Soldiers Home action alert

[from Sandy Hoffmann]

Please write our councilmember and councilmembers at-large asking them to support park and open space on Soldiers' Home. The City Council will vote on a new DC Comprehensive Land Use Plan this month. The first vote is next Tuesday (Dec 5). A second vote will be Tuesday Dec 19th.

Area ANCs and neighbors have succeeded in getting language in the Draft Plan that would:

1) recognize Soldiers' Home and McMillan Reservoir as important open space serving the north central part of the city; and

2) call for creation of substantial park on the west (Petworth/Park View) side of the Soldiers' Home, as well as on the McMillan filter field site.

We need you to call or write to make sure this passes. You can see the draft plan here.

Here's a sample letter/email to send:

Dear Councilmember:

Please support provisions in the Mayor's Draft Comprehensive Plan that recognize the importance for the District of the open space corridor from McMillan Reservoir north to Ft. Totten Park and call for the creation of public park on Soldiers' Home and the McMillan filter field.

The Mayors' Draft Plan recognizes that north central DC is very underserved by park. Neighborhoods between 16th St and the red line of the Metro have less than 2 acres of park per 1000 residents. The Draft Comprehensive Plan notes that other planning agencies see 4-5 acres per 1000 residents as a normal standard. Neighborhoods west of Rock Creek Park have 11.6 acres of park per 1000 residents. Historically, Soldiers' Home and McMillan Reservoir were supposed to provide park and open space for this part of the city.

Please support the following provisions of the Nov. 21,2006 Mark-Up:
Area Elements Sections: RCE-2.5; (esp. Policy RCE-2.5.1, Policy RCE 2.5.3-4); MC-2.6 (esp. MC-2.6.1, MC-2.6.2); City-Wide Elements: PROS-1.4; PROS-3.1; PROS-3.3.

Sincerely,

Here are the email addresses for Councilmembers Fenty and Graham, the Councilmembers at-large and Chairwoman Cropp and their staff:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

All councilmembers can be emailed at: [email protected]

If you prefer calling, phone numbers and other contact information can be found here, or by calling Chairwoman Cropp's office at: (202) 724-8032