CRESTWOOD CITIZENS ASSOCIATION

Association Meeting Tuesday, January 19, 7 - 8:30 PM
at the home of the Chastang family 1720 Varnum Street, NW 
It came out of the sky!!!!

   That would be the snow from our December blizzard, of course. We learned a great deal about how prepared—and unprepared—we are to deal with a major storm. For example, many of us never realized that the District government does not plow alleys. That created a double whammy: not only were the alleys impassable, but snow piled up by the plows blocked the exits from the alleys onto city streets. We also were lucky that power outages were not widespread. Let's talk together at the January meeting of the Crestwood Citizens Association. Are there things we should be doing as individuals, as neighbors and as an Association to get ourselves ready for a similar emergency? Are there some changes we’d like to press the DC government to take?
   You can also take your concerns to the January ANC meeting. By the way, ANC 4A has been focusing on deer management. After hearing the views of many residents, the Commissioners voted for the non-lethal method as the first step in controlling the deer population. We are now awaiting a decision from the Park Service.

It comes in our water & air!!

   That would be Crestwood's serious environmental concerns — and they will also be a major subject of the January meeting. On the one hand, we are active in working to improve the environment ourselves through our Green Team initiatives, including the Crestwood Tree Canopy Project (in cooperation with Casey Trees) and the Rain Garden Project. We will get updates on both of these. Trees were planted in November as part of step one in the tree project.
   But we’ve also invited George Hawkins, Director of the DC Department of the Environment. Get your questions ready about our water and air quality — and other environmental concerns. Other invited guests include representatives from DC Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, Councilmember Muriel Bowser’s office, and the Mayor’s office. You can make your voice heard on subjects such as sidewalks and the home improvement permit process. And we’ll get into transportation issues—from the Blagden Avenue path to upkeep of Crestwood streets, Broad Branch Road and Klingle Road.

Greetings from the Association

   On behalf of myself and our fellow officers of the Crestwood Citizens Association, thank you for your show of support and participation at Association events. We are honored to be a part of this vibrant, innovative civic organization. The Association is fun — and a great way to connect with the community. Even if there were no perks (like the Crestwood directory, notices of events, the Green Team, the Kids Team, the Social Team and a network of block contacts), it has lasted because of the camaraderie and the bonds between families.

   Yes, there are issues that perpetually confront any urban community—like crime, traffic, tickets, PEPCO, the need for good schools and clean water and air. Our goal is to address those issues, along with zoning, transportation and the environment for the benefit of all of us. To be our most successful, we need an informed group to help guide us toward a positive outcome. Our aim is to preserve and protect and enjoy the great quality of life here in Crestwood. We can accomplish this by working together.

   Our Kids Team, Social Team and Green Team have been active throughout 2009. At our monthly Association meetings, we have shared views on the issues that continue to affect Crestwood—plus some new ones. For example, at our November meeting, we heard from the Department of Health on the H1N1 threat and how to protect ourselves.

   We have also been effective within the ANC. Here are some of the ways that ANC 4A08 has been working for all of us:

• ANC 4A voted to expedite the repair of Broad Branch Road and the installation of the path down Blagden Avenue.

• ANC 4A sent a letter to the Mayor requesting an update on the status of the repairs to Klingle Road. The city is planning to maintain an access route at the right-of-way. ANC 4A is asking whether we will get to use the road—especially if it is being funded with public money.

• ANC 4A08 also testified on water quality and continues to urge that more be done to address the city’s infrastructure needs, including the long overdue fixes to the combined storm sewers. This is a huge public health issue.

• ANC4A opposed the Board of Zoning Adjustment’s request for a consent calendar that would permit (without review) one-story additions on residential single family homes.

• ANC 4A testified in opposition to PEPCO’s request for a distribution rate increase.

• ANC 4A08 also testified on proposed changes to the Zoning Regulations. These could potentially modify the required set-back and set-aside areas between houses.

