September 2017 Minutes

Community Meeting – September 19, 2017, 7:00 PM

Officers:

• Dan Schramm – President
• Brian Stevens – Vice President
• Teresa Fleming – Membership Director
• Clyde Blassengale – Treasurer
• Lamont Bessicks – Recording Secretary
• Elise Scott – Corresponding Secretary
• Ian McFarlane – At-Large Member

Dan opened the meeting at approximately 7:11 PM.

Item 1: Treasurer’s Report & Membership Report

• Balance beginning July 1, 2017: $3,736.82
• Income (Memberships): $110.00
• Income (Solar Solutions): $200.00
• Income (Paypal): $3.64
• Expenses: $77.04
• Balance ending August 31, 2017: $3,973.42
• New Members: 11
• Renewing Members: 0
• Treasurer’s Report accepted.

Item 2: Dance Place Announcements – Amanda Blythe

• RFP for artist applications to assist with painting and artwork. Deadline is Friday, September 22, 2017.
• Last Thursday evening for summer performances is Thursday, September 21, 2017, from 4:30 – 5:30, PM. Held throughout each summer.

Item 3: Resolution on Low-Intensity LED Street Lighting – DC Street Light Task Force – Deloris Bushong

• Asking DC Government to replace existing street lights with low-intensity LED lighting.
• The group desires lighting that emits 2,700 kelvins, as opposed to the 4,500 kelvins that DC is proposing to use.
• The group is hoping to garner community support from the BNCA to get DDOT to change to lighting at the lower kelvin levels.
• Other ANC’s and community associations have agreed to provide support of this initiative.
• Task Force met with new Director of DDOT to discuss the issue.
• RFP for installation with be released in early Spring, 2018.
• Dan presented a motion to support. The motion was seconded, with no exceptions. A quorum took a vote with all “I’s” received; no opposition or abstentions.

Item 4: Tastemakers Food Incubator – Kirk Francis (owner of “Captain Cookie”)

• New location at corner of 10th & Franklin Street, NE.
• Kirk is a new BNCA member.
• Commissary kitchen to host 15-30 small businesses.
• Retail side and cooking side.
• Cooking classes will be held.
• Six businesses have already committed to renting space.
• Fifty solar panels to be installed
• Long-term commitment to the venture.
• License to serve liquor is in hand.
• 12 to 15 parking spaces onsite, dedicated to employees and business delivery trucks.
• Customers directed to use Metro, public transportation, or park off-site.

Item 5: Development at Rhode Island Avenue, NE & 4th Street, NE – Michael Skena (MRP Realty)

• By-Right development project at Forman Mill Shopping Center.
• Proposing 9 new buildings; existing access points to be maintained. Six-stories, with retail on the ground level. Approximately 1,450 residential units, with an average size of approximately 750 square feet, built over a ten-year period. Overall, 8% of housing units will have rent levels at 60% AMI.
• One building will be leased to a cinema draft house. Another building is planned to maintain a grocery store.
• Connecting with existing Metro-Brach Trail at grade level.
• Initial PUD approval process begun and approved in 2015, but appealed.
• Redesigned to reduce density, but all community benefits from the original PUD to be maintained.
• Infrastructure costs financed through Tax-Increment Financing (TIF).
• Initial ground breaking in September, 2018.
• Parking ratio at 0.5 spaces/unit.
• Aside – “The Green” at Brookland Metro Station
• Following WMATA’s lead on changes to the Comprehensive Plan amendments.

Item 6: Organizational Matters & Events – (Dan to send information via email)

• Changing May and November Meetings to Tuesdays
• DC Fed. Civic Associations Annual Luncheon
• Tentative Ft. Bunker Hill Cleanup – November 11.
• Updates on Traffic Issues/Meetings w. DDOT
• Rhode Island Avenue Fall Fest – September 30.

Item 7: Officer Lakomec & Officer Bethal

• Violent crime down 71% from last year.
• Burglaries down 83% from last year.
• Motor vehicle theft down 25% from last year.
• Theft from autos down 33% from last year.
• Property thefts down 43% from last year.

Item 8: Mayor’s Office – Lionel Gaines

• RadioDC station launched in conjunction with 96.3 FM. Offices on Brentwood Road, near the post office.
• Infrastructure Academy to provide training for new infrastructure projects.
• Mayor will attend the next ANC5B meeting at 6:30 PM, on September 27, 2017.

Item 9: Other Community Concerns & Announcements

Meeting adjourned at 8:50 PM.
Next BNCA Meeting: Tuesday, October 17, 2017, 7:00 PM

SUMMARY

• $236.60 increase in budget from July 1, 2017.
• Dance Place issuing and RFP for painting and artwork.
• BNCA agreed to support installation of low-density LED street lights.
• Taskmaster’s Food Incubator grand opening projected for early November, 2017.
• Development at Rhode Island Avenue, NE & 4th Street, NE
• Approximately 1,450 residential units; average size of approximately 750 sf.
• A cinema draft house and a grocery store proposed on site.
• Overall crime activity down from last year this time.
• New RadioDC station launched in conjunction with 96.3 FM.