cag december newsletter

GeorgetownC I T I Z E N SV O L U M E X X I V / I S S U E 1 0 / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 W W W. C A G T O W N . O R G

SPECIAL EDITION

What GUWants &Why CAG Is Opposed ................................ 2

Enrollment Growth and Insufficient Housing ...................... 3

From a Student’s Point of View.............................................. 4

Neighborhood Safety Questions .......................................... 5

The 1789 Block: Housing More Georgetown Students.......... 5

Who Decides? Politics and Decision Makers ........................ 6

Expanding enrollment to impact East Georgetown.............. 8

Why the“Save Our Neighborhood Fund?” .......................... 9

Make Your Views Known! ......................................................9

Environmental Hazards from Smokestack ........................ 10

With Georgetown University expected to fileits 2011-2020 campus plan with the ZoningCommission by December31, 2010, this newsletterprovides information that allresidents need to know andconsider. The communityplays a critical role in thereview process so CAG isproviding this conciseoverview.

CAG has been working dili-gently to oppose a significantexpansion of GeorgetownUniversity that will negativelyimpact all of Georgetown’sresidents.

For years, the communitiesadjacent to the Universityhave complained about unrestrained growth anddisorderly student behavior. Further, PresidentDeGioia has failed to manage or reduce prob-lematic off-campus student conduct.

The University’s unwillingness to effectivelyaddress neighborhood impacts has galvanized

neighborhood associations—CAG,the Burleith Citizens Association,Foxhall Community CitizensAssociation, and others—againstthe proposed growth.

In the past year, multiple public andprivate meetings with the Universityto discuss the adverse impacts onour neighborhoods have not pro-duced changes to the proposed planthat will address the unrestrainedgrowth and development.

As of this writing, areas of the planthat we oppose are based on the draftplan that was distributed in 2009. Wedon’t expect significant changes in thefinal plan that will be submitted to

the Zoning Commission by December 31, 2010.We will provide an update as soon as the finalplan is submitted as well as updates during theZoning Commission’s review process.

Georgetown University Campus Plan Threatens NeighborhoodZoning Commission to Review GU 10-Year Plan

CONTENT

G E O R G E T O W N C I T I Z E N S / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0

2

SPECIAL EDITION GU vs. Neighborhood

Georgetown University’s proposed CampusPlan encroaches on the community throughenrollment growth, insufficient on-campushousing, and ineffectual traffic managementas well as the absence of a long-term sus-tainability plan.

The GU plan would not mitigate anyof these issues but would worsen them.Specifically, the proposed plan calls for:

• An increase in student enrollment by morethan 3,200 students from its 2009 level

• Providing no additional housing on the tra-ditional campus thereby forcing more stu-dents to live off campus in neighborhoods

• The construction of mixed-use buildingsin West Georgetown on the “1789 block”including 8,000 square feet of serviceretail space

• Building an 83-foot tall smokestack toreplace a 10-foot tall chimney posing envi-ronmental risks to the community

• Adding 700 parking spaces to accommo-date anticipated additional traffic to thecampus and the hospital

We have consistently communicated with GUadministrators and District officials the needto create a Campus Plan that better managesenrollment, provide more on-campus housing,improve campus and neighborhood safety,and reduce parking and traffic impacts on theneighborhoods.

What GUWants &Why CAG Is Opposed

Common view in front of studentrental houses.

SPECIAL EDITION GU vs. Neighborhood D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 / G E O R G E T O W N C I T I Z E N S

3

Enrollment Growth and Insufficient Housing

“… The heart of the issue is that there’s simply notenough room for everybody, so students are only guaran-teed three years of on-campus housing. Every year, stu-dents are forced into the surrounding neighborhood.

