October Membership Meeting - Candidates Forum

Please join the Logan Circle Community Association for its October meeting and candidates forum on October 15, 2008 from 7-10 p.m. at the Washington Plaza Hotel. We will host candidates for At-Large and Ward council positions, as well as ANC2F candidates. Candidates who have already confirmed include Ward 2 Candidates Jack Evans and Christina Culver, At-Large Candidates Carol Schwartz, Patrick Mara, Kwame Brown, and David Schwartzman, and nearly all of the ANC2F candidates. We are very excited for this event and hopeful for a great turnout. The format will allow each candidate to provide an opening statement followed by a question and answer period. To ensure we are as efficient as possible, we are encouraging you to email us questions in advance.

Also, LCCA's annual board elections will be held in November, and we have several seats up for reelection, including Vice President, Recording Secretary, and several at-large positions. If you are interested in running, please send us an email. Nominations will be held at the October meeting. Our annual November awards dinner will be November 20, 2008, also at the Washington Plaza.

Finally, and most importantly, please mark your calendars for Saturday, November 8 for Lt. Smith's retirement party to be held at the Ronald Reagan Center at 13th and Penn from 8 p.m. until midnight. We will be sending formal details in the next few days, but we hope that you will all consider coming out to honor and celebrate Lt. Smith and the amazing contributions he's made to Logan Circle and the District over the past three decades.
-Jennifer

2008 LCCA Membership Drive & October Meeting

Dear Neighbor:

The Logan Circle Community Association (LCCA) cordially invites you to join us for another year. We appreciate your past support. Your financial support is vital – it enables us to address community issues while providing opportunities to meet your neighbors through social activities and community events.

Renewing your membership has never been easier! Just visit www.logancircle.org, and click on "Join LCCA." In the last year, LCCA has made significant improvements to its data management, communications software, and website, which will allow us to automate membership renewals and better serve you by tailoring our mailings to your interests and identifying events that may be of interest to you. When joining or renewing online, please be sure to check the boxes to indicate your particular areas of interest.

You may also receive a written membership reminder in the next few days. As part of the transition to our new database management system, unless you specify otherwise, this is the last year that you will receive a hard-copy membership renewal letter. Future reminders will be timed to coincide with expiration of your membership and sent via email.

We have had some exciting and informative programs this year; including a community information meeting to for new and long-time residents to let you know what community and government resources are available in our community and a festive mid-summer picnic.

This year, we would also like to offer our business members the opportunity to be listed on our website as a “LCCA Member Businesses.”

If you have any questions about membership or would like more information about LCCA, please contact us by email at membership@logancircle.org. We also encourage you to visit our blog at http://loganupdates.blogspot.com/ and to visit our website, which is in the process of being redesigned to better serve you.

Thank you for your continuing support, and please mark your calendars for our October meeting and candidates forum. We will host candidates for ANC2F, Ward 2, and At-Large council positions, and we hope to have a lively and interactive discussion. We will also hold our annual board elections in November, and we have several seats up for reelection, including Vice President, Recording Secretary, and several at-large positions. If you are interested in running, please send me an email. Nominations will be held at the October meeting.

Reminder - LCCA Meeting Tonight

The September meeting of the Logan Circle Community Association will be held this evening at the Studio Theatre. Special guest Phil Mendelson will be joining us. Come on by, meet your neighbors, and enjoy some wine and cheese and a tour of the Studio!

LCCA September Meeting
7:00 PM Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The Studio Theater, 14th & P St. NW

See you there!

ANC 2F Wrap-Up

Tonight's meeting of ANC 2F was attended by Chairman Reed, Commissioner Cole, Commissioner Trock, Commissioner Schneider, and Executive Director Cynthia Cota.

Also, since I am running for ANC 2F03, and since I am running unopposed, I expect I will not be doing these wrap-ups for much longer. I'm looking for a volunteer to take over. Anyone?

Commissioner Announcements

• Jennifer Trock was announced vice-chair pro-temp, so that Chairman
  Reed could make an announcement as a citizen to invite the community to Greg McCarthy's home to meet Jack Evans. The event is 1334 Riggs St. NW. at 6:30 PM on Sunday.


• Lt. Mike Smith is retiring near the end of this year.

Crime Report

Lt. Smith, fresh from a drive back in from vacation, gave the report. Lt. Houser is actually the current PSA 307 lieutenant.

• Violent crime is down 9%.


• Armed robbery at 12th and O. Victims hit with a brick. Suspects are both juviniles from around the area of 200 Block of Bates.


• Armed robbery at 13th and M. Suspects caught by Power Shift unit.


• A suspect in the murder of Derrik Green was caught. Not one of the usual suspects. Derrik Green was involved in numerous robberies around the neighborhood, possibly earlier in the day on the day of his death.


• Commissioner Cole question Lt. Smith about a hate crime against hist boyfriend at 14th and P, where the police took 24 minutes to respond. Commisioner Cole asked about improving patrol of 14th Street, especially focused on late-night carryout establishments, serving mostly drunk people. Lt. Smith stated that response times are a difficult issue, due to lack of manpower. Lt. Smith also noted that hate crimes are difficult to judge, for many reasons.

