President’s Message

By Eric Langenbacher, president@burleith.org

I hope all is well as the beautiful spring weather continues. Georgetown University’s graduation is rapidly approaching on May 15–17. We should all prepare for extra traffic in and around the neighborhood, especially on Saturday the 16th, and for the student move out.

The BCA’s signature event, the Burleith Summer Picnic, is also coming up on Saturday, June 14, from 3:30–6:30 pm at the Green Lot off 37th Street. As always, we will have live music, Rocklands BBQ, a variety of activities, and a raffle. I am extremely grateful to our co-organizers, Lenore Rubino and Melanie Gisler. We are looking for volunteers especially for setting and cleaning up on that day. 

The other, on-going community issue is the renovation plans for the Duke Ellington Field. As mentioned in the community Zoom that we conducted several weeks ago, there are many questions about the permitting process behind the installation of 89-foot lights. The BCA did lodge an appeal with the Board of Zoning Adjustment (Case No. 21314), which was accepted. The BZA hearing will be in September, so community members will finally have an official opportunity to make their voices heard. This should not delay the project because other components like the renovation of the field houses or re-doing the field can continue.

Moreover, at its meeting on Monday, April 28, ANC 2E decided to request that the Department of Parks and Recreation respond in writing to a variety of community concerns: hours of operation, especially for the lights, issues of community access, how unpermitted activities will be dealt with, etc. I would like to thank ANC Chair Gwen Lohse as well as Commissioner Kishan Putta for taking this overdue step.

All the best.