Some students enjoy the independence and freedomfrom Georgetown bureaucracy, but off-campus livingcomes with its own pitfalls such as longer walks tocampus and fun encounters with the MetropolitanPolice Department or Student Neighborhood AssistanceProgram when a party gets too loud. Interestingly, themost vocal opponents of this arrangement aren’t thestudents—they’re the residents. They object to our

party habits, our trash, our noise, and our choice inpizza. If you’ve ever taken a walk through Burleith, youknow from their subtle “Our Homes, Not GU’s Dorm”lawn signs and their resentful stares: they want us out.

But there’s simply nowhere else to go. Georgetownresidents frequently feign concern for students bybemoaning the “slum landlords”—read: their neigh-bors—who charge exorbitant prices for sub-standardhousing. As someone who spent the summer battlingbedbugs in Burleith, I’m not going to contest that char-acterization. But with University housing in short sup-ply, off-campus housing is a seller’s market...”

From a Student’s Point of ViewExcerpt from an article by Kara Brandeisky in The Georgetown Voice (November 11, 2010)

When GU requires a quarter of its students tolive in overcrowded off campus rental hous-ing that often fails to meet health and safetystandards, it endangers student safety andreduces the quality of the studentexperience. These rental propertiesare rarely properly maintained andcontribute to the deterioration ofthe neighborhood. Trash and rats,for example, create serious healthissues that affect all parties.

Further exacerbating the problem is the Uni-versity’s proposed enrollment increase thatwill add approximately 3,200 students fromits 2009 level and fails to provide any addi-tional on-campus housing. It is clear that GUwill continue to rely on existing homes in thesurrounding neighborhoods to house a sub-stantial portion of its ever expanding studentpopulation.

GU can not continue to use the neighbor-hood for its residence halls. Signs proclaim-ing “Our homes, not GU dorms” are areaction to the fact that 48% of homes inBurleith are rented, mostly to GU students.

The former single-family, owner occupiedneighborhood is at risk of disappearing.

In Georgetown, over 113 houses have beenturned from single family houses togroup rentals and it is difficult andexpensive to convert them back.Many of these residences are poorlymaintained and house more peoplethan legally allowed, often bringing

both excessive trash and noise. This result hasprompted residents to move out of the area.

It also creates added costs for the city interms of reduced tax revenue and overuse ofcity services such as trash removal.

Losing the balance between transient studentsand permanent residents means losing theneighborhood. If we fail at reversing the trend,the future of Georgetown and surroundingcommunities is uncertain.

For these reasons, GU needs to reinstate its1990 goal of housing 100% of its undergrad-uates on campus and agree to reasonablecaps on enrollment for both graduate andundergraduate students.

In 2000,GU told thecommunity that theywould only enroll 3,873graduate students by2010: their currentcount is 6,275

1. Do you think that having dozens of individuals run-ning (or worse: driving) around the neighborhoodunder the influence of alcohol or drugs, knockingdown stop signs, yanking metal railings, damagingprivate property, urinating in public, buying or sell-ing drugs, strolling around semi-consciously at 4o’clock in the morning, makes our neighborhoodmore or less safe?

2. If police officers have to respond to numerous 911calls concentrated in a few blocks on the far westside, can they also consistently patrol and protectresidential areas all the way to 26th street andReservoir Road?

3. When parts of a neighborhood are dirty with trashscattered, poorly maintained houses, front and backyards abandoned, — are bad characters attracted orrepelled by such an environment?

In 2009 our police department had to service a dispro-portionate number of 911 calls for Disorderly Conductbetween 10pm and 4am all related to blocks closest tocampus. See the map above to get a clear idea where thecalls are coming from.

1. The neighborhood as a whole is less safe. Bad actorsare attracted by the abundant presence of potential vic-tims. Loud noise at all hours of the night may providecover for break-ins; constant presence of intoxicatedgroups walking around until 4am may help disguiseburglars; and residents have a hard time detecting seri-ous cries for help.

2. Responding to hundreds of 911 calls for disorderlyconduct is a huge diversion for our limited policeresources. If MPD patrols have to spend hours lookingafter intoxicated individuals they cannot patrol theneighborhood. There is a long standing history ofdisruptive behavior on certain blocks. Since 2001, thesource of the problems is always the same blocks. It isnot uncommon to see several police officers tied up forlong period of time and returning to the same locationsover and over.

