Burleith Newsletter March, 2001

When I sit down to write the President's message many thoughts go through my head. Some months things fall right into place and in other months I hardly know where to start! This is one of the latter months. What are the most important issues? What do the neighbors really want to hear? Do I extol the benefits of living in Burleith? After all, Spring is just around the corner and it is so lovely here. Do I nag the residents about participating in community events? Who will volunteer to work on the June picnic? Or the House Tour? Who will be on the Board next year? What about PEPCO? What about the meetings on traffic and parking-will we get responses from DPW? We have problems with trash and rats, and not just from rental group houses. Now, suddenly, redistricting has raised its confusing head!

Yes, all of the above and several more are some of the issues and events happening in Burleith as you read this newsletter.

Many of these issues, and others, are addressed in detail elsewhere in this newsletter. Of particular interest is the article by Guy Gwynne about a meeting that he was instrumental in arranging to address the short-term and long-term implications of the power line work underway in Burleith. The meeting was called by Mr. Angel Cartagena, Chairman of the Public Service Commission, and included PEPCO and community members. Actually, the discussion on power lines, EMF's, aesthetics and parking restrictions went well beyond the boundaries of Burleith-it encompassed the entire city. Guy, who believes strongly in this community and this city, is responsible for getting this topic on the agenda of the Public Service Commission.

As you know, Burleith is not a static community. We are in an urban environment and there are forces beyond our borders that require us to take active roles. We also have to deal with four schools plus a large university. We have internal issues-rash, rats, through traffic, missing signs, and others. Fortunately, for all of us, there are many community members working on any and all of these issues; and we are truly a community, with a number of community activities to bring us together.

Where does this message take us? Perhaps to our general meeting on March 14 where PARKING is the major topic. We want to hear from you. Representatives from DPW and the Metropolitan Police will be there.

Speaking of the police, I am pleased to announce that the Burleith Citizens Association will once again give special recognition to an officer from the Second District; in fact, we plan to maker this recognition an annual event. At the March 14 General Meeting we will honor Officer George M. Rusnak with a certificate of appreciation and a letter of commendation. For as long as I have known him, Officer Rusnak has worked the midnight shift, and as a result, he may not be well known throughout the community. However, those residents who have worked with him know that he respects the neighbor's right to peace and quiet and that he sets a high standard for the officers on his shift. Many times, Officer Rusnak has come to the rescue of residents who have needed help when faced with noisy parties and other disruptions. We hope you can join us at this meeting.

March is the month to think about electing a new Board for the Burleith Citizens Association. The by-laws require a nominating committee be named in the March newsletter, a slate of officers in April and the election takes place in May! The nominating committee is currently meeting and talking with residents, young and old, new residents and long time residents, about the various positions and current openings on the Board. If you are a member of the BCA you are eligible to serve on the Board. Please take a few moments and consider a position on the Board. You can call any member of the nominating committee to discuss the various positions. In addition to the slate named by the committee, nominations are taken from the floor.

I can only hope that I have given you things to think about, because they concern YOU.

Enjoy the day.

Nine members of the Board were present at the February 28 meeting.

Treasurer's report. Balance is $5284.25, before expenses for the winter picnic. Picnic expenses totaled $320.l7, considerably less that last year's event. Sale of the raffle tickets for lunch at Bistrot Lepic netted $96. Our thanks to Bistrot Lepic for donating the prize!

Membership stands at 155 households.

Property taxes will be going up, but next year, not this year. (Three years ago, DC adopted a system of assessing properties every three years; the next reassessment for Burleith will be done next year). The rules have been changed so that homestead exemptions no longer need to be recertified every 5 years.

Police Activity Reports showed 6lD noise warnings at 3604 T and l708 37th Streets. Effective in January, the BCA will be notifying landlords of noise violations by their tenants.

Holy Rood Cemetery has problems with vandalism and vagrants. Glover Park is seeking a meeting with cemetery owner Georgetown University, police and city officials.

Cafe Divan has withdrawn its application for a liquor license in the old Rowe House Coffee location on Wisconsin Avenue at 34th St. The owner now plans to turn the property into a Bed and Breakfast.

Georgetown University Canal Road entrance and bikes. Enhanced bicycle/pedestrian access at the new entrance (not yet started) is being sought by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. Burleith resident Chris Brown, an active member of this group, will be asked to address this issue at a future general meeting.

