Thanks to all who wrote in about this update. We’ve been following this process very closely. I know some folks don’t think it is a big deal, I can say from speaking to neighbors who live around there, they are very excited to have this eyesore removed. I am too.
Photo by PoPville Flickr user Rukasu1
“Dear PoP,
I was browsing the DC government webpage today and found this information page on unemployment in the District. I was astonished to see that overall employment in Ward 8 was almost 30%. Contrast that to Ward 3’s 3% and you have some pretty serious income disparity in the district.”
October Wards Unemployment ’09
Holy cow 30% unemployment is insane. Ward 8 was also the only Ward to have a nearly 10% increase from ’08. Is there something the city should/could do to alleviate this problem?
Photo by PoPville flickr user annejuliet
The city has announced that it will be planting 3000 new trees all over the city based on requests it received from the city call center. Pretty cool. From an emailed press release:
The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has begun planting more than 3,000 new street trees to help meet Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s Green DC Agenda goal of expanding the tree canopy and establishing the District as one of the world’s pre-eminent green cities…
From December to May, DDOT’s Urban Forestry Administration (UFA) will plant the new trees across all eight wards of the city. Planting locations are based on requests that were made by residents to the Mayor’s Citywide Call Center before July 15, 2009…
The tentative planting schedule will begin with Ward 7, then Ward 8, 5, 6, 2, 1, 3, and 4. The planting schedule for specific neighborhoods will be posted on the UFA website this week, but is subject to change due to equipment, weather, emergencies, and other extenuating circumstances.
In addition, UFA will plant 100 elm trees in a partnership with Casey Trees and team up with the organization Trees for Georgetown to plant 40 new trees in that historic neighborhood.
And if you’d like trees on your property DDOE has a special offer with RiverSmart Homes for $50:
Through a special offer from the RiverSmart Homes program, District homeowners can have shade trees planted on their property for only $50 per tree. Space is the only limit to the number of trees we can plant on each property. You can sign up for the $50 trees offer by clicking the link below and filling out the requested fields. In the spring, a representative of Casey Trees will visit individual homeowners determine the most appropriate trees and locations for planting in each yard. Once the tree species and locations have been chosen, Casey Trees will then schedule the planting. The cost of planting is included in the $50 co-payment.
You can read more info about that program here.
Photo from PoPville flickr user cacophony76
Thanks to a reader for sending the news from a group called Law Enforcement Against Prohibition:
U.S. House and Senate negotiators agreed on Tuesday on the final details of the FY 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act:
* Washington, DC will finally be allowed to implement the medical marijuana initiative that voters overwhelmingly approved in 1998 but has been blocked by Congress each year since then.
* Washington, DC will be able to use federal funds to implement syringe exchange programs.
Here’s how Congressional appropriators themselves describe the news:
Removing Special Restrictions on the District of Columbia:…Also allows the District to implement a referendum on use of marijuana for medical purposes as has been done in other states, allows use of Federal funds for needle exchange programs except in locations considered inappropriate by District authorities…
Has anyone else heard about this?
“Dear PoP,
What’s up with all the tree boxes on 17th Street (between N and P I think). On both sides of the street, they’re surrounded by two-foot-high chain-link boxes. Is someone worried a squirrel might escape?”
I believe this is related to the Streetscape project for 17th Street, NW. DDOT writes:
“The $4.5M 17th Street Resurfacing Project is one of the District’s ARRA projects. The scope of work includes 17th Street from Mass Avenue to New Hampshire Avenue and is anticipated to be completed by fall 2010. Work includes, replacement of existing sidewalk with concrete sidewalk, new granite curbs and brick gutters, mill and overlay of the roadway, replacement of Fire Hydrants, installation of new trees in designated areas, new street lights and new traffic signals.”
Borderstan writes that “Construction will start Nov. 30, 2009, and end by Nov. 30, 2010.” Borderstan also reports on a rally this past Saturday because:
“At the November 23 public meeting on the 17th St. renovation project, DDOT reminded the community that a significant number of trees – virtually all the trees between P Street and Riggs on 17th Street – would be removed to accommodate the streetscape project.”