3. Urban disorder and vandalismbreeds additional crimeand anti-social behavior. According to “broken window”theory, urban disorder and vandalism has a norm settingand signaling effect that produces additional crime andanti-social behavior. Maintaining urban environments in awell-ordered condition has been shown to reduce vandal-ism and deter more serious criminal behavior. This is thesituation in Georgetown.

Neighborhood Safety Questions

Disorderly conduct 911 calls distribution in the residential areas

Several police officers controlling crowds andintoxicated individuals at midnight

SPECIAL EDITION GU vs. NeighborhoodG E O R G E T O W N C I T I Z E N S / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0

4

Three safety questions for Georgetown residents:


Despite the protests from neighbors, George-town is planning to expand its student housingfurther into the residential portion of the WestVillage by developing the “1789 block”—theblock bounded on the north by N street, on thesouth by Prospect Street, and on the east andwest by 36th and 37th Streets.

The plan adds a large dormitory with 120 bedsand 8,500 square feet of retail space including60 underground parking spaces.

The proposed construction would rise higher thanthe existing historic townhomes on the north sideof Prospect. Though underground parking isplanned, it will not accommodate the number ofproposed residents and the proposed commercialestablishments. Additionally, some existing streetparking in this already congested area would needto be eliminated in order to accommodate theproposed vehicle entry on 37th Street.

Georgetown students occupy the University-owned town-houses on the north side of Prospect Street, and the resi-dents on the owner-occupied South side of Prospect and St.Mary’s Place already contend with excessive noise, trash,and late-night parties. However, it is clear that the additionof over 100 new occupants on one block would bring adramatic change in the quality of life in the neighborhood.

Neighbors have recommended that any development belimited to administrative use. Neighbors have also recom-mended moving the parking access to 36th or N Street torelieve traffic and preserve street parking on 37th andProspect Streets, which already have metro buses, GUshuttles, and restaurant delivery trucks to contend with.

No additional commercial establishments are needed inthe immediate area; there are several dry-cleaners,a coffee shop, a delicatessen/grocery, a hardware store,restaurants, and more within two blocks. Lastly, neigh-bors requested that the buildings not be higher than thehistoric town homes they will sit behind. This new con-struction will be all too visible from the neighboringhomes and will eliminate the view of our village.

Sadly, these comments and requests from residents havenot been acknowledged in any of the iterations of the10-year plan.

The 1789 Block:More Students in Our Neighborhood?

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 / G E O R G E T O W N C I T I Z E N S

5

It is clear that the additionof over 100 new occupants on

one block would bring adramatic change in the qualityof life in the neighborhood

N St.

NEW

NEW

NEW 36th St.

GU is an integral part of the neighborhood and thecitizens of Georgetown and Burleith and surroundingcommunities are committed to fostering a mutually

beneficial living and learning community.

All residents, including students, deserve a clean,quality neighborhood.

CAG GU Relations Committee

Cynthia Pantazis, ChairJennifer Altemus, Karen Cruse,Betsy Cooley, Karl Bourdeau,Roberto Coquis, Michelle Galler,Richard Hinds, Gianluca Pivato,Shannon Pryor

Shaded buildings are GU’s proposed mixed-use residence/retailfacilities set among historic houses and buildings.

Campus Plan Review Process

The Campus Plan will be reviewed by the DC ZoningCommission. This process will take approximately 6-8months from the time GU submits a final plan. Duringthis period, CAG, the Burleith Citizens Association alongwith other residents’ groups will seek to build broad sup-port for the community’s concerns. Our efforts will betargeted at the Zoning Commission, DC Office of Plan-ning, Mayor-elect Vincent Gray, DC Council includingat-large members and ANC2E.

Role of Political Leaders

To ensure the community’s concerns are addressed, it iscritical that our political leaders weigh in publicly duringthe process and support the residents.

