Big GDS news

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Council process which at the time was led by Mayor Barry (see the deal he brokered with Upper-Caucasia voters in the mid 1980's re-election).

Yes, that was an upstanding process.

Nice try, but surely Ward 3 Vision and the crony consultants can spin better than that.

The current Comprehensive Plan was new in 2006, and the Council reviewed and amended it several years later. All post Mayor Barry. From the DC government website:

"The Home Rule Act requires that the District government develop a Comprehensive Plan. This Plan is a general policy document that provides overall guidance for future planning and development of the city. The first Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1984 and 1985. In 2006 a new Comprehensive Plan was approved, which was the first major revision of the Plan. Subsequently, the first Amendment Cycle for the 2006 Comprehensive Plan was initiated in 2009. After concluding the approval process the amendments officially became effective on April 8, 2011."

Do you think there should be no process for getting an exemption ever? This really seems like the perfect use of the PUD process - moving matter of right density from one parcel that is closer to the SF homes on the safeway site to the awkwardly laid out lots located on a major thoroughfare where there are no neighbors in the shadows, so to speak. This is a good thing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are all sorts of 8 story buildings on Connecticut, Mass and Wisconsin Avenue. What is so sacrosanct about Tenleytown and Friendship Heights?

The zoning. Upper Wisconsin is zoned for continuous commercial uses of varying intensities (with higher densities in the blocks adjacent to the Metro stations), while most of Connecticut Avenue is zoned for higher-density residential, interspersed with small scale commercial nodes for neighborhood-serving retail. (Van Ness is the notable exception to this pattern). Upper Connecticut Avenue was envisioned as a predominantly residential street, whereas upper Wisconsin was envisioned as a more commercial and institutionally-oriented thoroughfare. Basically, different kinds of densities are envisioned in different places. Tenleytown attracts thousands each day with its mix of schools (Janney, Deal, Wilson, St Columba's, Sidwell, GDS, AU), churches, library, retail, and services (often housed in small office buildings). Friendship Heights is a regional shopping and employment center which does include taller buildings e.g. Chevy Chase Pavilion, which has an office tower and a hotel on top of the mall.

On a person per SF basis, residential uses are relatively less dense than commercial office uses (e.g. a typical 1 bedroom apartment is larger than a typical cubicle or two) and that's one of the reasons why areas zoned for multifamily residential may allow higher heights than areas zoned for commercial (which includes office) uses. Institutional uses are also more dense than residential and often involve everybody coming/going at approximately at the same time, which presents its own set of problems. Basically, zoning is a mechanism for balancing/limiting/prioritizing these various demands at specific locations and that's why it matters that zoning is enforced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Council process which at the time was led by Mayor Barry (see the deal he brokered with Upper-Caucasia voters in the mid 1980's re-election).

Yes, that was an upstanding process.

Nice try, but surely Ward 3 Vision and the crony consultants can spin better than that.

The current Comprehensive Plan was new in 2006, and the Council reviewed and amended it several years later. All post Mayor Barry. From the DC government website:

"The Home Rule Act requires that the District government develop a Comprehensive Plan. This Plan is a general policy document that provides overall guidance for future planning and development of the city. The first Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1984 and 1985. In 2006 a new Comprehensive Plan was approved, which was the first major revision of the Plan. Subsequently, the first Amendment Cycle for the 2006 Comprehensive Plan was initiated in 2009. After concluding the approval process the amendments officially became effective on April 8, 2011."

Do you think there should be no process for getting an exemption ever? This really seems like the perfect use of the PUD process - moving matter of right density from one parcel that is closer to the SF homes on the safeway site to the awkwardly laid out lots located on a major thoroughfare where there are no neighbors in the shadows, so to speak. This is a good thing!

There are special exceptions in zoning to deal with minor variances or extreme hardship or projects of exceptional merit to the city. Which of these does GDS Commons fit under?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Council process which at the time was led by Mayor Barry (see the deal he brokered with Upper-Caucasia voters in the mid 1980's re-election).

Yes, that was an upstanding process.

Nice try, but surely Ward 3 Vision and the crony consultants can spin better than that.

The current Comprehensive Plan was new in 2006, and the Council reviewed and amended it several years later. All post Mayor Barry. From the DC government website:

"The Home Rule Act requires that the District government develop a Comprehensive Plan. This Plan is a general policy document that provides overall guidance for future planning and development of the city. The first Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1984 and 1985. In 2006 a new Comprehensive Plan was approved, which was the first major revision of the Plan. Subsequently, the first Amendment Cycle for the 2006 Comprehensive Plan was initiated in 2009. After concluding the approval process the amendments officially became effective on April 8, 2011."

Do you think there should be no process for getting an exemption ever? This really seems like the perfect use of the PUD process - moving matter of right density from one parcel that is closer to the SF homes on the safeway site to the awkwardly laid out lots located on a major thoroughfare where there are no neighbors in the shadows, so to speak. This is a good thing!

There are special exceptions in zoning to deal with minor variances or extreme hardship or projects of exceptional merit to the city. Which of these does GDS Commons fit under?

From the website: The BZA is authorized to "grant special exceptions, as provided in this title, where, in the judgment of the Board, the special exceptions will be in harmony with the general purpose and intent of the Zoning Regulations and Zoning Maps and will not tend to affect
adversely, the use of neighboring property in accordance with the Zoning Regulations and Zoning Maps." However you feel about the park on Ellicott or the steps, benching, walkways, or the reduction in cut through traffic on a residential street, GDS is proposing a ton of green space. The public land they are taking is not land that is currently used by anyone. The Volvo site is a blight. The safeway site is a parking lot.

