LPCA Meeting Minutes – September 22, 2015

Minutes for the Meeting on Tuesday, September 22, 2015

at the Florida Avenue Baptist Church, 623 Florida Avenue NW

1. Moment of silence for Edna “Grandma” Bryant.
2. Bike lane study – Darren Buck, DDOT
   1. Trying something new, thoughtful and ambitious – studying the possibly of “protective bike lane” to connect Shaw, Howard, LeDroit Park, and Bloomindale with downtown.
   2. Study area: want to identify one north-to-south street from Florida Avenue NW to Constitution Avenue NW.
   3. Purpose: identify a protected bike lane like 15^th Street NW
   4. Consider: surface transit, church operations, parking, deliveries & loading, vehicle traffic, pedestrian traffic, how to design a low stress connection
   5. Challenges: moving the curb line out 8-10 feet; challenges of parking, loading, transit, pedestrian
   6. Where we are now: arrived at 4 different options at the moment.
      1. 5^th & 6^th Streets – paired
      2. 6^th Street both sides

• 6^th Street eastside cycle track

1. 9^th Street eastside cycle track

1. Q&A:
   1. Which plan takes the least amount of parking?
      1. Residential is hardly affected. Church parking is a bit more complicated. Alt 3 is the friendliest for church parking. Downtown metered parking- 5^th & 6^th St option would take the most
   2. Is DDOT considering a concrete barrier to separate vehicle traffic from bicycle traffic? Enforcement efforts?
      1. Bi-directional will look similar to 15^th street, which has flexiposts.

• Timeline: have it all finished by end of 2016.

1. Project website & public open house will be announced soon.

3. Howard Homecoming – Maybelle Bennett
   1. Oct 3, 2015
   2. Upcoming event
      1. This Saturday there is a 5k run. Rolling street closures will occur. Shouldn’t affect LeDroit Park too much. Website for route: howard.edu
      2. Tues., Sept 29, 6-9pm, Green Stadium – pep rally

• Wed., Sept 30, educational environment event, 1-9pm at the auditorium

1. Thurs, Oct 1, fashion show, auditorium, 7pm, 10pm
2. Fri., Oct 2, Yard Fest, 12pm-6pm. Family oriented
3. Sat., Oct 3, Homecoming, Parade route has been narrowed; won’t be coming through LeDroit Park.

• 202-806-6995 director of off-campus housing
• 202-806-9216 another number you can call: Dr. Turner

1. 202-806-1100 public safety department for Howard

1. Condition of Terrell House
   1. President wants to see if there are groups that want to purchase the building – a sorority (Delta) may purchase the building
   2. Thanks & appreciation for our Civic Association – Slowe Hall welcoming with cookies and lemonade
2. Heritage Trail Update – Eric Fidler
   1. There are new history signs. We will have official unveiling on Sat, Oct 17 at 11am at the Park at LeDroit; rain date is Oct 18, 3pm. Coordinated with the house tour and art show
   2. Need few more volunteers. Email Eric: fidler@gmail.com
   3. President Eric Fidler moved to have the association contribute up to $500 to the event.
      1. The motion was seconded.
      2. The association voted unanimously in favor of sponsoring the event for $500.
   4. After the meeting there is a gathering at Eric’s house abt. This meeting.
3. Electric car charging station – Ian Carroll
   1. Electric vehicles are more popular but there are not enough charging stations. There are two charging station managed by DDOT.
   2. Is the Park at LeDroit a good space for this addition?
   3. Feedback/questions: Ian Carroll: ian@gmail.com or 805-291-7933
   4. DDOT has a maintenance plan and they want neighborhood input and support. Ian needs support for the concept of the charging station.
   5. Looking to install one space.
   6. Ian will meet with DDOT and PEPCO.
   7. Eric Fidler moved to support Mr. Carroll exploring the option of installing a single electric charging space around the Park on the condition that he come back to the association with a specific space.
      1. Anita Norman seconded the motion.
      2. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0)
   8. McMillan Development update – Eric Fidler on behalf of Zeba Floyd
      1. Between Bloomingdale and children’s hospital. She wants to ask DDOT to do a more detailed traffic study. You can ask questions before the study is crafted to Zeba: Zeba4mcmillan@earthlink.net
   9. Committee Report
      1. Public Safety – Anita Norman
         1. Requested MPD to address the crime and spike in K2 sales but no one was able to represent today.
         2. We asked MPD to step up patrol in LeDroit Park. They were able to do that and we made some arrest for stabbings, gun fire

• There were several meetings in the summer on safety and crime. Anita attended a few meetings with the ACLU and women from Black Lives Matter. The main topic was that young black men and women were distrustful and afraid of the police. If others will get involved and get to know the police, they will have more positive interactions with MPD.

1. We had a block party this past Saturday. We thank Brian Footer for his help. Get to know your neighbors, your MPD.
2. Safety walk: Tues, Sept 29, starting at CVS at 7:30pm
3. Third Tuesday of the month: safety walk starting at Anna Cooper Circle at 7pm.

• We now have those pooper-scooper signs up around the neighborhood.
• 300 block of T street: DDOT studied traffic for speed humps. We can’t get speed humps but maybe something similar like rumble strips.

1. Treasurer/Membership – Donna Morris
   1. We have $4889 in our bank account.
   2. Membership dues are $15/household; $5 seniors; $500 corporations. Go onto ledroitparkdc.org, paypal, mail it in, drop it in Donna’s mailbox
2. Park Committee – Eric Fidler on behalf of Nicole Bambas
   1. Thanks to a bunch of people for volunteering to water the trees at the Park!
3. ANC Upcoming Events
   1. Historical Walking Tour – Sun., Sept 27, 1-2pm, Meet at arch
   2. Night on the Farm, Common Good City Farm– Thurs., Oct 1, 6:30-8:30pm

• Happy Hour – Shaw’s Tavern, Tues., October 13, 6:30-8:30pm

1. Heritage Trail Kickoff – Sat., Oct 17 – 11am, Park
2. Civic Association Meeting –Tues., Oct 27, 7pm
3. Weekly Volunteering Opportunities
   1. Tree Watering at the park – Weds through October, Park, Nicole Bambas – treesatledroit@gmail.com
   2. Common Good City Farm – Wed.-Sun. during open hours
4. Community Announcements
   1. Art All Night – Sat. Sept 26, 7pm-3am, artallnightdc.com
   2. LeDroit Park-Bloomingdale Heritage Trail kickoff – Sat., Oct 17, 11 am

• Lorita Daniels, a PhD student from Virginia Tech., is looking for neighbors to interview so she can study how we stay connected in our communities. Interviews will last 45-60 minutes. dlorita9@vt.edu, 410-570-5663

1. Richard Myers thanked volunteers who helped administer the Produce Plus program through the summer.
2. Ben Case from the Mayor’s office (ben.case@dc.gov) distributed the mayor’s 6^–month plan and pledge to end homelessness in DC.

This memorandum represents our understanding of the events that transpired and the actions that were taken. If they do not conform to a recipient’s understand, prompt written notice must be communicated to the writer. If no corrections or objections are made, this memorandum will be relied upon as a factual interpretation of this meeting.

Submitted on Wednesday, September 23, 2015, by Jeehye Pak, the Secretary of the LeDroit Park Civic Association.