The following city officials can play a key role in theprocess. We encourage all residents to contact these offi-cials early and often to underscore the adverse impacts onour neighborhoods and the failure of the Campus Plan tomitigate them. CAG’s website provides sample letters thatcan be used to articulate key points of concern.

Though our outreach to political leaders is ongoing, it willbe critical for residents to contact political leaders and,most notably, members of the Zoning Commission, follow-ing GU’s filing of its final Campus Plan with the Commis-sion. CAG will alert members when the plan is filed.

Mayor-elect Gray will be inaugurated on January 2. Whilecampaigning, Gray demonstrated an awareness of the con-cerns that residents have been articulating. He also under-scored the role of the Zoning Commission.

In August, he spoke about the need for campus plans acrossthe city to deal with “this sprawling presence of undergradu-ates” along with “student housing in the communities, andthe parties, and all of the behavior that comes with that.”

“Ultimately, the Zoning Commission, with the membersbeing appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council,has the authority to approve these ten year plans, and that’swhy I support people on the Zoning Commission who aresensitive to how a community develops.”

Although Gray has shown some sensitivity to the com-munity, the position he will take when GU’s plan is filedwith the Zoning Commission remains unknown. While

the Zoning Commission is the ultimate decision maker,who the mayor appoints to the Commission and the posi-tion he takes on the need for universities like GU tohouse their students on campus is very important.

At this point, there are concerns stemming from theappointments to Gray’s transition. Three of the Mayor-elect’s key advisors have ties to GU. Two come from GU’sLaw Center — Robert Spanoletti and Peter Edelman.They will assist with law and public policy and healthand human services respectively. Alice Rivlin, a visitingprofessor at GU’s Public Policy Institute will focus on fis-cal issues and the budget.

Gray also named former GW President Stephen Joel Tra-chtenberg as the head of the economic development com-mittee. GW has been one of the largest developers in thecity over the past several years.

Mayor-electVincent Gray


6


• GU will submit a final Plan to the Zoning Com-mission and Office of Planning by no laterthan December 31, 2010.

• Office of Planning should review the plan andsubmit a report and recommendations to theZoning Commissionwithin 45 days.

• Zoning Commission should hold public hear-ings approximately 8 weeks after GU files afinal plan.

• There will likely be 3-6 evening hearings heldby the Zoning Commission.

Who Decides? Politics and Decision Makers

Timeline for Review

The Office of Planning (OP) deals with urban design, landuse and historic preservation review. OP will review GU’sPlan, analyze the impact of the plan on the community andwrite a report that will guide the Zoning Commission in

their review. The Zoning Commission usually places signifi-cant weight on the Office of Planning’s assessment and rec-ommendations.

Office of Planning

Zoning Commission

The ZC is an independent, quasi-judicial body that pre-pares, adopts and amends the Zoning Regulations andZoning Map consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. TheZC approves new campus plans.

The ZC is comprised of five members. Three members ofthe ZC are residents of DC appointed by the Mayor andconfirmed by the Council. The fourth member is the Archi-tect of the Capitol and the fifth member is the Director ofthe National Park Service.

The current members of the ZC are:• Anthony J. Hood, Chairman (a holdover who may bereappointed or replaced by the new mayor)

• Konrad Schlater, Vice-Chairman• Greg Selfridge, DC resident• Michael Turnbull, Architect of theCapitol Designee

• Peter May, National Park Service Designee.

Councilmembers

Jack Evans has stated that he supports the residents con-cerns and has flatly stated that he will not permit an 83foot tall industrial smokestack to be built. But we hopehe will do more.

Evans can make public statements supporting our specificpositions and emphasizing the risk posed to the neighbor-hood by not requiring GU to house its undergraduate stu-dents on campus. He can also testify before the ZoningCommission about the adverse impacts that GU’s growthhas had on our neighborhoods.

We believe his voice can go a long way in communicatingthe importance of our concerns and the need for the Zon-ing Commission to require the University to address them.

