At-Large Councilmember Michael Brown is coming to Ward 4!

Monday January 24th is the ANC4B monthly meeting at 4th District MPD Community Room starting at 6:30. We need to pack this meeting! Why might you ask? Because Michael Brown seems to want to be a voice of reason about Wal-Mart on the council but won't go on record with an actual position.

Well we aren't going to let him just give some nice sound-bites. Let's make him actually state his position in front of the voters. With a running total of 617 (and growing!) Ward 4 residents opposed to this Wal-Mart development, we need to make sure that OUR voice is being heard by Councilmember Brown. Here is a list of questions that we should make sure get answered tomorrow night:

1. Do you support community-led development?
2. Will you support our community in asking Foulger-Pratt and Councilmember Bowser to consider other options?
3. Will you support the Ward 4 community when we say we do not want Wal-Mart in our community?
4. If you think Wal-Mart is just fine for our community, will you go on record saying you want to make Wal-Mart sign an enforceable Community Benefits Agreement?

Come to the meeting and listen to what Councilmember Brown has to say in response. Leave your own questions you want asked in the comments section.

W4T is so over Michelle

For real, Michelle? Did you have to go and endorse Wal Mart in DC like that? For all of the good ideas out there for bringing more healthy food to our communities, W4T is disappointed you went for Wal Mart. And, not that husband and wife teams need to agree, but Barack hit the nail on the head during his presidential campaign for calling it out as anti-union and bad for workers, or, what did he say, "Unlike the manufacturers who are under enormous competitive pressure from global low-cost producers, Wal-Mart is making enormous profits and yet it has chosen to go with low wages and diminished benefits"

So, Michelle, we're so over you using DC for a national platform about some BS Wal Mart is dishing out on their way to destroying DC businesses and bring in more poverty wage jobs than we can stomach.

Citywide coalition launches website and canvassing

Our citywide coalition, the Living Wage Healthy Communities Coalition, has officially launched an aggressive canvassing effort as well as a broad online presence. Check out the website, on facebook, and on twitter @Respect_DC and #RespectDC.

Wards five, six, and seven are ramping up efforts to make Wal Mart respect DC. With meetings taking place almost every night, and new leaders and petition rolls filling out, Wal Mart will have more than just Ward Four's resistance to deal with!!

Communication from Developer...

Hey! Wal Mart! 'Fess up! You're going to be bad for our neighborhood! Read the Great Streets Redevelopment Plan, and some Jane Jacobs, already!

Communication between Brightwoodian and Foulger Pratt and Wal Mart's propaga.... communications team. In a nutshell, Wal Mart thinks that, unlike their impact in other urban areas, they'll attract new business to Georgia Avenue. Somehow W4T thinks all the studies in the world won't convince them otherwise.

So sign the petition! Help us petition! And get involved!

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Hi Dick,

Happy new year to you. I hope your holidays were wonderful.

A friend passed along this article from the Retail Traffic publication, "CMBS Lenders are coming back, as is their appetite for risk": http://retailtrafficmag.com/finance/analysis/cmbs_lenders_coming_back_appettite_risk_011111/ (I also linked to it in a post on my blog yesterday).

If lenders are lending again, might that make a difference in the fate of Square 2986 (that's what we've been referring to the tract of land that we formerly referred to as "the old Curtis Chevrolet site")?

I've been reading through the Great Streets Redevelopment Plan for Upper Georgia Avenue (which, granted, was published in 2008) and paying particular attention to the section on Square 2986. It calls for a mixed-use development on that tract, in order to maximize revitalization for that stretch of Georgia Avenue. Needless to say, the current proposal doesn't reflect the Office of Planning's recommendations in the Great Streets Plan. But if commercial mortgage backed securities are indeed bouncing back, might that allow the plans for the development of Square 2986 to get back in sync with Great Streets?

Thanks for reading, and considering.

Best,

Rebecca

<srestiv@wal-mart.com> wrote:

Hi Rebecca, happy new year. I wanted to introduce myself and get back to you with answers to a few of your questions regarding Square 2986.

My name is Steve Restivo and I handle community affairs for Walmart (www.walmartwashingtondc.com). As you know, we recently announced plans for 4 new stores in the city, including one at the former Curtis Chevrolet site.

I think it’s important to note that while the Land Use Map typically is helpful in determining appropriate uses and density in areas of the city, it is not intended to serve as a zoning map nor does it mandate a parcel-by-parcel specification on permitted development. It is one tool (of many) to guide appropriate uses for a property by taking into account adjacent land uses, existing uses and the overall context of a property.

What’s more, the Great Streets Redevelopment Plan has an Upper Georgia Avenue section, and places the Curtis site in “Zone 4, Missouri Avenue Sites from Rittenhouse Street to Madison Street”. The Plan suggests that developing the property could serve as the catalyst for development along Georgia Avenue. The Plan also calls for improved retail such as books and hardware and specifically states a “major chain grocery store would be a key tenant in the development of this site”.

I hope this is helpful and please don’t hesitate to reach out to me should you have any questions regarding Walmart or our plans in D.C.

Thanks,

Steve

Steven V. Restivo Director of Community Affairs

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Hi Steve,

Thanks for writing. I am aware that the suggestions of the Great Streets Redevelopment Plan are precatory and not binding in any way. But from an urbanist and smart growth perspective, I am in agreement with its suggestions and I am hoping that they are taken into serious consideration when developing the parcel, the development of which is indeed very important for the economic growth of the Georgia Avenue Corridor.

You are probably aware that some of my immediate neighbors (I live .1 miles from the site, according to Google maps) moved to downzone the site to commercial-only, and you are also probably aware that the Office of Planning has denied that request.

That said, I strongly believe that a mixed-use development will be the best catalyst for growth for Brightwood and for all of Upper Northwest Washington. Although the current proposal for a single-use development is within bounds, it's the bare minimum of the site's potential. My neighbors and I will continue to pressure our elected officials to step up and demand that this site be developed in the way that will best benefit our neighborhood, and our entire city.

I am taking part in a committee convened by our Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner that will be charged with reviewing the Large Tract Review once it is submitted. Our committee chair, Richard Layman, has an op-ed in the Washington Business Journal which touches on these issues: http://thebrightwoodian.blogspot.com/2011/01/wbj-op-ed-calls-for-smart-development.html

I hope you will understand our position on this. It's hugely important that the development of that parcel be done right.

Best,

Rebecca Mills

Wal Mart Film Screening

Martin Luther King Day March for Peace

MLK Weekend brought not only our grand petitioning total up to 500 Ward 4 residents, but a city wide march to boot!

Email Mo Yain to help petition in Ward Four the next two weekends here: mymtham@gmail.com

And sign the online petition here!

Upcoming Meetings!

Hop right in!

Next meeting on Committee on Square 2986 is on Tuesday 1/18 at the Emery Rec Center, 6:30-8:00 pm.

ANC4B Regular Monthly Meeting, Mon Jan 24th at MPD 4th District Headquarters Community Meeting Room, 7-9pm.

Brightwood Community Association Meeting on Tues Jan 18 at St. John's United Baptist Church, 6343 13th St. NW, 7-9 pm. Wal-Mart is making a presentation to the group.

ANC4B04 Single Member District meeting Thurs Jan 20 at MPD 4th District Headquarters Community Meeting Room, 6:30 pm. Foulger-Pratt and Wal-Mart representatives will be present to answer questions.