DC Government

Dear PoP – Who Gets New Street Lamps?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

Why do some neighborhoods have historic looking gas lamps along their streets, while others are lit with ugly 1970’s lamp posts? Even streets that are not designated in a historic district have installed gas lamps. How does the District determine which streets qualify for street improvements?”

I’ve noted these lamps a few times. I think I’ve seen them on H St, NE, a large section of Georgia Ave, 11th Street, NW in Shaw and maybe one or two other spots.

Though, I’m fairly certain they are just regular electric lamps. Are there gas lamps that I’ve missed? If so, where have you spotted them? Anyone know how the location for these new lamps are chosen?

Dear PoP – Real Property Assessment Question

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoP,

I am considering submitting an appeal on my recently assessed Property Taxes. I am a recent first time home owner, so I am new to the “fun” world of taxes regarding property. I feel that my assessment was quite high. I compared my assessment to every house on the block and I am probably the most heavily taxed on the block (I have the Homestead Deduction, as does 90% of the houses on the block). I bought a 1909 rowhouse that needs quite a bit of work. It is liveable, but needs quite a lot of finesse to make it shine. Of the 24 or so houses on my block, I would say 60% have been renovated nicely (i.e. gutted, updated, etc…), 30% need some work, and the final 10% need substantial work. My property falls in the 30% pool of needing some work. I was shocked to see that the majority of the renovated homes have substantially lower taxes then my house. I called into the DC Real Property Assessment Division and spoke with my designated assessor and he mentioned that my tax assessment was more or less based on other home sales and most importantly my actual purchase price of the house. “Even if that house needs work and isn’t as nice as your neighbors, you paid that much for it, you are going to get taxed about that much for it.”

My immediate thought is I paid $x.xx amount of dollars because that house was worth that much to ME. But how much is it worth to the city? If I felt like paying $1,000,000 for the home, should I get taxed for that amount?

With my house needing quite a bit of work compared to the other “nicer” houses on the block, should I be taxed that much more than them? Avg is a solid $80,000 assessed value more…

Should I submit an appeal?”

You should definitely appeal the assessment in my opinion. I appealed once for a similar reason and won. And also don’t forget to file for the deduction if it is your primary residence. Here is the discussion we had last year. Did anyone’s assessment go up?

PoPville Discussion Sparks New Web Site from DCRA about Basement Rental Info

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

Well this is rather cool. Last week’s legal question about basement apartments has sparked a new Web site from DCRA. It is called Rent Your DC Basement Apartment Legally. They say:

“Yesterday, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) ending up in a huge conversation about the fears, misconceptions, challenges, issues and obstacles facing DC residents who are either considering renting their basement as a rental property, buying a home with a basement apartment they plan to rent, currently renting their basement apartment (legally and illegally) and other various scenarios. The District of Columbia is filled with basement apartments and entire generations of folks have at one point or another lived underneath other people.”

Check back here as they populate the Web site with helpful info.

Friday Question of the Day – Transportation

By Prince Of Petworth

As you may have heard by now 15th Street, NW between K St. and Massachusetts Ave. will remain 2-way at all times according to DDOT. In a press release they write:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced today it will eliminate the reversible lanes on 15th Street, NW. Beginning on Monday, March 15, 2010, 15th Street between K Street and Massachusetts Avenue will operate as a two-way street at all times. Currently, that 3-block street of 15th Street already carries two way traffic for most of the day, but during the afternoon rush hour (4-6:30 pm) it is one-way northbound.

The change was requested by the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) and was presented to Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) 2B and 2F for comment. Neither ANC opposed the change.

DDOT also analyzed the traffic on 15th Street and found that four lanes are not required to handle the volume of traffic during the evening rush hour. In addition, the reversible lanes still cause confusion for motorists despite the fact that they have been in place for decades.

“We believe this will be a positive change for the downtown area,” said DDOT Director Gabe Klein. “It will improve the flow of traffic, make the businesses more accessible, and make 15th Street safer for everyone: motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.”

Variable message signs (VMS) will be deployed to alert drivers to the new traffic pattern. The change will not impact 15Th Street north of Massachusetts Avenue which will remain one-way northbound at all times with a separated contra-flow lane for bicyclists.

Is this a good decision for 15th Street, NW?

Also since we’re talking about DDOT, I wanted to ask folks what they thought of powering the proposed street cars. If you’ll recall streetcars are slated to come into H Street, NE and Anacostia first and then to Georgia Ave. We spoke about the plans here. My question is: Would you object to the streetcars if they are powered by above ground/overhead wires?

Congratulations to the Newly Married

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo from PoPville Flickr user Mr. T in DC

Just wanted to add my voice sending congratulations to the same sex couples who are now allowed to get married in our nation’s capital.

Anyone get/getting married?