As head of the Council, Chairman-elect Kwame Brown canalso be a critical asset in articulating the resident’s concerns.


Mayor-elect Vincent [email protected] untilJanuary; then, as Mayor: [email protected]

Jack Evans—[email protected]

Chairman-elect Kwame [email protected]

Harriett Tregoning, [email protected]

ANC2E Commissioners are:Ed Solomon (2E01)[email protected]

Ron Lewis, Chairman (2EO2)[email protected]

Jeff Jones (2E03) [email protected](beginning January 2011)

Bill Skelsey (until January 1, 2011)[email protected]

Jake Sticka (2E04)[email protected] University student

Bill Starrels (2E05)[email protected]

Tom Birch (2E06)[email protected]

Charles Eason (2E07)[email protected]

MakeYourViews Known

ANC2E represents Burleith, Georgetown and Hillandale.The ANC2E has been working with CAG and BCA as wedevelop our case and advocacy in order to project a unit-ed front against the Campus Plan.

Though the ANC2E has yet to take up a motion in opposi-tion to the Campus Plan, we will encourage them to do soonce the final plan has been filed with the Zoning Com-mission. Based on their public statements, we believe thatmost of the Commissioners support our opposition to thecurrent draft Campus Plan.

Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2EThe Zoning Commission needs to know what is needed tominimize the adverse impacts on our historic neighborhoods.

• Cap enrollment for both undergraduate and graduatestudents; counts of students, faculty and staff should bestandardized (not averaged) and the Zoning Adminis-trator should audit enrollment on an annual basis.

• Reinstitute the goal of 100% on-campus housing forundergraduates, curtailing the expansion of student hous-ing into the neighborhood so that GU can not continue touse the neighborhood for its residence halls.

• Restrict any new construction on the “1789 block” toadministrative purposes. Undergraduate dorms and stu-dent rental group houses already heavily impact thisresidential area.

• Mitigate traffic and parking impacts on the neighbor-hood. The addition of 700 parking spaces will onlyincrease traffic and does not address restricting the abil-ity of undergraduates to bring cars into the community.

• Commit to no increase in emissions from any plannedconstruction of a new smokestack

7

Citizens Association ofGeorgetown1365 Wisconsin Ave NW,Suite 200Washington, DC 20007202 337-7313Fax: 202 333-1088E-mail: [email protected]: www.cagtown.org

Board of DirectorsJennifer AltemusPresident

Gianluca PivatoVice President

Robert LaycockTreasurer

Hazel DentonSecretary

Louise BrodnitzDiane ColasantoRenee Esfandiary CrupiKaren CruseBarbara DownsBrad GrayPamla MooreCynthia Pantazis

Legal AdvisorRichard deC. Hinds

Executive DirectorBetsy CooleyProgram Assistant, Elizabeth MaloyOffice Assistant, Beth Nielsen

Standing Committees

Alcoholic Beverage ControlKaren Cruse & John Hopkins

Beautification CommitteePatrick Clawson & David Dunning

Historic Preservation and ZoningPamla Moore

MembershipDiane Colasanto

Public Safety & GuardLuca Pivato & Richard Hinds

Trees for GeorgetownBetsy Emes

NewsletterBetsy Cooley, EditorMarjorie Kask, Graphic Designer


8


Expanding EnrollmentWill ImpactEast GeorgetownSome east side residents, who pre-viously owned west side homes,are convinced that the west side isdeteriorating and many also believethat the east side is safe from GU’saggressive expansion — from run-down properties, trash, vandalismand other effects that come with alarge influx of students.

Unfortunately, the east side ofGeorgetown is already payinga price for GU’s overflow of stu-dents, and it is about to get worse.

The map indicates studentaddresses in Georgetown andBurleith (as of 2009). The red dotsrepresent undergraduate studentaddresses. The yellow dots repre-sent graduate student address.

Now consider the following:

• East Georgetown has more grad-uate students than the west side.

