ANC6A Concerned About Proposed Cluck-U Chicken Location

The following is a comment (on a post about the Cluck-U Chicken that is slated to come to H Street) left by a local ANC Commissioner. I'm turning it into a post because I want to make sure people see it:

Joseph Fengler said...

At last night's ANC 6A meeting, we approved sending a letter to DCRA reminding them that fast food is not a matter of right development for a C2A zone.

Dear Dr. Canavan,

ANC 6A is writing regarding a new establishment (“Cluck-U Chicken”) at 1123 H Street NE. We are concerned that DCRA will issue a certificate of occupancy to this establishment without determining whether a special exception for a fast food restaurant is required from the Board of Zoning Adjustment. The special exception process allows the ANC and residents living near the property to provide input on potentially objectionable aspects of fast food restaurants such as noise, odors, lights, hours, traffic safety, and litter.

ANC 6A is particularly sensitive to this issue because of past mistakes by DCRA on H Street NE. On November 2, 2004, BZA determined that the Zoning Administrator erred by issuing a certificate of occupancy for a “deli/restaurant” in the C-2-A zoned premises at 721 H Street, NE currently occupied by Blimpie/Noble Roman Pizza. BZA found the premises are actually a “fast food restaurant” as defined at 11 DCMR 199.1 and require a special exception from BZA per 11 DCMR 733.1.