Welcome to my first monthly recap. Since there was none in January or February, this will be a triple-length post.
First off, hello neighbor! I’m Aru Sahni, your ANC (Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner) for SMD (Single Member District) 5F02. You’ve probably seen me out and about walking my dog, Motley. You voted me to office in the 2022 election, and I’m looking forward to representing you in ANC 5F.
In this update:
ANC 5F’s First Steps
ANC 5F is brand new! Following the 2020 census we were redistricted out of ANC 5E. Additionally, SMD boundaries shrunk. What was 5E01 is now (mostly) 5F01 and 5F02. You can check your boundaries at OpenANC.org.
We started the year with a totally blank slate – no bylaws, no presence, no money. My fellow commissioners and I collaborated on a set of bylaws and standing rules, which we were able to adopt on our January 17th Special Meeting. At this same meeting, I was elected to be chair of our Outreach and Technology task force. The task force is responsible for many things, including:
- Building the commission website.
- Establishing a commission mailing list (Sign up here if you aren’t on it!)
- Creating our hybrid meeting solution.
Our goal is to make 5F the most transparent and responsive commission in the entire District, and we hope our rules and practices convey this.
One such practice is publishing our draft agenda, resolutions, presentations, and other documents in advance of meetings. This will enable commissioners and constituents alike to know what will be discussed at meetings. It also enables us to use a consent calendar, where the Commission can mass-approve resolutions to better focus the monthly meetings on the topics that need to be discussed and debated.
Committees
ANC 5F will have several committees:
- Alcohol Licensing - for issues relating to the DC Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA)
- Public Safety, Health, & Community Engagement - for issues relating to Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and other government agencies
- Transportation and Public Space - for issues relating to public space permit applications, issues relating to the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), or other public transportation or public space related proposals.
- Zoning and Development - advising on proposed projects that are requesting relief from zoning regulations through the Board of Zoning Adjustment or other entities.
…and have a task force:
- Library Task Force - providing community input for the future Eckington/Edgewood library.
If you would like to serve on any of the above committees or the task force please complete this survey.
Resolutions
We’ve been hard at work passing resolutions. Here are a few highlights:
- I sponsored a resolution for increased traffic calming for Hope Tolson Charter School for student safety.
- I co-sponsored Commissioner Hurst’s resolution supporting Councilmember Parker’s funding request for additional hours for Edgewood Rec Center. Following our vote, DPR announced extended hours for this rec center.
- I sponsored a resolution supporting Councilmember Parker’s funding request for additional violence interrupters for Edgewood.
- I co-sponsored Commissioner Bishop-Henchman’s resolution support Councilmember Parker’s funding request for MBT improvements, including bollards.
- I sponsored a resolution supporting Councilmember Parker’s funding request for improved MBT connectivity, including potential east-west routes.
Office Hours
Last month I took a traffic safety walk and held office hours to chat with neighbors to listen to what concerned them. I plan on doing more of these (and will announce them on this list). If you have any suggestions for activities you’d like to see (e.g., trash pickups, bike rides, coffee chats), please let me know.
I’ll announce the next one on this mailing list!
Neighborhood Updates
Road Paving on Lawrence
Sometime over the next few months, DDOT will repave Lawrence St between 8th and 7th streets. Special no parking signs will go up 3 days prior to repaving, so please keep your eyes peeled if you park on that block.
Street Cleaning
It’s baaaaack! Remember to move your cars when parked on a block that gets cleaned.
Traffic Calming on Evarts
DDOT plans to install a speed hump on the 600 block of Evarts Street. I will share the planned location when it is made available.
Edgewood Rec Center is Open Longer March 27th!
Following the resolution we passed at our February meeting, and with the support of Councilmember Parker, DPR announced that both Edgewood Rec Center and Turkey Thicket Rec Center would be open from 6a-9p on weekdays, and 9a-5p weekends, starting March 27th.
We still want Sunday hours, and will continue to work with DPR and others to make that happen.
Other News
Vision Zero Walkthrough
In February, a pedestrian, Mr. James Tarrants, was tragically killed when he was struck by a driver while trying to cross around DC Water’s NEBT project on Rhode Island Avenue. I joined a few of my fellow commissioners and representatives of Councilmember Parker’s office in a Vision Zero walkthrough of the area of the incident to help DDOT better understand the circumstances around the crash, as well as the dynamics of the area. We stressed the need that sidewalks need to remain open during construction, especially on long blocks without an intermediate crossing.
DDOT Oversight
I testified at DDOT’s oversight hearing on February 27th. My testimony focused on two main areas of concern: the new Traffic Safety Input process (TSI 2.0), and DDOT’s prioritization of traffic throughput over safety. A written copy of my testimony is available here.