tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post1315319149220421346..comments2024-02-14T06:26:09.116-05:00Comments on Frozen Tropics: Guest Post: Development at the Old Doctor's House (1328 Montello)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-4062740632077531872014-06-23T11:39:51.766-04:002014-06-23T11:39:51.766-04:00I don't have a problem with a neighborhood cat...I don't have a problem with a neighborhood cat, or even a well-managed, properly neutered/spayed feral cat colony. I personally called WHS to come get our neighborhood street cat when he was injured, double-checked that he would be treated, neutered, and released rather than put down, unless it proved medically necessary, and called in a week later to check up on him when I hadn't seen him back on the street. WHS did a great job treating him, returned him to the street and he's just as chill and happy as ever.<br /><br />But. No one can look at me with a straight face and tell me that most of Trinidad's cat population is managed this way. I have a dog with a nose for cats, and she finds every cat-hangout in the neighborhood (including those properties on the hill) and almost none of them are marked with a clipped ear, which denotes a spayed feral. Without proper management, a lot of kittens are born, suffer, and die, to no purpose. <br /><br />I would like to do humane trapping and spay/release via WHS, but I'm afraid of catching someone's actual (poorly managed) housecat, or getting into it with people who feed the strays without properly caring for them. This is a neighborhood-wide problem, and I really wish that there was a better way to handle the cats.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-54744633345767672302014-06-23T08:47:52.555-04:002014-06-23T08:47:52.555-04:00Pop up article from WashPost:http://m.washingtonpo...Pop up article from WashPost:http://m.washingtonpost.com/local/2014/06/22/96a2222e-f307-11e3-9ebc-2ee6f81ed217_story.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-41783922342759768012014-06-23T05:42:27.532-04:002014-06-23T05:42:27.532-04:00Oh great, the "feral cats actually improve th...Oh great, the "feral cats actually improve the neighborhood" folks have arrived.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-53181659284997308812014-06-22T16:04:50.247-04:002014-06-22T16:04:50.247-04:00"I walk by them all the time and they are jus..."I walk by them all the time and they are just sitting there getting all weedy and full of cats"<br /><br />There is nothing wrong with cats.pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11088731122765315298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-74510753822750764142014-06-21T14:18:37.994-04:002014-06-21T14:18:37.994-04:00The sad part about the subject of this post, is th...The sad part about the subject of this post, is that people are not fighting the variance on the merits. They, I think only the Office of Planing put forth clear reasons on the merits of why this variance should be denied. Everything else is emotional or simply saying since they did bad and paid their pound of flesh they should not get a variance. I think what's being argued will not impact the foot print or height of the building. The valiance seems to largely be for how small the internal rooms can be. <br /><br />-RobbyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-14228879584972061492014-06-21T13:10:34.101-04:002014-06-21T13:10:34.101-04:00I don't want to be like Capitol Hill. I can s...I don't want to be like Capitol Hill. I can survive anywhere. I enjoy living in Trinidad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-85876194839637643092014-06-20T17:15:44.628-04:002014-06-20T17:15:44.628-04:00Are there any pictures of the future building on w...Are there any pictures of the future building on what it will look like ? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-80875119006075808722014-06-20T15:51:57.019-04:002014-06-20T15:51:57.019-04:00The developer is not gonna go through all the trou...The developer is not gonna go through all the trouble of building a large building to put up low end rentals though.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01615813759778690949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-45876529189752684312014-06-20T15:40:54.336-04:002014-06-20T15:40:54.336-04:00ummm.... trinidad is still somewhat ghetto. that&#...ummm.... trinidad is still somewhat ghetto. that's why.<br /><br />lots of theories about why - even broken windows theory.<br /><br />poonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-52137409544651231512014-06-20T14:30:37.771-04:002014-06-20T14:30:37.771-04:00+1 Neal St.
