Chevy Chase Community Center Redevelopment

[Anonymous]

I watched the ANC meeting last night on this issue. There are a lot of very entitled old white people in Chevy Chase. It was rather horrifying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I watched the ANC meeting last night on this issue. There are a lot of very entitled old white people in Chevy Chase. It was rather horrifying.

Once again the “Smart-aleck Growth” lobby can’t help itself and puts its ageism on full display.

[Anonymous]

PP, can you summarize the meeting for us? What is happening here and when will it be decided. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, can you summarize the meeting for us? What is happening here and when will it be decided. Thank you!

they will have a vote on monday

Last night was mostly people claiming the community survey conducted by the ANC showed a 60-40 split for the opponents of the project and thus, they argued, the ANC should vote against it.

However, a number of people spoke to the flaws in the survey, with mostly the argument being that it was a survey, not an election. they also noted the massive under representation of renters, people under 40 and non-white people, in the survey.

The other irony of the survey is that the most represented single member district abuts Rock Creek Park, no where near the community center site, whereas there are a lot of people who live just a few blocks from the site that are not in the ANC 3G area and argued their voices were being discounted.

The whole thing is silly because the project is going to happen because the Mayor wants it to, so people fighting about it is just a waste of time and effort. They would better spend their time figuring out what amenities and design/massing they prefer than whether it is an up or down yes/no vote.

[Anonymous]

The whole thing seems like another DC giveaway of a public asset to a well-connected developer in exchange to what "may" be slightly more affordable housing units than normally required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, can you summarize the meeting for us? What is happening here and when will it be decided. Thank you!

they will have a vote on monday

Last night was mostly people claiming the community survey conducted by the ANC showed a 60-40 split for the opponents of the project and thus, they argued, the ANC should vote against it.

However, a number of people spoke to the flaws in the survey, with mostly the argument being that it was a survey, not an election. they also noted the massive under representation of renters, people under 40 and non-white people, in the survey.

The other irony of the survey is that the most represented single member district abuts Rock Creek Park, no where near the community center site, whereas there are a lot of people who live just a few blocks from the site that are not in the ANC 3G area and argued their voices were being discounted.

The whole thing is silly because the project is going to happen because the Mayor wants it to, so people fighting about it is just a waste of time and effort. They would better spend their time figuring out what amenities and design/massing they prefer than whether it is an up or down yes/no vote.

To get an unbiased survey, shouldn't they have hired Fabrizio & Ward Pollsters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, can you summarize the meeting for us? What is happening here and when will it be decided. Thank you!

they will have a vote on monday

Last night was mostly people claiming the community survey conducted by the ANC showed a 60-40 split for the opponents of the project and thus, they argued, the ANC should vote against it.

However, a number of people spoke to the flaws in the survey, with mostly the argument being that it was a survey, not an election. they also noted the massive under representation of renters, people under 40 and non-white people, in the survey.

The other irony of the survey is that the most represented single member district abuts Rock Creek Park, no where near the community center site, whereas there are a lot of people who live just a few blocks from the site that are not in the ANC 3G area and argued their voices were being discounted.

The whole thing is silly because the project is going to happen because the Mayor wants it to, so people fighting about it is just a waste of time and effort. They would better spend their time figuring out what amenities and design/massing they prefer than whether it is an up or down yes/no vote.

So they should put it on a ballot. There you go.

However, why bother with surveys if you are just going to reject outcome if you don’t like the results? Were renters, people under 40, and non-white people not provided the opportunity to complete the survey?

I do like your last point…it reminds me of so many weird YIMBY arguments, “The thing I like is going to just happen despite the arguments against it, so just lay back and enjoy it.”

They haven’t lost yet, sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, can you summarize the meeting for us? What is happening here and when will it be decided. Thank you!

they will have a vote on monday

Last night was mostly people claiming the community survey conducted by the ANC showed a 60-40 split for the opponents of the project and thus, they argued, the ANC should vote against it.

However, a number of people spoke to the flaws in the survey, with mostly the argument being that it was a survey, not an election. they also noted the massive under representation of renters, people under 40 and non-white people, in the survey.

The other irony of the survey is that the most represented single member district abuts Rock Creek Park, no where near the community center site, whereas there are a lot of people who live just a few blocks from the site that are not in the ANC 3G area and argued their voices were being discounted.

The whole thing is silly because the project is going to happen because the Mayor wants it to, so people fighting about it is just a waste of time and effort. They would better spend their time figuring out what amenities and design/massing they prefer than whether it is an up or down yes/no vote.

