Final items and Thanks

Neighbors,

Happy New Year! This will be my final update as your ANC Commissioner.

Alley Survey
I’ve inserted a link to the completed alley survey, which I’ve transmitted to DDOT. I will work with Steve Hagedorn to make sure they respond and to answer any of their questions. We have a number of problematic alleys in the SMD…
​
ANC6B05 Alley Survey Dec 2014.pdf
​

Updated Punch List
Attached you’ll find an updated punch list of issues in the SMD. Please contact STEVE if there’s something missing or improperly characterized .

Eastern Market Community Advisory Committee – Independent Community Member
Are you interested in serving on the EMCAC—the city body responsible for the operations and planning at Eastern Market? EMCAC will hold an election for the Independent Community seat in late January. If you’re interested, contact Chuck Burger at cburger by January 7th. If you have any questions about EMCAC or the inner-workings of the market before you jump in to the fray, feel free to contact me.

Hine
Though legal proceedings have yet to be fully resolved, Hine developer Stanton-East Banc (SEB) is planning to begin hazardous material remediation on the site in early February. This activity triggers several components of the Hine construction memorandum agreement between the developer and the community, chiefly provisions requiring the developer to install monitoring devices and establish a condition baseline of adjacent properties. If you are an owner of an adjacent property (there are approximately 90 properties in the surrounding blocks that are considered adjacent) you should have received a package early last week that provides a copy of the construction agreement, outlines your rights as a property owner, and requests permission to conduct a photographic assessment of your property in order to establish a record of existing conditions. SEB is holding two meetings to address questions regarding the agreement, Tuesday, January 20th at 7PM annd Sunday, January 25th at 2PM. Both meetings will be held at the Stanton Development Corporation offices on 7th St, above Radici.

Passing the Baton
Steve Hagedorn assumes responsibility as your ANC Commissioner tomorrow at 2PM. I’m confident he will do a great job and look forward to being his constituent. I intend to pass on my e-mail distribution list to Steve, in order to facilitate his ability to communicate with the neighborhood. If you prefer that I do not pass along your name and e-mail, please let me know.

A Long List of Thanks
First and foremost, I’d like to thank my wife, Elisabeth, and children, Jonah and Caroline, for supporting me during my time as a Commissioner. They’ve been incredibly patient, flexible and understanding.

Thank you to Sandra Mills and Barbara Riehle, both incredible activists in their own right, for putting me up to the task four years ago.

Thank you to 6B05 resident members Susan Eads Role, Tom Woteki, Steve Hagedorn, Mark Adelson and Molly Singer for serving on the Committees and Task Forces of ANC6B. Your help and insights were important to me, and your involvement set an example for how the ANC can build a stronger community through greater engagement and inclusiveness.

Thank you to my predecessor, Ken Jarboe. Not only did Ken graciously provide insight whenever requested, after walking in his shoes for awhile, I’ve gained a much greater appreciation for the fine job he did during his tenure.

Thank you to constituents John McGaw and Brian Hanlon—though their purviews are City-wide, they never forgot where they lived and did not hesitate to help our neighborhood where they could.

Thank you to Larry Janezich, for caring enough to sit through many interminable meetings so that he can provide a unique perspective on neighborhood affairs (even if I don’t always agree with that perspective).

Thank you to my colleagues on ANC6B, particularly my friend and ally Ivan Frishberg.

Thank you to my great neighbors on 13th St and Kentucky Avenue. Many of us live on fantastic blocks or in great alleys (Gessford Ct is a stand out), but I feel really lucky to live on mine.

Lastly, thanks to all of you for making my time of service rewarding and interesting. You are a great group of very talented people, a deeply civic and strong neighborhood. I’ve learned allot from you, even in disagreement, and have come to a greater appreciation for the nature of community. True community is a rarity, and difficult to find. We are all indeed very fortunate.

Politics, even the junior varsity level politics of the ANC, inevitably entail tensions between ideas and positions. Tension can lead to conflict, which in turn can lead people away from their better selves. The best politicians skillfully navigate these tensions, finding compromise or novel solutions that bring people together. I can honestly say that I did my best, but acknowledge that I was not always the skilled navigator that I desired to be. For those of you experienced my less than better self—you have my regrets.

