Northwest Georgetown November ANC Update
Welcome to the November Northwest Georgetown ANC update!
Happy Halloween! Remember this week to be extra careful with lots of little kiddies about late at night. Georgetown is back to its pre-pandemic peak in terms of crowds of trick-or-treaters, so get ready with your candy.
ANC Meeting
Much less festively, Monday night the ANC will be meeting for its November session. It will be at its normal time, 6:30 pm, and fully virtual. I have faith, however, that this will be the last fully virtual ANC meeting for quite a while. I believe that the hybrid meetings that we have held this year were a success and I would like to see that be the model going forward. Stay tuned!
As for the meeting itself, the notable items include a follow up on the BID’s public space application for the streateries and extended sidewalks. The Public Space Committee will hold a hearing on the application later this month. The ANC will hear an updated from the BID on changes they’ve made to their application and plans after their first Old Georgetown Board meeting. Last month we adopted a resolution supporting the application. Barring any radical changes, I believe that position will remain the same following this meeting.
Another topic that will likely draw interest in the public safety discussion at the beginning of the meeting. Several notable crimes have occurred in Georgetown over the past month, including a robbery on P St. and a knife attack on a Metrobus in front of the Safeway. I look forward to hearing about these cases in particular and the overall crime situation in general. Please log in to hear for yourself!
Illegal Construction
Illegal construction is a perennial issue around Georgetown. That may include completely unpermitted work or permitted work that is being performed outside the prescribed rules (particularly with regard to hours).
The Commission is often hearing applicants come forward for approval for work that they already started (or even completed). Sometimes this is the product of a simple honest mistake, but more often it’s the result of a it’s-easier-to-ask-for-forgiveness-than-permission approach. For that reason, it’s essential that neighbors keep an eye and ear out for illegal construction and to report it when necessary.
Sometimes it doesn’t take much to keep an ear out for it. This month a resident reached out to me to complain about how construction crews were operating loudly in an abutting property from 4:00 AM till 7:00 AM. This was definitely impermissible! Work can only be performed Monday to Saturday from 7 AM to 7 PM. This resident called the police, who went to the property to check on it. Ideally, however, the better way to report such illegal construction is to the Department of Buildings, who can send out an inspector. Since the illegal work might not be still going on when the inspectors arrive, it’s also a good idea to try to capture evidence of the work with photos or video. Alternatively, you can reach out to me to file the complaint for you (if you’d like to stay anonymous). Just email me at 2e02@anc.dc.gov and I’ll take care of it.
Leaf Collection
Last year the city’s leaf collection efforts fell well short of acceptable. The city told residents to put leaves out in piles or bags in designated time slots, but poor weather and other issues caused the crews to be weeks late. In the interim, the bags got wet and fell apart, causing the leaves to get everywhere. Then some early frosts came and turned these wet piles of leaves into serious slipping hazards.
To the city’s credit, it acknowledged its shortcomings. This year it is changing its approach as a result. Rather than giving out time slots weeks or a month ahead of time, the city is waiting until just a week before it will target any particular neighborhood before sending notice. So don’t put out your leaves before then. Go here to find out how you can keep up to date on the crews progress. I will put out notice as best I can as well.
Pot Shops
Later this week, the city will finally open the gates for retail pot shops to obtain a license. As I explained in detail back in May, this is part of plan to transition away from the unlicensed “gifting” shops that have proliferated. Ideally only a handful of clean, fully licensed and regulated shops will remain in Georgetown in a few years. A key step to that is to ensure that the limitations on shop location are closely followed. I have already intervened in the case of a property owner that was going to seek a permit to open on Wisconsin near Q. This is too close to Volta Rec Center and should not be a viable location. I will remain diligent to make sure no other shops open in a similarly impermissible location.
Additionally, the ANC will have the opportunity to enter into settlement agreements with the shops that do receive a permit. We will do what we can to ensure that these agreements eliminate any disruption from these stores.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is right around the corner! What better way to celebrate than to get your turkey from one of our corner shops! I always get my turkey from Stachowski’s, but Dent Place Market also sells them. I highly recommend either option!
Winter’s Coming!
Forecasters are calling for a snowier winter for DC this year. Considering that we got basically zero snow last year, “snowier” is an extremely low bar. But we should be prepared regardless. One concern I always have is for our elderly neighbors or others with mobility challenges. It’s vital that we keep our sidewalks clear after a snowfall. But not everyone is able to shovel the snow off their steps or sidewalks. If you feel that you cannot do so, please reach out to me. I will work with volunteers to handle it for you.