This meeting has occurred; you can see the video here.
tl;dr
- Our monthly hybrid (in-person and virtual) joint (5B06 and 5C07) SMD meeting.
- We’ll have presentations from the Commissioners, Aurora Market, Xscape Restaurant Lounge, and the developers of 1800 Hamlin St NE
- Any other community updates or suggestions welcome
Background
If these terms are confusing and/or you don’t know if you live in 5B06 or 5C07, visit the FAQ or the OpenANC map.
This is a joint meeting of SMDs 5B06 and 5C07 to be held on 4/26/2023 starting at 7pm. The meeting will be hybrid; in person at Woodridge Library and virtually over Microsoft Teams.
Single-Member District meetings are:
- optional outreach efforts by Commissioners
- per cultural norms, a precondition to bring official actions to 5B and 5C
- a chance to discuss issues with their immediate constituents
- not a venue for any official actions
- more common in some parts of DC than others
Physical Location
The meeting will be at Woodridge Library (1801 Hamlin St. NE), upstairs in Conference Room B. The room has a 20-person capacity.
Virtual Connection Details
The meeting will be available virtually on Microsoft Teams.
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
- Click here to join the meeting
- Meeting ID: 223 651 184 26
- Passcode: yCndRL
Or call in (audio only)
- +1 206-420-0854,,955959030# (United States, Seattle)
- Phone Conference ID: 955 959 030#
Agenda
Feel free to reach out if you have suggestions for this agenda! Due to the informal nature of of SMD meetings, this agenda is flexible and may change anytime.
- Community updates
- Langdon Park Neighbors intro and kickoff event details
- WMATA’s Better Bus Network Redesign reimagines our bus service for modern needs; folks can give feedback on some new notional lines serving our area, like:
- A presentation by Aurora Market on their new lease of 2006 Rhode Island Ave NE (formerly Good Foods Market) and alcohol licensing matters
- A presentation from Xscape Restaurant Lounge on their plans for 1812 Hamlin St NE (formerly SIP/1812 Lounge)
- A presentation on the 1800 Hamlin St NE development
- A debrief from Commissioner Kapur on the 4/19 5C meeting (5B is on recess this month)
Aurora Market
Aurora Market is a neighborhood grocer and event space planning to soft-open on May 6th in the old Good Food Market space (2006 Rhode Island Ave NE) with a Grand Opening on June 3rd. The owners are nearby neighbors, and already operate one location in Park View (500 Irving St NW).
Aurora Market setting up!
They are seeking a Class B Retail license (to sell alcohol as part of grocery operations) and a Class C Tavern license (to serve alcohol in the basement event space). I’ll share the ABCA placard here once it’s posted. Aurora Market has voluntarily offered their existing Settlement Agreement (SA) as a template (it can be read here), and is also seeking approval for a Stipulated License (SL) to begin operating with ANC approval before they have their final licensing.
If folks have suggestions for the Aurora Market Settlement Agreement, reach out to myself (5c07@anc.dc.gov) or Commissioner Piekara (5b06@anc.dc.gov) by roughly May 10th.
ABCA/ANC processes
An alcohol license can be protested by:
- the containing ANC or one within 600 feet (in this case, 5B or 5C)
- a duly registered civic group covering the area
- an adjacent property owner
- a group of no fewer than five nearby residents
Interplay of events in the case of a Stipulated License and voluntary Settlement Agreement:
- Once a stipulated license is approved by the containing ANC (5B), the business can begin licensed operations.
- If a protest by one of the above parties with standing is entered, the business can no longer operate on the Stipulated License.
- Once a Settlement Agreement is approved by an affected ANC, that last category of residents is no longer eligible to protest, but other parties still can; other parties joining the agreement further reduces the chance of protest.
It is likely that both the SL and SA will be voted on by 5B on 5/17, and that 5C will likely vote on the SA that same evening. Aurora Market should be able to operate as a grocer without active alcohol operations throughout this process, though there can certainly be business challenges associated with the lack of some business functions/revenue related to alcohol.
Placard details
This placard hasn’t posted yet.