My Best Wishes and Regards,

Brian
ANC6B05

P.S. – A Final Observation
You taught me very early on that you don’t have to be an ANC Commissioner to make our neighborhood better, or as is true in some cases with the DC government, protect it from entropy. All it takes is an idea, energy, tenacity, and, ideally, a couple of friends with a sense of humor to help. For those who may be wondering, that’s what I’ll be doing next…

web: www.pate6b.orgtwitter: @pateANC6B05

SMD05 2014 Punch List – Dec 2014.docx

Quick updates

Neighbors,

A few very quick updates:

December ANC Meeting

The ANC’s final meeting of the calendar year is tonight, starting at 7PM at the Hill Center. You can find the agenda here. One item I’ll be moving tonight is a motion to endorse plans to renew and redesign the Eastern Market Metro Plaza (plans here), and request that the DC Department of General Services initiate an Environmental Assessment process to keep the project moving forward. That letter is attached. My sense is that the City is committed to the project, but it’s important to keep our attention on it so that the inertia of the Mayoral changeover does not stall the effort.

As I worked a case last month that clearly I had not communicated well enough to impacted neighbors, it dawned on me that I should share a full proof method for obtaining the agenda. For those who would like to reliably receive the ANC agenda every month, I recommend signing up for the ANC e-mail list by sending a request to be added to the distribution to office. In addition to the ANC agenda, you’ll get 2-3 e-mails a month announcing various city happenings and programs.

Community Meeting on the Redevelopment of the Frager’s Site

Last week Frager’s stakeholders announced a community meeting to discuss the redevelopment of the site. Here are the details:

Roadside Development, LLC, is hosting a community meeting about the redevelopment of the Frager’s Hardware Store site (1101-1117 Pennsylvania Avenue SE) at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, December 10, 2014, at the Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. The purpose of the meeting is for the community to provide input, offer ideas, and ask questions about the future development for the site. The meeting will also include a brief update from Richard Lake, founding partner, Roadside Development, and John Weintraub, owner of Frager’s. If you would like to share ideas or comments in advance of the meeting, you can provide them via e-mail at fragers or phone at 202-375-7942.

SE Blvd and Barney Circle Concept Unveiling

On December 11th from 7-9PM at the Friendship Chamberlain Elementary School ((1345 Potomac Ave SE), CM Wells and ANC6B co-host a meeting with the DC Office of Planning to present and discuss the results of a rapid planning study to develop alternative designs for the SE Blvd. I shared draft plans a month or so ago. While the plans have evolved, you get a general feel for the concepts by reviewing ​​the attached October report.

2024 Olympics on Cap Hill??

Our November meeting was attended by Robert Sweeney, a community outreach coordinator for Washington 2024, the group putting together the City’s bid for the 2024 summer olympics. He confirmed that the group is looking at the RFK and Reservation 13 sites as a venue and possible Olympic Village. The Commission requested a meeting with representatives from the group to learn more about their plans, which he committed to do in the very near term (no dates yet). You can learn more about the bid at dc2024.org.

My Vote on the Hill Center – Bayou Bakery Liquor License

I want to quickly explain my vote on this license, as I received some criticism for voting in favor of the license application. First, I am very much supportive of efforts to control externalities (trash, rats, etc.) resulting from the growth of restaurants on Barracks Row, that’s why I’ve pushed for rat proofing of the EM Plaza, organized a rat summit with the City’s Department of Health, and insisted on indoor trash storage and other best practices on the Row, to include opposing the Ugly Mug’s ill-conceived plans for adding 100 seats to an establishment that is already operating in violation of their agreements with the community. I hate rats, period. In the case of the Bayou Bakery, and the Hill Center by extension, there are two reasons I voted in favor of the application:

1. I trust the Hill Center and the people that run it. These are our neighbors and friends. They have a track record of exceptional programming, attention to detail and responsiveness to concerns. In my opinion, that earns them credit and faith that an unknown external restauranteur or an existing non-compliant business have not earned. We have leverage over the Hill Center that extends well beyond licensing and regulatory regimes.

2. Use of the Carriage House and the revenue it generates is important to the financial viability of the Center. Simply put, they need the revenue in order to continue the level of programming that we’ve come to enjoy and the community accessibility that we’ve come to expect.

House Keeping

This will not be my final e-mail as your Commissioner. I’m close to completing the Alley Survey I started this summer (working draft below) and will deliver this, along with an updated list of vacant and blighted properties to the City before leaving office. If there are any other outstanding issues, please send them my way so that, at a minimum, I can pass them on to my successor, Steve Hagedorn (Congrats Steve!).

