Welcome back! I hope you had a great summer break, traveling to exotic destinations or just chilling at the pool and reading good books. Now that school is back in session and the heat has broken (?), I thought I’d pass along some updates.
Trees
Were you here for that crazy storm on July 29? I’ve never seen anything like it. We’re lucky there wasn’t a lot more damage, although trees and branches destroyed neighbor cars and landed on houses. To my knowledge, no one was hurt in our neighborhood.
There were some lingering power and communications disruptions, but, the city did a remarkable job clearing streets and trees. The National Park Service is another story. Woodley Playground remains littered with debris, fallen trees, and a few threatening branches that are destined to fall. I’ve been pestering the Rock Creek Park superintendent to clean it up and finally got a response last week. He said they will be contracting the job and will give us a date shortly. Stay tuned on that.
Meantime, there are a bunch of neighbors who are ready to take up the issue ourselves. Somebody cleared the playground equipment already and I did an hour’s worth of work clearing the swings with “Chainsaw Becky.” Thanks to the many people who came out to help clear the streets and sidewalks and check on neighbors after the storm. It was a real community effort.
The storm reminded us of the danger that old and diseased trees can present. I know a lot of neighbors are looking at nearby trees a bit more critically than before. Some neighbors, like my family, are looking sadly at stumps, after the storm knocked over trees.
If you are concerned about a nearby tree or a stump on city property or easements, recommend you go online and put a request in here (click through to request a service). You can:
ask for an inspection to see if a nearby tree presents a hazard
request pruning or removal
request a new tree. If there’s a stump, you first have to get the stump removed - so request that first
see some cool maps of trees and 311 requests.
You can also consult with the “Ward 3 arborist” (click on the map). Did you know there’s a ward arborist? There’s also some support for trees on private property.
Parking
Parking in Cleveland Park is a perennial concern. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has proposed 30-minute time limits on metered parking near the commercial strip.
This is an effort to respond to businesses in Cleveland Park in light of the decision to pedestrianize the service lane. While some local businesses support closing the service lane to cars and making it available for pedestrians and outdoor seating, other businesses opposed the move bemoaning the loss of parking. Some of them say parking is critical to their business because customers need to drop off and pick up via car.
So the proposal is to create shorter-term parking to facilitate pick-ups and drop-offs - moving more customers through the limited number of adjacent parking spots.
The large majority of visitors to the Cleveland Park commercial strip arrive not by car but via foot, bike, Metro, bus, etc. So this move is meant to prioritize the visitors and businesses that most need the parking.
DDOT is trying this out elsewhere in the city. Hopefully it will work well. There will still be longer-timed parking further up Connecticut Avenue, on side streets, and of course, at the Park-and-Shop.
Every inch of public space in Cleveland Park is much debated. I'm hopeful we're moving in a good direction to make it safer, easier, and more inclusive. The status quo is not very good. But there will inevitably be some trial and error along the way.
You can join the September public meeting for ANC3C Safe, Sustainable, and Equitable Transportation Committee on September 13 to discuss the issue. DDOT is accepting public comment on this proposal until October 20th. Feel free to let them know what you think.
Crime
DC is experiencing a crime wave with a dramatic, and tragic, surge in homicides and gun-related crimes. Some other kinds of crime are also increasing, especially car-jackings. Neighbors have raised concern about crime and public safety to me in recent months.
Although the statistics in our neighborhood don’t reflect the surge in violent crime overall, we have seen a troubling rash of smashed car windows and burglary . There’s a lot of auto glass on our streets and sidewalks these days.
We feel the sadness of this situation and the heightened anxiety.
I’ve been taking this concern seriously and have recently participated in a community walk with Second District Police Commander John Branch and also attended a community forum hosted by the Cleveland Park Community Association with Commander Branch and City Council Member Matt Frumin.
I’ve asked the police for advice on what residents can do to prevent the crime, especially the auto-related crime. To be honest, most advice is just common sense: lock your car, don’t leave valuables in your car. Don’t leave things that look like they might be valuable (like backpacks or empty boxes). There has been a rash of wheel thefts. For these, the police advise curbing your wheels and using wheel locks; although at least one neighbor followed this advice and STILL had wheels stolen. The police are big supporters of security cameras and the city offers rebates and vouchers if you’re interested.
Many residents would like to see more police presence and patrols. But Commander Branch tells us they are significantly under-staffed and are making difficult priority decisions daily.
If you have other ideas or suggestions, send them along.
Update on ANC activity
The next meeting of ANC3C will be 18 September. Let me know if you have issues or concerns to raise. Check the website to see the agenda and register for the meeting (via zoom).
Our last meeting was 17 July. What did we do?
We requested traffic calming and safety improvements for Garfield Street;
We supported traffic calming near Eaton Elementary;
Honored Georgia A. Ellard and recommended renaming the local hiking trail in Rock Creek Park for her;
Honored Jude Maboné on being crowned the 2023 Miss District of Columbia;
We made a grant for local congregations to develop a public presentation on redlining in Ward 3;
And a bunch of other stuff.
As always, I’d love feedback. Even negative feedback is helpful to improve what we’re doing.
Other items of interest
The Department of Public Works has changed how they pick up yard waste. Don’t put it in you regular trash. Instead, they want you to put it in paper bags and submit a 311 service request for pick up.
Both Cleveland Park and Woodley Park are participating in the city-wide Art All Night party. Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 30 from 5-10PM for live music, vibrant local art, fun events at local businesses, and late night food and vibes. Sign up here.
Please feel free to pass this newsletter along to friends and neighbors, especially if they live in the neighborhood.