May 2026 Minutes

BNCA Meeting Minutes
April 21, 2026
Officers present: Dawn Amore, John Leibovitz, Josh Bercu, Rene McCray, Verna Clayborne, Elise Scott, Kinyofu Mlimwengu

Councilmember Zachary Parker’s Office Update

Melissa Littlepage, Communications Director for Councilmember Parker, provided updates from the Ward 5 office. Topics included:

Budget and Economic Development

• Councilmember Parker’s office highlighted progress on Ward 5 recreation center investments during the FY27 budget process.
• The office worked with BNCA leaders to propose in the budget $200,000 in retail business grants for the 12th Street NE corridor, directly informed by BNCA’s 12th Street Revitalization Report. The grants are intended to support local businesses and corridor improvements. The proposal will be considered as part of the budget process.

Comprehensive Plan / Future Land Use Map

• The Office of Planning extended the public comment deadline on the draft Future Land Use Map and Comprehensive Plan process
• Residents were encouraged to submit feedback, particularly in Wards 5, 7, and 8.

Ranked Choice Voting

• Residents received an overview of ranked choice voting and the June 16 primary election.
• Early voting begins June 8.
• Voters may rank up to five candidates but are not required to rank more than one

Community Discussion

Members raised questions regarding:

• Brookland Manor redevelopment
• Delayed development projects across the neighborhood
• Maintenance of vacant and undeveloped properties
• Support for small businesses and access to grant opportunities
• The importance of investing in locally owned businesses along neighborhood commercial corridors.

Comprehensive Plan / Future Land Use Map Recap

John provided a recap of BNCA’s April community meeting on the Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map.

Key points included:

• Attendance was strong, with an estimated 40–60 residents participating.
• The Office of Planning presented proposed Future Land Use Map changes and explained how they relate to future zoning decisions.
• Residents were encouraged to review materials posted on the BNCA website and continue submitting comments during the public review period.
• BNCA will continue monitoring the process and informing residents about future opportunities for engagement.

Woodridge Library Presentation

The scheduled presentation by Robin Hutchinson-Cole, President of the Friends of Woodridge Library, was postponed due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict. The topic will be rescheduled for a future meeting.

Membership Dues Proposal and Vote

President Amore presented a proposal from the BNCA officers to modernize membership management and improve communications, volunteer engagement, recruitment, and member services. To support these improvements, the officers recommended updating membership dues for the first time since BNCA was re-established in 2009.

Proposed Dues Structure

• Individual Membership: $20 per year
• Household/Double Membership: $35 per year

The increase will help fund a modern membership management platform and strengthen the organization’s operations and outreach efforts. The dues are inclusive of processing fees.

The membership voted to approve the dues increase.

The new dues structure will take effect January 1, 2027, following advance notice to members. The motion received overwhelming support from members present.

Great Brookland Yard Sale Update

Organizers reported strong participation for the upcoming June 6 yard sale. Highlights included:

• More than 120 individual sellers registered, plus approximately 20 participants at shared sites.
• Development of an interactive online map to help shoppers navigate the event.
• Expanded marketing efforts, including outreach to neighborhood listservs, social media, local organizations, and Popville.
• Continued planning for the Yard Sale Passport Game.

Passport Game Categories

The 2026 Passport Game will include:

• Brookland Big Shopper – highest purchase total
• Neighborhood Explorer – most locations visited and keywords collected
• Young Explorer – youth category for shoppers under 18

Members also discussed methods for tracking purchases fairly and improving communication among sellers during the event. Suggestions included cluster coordinators, seller communications channels, and strategies to help isolated sale locations attract more traffic.

Closing

Members were encouraged to:

• Promote the Great Brookland Yard Sale to friends, coworkers, and neighboring communities.
• Participate in Ward 5 cleanup activities.
• Submit comments on the Comprehensive Plan process.
• Continue supporting local businesses and BNCA initiatives.

The meeting adjourned following the yard sale discussion.