The special election for the vacant ANC 6A02 seat is Thursday. 2nd Thursday, February 11, 7 p.m.
Miner E.S., 601 15th St. NE
I'm told voting is from 7:10-8:10pm, and you can just show up and vote. You need not stay for the full meeting. Also, as long you are registered, you don't need photo ID (but bring it if you have it). If you either don't have photo ID, or it has an old address, bring a utility bill (or valid lease). If you have any questions you can call the Board of Elections and Ethics (202) 727-2525. PLEASE VOTE because even a vote or two can make the difference, and the snow will likely not help turnout. All voting must be done in person at the meeting.
Regular readers of Frozen Tropics will know that I have endorsed Drew Ronnenberg. As you can see from his flyer, he has also been endorsed by the former ANC rep for 6A02 (who had to vacant his seat when he moved out of the Single Member District*). Click on the images below for larger versions. Click here to read what I previously wrote about this election.
*I don't know why Bobby Pittman claims that Joseph Fengler resigned because he "didn't have the votes to be reelected chairman." Fengler resigned after he moved into a new house over by Lincoln Park. A few other comments:
1. It isn't unusual to just have the Chair sign on behalf of the ANC. As long as you are voting on resolutions this is fine.
2. The H Street Overlay is a good thing, and I don't believe it should be repealed. Here's how the Office of Zoning describes the Overlay:
Establishes use (commercial and residential), density, design and planned unit development requirements for lots fronting on H Street, N.E. from 2nd Street to 15th Street, N.E., zoned C-2-A, C-2-B, C-2-C, C-3-A and C-3-B. The overlay is broken up into sub-districts with development perimeters unique to each. Depending on the sub-district an additional 0.5 FAR above the total density permitted in the underlying zone district for residential uses. In C-2 Districts within the overlay district, up to70% residential lot occupancy is permitted. New construction that preserves an existing façade constructed before 1958 is permitted 0.5 FAR in addition to the non-residential FAR permitted in the underlying zone for non-residential preferred uses. A planned unit development (PUD) in the overlay shall be subject to the following provisions in addition to those of Chapter 24: The additional height and floor area above that permitted as a matter-of-right shall be used only for housing or the preferred uses, and the PUD process shall not be used to reduce requirements. Building height is governed by the underlying zoning districts, however an additional 5 feet (5 ft.) of building height over that permitted in the underlying zone is allowed under specific circumstances. See Zoning Commission Order No. 04-27, for more details.
You can download the PDF of Zoning Order 04-27. But the Overlay comes out of a long public process, and it plays a very important role in guiding the development of H Street, and making sure we don't lose our historic building stock.
Do your research on both candidates. I think Drew Ronneberg is the better choice because he has a solid grounding in the matters currently facing the ANC. Both candidates have long been active in community affairs. In my opinion, Bobby Pittman has often done so in a disruptive and harmful manner, while Drew Ronneberg has sought to work with people in a very transparent process that moves things forward.
Just as an FYI, I would have linked to Bobby Pittman's website, but I can't get it to come up. If anyone gets it to work, shoot me an email and I'll try linking to it again.
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UPDATE
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I received the following email from the former ANC:
From: Joseph Fengler
To: Joe Fengler
Sent: Tue, February 9, 2010 9:46:31 AM
Subject: 6A02 Election is Thurs 7:10-8:10 at Miner Elementary
Unless ANC 6A postpones or cancels this Thursday's meeting, the election for my replacement will start at 7:10 pm at Miner Elementary School (601 15th Street, NE). All voting must be done in person at the ANC 6A meeting. Only those people who live in ANC 6A's Single Member District 02 will be allowed to vote - provided that they are registered to vote. All that being said, the candidate with the most people turning out to vote will win. So, despite the bad weather, I strongly encourage you to come out and vote for Drew.