Exuctive Office of the Mayor

Abbey Peterson

• 1124 15th St. - Illegal construction had stop work orders placed.


• 1107 11th St. - Nuisance property, having grafitti removed and grass and weeds cut.


• 1426 12th St. - Brothel operating. Fines have been placed; doesn't know exact amount. "Were severe." Also, the property has a large building that is not on record, and not being taxed.

DDOT

Chris Zeeman was not present. Brian Vargas gave a short, impromptu report on the DDOT meeting he attended last week. There was displeasure expressed by both the community and the commission on Chris' absence.

Crime & Public Safety Committee

Helen Kramer reported there were no meetings over the summer. The solution of the Derrick Green has settled nerves in the Rhode Island/Vermont Ave. communities. Chairman Reed noted that Lt. Smith reported violent crime is down 9% since his death.

Street Closures

All presenters stated they read the ANC's policy on street closings, and stated their events comply with that policy. Chairman Reed assures the commission that Mr. Brodsky from DC Bike, who was absent, also understands them. The motion to write a letter recommending issuance of the permits passed unanimously.

• Capital Criterion Bike Race


• Capital Pride and AIDS Walk

ABRA Matters

Chairman Reed reported on:

• Vegas Lounge - President of Cooper Lewis condo is present. Chairman Reed thought this would be easily done, but Vegas Lounge has hired counsel to fight a voluntary agreement. Vegas Lounge is creating a noise problem. The protest hearing was postponed until next month, at the request of Vegas Lounge's counsel. Chairman Reed hopes that progress can be made in the upcoming month.


• As a late edition, The Park was present asking to extend the hours of their back sidewalk cafe. There are no local residents, and no complaints from local businesses.

CDC

The CDC had no meeting, due to lack of agenda items. Chairman Reed appointed Ben Harris to the CDC, to replace the loss of Sam Robfogle and Phillipa Hughes, as they left the neighborhood.

Shaw Dog Park

George Kassouf was not present. Nobody from DPR was present. Chairman Reed reported that DPR turned down the advice from the ANC to place the dog park next to Shaw Jr. High because the site is scheduled for redevelopment (improvements to the high school) three or four years down the road. George Kassouf came in later, and reported that the alternative sites are 1) a space on the southern half of the field at Garrisson Elementary (where the wading pool is); 2) the northeast part of Kennedy School; and 3) a parking lot around 5th and P. George's group spoke with Jack Evans' office, and his office is going to ask the mayor to release the land so it could be considered.

ZipCar

No representative from ZipCar was present to discuss the issue of their poorly kept lot at 14th and Corcoran, which was brought up at a prior meeting. There have been complaints from the community and the CDC that ZipCar is also illegally parking cars on public space (on the frontage space between the curb and the facade of a building). The Commission asked Ms. Perez to attend, who failed to appear. Chairman Reed moved to seek revocation of permits issued to ZipCar by DDOT for violating the agreements it made with the ANC. Commissioner Trock seconded. Passed with one nay from Commissioner Cole, who explained his nay because of his belief that the company had been working in good faith on the parking lot.

Ms. Perez showed up at 20:30, when she was on the agenda. And provided this update:

• 14th & Corcoran - Painted poles, cleaned and mulched, painted building, worked with Garden District to plant ivy on the site. Commissioner Trock asked if there is a regime for upkeep, and Ms. Perez answered that there is. Chairman Reed stated that he had hoped that the company would do more to hide the cars from public view, because they create a sense of a parking lot, which is not consistent with the nature of the street. Not to mention it's ugly. Commissioner Cole warned that a fence or enclosure might make the site a bit less safe; Commissioner Schneider agreed. A suggestion was for planter boxes, but Ms. Perez stated they had been stolen. A suggestion for a lattice was good.


• 15th & Rhode Island - Location closed.


• 11th & M - Cars are now inside the gate.

Chairman Reed moved to reconsider the previous action, and then withdrew his motion. The matter is effectively dead.

Single Sales Ban

Despite the failure of the ANC to recommend approval of the Singal Sales Ban, due to a divided vote, Chairman Reed testified before the Council as a private citizen in favor of the ban. He noted that only two of forty-five witnesses were against the ban. Chairman Reed spent a few minutes speaking passionately about the evidence in favor of the ban.

• Commissioner Trock spoke in favor of supporting ban, noting the major problems in her SMD due to single sales.


• Commissioner Cole expressed his concerns that the bill targets only specific ANCs, rather than the entire ward or city. Chairman Reed noted that the law is targeted because the problem is targeted. He mentioned a suggestion from a Jeff Harris from Modern Liquors to limit single sales to warm beer only.


• Commissioner Schneider stated that, though she voted against the ban last time, she would be voting in favor of it this time. However, she did note that she doesn't believe this is the best way to get at this issue.


• Several community members made statements in support of the ban.


• A question was asked about the enforcement of the ban. It falls under ABRA, but the community can also play a part thanks to the protest process.


• Commissioner Cole wonders whether or not Whole Foods is currently illegally selling singles under the emergency legislation which is currently in place.


• Chairman Reed moved that the ANC advises the Council to pass the ban. Commissioner Trock seconded. The motion carried three to one, with Commissioner Cole voting in the negative.

Treasurer's Report

Same old, same old. :-)