Warm Regards,

Brian Pate
​
2014-10-06 SE Blvd Concepts.pdf
​.
​
EMPlazaEndorsementandEARequestLetter.docx
​

​
Alley Survey.pptx
​

ANC6B05

web: www.pate6b.orgtwitter: @pateANC6B05

My 2014 Endorsements

A quick run down of my picks for the November 4th election (in order of my personal priorities):

For ANC6B05 – Steve Hagedorn – As I wrote in a previous endorsement, Steve understands the issues, is level-headed, has knowledge of how the ANC works and will be a pragmatic representative that listens while seeking to advance major improvements in our neighborhood, such as the Eastern Market Metro Plaza redesign.  Carl Reeverts, one of Steve’s two opponents, is a good man who I believe would listen to all sides of an issue, but I do not understand his vision for the neighborhood, and I do not agree with him on several issues.  For example, I can’t tell if he wants to move forward with the EM Plaza redesign or start anew.  He has historically been opposed to Hine (EMMCA—the group he leads is an intervener in the litigation that seeks to stop the redevelopment of the parcel), yet he’s failed to own this position during the election.  I find the lack of a succinct position unsettling.  Ellen Opper-Weiner, the third candidate running for the seat, has run an energetic campaign for the office.  Alas, following my mother’s sage advice, I have nothing to say about Ellen, but will simply urge voters to do a little research of their own.

For Delegate to the House of Representatives – Tim Krepp – Tim has a been a friend for many years, but that’s not why I’m voting for him.  Tim brings wit, passion, integrity, intelligence and a fresh approach to the filling this position.  As a City, we need it, because the status quo is not working.  What’s more, the limited amount of leverage we do have goes underutilized (where is that CSX Record of Decision—Eleanor?).  Tim will engage with the Park Service to redefine our relationship and ensure that our many park parcels serve not only the Nation, but the communities within which they reside.  He will pay attention to and work with other members of Congress to influence matters that impact the City, rather than react out of convenience or for PR purposes.   Not to mention, he (and we) will have a good time while he’s doing it.

For my 1st At-Large Council Vote – Elissa Silverman – I supported Elissa in the last election and she has only gotten better.  What did she do after barely losing the 2013 special election?  She campaigned vigorously, and successfully, for laws and policies that improve the lives of lower and middle-income families. But Elissa is way more than just a champion of the working class.  Where other candidates talk about campaign finance reform and election integrity, Elissa acts.  She has set the standard for refusing corporate campaign contributions in a major election.  Most of all, I like Elissa because I believe she has the intellect, attitude and understanding of the City’s inner-workings to hold Departments accountable through oversight.  She soberly acknowledges the dysfunctional state of our City’s social services system, and will work to ensure that our tax dollars are not waisted, but used effectively to improve the lives of residents that most need assistance.  It also doesn’t hurt that Elissa is a Ward 6 resident.

For Ward 6 Council Member – Charles Allen – Charles has a deep understanding of the neighborhood, is an effective facilitator, a good listener and a bridge builder.  He will serve us well on the City Council.

For Ward 6 School Board Rep – Joe Weedon – Joe is a fellow Maury Parent, so I’ve witnessed his passion and involvement first hand.  He is impressive in his ability to motivate action, use data to assess issues and his tenacity in dealing with the daunting bureaucracy that is DCPS.  Joe’s energy and activism have helped to make Maury a great school, and is having a visible impact at Elliot-Hine Middle School.  He understands the local and City-wide educational issues and will be a tireless advocate for establishing cradle-to-grave feeder patterns that serve all of our City’s children.

For Mayor – David Catania – I like his approach to problem solving.  He digs into a problem and commands the details surrounding an issue.  I appreciate his focus on education and his results on health care.  Will David’s temper suit him well as a manager of the City bureaucracy?  I’m not sure, but I do know a few agencies that are in dire need of the kind of aggressive reform he can provide.

For Attorney General – Paul Zuckerberg – This is one of the toughest races to pick.  Flying in the face of several City Councilmembers’ declaration that this race would be a failure because “no qualified candidates would run” and their efforts to delay the race, we indeed have a field packed with qualified contenders.  Karl Racine, Lorie Masters, Lateefah Williams and Edward “Smitty” Smith all have great qualities and good back stories.  But simply put, there would be no election without the Herculean efforts of Paul Zuckerberg.  I admire his pluck and tenacity and believe he will be a great counter-balance to whichever candidate occupies the Mayor’s Office.  And, I can say that after speaking with Mr. Zuckerberg, those who shallowly label him as the single issue  “Marijuana Candidate” have it wrong.  Paul has an extensive vision for improving the juvenile justice system, chiefly by working hard to keep our youth out of trouble and out of jail.  We need someone who will focus on this issue with the same laser like attention he demonstrated while pursuing the creation of an elected AG position—he deserves a chance to do the job.

