Soldiers Home meeting

[from Chris Holben]

The draft Environmental Impact Statement has been released for the proposed development at the Soldier's Home. They are accepting comments until July 6, 2005.

There will be a public meeting June 22, 2005 from 7-9pm at the Soldier's Home - Scott Building in the basement auditorium. I received a copy of the draft but have not had a chance to look at it. The project manager is Craig Wallwork at 202-730-3038. The project website is www.afrhdevelopment.com

Chris

Comments

[Sandy]

This is really short notice.

Can people meet the weekend of June 5?

I'm thinking we need to look at the EIS. We also need to talk with Fenty and Graham's offices. We also need to figure out if any of us know anyone who knows what rights the public has during the comment period on an EIS.

[Sandy]

Hi Bill,

Soldier's Home is not the party that's going to consider providing public access or a park. Soldier's Home needs money. They have land and they are turning it into money by developing it. What I have been suggesting for the past several months is that perhaps there is a way to get the city and/or National Park Service involved to get the Soldier's Home the money they need through some alternative means -- land swap, direct payment etc in return for the city and/or National Park Service being able to get the property to develop as park land.

[Reyn]

I just spoke with Craig Wallwork at the AFRH, who told me that they have run out of copies of the Draft EIS. He said that copies are available for public review at the Petworth and Mt. Pleasant libraries.

[Bill]

It's still not clear (to me) whether they have any intention of carving out any of the land for public park space. Look at the general land use proposals on the website. Even if they develop the areas as indicated, it would be great to be able to at least enter and use the ponds area at Park Place/Park Road. But even that gets tricky if they'll be keeping the golf course off limits.

And since any development is supposed to provide funds for the future of the Home, I wonder if allocating open space for the public good - from the to-be-built-on areas - will be a priority.

Bill.