I have known Drew for years and he has done a great job serving as ANC 6A's Economic Development and Zoning Committee Chair. He has volunteered hundreds of hours of his time working on zoning issues and making sure that large scale developments are managed in accordance with our community's intent. Honestly, he will be a great advocate as he brings the tools and capabilities he developed over the past five years to the ANC as an elected Commissioner.
Snowy Regards, Joe.
9 comments:
Bobby has a couple of good points. There has not been a 6A02 district meeting in nearly a decade. Many of the ANC 6A decisions are made behind closed doors. and there is block voting on the commission. However,I have doubts that Bobby Pittman will perform any differently. He tends to be a gasbag, and I not consider opposing views and more than Joe F.
Decisions, decisions. Bobby is a busybody and Drew I always thought was a student at Gallaudet because he never responds to hellos.
I'm not a resident of 6A02, but if I did live in this ANC, my vote would be a no-brainer. Bobby Pittman's history, both on H Street and before he moved to this neighborhood, have shown that he will use his position to be a roadblock to any and all development on H Street. Is there a single restaurant/bar that's opened recently that has NOT had to deal with a protest from Mr. Pittman, even though he doesn't raise his issues when the establishments are negotiating a voluntary agreement?
I find it ironic that Mr. Pittman is claiming responsibility for the reimbursable detail when it's his protests that are putting the detail in jeopardy because restaurants and bars can't afford to pay for lawyers AND pay for the detail. I know Pittman did have a hand in the detail, but now his actions are seriously undermining its effectiveness.
And for Mr. Pittman to claim that Fengler resigned because he did not have the votes to be reelected, when it's clear that this was not the case (does he think Mr. Fengler moved because he couldn't get elected? come on), is particularly silly.
Please please please, if you live in 6A02, vote for Drew Ronnenberg. If you know someone who lives in that district, please encourage them to vote Ronnenberg as well!
i live just outside this particular district, UNFORTUNATELY.
if i did, i'd definitely vote this "bobby" character out.
he's a nutcase.
believe me, as sad as it sounds, more people will turn out to vote for him, given the socio-demographics.
if you want to make the neighborhood a source of local pride, GET OUT AND VOTE THE PITTSTER OUT!
it's up to you.
if he wins, we'll all suffer, and i won't let you forget it.
like you have better things to do, other than looking out for your own backyard.
VOTE!
da poo... could you please explain what you mean by people of a certain socio-demographic supporting this guy?
I'd estimate the average home value in this SMD is well over 500k. Do u think people with expensive homes support "nutcases?"
And this guy hasn't been voted "IN" so he can't be voted "out."
I live in 6A02. This one is absolutely a no-brainer. Drew is very well-qualified and committed to the neighborhood; all indications are that Bobby Pittman would be a disaster. Get out the vote for Drew on Thursday! I plan to knock on some doors and bring a few neighbors with me. Others who are concerned about encouraging responsible and positive developments in our neighborhood should do the same.
Ronnenberg for 6A02, and poo poo and Taylor too!
(ok it doesn't make much sense but grant me some artistic/poethetic license. Plus I have cabin fever)
I could not open Bobby's site either..It states that this is not a correct address...That is not good..Bobby is obviously not conveying the truth about his site. That right there states that this person cannot be trusted..Vote for Drew..please. Bobby didn't want the H St festival to happen and is causing nothing but trouble for this area. He would like to go back to the way stuff used to be.
This is a no brainer...VOTE FOR DREW!!
It's crazy that Bobby says that "decisions are already determined behind closed doors," and that "residents had little input before votes on major issues affecting the community before Commission meetings."
Bobby has personally attended the committee meetings that anybody can attend and "input" all they want. He has participated in those meetings for years. The committees do the detail work and make recommendations to the entire Commission so we don't have to waste time arguing about little stuff at monthly ANC meetings.
Before the committees were set up under Fengler's chairmanship, the old ANC6a was a mess. Meetings would go on for hours and hours. Everybody yelled and fought.
Does Bobby want to take it back to that?
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