My 2nd vote for At-Large – Toss Up – Snowden, Pitts, Putta and Bonds (yes, Bonds) all have qualities that I admire, all have baggage.  I don’t believe in bullet voting, and will likely surprise myself by voting for Bonds (why? because she’s a staunch advocate for senior citizens, a repository of DC civic history, and, in her demeanor, she reminds me of a late, dear family member).

City Council Chair – Phil Mendelson

Shadow Senator – Paul Strauss – Operating from a largely ceremonial position, Paul used his bully pulpit to help concert organizers break a log jam with NPS that threatened a long running Fort Reno concert series.  He also demonstrated creativity by initiating the “51-Stars” campaign for DC Statehood, which recruited the likes of Mario Van Peebles to  film Public Service Announcements in favor of DC Statehood.  Pretty good for a shadow position…

Don’t forget to vote and I look forward to seeing you at the polls tomorrow!

Kim’s Garden Annual Community Meeting, Meet and Greet update

Neighbors,

After you awake from a night of Halloween revelry, consider taking the opportunity to learn the latest about Kim’s Garden, the restored park at 8th and North Carolina Ave SE. Kim’s Garden will hold their annual community meeting on Saturday from 11:30AM to 1:00PM at Christ Our Shepard Church, 801 North Carolina Ave. If you have any feedback on the recently restored and updated park, come to the meeting and share your thoughts. For more info visit the web at http://kimsgardendc.blogspot.com/ or contact Juliet Brenegar Michaud at 646-522-5684.

Also, a reminder and update about tonight’s meet and greet. Steve Hagedorn, whom I am supporting for the ANC6B05 seat this election, will actually be executing his ANC6B resident member responsibilities at a meeting of the Hill East Task Force from 6:30PM to 8:00PM at the Congressional Cemetery Crypt. The Task Force is discussing the planned closure of the family shelter at D.C. General Hospital and meeting potential developers of the Eastern Branch Boys and Girls Club. If you’d like to see Steve in action, head on over to the TF meeting. If you’d like to meet Tim Krepp, candidate for DC Delegate to the House of Representatives, he’ll be at Chez Pate from 6:30 to 8:00PM. Apologies for the civic confusion—if you’re really a civic gymnast, it’s probably possible to do both!

Regards,

Brian

ANC6B05
web: www.pate6b.orgtwitter: @pateANC6B05

My 6B05 and Congressional Endorsements – Meet & Greets and more

Neighbors,

You’ll have a chance to meet all three ANC6B05 candidates this evening at an Eastern Market Metro Community Association Meet and Greet, tonight, Monday, Oct 27th from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Southeast Branch Library.

I’ve had an opportunity to work with all three candidates over the course of the past four years, and am unequivocally supporting Steve Hagedorn. Steve has the leadership, experience, pragmatic approach and thoughtfulness that will serve our neighborhood well. In his role as the 6B05 resident member on the Hill East Task Force, he was a thoughtful voice on issues ranging from Reservation 13 to the future use of RFK Stadium. I’ve worked with him on approaches to traffic calming on his block and have been impressed with his service to Congressional Cemetery. I believe Steve will keep important projects, like the Eastern Market Metro Plaza redesign, moving forward, while working hard to ensure that we manage the impacts of commercial growth on residents from all walks of life. He has my full confidence.

Moving from the hyper local level to the Federal level, I am strongly supporting my friend and our neighbor, Tim Krepp, in his bid to be our next Delegate to the House of Representatives. I’ve known Tim since he was a gangly Midshipmen in the GWU NROTC unit, and believe he has the right mix of wit, leadership and vision to truly challenge the status quo and redefine what has become an honorary position in the pantheon of our elected positions. You can read more about Tim’s view’s here.

If you’re interested in meeting both candidates in person, and asking them your own tough questions, I’m hosting a meet and greet with both of them this Thursday from 6:30 to 8:00PM at my home (111 13th St SE). Please send me a note if you’d like to drop by for a drink, snacks and good political discourse.

Regards,

Brian

ANC6B05

web: www.pate6b.orgtwitter: @pateANC6B05

Meet and Greet – Elissa Silverman

Neighbors,

I am once again supporting Elissa Silverman to be one of our two next At-Large Councilmembers.

Elissa continues to impress me with her work ethic, command of the issues and vision for substantive solutions in our City. I also admire her position on ethics and it certainly doesn’t hurt that she’s a Ward 6 resident.

This Thursday, October 23rd at 7PM, I’m co-hosting a meet and greet for Elissa with fellow ANC Commissioner Ivan Frishberg, Linda Elliot and several others at Riverby Books, 417 East Capitol Street SE. Please feel free to come and meet Elissa, ask her your toughest questions and sample some charcuterie from Acqua Al 2. You can RSVP by contacting me at patebc, or by signing up online at http://www.elissa2014.com/frishberg_meet_and_greet.

