to make thrusting moves against her she screamed and he ran. As with all the other similar occurences she was unable to give a description of the offender.

Lieutenant Hedgecock gave a little more information on the series of attacks. He stated that years ago a man was arrested for similar offenses. He stated, however, that they do not believe the crimes are connected. He did add, though, that they believe these assaults are being perpetrated by multiple assailants.

One more sad bit: the individual who was found dead underneath the M St. bridge on Thursday was not simply a victim of the cold, as many suspected. He appears to have jumped or fallen off the bridge. Hedgecock could provide no more information on the case. Continue reading

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ANC Preview: Here’s Your Chance

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to stay at an ANC meeting until the bitter end? Of course you haven’t! But that’s no reason not to do it at least once. And next Monday may be your best chance.

The Old Georgetown Board doesn’t meet in January. Therefore the ANC doesn’t have a single Old Georgetown Matter to consider. As a result, Monday’s meeting will be the shortest of the year.

But that doesn’t mean it will be boring! Well, at least not by ANC standards. Check out a few of the items on the agenda:

  • An update from Safeway. Will they meet their May deadline? Have they rented out the first floor retail yet?
  • Snow removal. How did the city perform? How about citizens and businesses?
  • West End Fire Station. How would we be covered if the city goes ahead with plans to redevelop the West End Fire Station plot?
  • Philly Pizza Showdown. Tuesday is the big showdown before the Zoning Administrator for Philly Pizza. Does the restaurant have a chance?

So come on over to Visitation Monday night and join in on the condensed fun.

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ANC Round Up: Let There Be Neon Light

The ANC met last night for the final time in 2009. After a year of contentious fights over topics from the Apple store to drunken alumni parades, the final meeting last night seemed a bit anti-climatic. But that’s not to say there were no interesting developments.

Fiat Neon Lux

The most exciting item on the agenda was the proposed renovation of the Georgetown theater sign. The iconic sign at 1351 Wisconsin has not lit up in many years and has slowly rusted away. The plan discussed last night would fix that.

The BID is kicking in $50,000 to restore the landmark. There’s a bit of deja vu with this since several years ago another plan was floated to renovate the sign, but never got off the ground. Let’s hope this time is different.

The sign will be repainted in its original black color and the neon lights will be their original “rose” color.

When (jokingly) asked whether this meant the theater was coming back too, the architect laughed and said he couldn’t say. (Translation: no).

GM is thrilled that this sign will be returned to its former glory. A little more clarification on what is going to happen to the building it’s attached to would be even better. Continue reading

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Reminder: ANC Meeting Tonight

No rest for the weary: the ANC jumps right back into action tonight at 6:30 at Visitation. They’ll cover the possible repair of the Georgetown Theater sign, Philadelphia Pizza, and another cupcake joint, among other topics.

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ANC Preview

While your belt may still be a few notches too tight from Thanksgiving, the ANC will still be back and open for business next Monday night. The agenda was released yesterday, and while it’s not quite the cornucopia that last month’s was, it’s still got some interesting topics.

Georgetown Theater Sign

Apparently there is an application pending with the Old Georgetown Board regarding the, well, old Georgetown Theater neon sign. Hopefully it means that the owners, the Heon family, are planning on restoring the iconic sign to its former glory. As reported here, the building was put up for sale this summer. GM wonders where this application fits into that plan. Continue reading

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ANC Roundup: 2012 Edition

In just over two year’s time, several pockets of Georgetown will have made significant changes from today. That was the theme of last night’s ANC meeting. The Future. Which is an odd theme for a historic district, but there you go.

The heart of last night’s meeting revolved around three projects that will probably seem to take an eternity to finish, but once done will hopefully be great additions to the neighborhood. These are the trolley tracks on O and P, and the conversion of two historic buildings into residential units: the Hurt Home and the Georgetown Post Office. Continue reading

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