| | | Southeast Capitol Hill (ANC 6B) | | November 23, 2009 |  | | | At its Nov. 10 meeting, the commission:
• heard a resident ask the commission to “take another look” at the 11th Street Bridges expansion project, which is set to begin soon. He said recent changes to the project would negatively impact the neighborhood. Several local groups have already objected to the project, saying it would cause more traffic on side streets in the neighborhood.
• heard CSX officials explain their plans to tear up Virginia Avenue from 2nd to 11th streets SE in order to expand the freight train tunnel that runs underneath the street. Many residents and commissioners questioned the plans, which would expose the tunnel for two to three years. Nearby residents, including some future residents of the new 208-unit Capitol Quarter town house complex, said they are worried about traffic being diverted from the highway onto neighborhood streets, as well as noise from freight trains that would continue to run through the exposed tunnel.
The Capitol Quarter residents said they are also concerned about getting out of the alley that runs behind the complex, which exits onto Virginia Avenue. Commissioners asked the officials to return to the commission after they have completed a traffic study on the project. Officials said a time line for the traffic study is still “up in the air.”
• discussed a controversial cell phone antenna that has been installed on D Street SE. Though the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs has admitted that permits were issued for the antenna without the required review by the Historic Preservation Review Board, commission chair David Garrison said concerned residents can do very little about the antenna. “It does appear that federal rules trump local rules” on this issue, he said. Residents have been concerned about radiation from the antenna.
• unanimously supported a Board of Zoning Adjustment application from 361 6th St. SE for a two-story rear addition.
• unanimously supported an Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration restaurant liquor license for Chesapeake Room, 501 8th St. SE. Though some nearby residents worried about the late hours causing noise, the commission agreed to support 49 interior seats and 32 sidewalk cafe seats. Service hours indoor and outdoors would be 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Sunday. Owner Xavier Caverra, who owns the nearby Lola’s and Molly Malone’s, originally applied for a tavern liquor license, which would not have required him to sell food.
• discussed the commission’s continued protest of a liquor-license application from Dulce Cafe & Lounge, 1123 Pennsylvania Ave. Owners Nyika and Cliff Humphries took particular issue with the commission’s request to ban “third-party promoters” from the business. A hearing on the protest is scheduled for February. | | | | | Log in to comment on this article |
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