Hope to see folks there!

Regards,

Brian

ANC6B05

web: www.pate6b.orgtwitter: @pateANC6B05

REMINDER – Public Meet​ing for the Southeas​t /Southwest Transpor​tation Improvement S​tudy​

FYI. This is not the same as the SE Blvd/Barney Circle effort, but one has to ask how they overlap or potentially impact each other.

Regards,

Brian

ANC6B05

web: www.pate6b.orgtwitter: @pateANC6B05

Quick updates

Neighbors,

A few quick updates on major projects in the neighborhood.

Eastern Market Metro Plaza redesign
Elements are gradually falling into place to keep the redesign project moving forward.

In late August, we learned that the latest City budget includes $23.5M in FY19 for the proposed expansion of the SE Library. While Fiscal Year 2019 might seem like a long way off, this is an important marker and commitment to the project—something with which we can work. Some have questioned the cost of the proposed expansion. On the surface, it may seem like allot of money, but it is, in fact, in keeping with other similar library renovations and expansions across the City. Considering that the SE library has one of the highest circulations in the City, but is one of the smallest facilities, this seems like a totally reasonable investment.

In the past two weeks, our Councilmember, working with City budget officials, successfully secured $300K to initiate an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the proposed design. The Department of General Services (DGS) has agreed in principle to serve as the sponsor of the EA. The EA is the next critical path activity in the process, and will include opportunities for public input and project refinement. From a political perspective, I feel like it’s important to get this phase of the project underway before the current administration changes over, so that the project maintains momentum during the inevitable pause that will occur (regardless of who becomes our next Mayor).

My colleagues and I have also been pushing Barracks Row Main Street (BRMS) to keep and repurpose the inclusive working group that helped shape the current designs. The working group, which included representatives from multiple community stakeholder organizations, would continue to serve as a conduit for information and feedback as the project advances. BRMS is in agreement with this approach and this week I expect to see announcement of the next public meeting on the project.

SE Boulevard/Barney Circle
As work on the 11th St bridge comes to a close, the City has opted to re-open the SE Freeway in "as-is" condition. ANC6B is unanimously concerned about the re-opening, as it appears to undermine efforts to create a new SE Blvd that will reconnect this part of the Hill to the waterfront, create new green space, support the objectives of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative, and provide opportunities for additional housing on the Hill. Last month, we sent the attached letter to DDOT expressing our concerns (pg 3 of the attached report).

In parallel, and at the urging of ANC6B, the Office of Planning conducted a "rapid planning study" of the SE Blvd area to propose holistic alternatives that take into account all of the above objectives. Last week, OP delivered three design concepts for further consideration (concepts bellow).​
2014-10-06 SE Blvd Concepts.pdf
​

While two of these designs still include a bus depot, my opinion is that they do a much better job of achieving the objectives of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative. What are your thoughts?

Ward 6 Public Safety Festival
This Saturday from 11AM to 4PM at Folger Park (3rd and D St SE). Food, music and informational displays on public safety from MPD, Fire and Emergency Services, the Department of Health and others. Brent school is holding their annual book fair and sale adjacent to the park—meaning there will be lots of opportunities for learning!

Hine
The Hine litigants have opted to request an en banc hearing of their appeal. My sense is that this will take at least 2-3 additional months to resolve. If the en banc request is granted, it will probably take another year or more to resolve the case.

As always, don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Regards,

Brian

ANC6B05

web: www.pate6b.orgtwitter: @pateANC6B05

Transportation-Committee-September-3-2014-Report.pdf

Eastern Market Metro Plaza Redesign meeting

Neighbors,

EMMCA, the Eastern Market Metro Community Association, is holding a meeting this Thursday in the library to talk about the plaza redesign project. I will be there giving an update on the project along with fellow commissioner, Ivan Frishberg. Please join us: 7 to 8:30 at SE Library, 7th and D St SE.

To see more about the current design proposals, click here: www.easternmarketmetropark.org/

As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns.

Regards,

Brian

ANC6B05

web: www.pate6b.orgtwitter: @pateANC6B05

Found cat – 1000 block of North Carolina Ave

Neighbors,

If you’re missing a calico cat, one has been hanging about on the 1000 block of North Carolina Ave. The cat has a collar but no ID. If this might be your cat, please contact Jan Shea at (202) 415-0870.

Thanks and hope everyone is having a great Labor Day weekend.

Brian

ANC6B05

web: www.pate6b.org

twitter: @pateANC6B05