"Lawyers Have Heart" charity running race scheduled for June will close Reservoir Road from Foxhall to 35th Street as 4000 runners move through the community. The BCA unanimously passed a resolution opposing this race as now planned because of the inconvenience to residents of Burleith and the surrounding communities; and because of the risk to public safety because the entrances to the hospital would be blocked by the race. ANC 2E commissioner Scott Polk (from Foxhall) is meeting with the Office of Emergency Management about this and similar races. The goal is to develop guidelines for notification, routing and scheduling.

Traffic and Parking. Charles Mallett provided a summary of the February 13 general meeting on traffic (details are elsewhere in this newsletter). The March 14 general meeting will address parking issues. Also, the DPW has recently implemented regulations (against an ANC 2E recommendation) that allow all holders of a Ward 2 residential sticker to violate certain parking regulations at night without getting ticketed. For example, permit holders will not get a ticket for parking close to an intersection between 11 pm and 7 am.

House Tour. A budget of $500 was established for the April 22 House Tour. There are five houses, so far, plus the Corcoran School of Art. Additional houses are still being sought. See the flyer in this newsletter.

PEPCO undergrounding. Guy Gwynne leads the effort to explore underground wiring in Burleith-see the article in this Newsletter.

Georgetown 250th Anniversary. The Board agreed that Burleith should be in the parade on Sunday May 20. Peter Pulsifer will coordinate-volunteers encouraged!. It was suggested that we wear the 75th anniversary T-shirts reading "Burleith,Village in the City-75 years above Georgetown." There will be a grand picnic on the waterfront following the parade.

Hexagon/WIS parking. It was agreed that the WIS Liaison Committee should make the decision on allowing handicapped parking on the WIS parking lot for Hexagon performances. [The Liaison Committee subsequently decided unanimously to permit this use].

May Elections. A nominating committee was appointed (more information elsewhere in this newsletter).

Trash and Rats in Burleith. Some Burleith residents have serious trash problems (pictures were circulated). It was agreed that a letter from the BCA will go to the owners of problem properties to inform them of their responsibilities under the law. A draft letter was reviewed. Bonnie Hardy will coordinate this effort.

Summer Picnic. A committee is being formed to work on this neighborhood event, and a budget of $l200 was approved. Volunteers are needed!

Those of us who love gardens are asking home owners to take advantage of the Burleith House Tour and open their gardens for all of us to enjoy as we walk the neighborhood the afternoon of the House Tour, Sunday, April 22nd. It is always fun (and educational) to see how our neighbors have landscaped the typical Burleith backyard to fit their needs and desires-be it space for entertaining, for young children, for dogs, for growing things or for just sitting in a chair on a lazy afternoon.

To highlight the open gardens, we would like to mark them with colorful balloons and also make available a list of gardens when neighbors get their house tour tickets. Remember, we are not looking for finished products-just an opportunity to show off a lovely garden gem, a pot of flowers, or a clever landscaping design. This is a wonderful time to share with your neighbors (as well as to get new ideas).

To sign up, or for more information, please call Bonnie Hardy at 338-6470.

The Burleith Citizens Association held a Town Meeting on traffic on February 13, 2001. (The March 14 will follow up, with the same guests, on parking issues.)

The following guests were present:

• Commander Peter Newsham, Metropolitan Police Second District
• Lt. Patrick Burke, MPD Traffic Division.
• Ken Laden, Director, Modal Planning (DPW)
• Jean McCall, Chief of Operations, Traffic Services (DPW)
• Michael Miller, Parking Specialist, Ward 2
• Norma Mapp, Deputy Administrator for Parking Operations
• Terri Adams, Parking Operations (DPW)

The goals were to (1) Identify the traffic problems in Burleith; (2) Establish priorities and community focus; and (3) Plan solutions with city officials.

Problems Identified:

• East-west through traffic on R, S and T Streets.
• Heavy traffic on 35th and 37th Streets.
• Heavy truck traffic on 37th Street and Whitehaven Parkway.
• Speeding traffic (often 50 mph) down Wisconsin Ave goes onto 34th at Holy Rood Cemetery, where there is no stop sign or traffic light.
• Speed and stop sign violations on all streets.
• Pedestrian hazard at 38th St and Reservoir Rd because of the very short traffic signal cycle (10 sec. or less). Also, the bus often stops past the designated bus stop into the crosswalk. (This issue brought extensive discussion.)
• Traffic hazards from illegal double parking at 35th and R Streets. Are police ignoring the parking infractions at Ellington and WIS? At WIS there are lines of cars on R St from 37th St at school start and end hours. The double-parking and slow moving line cause through traffic to cut around the lines (accidents waiting to happen) and there is "road rage". Commander Newsham indicated they do not ticket parking during rush hours but will look into this issue.
• Cut-throughs. Traffic between Reservoir Rd and 35th St, 37th St, or Wisconsin Ave. uses 39th and 38th Streets (and S and T Streets) to as a shortcut, resulting in excessive traffic and aggressive drivers on side streets.
• 39th St one-way between S St and Hillandale. (See the full story elsewhere in this Newsletter.) At the meeting, there was serious discussion-some thought that removing the old one-way restriction on 39th St between the Hillandale entrance and S St was good, others a serious problem. There are complaints about traffic-one S St resident said that in a 45 minute time period during p.m. rush hours at least 35 of 40 cars going west on the 3800 block of S turned left onto 39th and right into Hillandale.
• Intersections of 35th St with S and T Sts are dangerous: stop signs not observed and crosswalks ignored by cars (and there is a public school at the T Street intersection).
• Bus on T Street. There is not enough room for two lanes of traffic and also parking on both sides of the street.
• Breakdown of law and order shown by the speeding, running stop signs and red lights.

Discussion Points

• Do pedestrians have right-of-way at crosswalks? Yes!
• DPW spokesmen stressed that streets are public, and traffic cannot be prohibited from using them; however, the District can "engineer" ways to control traffic, such as speed bumps, stop signs, rumble stops, narrow the traffic lanes, and so on.
• The large green "NO TRUCKS" signs are not enforceable, but we have asked to have them in addition to the enforceable white and black signs.
• Technology could be a major factor in solving traffic problems, both here and nationwide.

Possible Solutions:

• Make some streets one way (this brought limited but heated discussions, both pro and con).
• No left turns from eastbound Reservoir Road onto 39th and 37th Streets during a.m. rush hours.
• Three-way stop at 38th and R Streets.

DPW follow-up:

• Ken Laden (DPW) will:
  • investigate a stop sign or traffic light at Wisconsin Avenue and 34th Street.
  • look for a "quick hit" from Reservoir Rd before traffic study is completed (punch list from the August 27, 2000 walkthrough is half completed; 38th St and Reservoir Rd will be given special consideration)
  • look into any documentation of the one-way sign at 39th and S Streets-when and if 39th was to be one-way from S Street to the Hillandale entrance.
  • monitor traffic conditions through the spring and develop a menu of options to discuss with the community.
• The Burleith community (not the city and as several residents said "not the BCA Board") needs to develop a consensus on what is right for us. DPW can look at overall needs of the community and come up with possible solutions.
• The BCA is to do a survey of needed and/or suggested signs and send it to DPW prior to the March 14 meeting.

Special thanks to Charles Mal1et for organizing and conducting the meeting.

In 1979-1980, the Hillandale Development Corporation won approval to develop the former Archbold estate (called "Hillandale"), located in the park to the west of 39th St and east of the present French embassy. The Hillandale project was controversial because it was a limited-access planned urban development (PUD). The Burleith Citizens Association negotiated (and litigated) with the developers to protect green space and limit additional traffic flow through Burleith.

Prior to the PUD proposal, the city plan for developing Hillandale had been to simply extend the Burleith street grid north and westward; the present limited access funnels all Hillandale traffic towards 39th St.

In 1980, Burleith supported the developers' proposal before the BZA on the basis of a development agreement and a promise of a long-term covenant that was eventually signed in 1981. (Many of these Hillandale documents are now posted on the Burleith web site, http://www.burleith.org).

One condition of Hillandale's approval was the provision that 39th St be one-way northbound between the Hillandale entrance and S St. Indeed, this segment of 39th St was clearly built to be one way (it's very narrow and hazardous for two-way traffic), and was signed one-way until the end of 1996. At that time, the one way signs disappeared, and when DPW was asked for an explanation, they said that no official action had ever been taking to designate the road one-way.

The question remains controversial, with many in Hillandale pushing for not just keeping the road two-way, but also widening it to accept the additional traffic. The Hillandale Development Corporation is no longer in existence, and officials of the Hillandale Homeowners Association said in 1997 that they are not bound by the covenant. The present situation represents an impasse between those who want to enforce the covenant and those wanting greater access for Hillandale residents. It would be unfortunate if this issue became source of animosity between our neighboring communities.

The March 14 meeting will take up where the February 13 meeting left off, with parking issues. Most of the same DC officials that were present in February will return in March. In addition to hearing and responding to our concerns about parking, they will also report on the progress they've made in implementing solutions from the last meeting.

