Monday, May 5, 2025
The “May” meeting of the Georgetown-Burleith-Hillandale Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC 2E) was held on April 28 and was a mixed bag of news and notices.
Beginning with the Police Report, Metropolitan Police Second District Commander Tatiana Savoy said how much she appreciated tips and help from Georgetowners in reducing crime in the area. The biggest problem areas continue to be theft from autos in parking areas around Safeways and S Street — as well as, to the south, Water Street at night.
Savoy did confirm an attempted break-in at the Potomac Boat Club last week.
Still, violent crime in the District has 40 percent from the previous year.
Drag racing on K Street at the waterfront continues to be irresistible to young men who want to race, do wheelies and vroom their engines under the echo provided by Whitehurst Freeway.
Commissioner Mimsy Lindner said, “It’s like ‘Grease’ all over again” and added that it does not help that there’s no dead end sign at the 34th and K Street. Nor does it help that enforcement is complicated by some jurisdictional confusion between Park Police and MPD.
But any increased police presence, whether in a car, bike or motorcycle, helps curb the behavior, Lindner agreed.
Also noted was the rash of continued package thefts. One TV news producer who lives on R Street near 28th Street had a box stolen from in front of her home which contained a journalism award. (Sad…)
Lindner also pointed out the continuing noise pollution (“You can’t call it music,” sniffed one neighbor.) coming from boats docked two to four deep at Washington Harbour. Boats must depart the dock by midnight.
Again, jurisdictions are complicated for one thing with National Park Service controlling the dock area and MPD the sidewalk area — and the offenders are on the water.
It’s a perennial summer problem. Observers have recommended that a harbor master be appointed.
Representatives of Mayor Bowser and Ward 2 Council member Brooke Pinto spoke of the 2025 D.C. budget snafu — and future budget cuts on the horizon. Pinto’s “Peace DC” plan was mentioned as well as her support of a cellphone ban in the public school classrooms.
As for fixing the sidewalks? It’s another perennial problem being solved too slowly, according to commissioners. Some brick sidewalks that were supposed to be repaired are still not fixed.
And as for an update to the Ellington Field construction, “Soon” is the operative word … again. But no firm date when construction of bathrooms and installation of drinking fountains will be made. It’s possible that track will be open in the summer and the field in the fall. Lighting remains a big issue, although the lights that have now been put in place are low density for playing but are not intense enough for broadcasting. The promise is that the lights will be turned off by 9 p.m. with few exceptions. Commissioner Kishan Putta is trying once again to get a final commitment on plans. “It’s been four years!” he said. “We started with the first town hall meeting in April 20, 2021.” ANC2E Chair Gwen Lohse warned that everything must be in writing.
Lohse also issued a resolution against NPS plans to revoke Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway’s rush hour lane restrictions. (DDOT agrees with her.) The new plan would keep the four-lane road permanently at two lanes north and two lanes south. Lohse said constituents were worried about spill-over traffic into neighborhoods adjacent to the parkway.
The parkway would lose its reversible rush-hour lanes, which the National Park Service has said creates a “racetrack environment.”
For decades, all four lanes have run southbound in the a.m. rush hour and then northbound during in the p.m. rush hour. On weekdays, all traffic is directed southbound towards downtown between 6:45 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. In the afternoon, all traffic is directed northbound between 3:45 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
NPS is still taking public comment on its proposal.
Also, a list of renewals of alcohol and cannibis licenses were routinely on the meeting’s agenda.
However, a possible brouhaha is brewing with Apero restaurant on P Street, which appears not to be obeying its settlement agreement with ANC and the Citizens Association of Georgetown. CAG shared some of their information concerning serving and drinking hour orders. Neighbors have complained about later hours — and noise. ANC 2E Chair Lohse said she would talk to the business owner.
Upcoming events announced at the meeting:
The Rose Park Farmers Market opens this Wednesday, May 7, and runs every Wednesday through October. On June 7, Friends of Volta Park will hold a field day in the park and, later, a cocktail party at Visitation Prep on 35th Street.