Btw there are similarly sized 8 unit...+1 Neal St. <br /><br />Btw there are similarly sized 8 unit apt buildings all over Capitol Hill and somehow the neighborhood survives. How is it going to be such a big deal in Trinidad?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01615813759778690949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-30850461475068862222014-06-19T16:47:52.853-04:002014-06-19T16:47:52.853-04:004:37 again...just to be clear, here's my blame...4:37 again...just to be clear, here's my blame for that fiasco:<br /><br />1. permit approval people. They should know the regs and tell people when there's a problem. Not approve now and rescind later.<br /><br />2. zoning regulations that allow stairs, but don't have some kind of streamlined variance process for extremely small variances. It's an incentive to do the cheap, rather than good, thing.<br /><br />2. neighbor who not only fretted about nice-looking patios, but took the time to find out they caused a violation of maximum lot coverage by *fewer than 20 square feet* (in total, not individually). This wasn't a case of him building over the whole yard unpermitted, it was a case of the patios being just over a foot too wide for zoning.<br /><br />4. developer for not taking more careful measurements to make sure he was in compliance.<br /><br />He gets a little blame, but not on the first order. A minor oversight should not result in months of delay and ugly results for the new owners and neighbors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-64737718317079790492014-06-19T16:37:44.419-04:002014-06-19T16:37:44.419-04:00Let me give you a little view of the other side of...Let me give you a little view of the other side of the coin, which helps explain why quality developers are often hard to come by.<br /><br />Last summer, a developer renovated an abandoned and blighted apartment building up the street from me into nice condos. His originals plans included small rear patios for each unit. I viewed his original plans, which his permit was based on. His permit was approved.<br /><br />A few weeks before the project was set to come on the market, I noticed a stop work order on the door while walking my dog. I walked up and checked it out, and it cited a violation of maximum lot coverage. What on Earth?<br /><br />A few *months* later when the project finally came on the market, I went to the open house, and the patios, which had been built, were GONE! (???) Replaced with some ugly stairs that, by the requirements of their construction, took up much more of the small rear yard. Apparently the patios pushed the building over maximum lot coverage, and some nosy neighbor called in to complain about them. Given the time frame of requesting a zoning variance (which the developer *should* have been made aware of at the time his *original* permits were issued, or at some other interim inspection, of which there are many) versus getting the units on the market, the developer tore the nice patios out and replaced them with ugly stairs, which did not count as lot coverage. So now the residents of the building don't have patios, don't have much in the way of yard space, and the neighbor who complained gets to look at ugly metal stairs rather than nice wood patios.<br /><br />I'd bet that developer won't be much interested in future projects in our neighborhood.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-75669281017340853502014-06-19T11:34:11.534-04:002014-06-19T11:34:11.534-04:00"Even though two walls in the far corner rema..."Even though two walls in the far corner remained,..."<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-38999071242699594932014-06-19T10:27:03.699-04:002014-06-19T10:27:03.699-04:00"@Anon 10:11:
Despite your unfounded ad homi..."@Anon 10:11:<br /><br />Despite your unfounded ad hominem attack, I'll try to elaborate on why the building is allowed as built."<br /><br />But Anon @10:11 didn't make an ad hominem attack. Did you get your anons mixed up? Folks, please make up a name. A thread full of anonymous handles is terribly hard to follow.Alan Pagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07349389379428110815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-74286137171194472842014-06-18T23:44:07.593-04:002014-06-18T23:44:07.593-04:00I'd be interested in learning what people thou...I'd be interested in learning what people thought of the drawings at Exhibit 7. <br /><br /><br />-RobbyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-5353045457273413522014-06-18T22:58:23.975-04:002014-06-18T22:58:23.975-04:00>Why haven't they been turned around and de...>Why haven't they been turned around and developed into usable housing? <br /><br />With neighbors like those above that try to derail new development, it's no wonder why there's so much that no one's touching yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-14524008608045889772014-06-18T20:06:40.584-04:002014-06-18T20:06:40.584-04:00I've been trying to get the city to do somethi...I've been trying to get the city to do something about those eyesores for years. It really is a shame because the house could be beautiful and the building's lot could place something really cool there.