AFRH update 1/12

[from Sandy Hoffmann, via AFRH Development listserv]

By unanimous vote last evening, ANC 4C passed a resolution that will be forwarded to NCPC and District offices opposing the AFRH draft master plan as currently constituted and urging city officials and the NCPC to work with residents to see that environmental and safety concerns are addressed and that significant parkland is included as part of the development plan. 

The resolution notes:

• that the draft plan fails to address environmental concerns raised in the draft EIS

• that the plan to develop previously undeveloped open space on zones 4, 5, and 6 will adversely affect historic preservation goals of: protecting views from and into the site; protecting the landscape context of Lincoln Cottage and Soldier's Home National Monument; and conserving the heart of the 1902 McMillan Commission Plan for the DC Park System

• that the neighborhoods to the west of Soldier's Home rely on it for open space

• that there is a severe shortage of parkland in this part of the city that likely contributes to our problems of youth violence

• that the development of virtually all remaining open space on the western and southern sides of the site would remove options for parkland in this part of the District

Today I spoke with Leslie Schill, Director of Planning for DC Parks and Rec about the Draft Master Plan for the AFRH. Ms. Schill said she has not been contacted by AFRH about their development plans. This is despite the fact that DC Parks and Rec has been working on a new Master Plan for Parks in the District over the past year.

She said her department is very interested in the issue because their analysis shows this part of the city as being very underserved by parks, and that the area west of Soldier's Home has the highest population density in the District. (See Parks and Rec Master Plan)

Ms Schill is concerned that the proposed development would not only remove the green space that the neighborhoods to the west of the Home rely on, but would make the situation much worse by adding very dense development that would also need recreational space. Yet the only place for development of a reasonable amount of recreational space in this part of the city is the Soldier's Home property.

Comments

[Joseph Martin]

A copy of the resolution has been sent to members of the City Council, Cong. Norton and media representatives. I am in the process of forwarding the resolution also to various, relevant city agencies.

ANC 4C and the AFRH working group of residents from Petworth and Park View are hoping this document will be used as a policy template by the relevant ANCs in Wards 1 and 5.

My heartfelt thanks to Sandy Hoffman for her work on this, as well as everyone else on our working group. My thanks to my fellow commissioners who endorsed the resolution. All commissioners present voted for the resolution. Commissioners Timothy Jones, Ron Bland and I were the sponsors of the resolution.

JM
202-309-1817 cell

[AJS]

Thanks for the update, Sandy, and for all the time and hard work you're putting into this important effort.

In support of this, we should all take a few minutes and contact members of the D.C. Council, the Mayor, and Rep. Norton and remind them that Petworth needs more parkland, and once the Soldiers Home is paved over that opportunity will be gone forever.