So they should put it on a ballot. There you go.

However, why bother with surveys if you are just going to reject outcome if you don’t like the results? Were renters, people under 40, and non-white people not provided the opportunity to complete the survey?

I do like your last point…it reminds me of so many weird YIMBY arguments, “The thing I like is going to just happen despite the arguments against it, so just lay back and enjoy it.”

They haven’t lost yet, sport.

The "it's going to happen anyway, so just buzz off" dismissal is like the now-infamous ANC middle finger Tweet: “The ANC 3C Majority has something to say – we’re doing bike lanes. F’ the ops.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the ANC meeting last night on this issue. There are a lot of very entitled old white people in Chevy Chase. It was rather horrifying.

Once again the “Smart-aleck Growth” lobby can’t help itself and puts its ageism on full display.

Talk about ageist…you are likely the same poster that claims this over and over yet could absolutely care less about the young families and renters moving into the area…and in fact openly resent them.

You also demean any citizen that doesn’t feel the same as you by claiming they are part of the “smart growth lobby”.

I have no doubt you are actually part of one of the actual lobbying groups (CC Voice or Chevy Chase Conservancy) opposed to anything changing in CC DC.

[Anonymous]

Young families moving to Chevy Chase care about conserving the wonderful neighborhood, village-in-the-city qualities, too. If they wanted to live in Friendship Heights or Downtown Bethesda, they would have made that choice quite easily; neither one is very far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Young families moving to Chevy Chase care about conserving the wonderful neighborhood, village-in-the-city qualities, too. If they wanted to live in Friendship Heights or Downtown Bethesda, they would have made that choice quite easily; neither one is very far.

I don't dispute anything your said. I'm sure that is true.

The point, however, it that there are "young families" that also want the opportunity to live in an area and currently do not have it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Young families moving to Chevy Chase care about conserving the wonderful neighborhood, village-in-the-city qualities, too. If they wanted to live in Friendship Heights or Downtown Bethesda, they would have made that choice quite easily; neither one is very far.

I don't dispute anything your said. I'm sure that is true.

The point, however, it that there are "young families" that also want the opportunity to live in an area and currently do not have it.

It's true that there aren't many new single family houses being built in Chevy Chase DC, although there are always some on the market. There are lots of apartments for rent on Connecticut Avenue and within a mile or two, with more coming on the market all the time. So how exactly are families being denied an opportunity live in the area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Young families moving to Chevy Chase care about conserving the wonderful neighborhood, village-in-the-city qualities, too. If they wanted to live in Friendship Heights or Downtown Bethesda, they would have made that choice quite easily; neither one is very far.

I don't dispute anything your said. I'm sure that is true.

The point, however, it that there are "young families" that also want the opportunity to live in an area and currently do not have it.

It's true that there aren't many new single family houses being built in Chevy Chase DC, although there are always some on the market. There are lots of apartments for rent on Connecticut Avenue and within a mile or two, with more coming on the market all the time. So how exactly are families being denied an opportunity live in the area?

Would the "young families" originally referenced who move to Chevy Chase think that the Conn Ave commerce corridor is the same thing?

[Anonymous]

So, if you argue that renters did not participate in the survey, does the ANC just substitute its judgment? I was a young renter on the avenue not too long ago, and I liked the village in the city feel. If I had wanted a denser location, I would have moved elsewhere. Don't assume all renters want more density!

[Anonymous]

Every renter got the survey. That was made clear last night. The clear sentiment is anti development of the site. Affordable housing was supported but not on that site.

It was a despicable display of naïveté on the part of the ANC who along with the local clergy are being used as pawns in what are classic developer schemes to promise a little and get millions worth of public land for free.The ANC commissioners and their various groups simply do not have the sophistication or the work ethic to stand up to it.

The worst was the opening crying scene from one commissioner going on and on about how hard he’s working while trying to read an edited letter into the record - a letter no one had seen. It was such BS.

They have absolutely no backbone. They have no work ethic. They aren’t smart enough to get proper pro bono counsel and they roll their eyes saying it’s a done deal anyway. It was a shocking display of stupidity. Not only should they be voted out but all of their correspondence with any public or interested party should be shared immediately.

This is the most serious issue to hit the neighborhood in years and they are complaining that they are tired and it’s going to happen anyway . And they are just volunteers They all need to go. They can’t even recognize a crisis when they create one.