<br /><br />-RobbyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-34966467144587055442014-06-18T19:59:28.591-04:002014-06-18T19:59:28.591-04:00I've been trying to get the city to do somethi...I've been trying to get the city to do something about those eyesores for years. It really is a shame because the house could be beautiful and the building's lot could place something really cool there.<br /><br />-Robby Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-78490687268944205512014-06-18T15:44:36.481-04:002014-06-18T15:44:36.481-04:00This is kinda a derail, but does anyone know anyth...This is kinda a derail, but does anyone know anything about the properties on Holbrook Terrace on the hill, the large, plywood covered building and the abandoned red and white house? I walk by them all the time and they are just sitting there getting all weedy and full of cats. Why haven't they been turned around and developed into usable housing? Is there a story there, or are they just sitting because the owners don't care/are dead or something?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-63639577268395798272014-06-18T15:20:54.620-04:002014-06-18T15:20:54.620-04:00@Anon 1:27: The zoning regs provide that owners ha...@Anon 1:27: The zoning regs provide that owners have the right to convert to a boarding house, but don't limit the number of rooms in the rooming house nor require a specific size (unlike house-to-apartment conversions) in R-4.<br /><br />To convert a house to an apartment, the apartments must be at least 900 sq ft each per 11-401.3. Boarding houses have no minimum or maximum requirement for the size or number of rooms, other than the total lot occupancy limits.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-45357497935462302742014-06-18T13:27:59.366-04:002014-06-18T13:27:59.366-04:00Anonymous 11:25 - a 33 room boarding house is allo...Anonymous 11:25 - a 33 room boarding house is allowed by right? That certainly is news to me. Maybe you k now something I don't. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-48755764741487658812014-06-18T13:06:18.627-04:002014-06-18T13:06:18.627-04:00FWIW, a fine is not the only available remedy for ...FWIW, a fine is not the only available remedy for illegal construction- it is an arrestable offense. If you feel this behavior is so egregious, you can push for the Office of Attorney General to investigate and criminally charge the property owner.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-20975194834324221942014-06-18T12:05:40.160-04:002014-06-18T12:05:40.160-04:00Does anyone really think $2,000 is a "conside...Does anyone really think $2,000 is a "considerable penalty" to a commercial project?<br /><br />Anonymous 10:07 - I agree that delays could get expensive, and I am interested in what the percentage fines are for such violations if you happen to know.<br /><br />For shady developers, it seems it may be too low. Seen several cases of developers going "oooops" and demoing more than they had permit to do. I've seen recent cases on H-street, K-street, and L-street, and now this one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-26175534154981678042014-06-18T11:58:54.556-04:002014-06-18T11:58:54.556-04:00The true story about 1233: their initial permits w...The true story about 1233: their initial permits were to add on to an existing OFD there prior to May 12, 1958 according to regulations. They dug a huge hole right by that structure, not shoring it up and it fell into the hole and was demolished. This event invalidated their previous permits since the structure they were adding on to no longer existed. <br />They then required a variance to continue. In the interim the property became a nuisance as a magnet for criminal activity, home for a prostitute and more. There was no support for said variance and when the case went to the BZA they were denied. Shortly thereafter DCRA issued an Order to Raze. The developer appealed the order. Prior to the hearing they asked the ANC to postpone the hearing and they did not, allowing the scheduled hearing to go forward. Three days before the appeal hearing someone inside DCRA provided them with new permits repurposing the structure as a 36 unit boarding house. In actuality, the hearing should have gone forward prior to any further permit action.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8835710.post-36200729751786847832014-06-18T11:55:30.483-04:002014-06-18T11:55:30.483-04:00"Work to change the regulation that allow it&..."Work to change the regulation that allow it"<br /><br />Yes, this is ultimately what needs to happen. Too bad the City Council relies so much on campaign contributions from developers though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com