Parking issues that will be discussed include:

1. Is existing parking adequate for residents? If not, where are there particular problems?
2. Are existing parking restrictions adequate, too strict, or not strict enough?
3. We need to fix the broken system of visitor passes: too easily counterfeited, too hard to get a needed pass, no provision for health-care workers, home repairmen, or new vehicles.
4. The problem of long-term parking of out-of-state vehicles.
5. Institutional problems, including Georgetown University, the Corcoran School, Ellington, WIS, and Ellington field sporting events. Should they be required to provide more parking? Could we accommodate them better, as we tried to do by changing parking restrictions near Ellington? What about special events (like Hexagon)?
6. Missing signs: need to monitor and to better anchor parking signs.

If legislation is needed to deal with these issues, the BCA (and the ANC) should to lobby for it. Come to the meeting and help us find a solution to these and other problems!

Although it's still wintry outside, the BCA Board is already thinking of the new year and of renewal. The membership year ends on June 30, and the annual elections meeting is May 9. In accordance with the Bylaws, a nominating committee has been formed to seek Board members for next year. The committee will announce its recommendations at the April meeting. Candidates at the elections meeting will be those from the committee plus any nominations received from the floor.

The BCA Board has 16 members, including the officers (President, three Vice Presidents, Recording and Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer); the Newsletter Editor; four delegates to the Federation of Civic Associations; and three delegates to the Federation of Citizens Associations.

Any member of the association may serve on the Board. Anyone who is interested should contact a member of the nominating committee: Peter Pulsifer (337-3065), Guy Gwynne (338-5164), Bonnie Hardy (338-6470), Charles Mallett (337-6506), and Maggie Meenahan (337-2660).

The rash of burglaries that hit Burleith last month seems to have ended, thanks to increased surveillance by the police and increased awareness by residents. However, no arrests have been made, so it pays-as always-to be careful.

It's especially important to remember that one of last month's burglars did not break into houses-he walked right through open or unlocked doors, generally in the middle of the night. This person is believed to be responsible for eight burglaries in the area, including the 3600 block of R St, 3600 block of S St, and 3700 block of T St. The suspect is a black male, six feet tall, 215-230 pounds, between 20-35 years old. Stopping this burglar is easy-just lock your door!

The suspect in three other burglaries is well known to many in the neighborhood as a "handyman" who solicited painting jobs from residents. He often disappeared before the painting job was finished. He is described as a 48-year-old white male, average height and build, blond hair and blue eyes.

Residents are encouraged to call the police at 311 if either suspect is seen. If you have questions, call Lt. Bray at 282-0055.

The 2001 Burleith Winter Picnic was held in the elegant and spacious confines of Dumbarton House in Georgetown, a historic mansion that today is in the care of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. The Society was founded in 1891 to preserve significant historic objects and educate citizens about them, and they have done a fine job in Georgetown.

The picnic was not a history lesson, however-the Dumbarton House museum was not even open-it was a party! The room was filled with young and old, new arrivals and old timers, about 50 in all. Kids of all ages played or drew pictures or blew bubbles (bubbles were provided) while the adults socialized. People brought a great variety of food, from salmon and sushi to ham to barbecue to many exotic varieties of chicken-and, by the way, a few pasta dishes as well. Plus the many salads and breads. Plus dessert! No one went away hungry. (There was even some left over for the House caretaker, who provided an anecdotal history lesson of his own for his table mates).

The award for longest-term resident went to Odette Pantelich. The prize for successfully completing a quiz on Georgetown and Burleith history was divided between the entry of Gerri and Hope Soloman and that of Mary and Ed Levy (questions were devised by Sara Revis and Pat Scolaro). Bistrot Lepic once again donated a luncheon for two which was raffled off for a benefit of $96 to the BCA.

Thanks are due to Dumbarton House for their generosity in making this venue available to us. See you next year!

by Guy Gwynne

The end is in sight to the "heavy up" currently underway in Burleith, according to Mr. Bill Sim, vice president of PEPCO. Mr Sim said that the rewiring is part of a "program for replacement of older infrastructure to bring the distribution system up to today's construction standards." The practical result is that Burleith is festooned with more numerous, more visible and heavier cables and electric wires. Some houses on alleys are surrounded on three sides by heavied-up poles and wires, some quite close. If these are today's construction standards, it is time for a very big, induced change.

On March 6 the Burleith committee looking into the ramifications of the new situation met with the entire three-person Public Service Commission (which regulates all utilities), PSC staffers, seven senior PEPCO officers and two community representatives from Cleveland Park and Crestwood. The meeting turned on two principal themes: the near-term PEPCO plan specifically for Burleith, and the long-term projection of electric and cable construction and supply for the District, particularly with regard to underground vs. aboveground placement of utility wires and cables.

