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We've been getting a lot of emails and calls today from residents concerned about the future of Canal Park to be developed in near Southeast. It's a fantastic amenity -- with greenspace and an innovative water storm water management system -- that is scheduled to begin construction in early August. Concern sprung up in advance of the July 12th meeting by the National Capital Planning Commission where they will make recommendations to the Zoning Commission about temporary zoning changes to accomodate surface parking for baseball. Tommy made it very clear to the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development that he expected the project to start on time and not be delayed. Deputy Mayor Albert agreed and we've had similar conversations with the Office of Planning and with NCPC and AWC staff. To make clear his desire to see Canal Park moving forward on schedule, Tommy sent the following letter today to the NCPC in advance of their meeting next week. ******************************
July 6, 2007
John V. Cogbill, III, Chairman
National Capital Planning Commission
401 9th Street, NW
North Lobby, Suite 500
Washington D.C. 20004
Dear Mr. Cogbill,
I am writing to you regarding the proposed text amendment to the Zoning Regulations of the District of Columbia to allow temporary surface parking lots on various blocks in the South Capitol Street and M Street SE Corridors (Z.C. 07-08). I was surprised and concerned to find that the site for Washington Canal Park has been included in this temporary rezoning.
As we have discussed, Canal Park is immensely important as it will be the heart of the mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood being created along the Waterfront. Along with vital green space and amenities, the park will feature an innovative storm water management system that will filter and recycle runoff from area buildings, which will be multiplying over the next few years. This park will be a great amenity for the city and the thousands of baseball fans visiting the area -- and neighborhood residents have been eagerly awaiting its construction.
It is crucial that creation of temporary surface parking lots does not impede or slow down the progress of Canal Park. While game day parking plans are very important, we must not lose sight of the greater community and context. Planned amenities for the neighborhood should not be de-prioritized for the sake of creating additional game day parking. According to the proposed zoning amendment, seven different squares would be temporarily rezoned to create 3,775 additional parking spaces to accommodate overflow on game days. The rezoning would expire after five years during which time underground parking garages would be constructed for the new buildings in the area. Site preparation for Canal Park is slated to being within the next couple of months and rezoning this land is both unnecessary and potentially harmful to the project timeline.
The temporary parking zoning amendment must be modified to include clarifying language to protect the park site from any zoning changes, temporary or otherwise. Specifically, no temporary surface lots should be permitted on US Reservation 17, parcels B, C and D, which are the location of the proposed Washington Canal Park.
Your prompt assistance and response on this matter is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at (202) 724-8072.
Sincerely,
Tommy Wells
Councilmember, Ward 6
Cc:
The Honorable Neil Albert, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
The Honorable Kwame Brown, Chairman, Committee on Economic Development
Ms. Carol Mitten, Chair, DC Zoning Commission
Ms. Harriet Tregoining, Director, DC Office of Planning
Readers have left 10 comments. (1) Untitled
2007-07-07 07:12:13 Dear Tommy - Thanks so much for writing this letter! Canal Park is truly located in the heart of the near SE neighborhood, and its contruction will serve to attract residents and home-buyers to this exciting new area. It's not all about the ballpark!
Best Regards,
George Lentz
President, CPIV Condominium (2) Untitled
2007-07-07 15:20:34 Tommy,
Thanks for your prompt attention to this important development!
- Ward 6 Resident (3) Untitled
2007-07-08 18:20:21 Good job for bringing attention to this, but please don't stop fighting for the creation of Canal park until the busses have been moved and full force construction has begun. (4) Untitled
2007-07-09 07:44:41 Thank you Tommy
For standing up for the park. Can you also tell us who you've been able to bring in on this fight with you? Is the Anacostia Waterfront Corp assisting? What have our at-large members said, how about the chair of council? Are they also standing by you as our representatives in our fight to begin park construction and not to turn any of these blocks into surface parking for the new stadium? I'm hopeful they have all weighed in on this issue, one that is so important to residents of Near Southeast.