[Anonymous]

What green space. Green space that is public and green or green space that is actually synthetic turf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Council process which at the time was led by Mayor Barry (see the deal he brokered with Upper-Caucasia voters in the mid 1980's re-election).

Yes, that was an upstanding process.

Nice try, but surely Ward 3 Vision and the crony consultants can spin better than that.

The current Comprehensive Plan was new in 2006, and the Council reviewed and amended it several years later. All post Mayor Barry. From the DC government website:

"The Home Rule Act requires that the District government develop a Comprehensive Plan. This Plan is a general policy document that provides overall guidance for future planning and development of the city. The first Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1984 and 1985. In 2006 a new Comprehensive Plan was approved, which was the first major revision of the Plan. Subsequently, the first Amendment Cycle for the 2006 Comprehensive Plan was initiated in 2009. After concluding the approval process the amendments officially became effective on April 8, 2011."

Not Ward 3 Vision or a crony consultant, but surely you know the history of the 1985 deal Barry struck with the neighborhood? That deal laid the groundwork for the downzoning of the area in question. In other words, it informed the 2006 Comprehensive Plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Council process which at the time was led by Mayor Barry (see the deal he brokered with Upper-Caucasia voters in the mid 1980's re-election).

Yes, that was an upstanding process.

Nice try, but surely Ward 3 Vision and the crony consultants can spin better than that.

The current Comprehensive Plan was new in 2006, and the Council reviewed and amended it several years later. All post Mayor Barry. From the DC government website:

"The Home Rule Act requires that the District government develop a Comprehensive Plan. This Plan is a general policy document that provides overall guidance for future planning and development of the city. The first Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1984 and 1985. In 2006 a new Comprehensive Plan was approved, which was the first major revision of the Plan. Subsequently, the first Amendment Cycle for the 2006 Comprehensive Plan was initiated in 2009. After concluding the approval process the amendments officially became effective on April 8, 2011."

Not Ward 3 Vision or a crony consultant, but surely you know the history of the 1985 deal Barry struck with the neighborhood? That deal laid the groundwork for the downzoning of the area in question. In other words, it informed the 2006 Comprehensive Plan.

Any downzoning was the response to Upper NW reaction to monstrosities like 4000 Wisconsin (currently half empty) and Van Ness. The mid-eighties also saw other neighborhoods take measures to have sensible growth rather than runaway development, such as the Cleveland Park Historic District and various special zoning overlays. Why would Tenleytown want to throw out our existing zoning and sensible growth guidelines in the comprehensive plan? GD$ and its deep background developer$ are being greedy and pushy.

[Anonymous]

Don't you think that the BZA will consider and value the GDS commitment to racial diversity and social justice? Both should resonate well with the DC authorities.

[Anonymous]

The BZA might, but this case is going before the Zoning Commission.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The BZA might, but this case is going before the Zoning Commission.

Whatever. The school's impressive reputation and commitment to DC values should help its case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The BZA might, but this case is going before the Zoning Commission.

Whatever. The school's impressive reputation and commitment to DC values should help its case.

Particularly its prominent diversity and social justice ethos.

[Anonymous]

What a laugh! We have far more racial diversity at Deal and Wilson. Commitment to social justice? GDS not only refused to do one iota more affordable housing than the law requires, but Mr. Payola found a way for them to do less than the law requires for the zoning they are building in. This is a school primarily for rich children with liberal parents who believe they are special. The GDS boosters who think the Zoning Commission will or should give GDS special consideration are smoking the same weed their kids smoke in Tenleytown alleys.

Anonymous wrote:Don't you think that the BZA will consider and value the GDS commitment to racial diversity and social justice? Both should resonate well with the DC authorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a laugh! We have far more racial diversity at Deal and Wilson. Commitment to social justice? GDS not only refused to do one iota more affordable housing than the law requires, but Mr. Payola found a way for them to do less than the law requires for the zoning they are building in. This is a school primarily for rich children with liberal parents who believe they are special. The GDS boosters who think the Zoning Commission will or should give GDS special consideration are smoking the same weed their kids smoke in Tenleytown alleys.

Anonymous wrote:Don't you think that the BZA will consider and value the GDS commitment to racial diversity and social justice? Both should resonate well with the DC authorities.

The school takes these values very seriously. You know that Attorney General Holder was a GDS trustee?

[Anonymous]

Wow. A prominent African-American was on their board = they take social justice and racial equality seriously. Obviously you don't get how retrograde this comment is.

I would think this is just a troll trying to make GDS look bad, but its probably a real GDS board member or Ward Three Vision shill.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a laugh! We have far more racial diversity at Deal and Wilson. Commitment to social justice? GDS not only refused to do one iota more affordable housing than the law requires, but Mr. Payola found a way for them to do less than the law requires for the zoning they are building in. This is a school primarily for rich children with liberal parents who believe they are special. The GDS boosters who think the Zoning Commission will or should give GDS special consideration are smoking the same weed their kids smoke in Tenleytown alleys.

Anonymous wrote:Don't you think that the BZA will consider and value the GDS commitment to racial diversity and social justice? Both should resonate well with the DC authorities.

The school takes these values very seriously. You know that Attorney General Holder was a GDS trustee?

[Anonymous]

There are over 2000 posts on this issue and the media doesn't cover? Why the press black out? Oh yeah, the post editors are also GDS parents.