Residential Street Sweeping Resumes March 22nd

By Prince Of Petworth

Last week a reader asked when residential street cleaning resumed. Word came out yesterday afternoon from DPW:

“On Monday, March 22, 2010, daytime mechanical street sweeping will resume in scheduled residential neighborhoods where signs are posted indicating that this will take place. Now that the snow has melted, there’s now quite a bit of litter and debris in certain areas. Residents are again reminded to observe the street cleaning signs so our sweepers can resume cleaning residential streets. Alternate-side parking restrictions in these areas will go into effect as well. Parking tickets, which carry a $30 fine, will be issued, beginning March 29, to vehicles parked during street sweeping hours in areas posted with “No Parking/Street Cleaning” signs. Beginning March 29, parked cars also may be towed to allow the sweepers access to the curbside. Generally, parking is prohibited for two hours while sweeping is underway.”

No Parking Lot For Old Bruce Monroe School on Georgia

By Prince Of Petworth

Last week a reader sent in word about a group, Stop the Lot, opposing a parking lot for the area bounded by Georgia Avenue, Irving Street and Columbia Road.

A reader sends an update from Council Member Jim Graham:

“The Deputy Mayor’s office has informed me that they will not recommend parking as part of the interim use for the former Bruce Monroe School site at Ga and Irving.

Therefore that idea is off the table.

We can now proceed to work with the Mayor and his people on an contributing design for interim uses for this location.”

So what do you think realistically could work in this location? I like the idea of what the Stop the Lot folks mentioned about a garden/park area like is being done at the old Gage School in LeDroit Park.

Dear PoP – When Does Street Cleaning Resume and Any Interest in a Neighborhood Shred?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Bogotron

“Dear PoP,

Just wondering if you knew when the normal street cleaning will resume or if the city planned unscheduled cleanups do the heaps of trash all over the streets in Petworth and CH? I regularly walk down the 500-600 block of Irving and it is just atrocious. It may as well be a landfill. Our neighbors are cleaning up our block but I’m not sure if we’ll make it over there…”

Street cleaning doesn’t normally resume until the end of March. The last couple of years it was March 23rd or 24th. I’ll post an update when the exact date is announced.

“Dear PoP,

Just wondered if you [or your followers] know of a company that would do a neighborhood shredding of documents in Columbia Heights? I was thinking of asking my condo board about it, but thought it would be great to get to maybe make it a neighborhood thing.

Any suggestions would be great!”

In the past DPW provided free shredding at the Benning Road Trash Transfer Station in North East. I think your best bet would be to contact Council Member Graham and see if he’d be willing to make this happen for Columbia Heights. Of course if you wanted to pay I’m sure there are plenty of companies that would be interested.

Dear PoP – More info on Bruce Monroe School Demolition

By Prince Of Petworth

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the current Bruce Monroe School Demolition schedule and proposed plans. A group has emerged opposing a parking lot. They write:

Dear PoP,

Demolition at the Bruce Monroe Elementary School (bounded by Georgia Avenue, Irving Street and Columbia Road) is now scheduled to be complete in late April. At a community meeting this week, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development announced a proposal to convert the majority of the parcel into a surface parking lot for commuters, who are likely to be employees of one of the large employers on this side of town. The parking lot is to be an interim use, which the District says could last 3-5 years.

Many neighbors of the site think a surface parking lot, for however long, is a very bad idea. This will do nothing to benefit the community, will be harmful to the environment, and the revenue it raises — which the District would share — will not be targeted to any particular use in the neighborhood. By contrast, the Gage-Eckington School in LeDroit Park was nearly the same size as the Bruce Monroe parcel, demolition was begun at about the same time, and yet the residents of that community are about to enjoy a permanent 3-acre park with an urban vegetable farm.

The next community meeting on this topic is March 8. In the meantime, please help strengthen the opposition by visiting http://www.stopthelot.com to learn more and sign an online petition.

Pleasant Plains and Park View deserve better.

— The Stop the Lot Coalition

Does anyone actually support the idea of a parking lot here?

Metro to host emergency response exercise with active shooter scenario at Friendship Heights Metro

By Prince Of Petworth

From a WMATA press release:

“Metro and its regional partners will participate in the first of three planned emergency response exercises on Feb. 24-25 at the Friendship Heights Metrorail station. The exercise involves a report of gunfire in the station, and will test the multi-jurisdictional coordination and response needed to mitigate a major incident in the Metro system.

The emergency response exercise will start at 12:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25, at the Friendship Heights Metrorail station. The drill simulates gunfire between two shooters in the station. Multiple passengers are injured or killed.

The Metro Transit Police Department special response team will respond to the incident, along with the police, fire and emergency medical services personnel from the District of Columbia and Montgomery County, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The drill will test the integrated response and incident coordination of Metro, and police, fire and emergency medical services agencies from the District of Columbia and Montgomery County, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

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