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ANC 7D
November 9, 2010
l Rick Tingling-Clemmons outgoing Commissioner of 7D05 explained that he is traveling to Africa (Tanzania, Kenya) to help build schools. He is asking for donations of school supplies – paper, pens, pencils and soccer balls – for the students. His contact information for those interested in helping him: 202-388-1111 and email: miricol5@aol.com
l Joanne Prue, Treasurer read the financial report. There was some discussion about her resignation because of a discrepancy of 30 cents between her initial report and her amended report. (report copies in agenda packet)
l Donna Cooper from PEPCO
Ms. Cooper spoke about the Smart Meter deployment of digital meters.PEPCO submitted a plan entitled the Blueprint for the Future to the DC Public Service Commission. The plan is to assist in the reduction of energy use through the use of digital metering.
President Obama proposed moving to an energy based economy using a “smart grid” to manage use. PEPCO couldn't apply for federal funding as the didn't have an Advanced Metering Initiative (AMI) which the funding grants required. The Blueprint helped them get a $44.6 million federal grant which is 50% of the cost of implementing a smart grid in the District.
They will be implementing a meter exchange which entails replacing old dial meters with digital meters. The installation period started on October 4, 2010 and will run through December 2011. The smart grid cannot take effect until all of the digital meters are installed.
Customers will receive 2 weeks notice before the actual installation. The contractor must attempt to make contact with the customer so they will knock on the door prior to the installation. If you are not home, they will go ahead with the process. The actual exchange of meters should take 7 to 8 minutes. The electricity in the home may be off for 2 to 3 minutes. The contractor will utilize a process called “jumpering” if possible so that the power will not go off at all. If the customer has any problems or special conditions they should call PEPCO at the Direct line listed above.
Energy use will be posted online. If individuals want to access the information but do not have a computer, they can call in for their account information. The meter should provide the customer with a higher degree of accuracy about their energy use. Digital meters provide data on an hourly basis for 24 hour periods rather than the current monthly total. Energy profile advice will be provided to assist in lower use. Behavioral changes will be required in order to make changes in use.
A pilot program was run in DC. Peak demand period data is available. A dynamic pricing proposal is currently pending before the Public Service Commission such that a customer could choose to lower their use during those peak periods and get lower overall rates.
Using the current system if there is an outage you need to call PEPCO, but with a system of smart meters PEPCO can get that information from the meters immediately. PEPCO cannot currently isolate an outage and redirect the power flow but with new meters that should be possible. The concept is to “empower” the customer with information. The goal is to assist customers to reduce overall energy costs.
The purchase of energy from renewable energy credits (given for excess energy generated through renewable sources) is being reviewed by the Public Service Commission. The new meters would be net metering capable so that for solar or wind energy generating customers keeping up to date on their consumption versus their generation would be possible and up to date.
l DDOT Circulator Bus routes
Marti.Reinfeld@dc.gov202-423-3734
The DC Circulator bus lines started in 2005 with two routes.
In 2011 service will be expanded to east of the river with a $400,000 budget. The start date has not been announced. In June of 2010 DDOT began a route planning process which is slated to be completed in January or early February of 2011. It is intended to be a flexible framework open to adaptation.
Circulator buses run every 10 minutes. In order to run with that degree of frequency for the low rate of $1 they need routes with a lot of activity as the buses need to run full in order to pay for themselves. They were established to provide a unique service, not to duplicate Metro buses. To do this they need to connect high activity areas, locations that are in high demand because of the variety of services or events that occur there.
There is a planning meeting Saturday November 13, 2010 at the Benning Library. Proposed route maps will also be posted online with comment forms so that people can provide comments online. The proposed routes are very general, NOT specific details of roads and turns.
A suggestion was offered from the floor that the route maps be compared to a map of school placements to find overlaps.
A question asked if there will be Circulator bus shelters, but now they share shelters with Metro.
l DDOT Projects
Reginald Arnoreginald.arno@dc.gov
202.741.5340
The Eastern Avenue Bridge has opened. It has still minor cosmetic work remaining to be done. Lights to be installed, detour dismantled, lights timed.
Kenilworth Avenue Bridge should be completed by mid December.
The Nannie Helen Burroughs road construction process begins November 15th 2010 with a groundbreaking to take place on November 18th. The location of the groundbreaking has not yet been decided but will likely be at Minnesota and Benning intersection. There will be new signals, new streetlights, water quality assistance, plantings improved. Between 46th and Eastern Avenue the road will be narrowed to one lane by re-striping. The road will not be physically narrowed. Parking areas will be striped in so that DDOT can return it to two lanes by changing the paint. The project engineer on this will be John Gomez.
The receipt of federal stimulus money allowed the schedule for the bridge construction by Kenilworth Gardens to be moved up.
Two Parkside projects:
1. Parkside pedestrian bridge service road to the Minnesota Metro stop
Replace all 3 pedestrian bridges up to the Hayes Street Bridge
January 2011 will start the total reconstruction of Benning Road between 39th and 42nd
Benning Road Bridge should have a redesign ready by April of 2011
December 1st should start rebuilding all of the bridges over the Watts Branch (the 44th and Minnesota Bridge is the only bridge staying)
Mr. Arno will be providing a tentative time line sheet to Ms. Woods for the minutes of the meeting. Anyone interested in this time line should contact her at 7D07@anc.dc.gov
l Chris LaPiano of CityInterest
Indicated that Community College of DC ( CCDC) presenters could not attend with him but they will be present at the ANC meeting in December.
Mr. LaPiano discussed the Parkside project and its Master Plan.
In 2006 the master plan for 15 ½ acres were approved for a Planned Unit Development (PUD) which included the building heights, density, and uses. When the developers want to build any single building within the more general Master Plan they must go through a second stage process as they find specific tenants in order to fulfill both the plan requirements and the tenants needs.
A few of the main areas pinpointed as desires by the public during the planning sessions were:
1. Neighborhood serving retail
2. Mixed income house (both ownership and rental)
3. Create permanent jobs
4. Education improvements
5. Provide health and recreation facilities and programs
One of the offerings will be Educare placed next to Neval Thomas school which will offer (among other things) the first 6 week to 3year age daycare.
A local non-profit, Groundworks Anacostia River run by Dennis Chestnut will be creating the Parkside central park.
DCPCA, a three story primary care clinic, will offer Dental, Well Baby, and OBGyn services. The plan includes putting a new CCDC campus next to the clinic so City Interest is therefore asking for changes to the plan in order to accommodate CCDC. They are not asking for additional overall density to the plan, but since the health clinic and the campus will be lower buildings they are asking to make the central business office towers along the interstate taller. This means shifting the density from the north end corner of the original plan to the center of the east side in order to retain the original number of square feet available.
The community college should bring approximately 3,000 students to the site which should assist in attracting retail because there will be a substantial daytime population. This should assist in attracting restaurants or other businesses offering service that students might need.
Any Ward 7 residents interested in being hired to work on the Parkside project should contact Maurice Perry of Bank of America at 202-442-7526. One of the requirements for the project is that a percentage of those hired must be Ward 7 residents and some percentage of the jobs must be permanent jobs.
The traffic studies done were sent separately. In 2012 the PEPCO plant is being decommissioned. At that time it should become possible to build a road connecting Benning Road to the main Parkside site through what is now the PEPCO property. This will make the area more accessible to surface road traffic and visitors.
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