Minutes for April ANC Meeting

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m. Chairperson Jill Diskan, Chris McNamara, Steve Posniak and Tad DiBiase were present. (Charles Mayo joined the meeting in progress.)

1. Announcements

There were no announcements.

2. Business

The Minutes from the March meeting were unanimously approved, as was the Treasurer's Report. Commissioner Diskan described the grants program and noted that the grants would be awarded in June. Commissioner DiBiase stated that the Web site, at www.anc3e.org, should be up and running before the next meeting. The following checks were also unanimously approved.

#149 Roberta Mulholland $303.13
#226 Jeffrey Harps 40.00
#227 Metro Private Postal Service 390.00
#228 Chris McNamara 110.00
#229 Barbara Edmondson 117.00
#230 Network Solutions 35.00
#231 Bell Atlantic 33.47
#232 Roberta Mulholland 207.99

3. Open Forum

Mr. Scott made a presentation on the presidential primaries being held on May 2nd. Bob Linden noted that Harrison Street had been patched up with cement. Commissioner McNamara reported that DPW had followed up on a number of items listed on the ANC's Punch list. Kathy Smith asked about how the ANC newsletter was distributed.

4. Second District Report

There was no report from the police this month.

5. Wilson High School Parking Proposal

Eli Zigas and Evan Jones made a presentation on behalf of the Wilson High School Student Government Association proposing a solution to the shortage of parking spaces for Wilson High School staff and students. They proposed to change the metered parking spaces on Chesapeake Street to spaces reserved for Wilson High staff and students. The school would issue special parking permits and charge $45 per school year for each permit. All five commissioners voted to support the student's proposal.

6. American University Campus Plan

David Taylor and others from AU presented preliminary plans for changes to AU's main campus. The university expects to file its proposal with the Board of Zoning Adjustment with the next month or so. They noted that AU does not expect to increase its enrollment over the next ten years.

7. Tax Assessment

Paul Strauss, D.C.'s Shadow Senator, presented information on how to challenge the new real estate property tax assessments. These assessments will now be made every three years and AU Park is up this year. Most people should have received their notices by now but many in the audience noted that they had not. Senator Strauss and James Vinson, the Director of the Real Property Assessment Office informed the audience how to protest their assessment and answered questions.

8. Fresh Fields bird problem

Michael Morgan, Associates Team Leader of the Tenleytown store, made a presentation on the store's efforts to get rid of the birds flying around the inside of the store.

9. Adding Chevy Chase name to Metro station

Natalie Jones of the Office of Mass Transit made a presentation on a proposal to add the name "Chevy Chase" to the Friendship Heights Metro station. Arguments pro and con were heard and two resolutions were made. The first resolution was to support the name change but oppose the spending of public money. Commissioner DiBiase offered this resolution but it was not seconded. The second resolution, also offered by Commissioner DiBiase, was not to oppose the name change and to oppose the spending of any public money by the District of Columbia. A 3 to 2 vote with commissioners Diskan and Posniak opposing passed this resolution.

10. Traffic Resolution

This resolution dealing on proposed traffic changes in connection with proposed development on the Maryland side of Friendship Heights and proposed by Commissioner Diskan, was passed unanimously by all five commissioners.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.

 

Tad DiBiase
Secretary