Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6C met on April 10 via WebEx. Commissioners Christy Kwan (6C01), Leslie Merkle (6C02, secretary), Commissioner Jay Adelstein (6C03), Mark Eckenwiler (6C04, chair), Commissioner Joel Kelty (6C05, treasurer) and Tony Goodman (6C07, vice chair) were in attendance. Commissioner Patricia Eguino (6C06) was absent.
Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen (D) briefed commissioners on Mayor Muriel Bower’s (D) FY25 budget. Inflation, collective bargaining agreements and an overall decrease in the city’s revenue are the main culprits for the “tight budget,” said Allen. “Overall, our economy is actually growing and doing well, it’s just not growing at the same pace that it was previously.”
While Allen acknowledged the importance of Bowser’s budget priorities including improvements for Capital One Arena and funding WMATA’s shortfall, the commission’s discussion centered around the cuts, particularly those to the Department of Public Works (DPW).
Commissioner Kwan expressed concern about the “already scarce resource” of parking enforcement, noting that many residents are already pushing the agency to be “more proactive” in enforcement of certain “problem areas.”
“I hear constantly from constituents that there is a need to have parking enforcement come out and ticket or boot cars,” Kwan said. “Especially the repeat offenders.”
Chair Eckenwiler echoed these concerns noting the “chronic” residential parking permit (RPP) violations in his single member district (SMD). “I just don’t understand the logic behind cutting DPW enforcement that actually brings in revenue,” Eckenwiler said.
Allen acknowledged that “some very troubling cuts” were made and noted a need for the prioritization of enforcement for both parking enforcement and dangerous driving.
Rats, Treasurer Kelty said, have also created many problems for neighborhood residents. Due to the “horrible state of disrepair” of residential garbage cans, he encouraged the Council to “consider a waste receptacle replacement program as a means of reducing the rat problem” in the budget.
The commission took no vote.
Other Matters
The commission voted to write to the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting immediate safety improvements, including ADA access and signage for existing fields, for Brentwood Hamilton Park (1300 Sixth St. NE) be included in the FY 25 budget. The commission also requested the initiation of the public process to make future upgrades for the park in a future budget cycle.
The commission also voted to:
- the public space application for exterior commercial and residential space improvements at 420 H St. NE to create new entrances and install new planters, stairways and handrails;
- request that the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) install a pedestrian crosswalk at M Street to cross Florida Avenue between 6th and 7th streets NE and adjust signals to allow more time for pedestrians to cross and slow driving speeds to the 25 mile per hour limit along the corridor;
- the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) application of the Heritage Foundation for zoning relief to continue operation of nonadjacent parking lots in the alley complex bounded by 3rd, 4th, D and E streets NE on the condition that the renewal be limited to a term of 10 years;
ANC 6C will meet next on May 8 at 7 p.m. via WebEx. Visit anc6c.org to learn more about the commission and to attend the meeting.