• The yellow dots are fewer thanthe actual rentals since graduatestudents do not have to registertheir local address.

• The west side is close to satura-tion, which will force additionalstudents to look for rental hous-ing on the east side.

• GU is proposing to increase thegraduate students population to8,750 by 2020.

• In 2000, GU told the communitythat they would only enroll 3,873graduate students by 2010; theircurrent count is 6,275.

Given the trends, no area ofGeorgetown is immune from thedecline and conversion of largeareas of our neighborhood to apoorly supervised college dormenvironment.


9

The Zoning Regulation that controls the approvalof the campus plan is “the university shall belocated so that it is not likely to become objec-tionable to neighboring property because ofnoise, traffic, number of students, or other objec-tionable conditions.”

Yet neighbors are routinely subjected to offen-sive and disturbing behavior by GU students.This has forced many residents to give up hopeof sleeping peacefully at night, enjoying theiryards, or living on a clean and well-kept block.Some residents have even moved out of the areadue to the disruptive student behavior, poorlymaintained houses, improperly handled trash,and unregistered student cars that add to park-ing and traffic congestion.

This situation is untenable. Therefore it is imper-ative that we take a strong stand in front of theZoning Commission.

To do this we need your financial support. Weare using the Save Our Neighborhood Fund tohire expert consultants to present our case to theZoning Commission and politicians — and topresent our objections and information to thecommunity.

Please send your tax deductible contribution today.

Yard signs shown on page 1 are available fromCAG: 337.7313 or email [email protected]

YES, I want to support the SAVEOURNEIGHBORHOODFUND!

Name____________________________________________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________Phone ____________________Email ____________________

Amount: ____$300 _____$500 _____$1000 _____$5000 ______Other

Make your TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation payable to CAG Save Our Neighborhood Fund

Or donate online at www.cagtown.org—click Save Our Neighborhood Fund

1365 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 200, Washington DC 20007 ~ 337-7313 ~ Fax 333-1088

Why the“SAVEOURNEIGHBORHOODFUND”?

Make Your Views Known!It is also vital that you make your views known! Letters to the D.C. Office of Planning, our CouncilMember Jack Evans and government officials are important to help them understand how our com-munity is impacted by the increasing number of students and group houses off campus, and theattendant traffic, parking, noise and trash problems. Your letter can be mailed, faxed or emailed.

Identify yourself and how long you have been a resident. Please be specific and cite first-hand incidentsor problems including trash, late night noise, parties, traffic and parking. Go to the CAG website forsample letters and campus plan updates.

Thank you for your participation in this critical neighborhood issue.

83 feet

Citizens Association of Georgetown1365 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200Washington DC 20007.202 337-7313Fax: 202 333-1088E-mail: [email protected]: www.cagtown.org

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTEDFIRST CLASS MAIL

PRESORTEDFIRST CLASSU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT #6104

ALEXANDRIA, VA

GU plans to build an 83-foot smokestack ontop of its heating and cooling plant to replacethe existing 10-foot tall chimney, but manyquestions remain.

After numerous requests, GU shared only twolimited reports with the Advisory NeighborhoodCommission including an exhaust re-entrainmentstudy from 2007 and a 2009 emission summary.However, GU has not explained the purpose ofbuilding an industrial sized smokestack.

Further GU cannot commit that the proposedindustrial sized smokestack will not increase orreduce emissions. From the little that has beendisclosed, it seems that the new smokestackwould merely divert pollution from GU to sur-rounding neighborhoods.

Finally, GU has not articulated a long-term sustainability — carbon manage-ment — strategy for reducing its envi-ronmental impact on the community.

Both American University and GeorgeWashington University have signed theAmerican College and University ClimateCommitment along with more than 500institutions nationwide. These institu-tions are developing long range plans tobecome carbon neutral campuses. GUhas not signed the Commitment.

Environmental Hazards from GU Smokestack

6 feet

10 feet

cag december newsletter

News & Politics