Photo from PoPville flickr user jsmjr
From DDOT’s Web site:
“The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host a public meeting on Monday, December 7 to update the community on the Ward 1 Columbia Heights Performance Based Parking Pilot Zone. The meeting will also be an opportunity for residents, businesses, churches and other stakeholders to provide feedback on the parking operations implemented under the Performance Based Parking Pilot Zone Act of 2008.
Columbia Heights is one of two commercial areas in the District where DDOT has established a special pilot parking program. The goal is to protect neighborhood parking, spur regular turnover of metered spaces around commercial establishments, promote other modes of transportation and reduce congestion using a variety of tools including variable parking meter rates and time limits.
At the meeting DDOT will discuss the progress of the program and the topics will include:
* An update on the revenue generated from multi-space meters.
* An update on signage improvements and non-automotive transportation modifications scheduled for the pilot zone (using meter revenue).
* Recommendations from community stakeholders for 2010.
Meeting Information:
What: Public Meeting on Performance Based Parking Pilot
When: Monday, December 7, 2009, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Columbia Heights Community Center
1480 Girard Street, NW
The community center is located near the intersection of Girard and 14th Streets. It is approximately 3 blocks south of the Columbia Heights Metrorail Station on the Green Line. It is also accessible on the DC Circulator’s Woodley Park – Adams Morgan – McPherson Square route, as well as the Metrobus 52, 53 and 54 routes on 14th Street.
For more information about the meeting, please contact Damon Harvey at (202) 671-0493 or [email protected].”
Last we heard a lawsuit was still going on and DC’s Department of Health had rented a spot in the meantime. On twitter I was alerted to the following note from @DCRA:
“Owners of 4th and P St. billboards now have until January 1, 2010 to remove.”
They also link to a report from DCRA’s Web site:
“The District of Columbia imposed a permanent moratorium upon the issuance of any permits for the erection or construction of a “Special Sign.” Only 32 Special Signs are legally allowed to exist in the District. A Special Sign is not a billboard – at least in legal terms (see below for information on billboards). These legal Special Signs are similar to liquor licenses in that they can be bought and sold and can be moved from location to location within limited boundaries as defined the Act below. Continues after the jump. (more…)
We last spoke about the Sherman Ave. Streestscape plans back in June. Thanks to a reader for sending the notes from a recent meeting on the subject:
“Essentially, construction will begin June 2010 and will last 18-24 months. Trees will be planted in the median where possible. There is one block with no median and there are a few medians with no trees due to underground utilities. We were assured that there were trees planted where feasible. Shrubs and/or ground cover will fill in the areas with no trees. Sidewalks will be widened with new tree boxes where possible. There will be one lane of traffic in each direction and are 14′ wide and designated as a shared lane supporting cars and bikes. New residential scale lighting will be added to provide more evenly spaced lighting with intersections receiving a higher level of lighting using teardrop style light fixtures. Washington globe light fixtures will be installed between intersections.”
From an email:
As part of the District’s “Skip the Bag, Save the River” campaign, the District Department of the Environment and CVS/pharmacy have teamed up to distribute reusable shopping bags. Beginning January 1, 2010, District businesses that sell food or alcohol must charge you 5 cents for every disposable paper or plastic carry-out bag. You can save a nickel by bringing your own.
To learn more about the new bag law, and DDOE’s efforts to clean up the Anacostia River, please visit http://green.dc.gov/bags today.
DDOE/CVS Bag Distribution Events
Thursday, December 03, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 845 Bladensburg Rd. NE
Friday, December 04, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 4851 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Monday, December 07, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 1900 7th St. NW
Tuesday, December 08, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 5550 Connecticut Ave. NW
Wednesday, December 09, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 5013 Connecticut Ave. NW
Thursday, December 10, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 6514 Georgia Ave. NW
Friday, December 11, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 110 Carroll Ave. NW
Monday, December 14, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 1403 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 4859 MacArthur Blvd. NW
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 1201 Maryland Ave. SW
Thursday, December 17, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 1100 New Jersey Ave. SE
Friday, December 18, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 401 M St. SW
Monday, December 21, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 2646 Naylor Rd. SE
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 10:30 a .m. – 1:30 p.m. 3230 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Photo by PoPville flickr user Nestum23
DCist reports the good news:
“No big surprises in the first D.C. Council vote on legalizing same-sex marriage: the Council today voted 11-2 to approve the “Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009,” with Marion Barry (D-Ward 8 ) and Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) the only dissenters.”