Xscape Restaurant and Lounge
Please note that the below reflects misrepresentations that were made by the applicant to me (many of which were repeated at the meeting). The applicant in this case is the spouse and business partner of a former named owner of SIP/1812 Lounge. It was also made clear during the meeting that they would be doing substantively similar operations to SIP/1812 Lounge. On 5/17, both ANCs 5B and 5C voted to protest this application. On 7/24, after a roll-call hearing, mediation session, and the applicant missing a status hearing and deadline for reinstatement, this license application was closed.
Xscape Restaurant and Lounge is planning to open in the old SIP/1812 Lounge space (1812 Hamlin St NE, the space on the left that shares an address with Rhode Island Ave Liquors to the right).
I am well-aware of the long history of problems with the previous occupants of this space. I’ve confirmed with the owner that she has no personal or financial relationship to the old businesses that occupied this space whatsoever. She is hoping to substantially renovate the space as well.
ABCA/ANC processes
It’s still unclear whether Xscape is seeking a Stipulated License or a voluntary Settlement Agreement, but we’ll be working with the owner on these details. If seeking both, the process would look like Aurora Market’s above.
The protest deadline for this application is 5/22/2023; absent a deferral or a special meeting, any actions on this will need to be taken at the 5/17 regular meetings.
Placard details
placard as posted on the building
Nature of Operation
The Establishment will be a Tavern serving tapas fusion cuisine. Total Occupancy Load is 99 with seating for 60. Sidewalk Café with 10 seats. The licensee is requesting an Entertainment Endorsement with Dancing and Cover Charge to provide live entertainment inside of premises only. Carry-out and Delivery Endorsement and Holiday Extension of Hours Endorsement.
Hours:
rephrasing for clarity:
- 7 days/week, 10am-1am: consumption inside and on patio, live entertainment inside only, and carry-out/delivery
- 7 days/week, 1am-2am: all of the above except carry-out/delivery
- Fri/Sat, 2am-3am: an additional hour of all of the above except carry-out/delivery
full placard as electronically noticed to the ANCs and civic group
1800 Hamlin St NE (Pleasant Grove Baptist Church)
This project was previously briefed to a 5C07 Single-Member District on July 13th, 2022 (video).
Rendering from the north, showing the church space in front
At that time, the plan was for
- 66 rental homes
- with around 90% Affordable (income-restricted) (AMI mix to be decided)
- and a two-story church space (with no homes above it) on the north end of the lot
They were seeking a voluntary Design Review case with the Zoning Commission, all together seeking:
- a little more height in areas of the building
- variance on loading zone requirements
- variance on minimum off-street parking requirements
The latter two variances above could be done through a Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) case, but can also be rolled into a single case through the Design Review process. The taller height (presumably justified through some averaging of allowable height for the zone) requires a Design Review (or could otherwise require a more substantial ZC case, such as a Map Amendment).
The limiting factors cited for the loading zone and parking relief were the lot size and shape, and the desire to make the building more transit- and pedestrian-friendly.
Rendering from the south, showing residences as presented in July 2022
overhead diagram of the building as presented in July 2022
Notification History
I can’t guarantee perfect conveyence of information to every stakeholder on every occasion, but I do my best to both diversify outreach and log all of it for auditability. I’m also available through the contact avenues on the footer of this webpage.
| method | outreach performed |
|---|---|
| routine scheduling | This is the third recurring 5B06/5C07 meeting on the month’s fourth Wednesday; meetings on this date and time should be expected |
| website | This meeting information page was first posted to this website on 4/17/2023 around 5pm ET; it’s also linked from the embedded (and subscribable) 5C07 calendar and from the 5C website. |
| social media | On the morning of 4/23, I posted about this to Twitter, Nextdoor, and Facebook groups Woodridge DC Neighbors and Brookland DC |
| direct email | The 5C07 April 2023 newsletter dispatched 4/17/2023 around 9:45pm ET contained mention of this meeting under the top header Upcoming Meetings |
| email listservs | I do not currently make use of email group listservs for meeting notices; if there is one that seems especially relevant to the 5C07 boundaries, please let me know. |
| paper flyer | This meeting is included in my 4/20/2023 dispatch flyer. |