Again, Thank You for weighing in on Canal Park. I'm hoping that you will also keep the fight until it's certain that these blocks will not be included in the zoning package for temporary surface parking. (5) Untitled
2007-07-09 09:10:18 Mr. Wells, Thank you for your swift action to ensure that Canal Park actually remains a park and its completion will remain on target. There appears to be enough temporary parking for the stadium and potentially for the new MPD headquarters on Virginia Avenue. As one of the very first purchasers of a Capitol Quarter Townhouse back in 2006, I believed in the area then, and I believe in the area now. Canal Park is important to ensure that the quality of life envisioned in this area remains strong.
Thank you for attending the groundbreaking ceremony at EYA. It was wonderful to see the nice turnout.
Please keep up the good work.
Bruce DarConte
(6) Untitled
2007-07-09 09:34:32 I would like to add my voice to those expressing concern over the possible delay of construction of Canal Park in Near Southeast.
Any delay in the beginning of construction on this greatly anticipated park is an extreme disservice to the citizens of the District, most especially those of us that have move into the immediate neighborhood bordering the park. This “transitional” neighborhood needs these types of features to build the stable, vibrant community that we all envisioned when we bought into this neighborhood.
Please help us ensure that this commitment to our neighborhood is honored and the needs of the District’s citizens are put before the needs of the transient population attendant to the new stadium.
(7) Untitled
2007-07-09 09:51:06 Thank you. Please also remember the environmental impact of too much parking and not enough green space. Green space makes this city beautiful - not parking lots.
C.Burch
resident of South Carolina Ave SE (8) Untitled
2007-07-09 11:46:16 Dear Councilman Wells,
Thank you for your preemptive action to prevent the construction of surface parking lots on the Canal Blocks. Like all residents in your district, I am eagerly awaiting the construction of the Canal Park and look forward to enjoying this beautiful green space. I hope to see you at the groundbreaking later this year.
Thank you,
Malcolm G (9) Untitled
2007-07-09 15:51:26 Tommy--
Thank you for getting on top of this. It is important to the new neighborhood, to the existing Capitol Hill neighborhoods, to the city at large, and really even to ballpark visitors from afar that the Canal Park green space move forward quickly.
Please let the many citizens who are interested in this issue know right away if there is anything else we can do. (10) Untitled
2007-07-10 11:15:46 FYI Councilman Wells - my wife and I sent the following letter to the NCPC and Deputy Mayor Albert seeking their support of the park - please keep up the fight for us on this - take care.
- - - - - - -
July 10, 2007
John V. Cogbill, III
Chairman, NCPC
401 9th Street
North Lobby, Suite 500
Washington D.C. 20004
RE: Project 07-08 – Canal Park On-Time As Scheduled
Dear Chairman Cogbill:
This letter is to respectfully request the Commission disapprove part of project 07-08 that would delay completion of Canal Park for use of its blocks as a parking lot.
As you know, Canal Park will cover three slender blocks between Canal Street and Second Street, SE, just north of the newly operational headquarters of the Department of Transportation. The vision of this park to serve as an amenity to federal and other employees in the area and as a focal point to the emerging near southeast residential community where an increasing number of persons call home is an exciting and eagerly anticipated prospect. The park’s incorporation of features to attract all ages through varied recreational opportunities, its environmentally friendly ability to filter storm water and its location as a bridge between the established neighborhoods to the north and the emergent near southeast have elevated it along with the stadium as two of the most desired projects in our community.
While we appreciate the urgent need to accommodate the demands of fans on game day (we will be there cheering for the Nationals as well), we submit that the success of our emerging neighborhood will depend on balancing public and private amenities. We are hopeful that the same innovative vision used to conceive the Nationals Stadium and Canal Park will lead to effectively balancing the needs of a growing and diverse community. Please recommend the construction of Canal Park on time as scheduled.
Respectfully Submitted,
Curt and Courtney Harris
cc: Residents of Capitol Hill Tower
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