• ANC 4A voted to allow funds for neighborhood projects – which are available upon application to the ANC 4A, which meets on the first Tuesday of each month.

   As the late Rochelle Rowlette said in 1989, “When we work together on an issue, all of us benefit and the entire community gains.”

   If you are not already a member of the Crestwood Citizens Association, we invite you to join us. Visit our website at www.crestwood-dc.org or call 202-997-3300.

Gale Barron Black, Association President and ANC 4A08 Commissioner

Special Thank You To Vaugn-Cooke Family 

   The Vaughn-Cookes hosted the joint Crestwood Citizens Association and Neighborhood League holiday potluck on December 5th. Thanks to all our guests — hope you had a great time! The Association requested that participants bring gloves, mittens, scarves and toiletries for the less fortunate. We are pleased to report we were able to deliver donations for 30 children to Martha’s Table on December 10th.

What is an ANC SMD?

   An Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) is a non-partisan, neighborhood body mode up of locally elected representatives called Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners. They are a unique feature of the District’s Home Rule Charter. The ANCs were established to bring government closer to the people and the people closer to government. In addition to providing people with a greater say in the matters that affect their neighborhoods, ANCs were intended to end the duplication of effort caused by the proliferation of special advisory groups.
   There are 37 ANCs. Each ANC area is subdivided into a number of smaller areas or districts. Since only one Commissioner is elected per district, they are called Single Member Districts (SMDs). The ANCs’ main job is to be their neighborhood’s official voice in advising the District government and Federal agencies on things that affect their districts. DC law says that agencies cannot take any action that will significantly affect the district unless they give the affected ANCs 30 days’ advance notice. This includes zoning, streets, recreation, education, social services, sanitation, planning, safety, budget and health services.
   The Association’s area falls within ANC 4A08, which includes Crestwood and most of Crestwood North. ANC 4A covers the area from the Park up to and including Allison Street and some of Colorado Avenue, NW. Both Crestwood and Crestwood North also fall in Census Tract 26.

Crestwood History

   2010 will mark the 100th anniversary of the building of the oldest surviving homes in the greater Crestwood area. Their story is just part of the surprising history of our neighborhood, which is available on the Crestwood website. Choose to read the brief history — or click on links to the longer slide show or the full 133-page story of Crestwood. All three histories are available at http://www.crestwood-dc.org/history.

Crime in Crestwood

   The latest information is always available on the Crestwood website at http://www.crestwood-dc.org/crime-police-information.

Neighborhood Notes

• The Association is proposing funding for beautification projects that will enhance the neighborhood – like landscaping around the Crestwood sign. What are your thoughts?

• ANC 4A08 is considering bringing in a shredding machine for neighbors to safely dispose of documents and avoid identity theft.

• The city is about to embark on a major revision of the zoning laws. We need to stay on top of this issue. It’s up to all of us to protect the residential nature of our neighborhood.

• We encourage our block contacts to coordinate at least one social event at the block level each year. It’s useful especially to welcome new families to the block. Progressive dinners work well. Entrée at one spot…dessert at another. Would you like to serve as a block contact? Do you know who your block contact is?

• Help keep the streetlights shining throughout the winter. 311 is the new number to call to report a dark streetlight —o r use the DC government website.

• Please look out for your neighbors, especially seniors.

Upcoming Dates on the Association Calendar
Mark these events down on your calendar at home — or, for the more technologically inclined, put them in your PDA, smartphone or whatever:

Tuesday, January 19 – Association Meeting

Tuesday, March 16 - Association meeting - Location TBD

April – Park Clean-up TBD

Tuesday, May 18 - Annual meeting – Grace Church

Sunday, September 12 – Annual Crestwood Street Picnic

Tuesday, September 21 - Association Meeting

Please attend the ANC 4A meetings held the first Tuesday of the month at Fort Stevens Recreation Center, 13th and Van Buren Streets, NW

Crestwood Citizens Association Board of Directors