Not surprisingly, the PEPCO vice president defended both the firm's present supply program and its near total latitude for chosing which areas are wired underground and which are not. The community complained about various short-term aspects of the Burleith project and received a company mea culpa for installation shortcomings, but got little else concrete for Burleith. What committee members did succeed in doing was to open for the PSC the issue of PEPCO's installation performance citywide and convince the PSC to examine the present and future plans for electric power supply. There is a real the need for a coordinated city plan for distribution of electric power. The meeting helped the PSC and PEPCO, perhaps for the first time, to appreciate the consumer community's point of view in these issues.

The study and planning under discussion imply time. For practical purposes, Burleith now has its "heavied up" neighborhood with festoons of wires and cables, and looks in ways like a 1950s TVA village. While everyone at the conference table recognized the desirability of underground wiring, relative cost is cited as the crunch point, with installation vagaries being secondary. Cost, appearance and efficiency will be the principal objects of PSC investigation.

This conference started the ball rolling on Burleith's (and other areas') plight. After conferring further with the PSC, we will consider requesting a city council oversight hearing on PEPCO's present and future wiring policy citywide for neighborhoods, including Burleith and including underground wiring feasibility.

Wednesday, March 14, 7:00 p.m.
Washington International School
Parking in Burleith

• Special guests: senior DPW administrators for planning, signage, parking enforcement; Metropolitan Police Commander Newsham
• Also, a special award will be given to police officer George Rusnak for service to Burleith
• REDISTRICTING Update: Whither Glover Park?

Meet your neighbors, share your opinions!

All are Welcome!

A student at France's most prestigious engineering university has been selected by the French Embassy here in Washington for a three-month economics internship, this coming April through June. He would like to live with a family and practice his English during his time in Washington. He is able to pay about $550 per month for a room plus breakfast and dinner.

He is 21 years old, well-educated and well-behaved. He has younger siblings, so he is familiar with busy family life. The internship is from April through June, 2001. The title of the related research paper is "Analysis of Energy and Environmental policies of the United States of America." For more information, please call Stacy Davis at 647-0595. Thank you.

Interested in marching or riding in the May 20 parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of Georgetown? Burleith will be assembling a contingent for the parade, and may even build a float! Burleith is part of Georgetown history, and was once the home of the mayor of Georgetown. We're seeking volunteers and creativity to help with what will be a fun and memorable event. If you're interested in participating and/or helping, call Peter Pulsifer at 337-3065.

At the March 8 ANC 3B meeting, City Councilman Phil Mendelson announced that his committee will hold hearings on redistricting on April 5 and 7. All of the city's ward boundaries are likely to be redrawn as a result of the 2000 census, the results of which are expected to become available sometime in mid-March.

Ten years ago, redistricting moved Burleith from Ward 3 into Ward 2. This year, it's expected that the area of Ward 3 will shrink further, possibly resulting in Glover Park also joining Ward 2. Another rumored change might be to move Foxhall Village out of Ward 2 into Ward 3.

The process will involve redrawing of ANC boundaries, and Burleith might have to decide whether to join an ANC with Glover Park or remain with Georgetown.

The City Council will vote on the new ward boundaries by mid July, and the new ANC districts will then be worked out (with a deadline of January, 2002). Redistricting will be discussed at the March 14 BCA meeting, and the BCA Board will probably take a position at its March 28 meeting.

The Georgetown University Department of Art, Music and Theatre is sponsoring at program of free public Friday afternoon concerts, from 2:15-3:15 p.m. in McNeir Hall on campus. The next four events are:

March 16: Al Petteway and Amy White-Original, Celtic-inspired acoustic music.

March 23: Coolidge String Quartet-"Young, dynamic, award-winning," playing Borodin, Bartok and Britten.

March 30: James Nally, pianist-"a rising star."

April 6: Georgetown Chamber Wind Concert; Wendy Matthews, Director. The Threepenny Opera.

For further information, call Dorothy Biondi at 687-6933.

Burleith's newly-installed utility poles have been preserved with liberal doses of creosote, an oily and smelly mixture of organic compounds. Until the excess creosote dissipates (which will take some time), keep children and pets from touching or playing near the poles. According to product safety data sheets supplied by PEPCO, creosote is carcinogenic, can cause minor skin burns, and can be highly toxic after prolonged exposure. Touching poles or playing near them for a long time could cause a rash or eye or respiratory irritation (as well as a big mess).