The Cleveland Park 3C05 Newsletter from Sauleh Siddiqui [February 23]
Welcome to my second Newsletter!
Keeping you updated on what’s happening in the neighborhood
I hope to use this email newsletter as a way to keep everyone updated on what’s happening in the neighborhood. I promise not to spam you all and would love feedback on what to include!
Crash on Connecticut Avenue and what you can do
On Tuesday, there was a multi-car crash on Connecticut Avenue in front of the Zoo. Several people were injured including three in critical condition when the driver of a Tesla decided to drive the wrong way during rush hour. Our ANC had predicted this last year, when we unanimously asked for immediate safety improvements on Connecticut Avenue: removing rush hour parking restrictions and turning Connecticut Avenue into a four-lane road until we implement the Concept C redesign. This had broad support from businesses, residents, & advocacy groups because it slows cars down, provides parking on both sides of the street, and returns us to how the road was in 2021. With decreasing rush-hour traffic according to (District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) own counts, we really do not need six lanes. If you have a chance, please send an email to Kevin Donahue kevin.donahue@dc.gov, Everett Lott everett.lott@dc.gov, and Matt Frumin mfrumin@dccouncil.gov asking them to support our businesses and make Connecticut Avenue safer by removing rush hour parking restrictions and implementing safety measures as suggested in the ANC 3C resolution. If you need more guidance or would like to help more, please reach out to me.
Support Art on Connecticut Avenue!
There’s an opportunity to support art on Connecticut Avenue. The Endangered Animals Project will expand on the Alphabet Animals from the Capitol Hill Alphabet Animal Art Project in collaboration with Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW), adding 10 NEW sculptures along the Connecticut Ave. NW corridor between Woodley Park and Cleveland Park. The project combines an educational component with aesthetic excellence, as well as celebrating our local artists. Through the CHAW-Cleveland Park Main Street-Woodley Park Main Street Partnership, this expansion of the project will provide artistic touchpoints for local businesses as well as residents, further strengthening the connection of creativity with a flourishing neighborhood. Commissioner Pagats sponsored and I co-sponsored a resolution on this in December, and we hope that it successfully brings more local and public art to our streetscape. If you have the means, you can help by donating here.
Update from ANC 3C Meeting February 22
Commissioners Pagats, McCorristin, and I successfully co-sponsored a unanimous Resolution Calling for Greater Transparency and Action to Address Sidewalk Repairs, Sidewalk Gaps, and Pedestrian Infrastructure. Thank you to those who sent emails in support! As a next step, we will be following up on the items listed in the resolution with the District Department of Transportation. You can help too, by submitting 311 requests for those and other locations where sidewalk improvement is needed. In addition, we passed Rules and Code of Conduct (the first time in ANC 3C history, thank you Commissioner Prinzo!), started an Environmental Justice Committee under the leadership of Commissioner McCorristin, supported the Rock and Roll Half Marathon, and condemned actions by Congress to overturn DC laws. Commissioner Gise led the way on the last two issues. The final copies of the resolutions should be up on our website soon but you may reach out to all@anc3c.org if you would like more information on any of these. Especially if you want to join our committees!
Supporting Tenants and Rent Control at next ANC 3C Meeting
At our next ANC 3C meeting on March 20th, I will be authoring a resolution supporting tenants’ rights and rent control in ANC 3C as I had described in my campaign platform. This will include supporting the formation of Tenants’ Associations for buildings that don’t currently have them, asking Department of Buildings to conduct safety assessments of buildings that have had safety issues, asking Department of Behavioral Health for more services in buildings that need them, and protecting rent-controlled units in our ANC. If you would like to help or submit ideas, please send them to 3C05@anc.dc.gov or reply to this newsletter.
Construction Updates on Lowell St NW and Connecticut Ave NW
There will be DDOT work at Lowell St NW from 33rd St to 34th St and may include repairs to the sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and/or wheelchair ramps. The work is set to begin on or around Monday, February 27, 2023, weather permitting and will take approximately 14 days to complete, scheduled Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM.
The Cleveland Park Streetscapes and Drainage Project will begin Phase 2 along the service lane next Monday, February 27th. Businesses are open so please support them during construction!
This week’s super constituent!
I cannot do my work without your help, so each newsletter I will celebrate a constituent who helped make our neighborhood better. Pamela K. noticed an abandoned truck on the street with unpaid tickets and a flat tire. It clearly was not going anywhere, so she submitted a 311 request and reached out to me. DC normally takes its time with these abandoned vehicles, they say that two or more tickets have to go unpaid for at least 60 days before they put the vehicle on the tow list. Nevertheless, Pamela K. was not deterred, she got pictures of the truck and further evidence, and we reached out to the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services and now the truck is gone! Thank you Pamela K. for helping us all out!
Thanking a DC Government Employee
As a Commissioner, I often have to hold government agencies accountable. But I have found that the people working in the government are passionate, caring, and diligent. Our Ward 3 representative for the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services is Matthew Barclay, who not only helped with the abandoned truck I described above, but also assisted in getting government stakeholders at the safety meeting at the Parkway, conveyed Ward 3 budget priorities to the Mayor, and helped with a number of minor issues such as replacing broken trash cans. If you have a chance, please do send a thank you email to Matthew for all he does at matthew.barclay@dc.gov!
Sauleh Siddiqui, Commissioner, ANC 3C05
Email: 3C05@anc.dc.gov
Twitter: @saulehforanc