The Issue: Plans for the McMillan Sand Filtration site were unveiled back in December. As City Paper reported, developers Vision McMillan Partners want retail, over 1.000 units of housing, 400,000 square feet of office space, and 8 acres of green. But don't be fooled into thinking that its all done and dusted...it hasn't been up before the Zoning Commission or the Preservation Review Board. And ANC 5C commissioner John Salatti is reopening the debate about the proposals in a series of community meetings. Are people happy with the plan as it stands?

Super content: Local resident Peter Pawlowski says rack up the density and bring in the amenities: "I strongly support the development at the site.... They're taking something which has no use and no value, and creating something of value for the community."

Slight reservations: 5C commissioner John Salatti's prime concern is the increased traffic: "DDOT says some of our intersections are failing now. How are we going to deal with all the extra traffic? We need hard information."

Read More "Neighborhood Watch: Bloomingdale and the McMillan Sand Filtration Site" »

The Issue: All eyes are on the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza after the Prince of Petworth posted a sneak preview of construction so far. Engineers were out testing the fountains this morning, and Vincent Kumordzie, resident engineer, says it's all pretty much done. What's left? Planting and landscaping on 14/15 September...completed by 25 September. So how's it looking?

Proponent: 12th and W is pretty impressed: "It looks terrific, will be a lovely place to people watch. I just hope they have installed enough seating."

Opponent: Joni, meanwhile, bemoans the lack of greenery...in verse:

Read More "Neighborhood Watch: Columbia Heights and the Civic Plaza" »

D.C. documentary film maker Cintia Cabib has captured some diverse slices of local life in her time. She's revealed the unexpected role the Glen Echo carousel played in the civil rights movement, the struggles of El Salvadoran immigrants, and the joys of a marathoner who juggles as he runs. Now she's making her first hour-long film: on D.C.'s urban community gardens.

Read More "The Constant Gardeners: D.C’s Plots Go Under the Lens" »

The issue: Washington Highlands residents are happy about getting a new library. But some want a lot more say in the process, including what it looks like. While the Mount Pleasant community had 12 design meetings before settling on a plan, Highlands has had only three. British 'starchitect' David Adjaye's eye-catching design, with its jutting pods and giant glass windows, has met with widely divergent reactions.

Proponent: Vera Abbott, president of the Bellevue Civic Association, loves the new design: "It's airy and futuristic."

Opponent: Chris Otten of District Dynamos says the whole process has been just another example of the "trickle down Fenty philosophy" in action. There was no collaborative brainstorming session or 'charrette' to engage the community in what he calls the "lie-brary." "This could be the loss of a great opportunity to bring 'lost communities' together and celebrate a civic institution that could help lift people out of poverty."

ANC 8D commissioner Olivia Henderson says she still wants Adjaye on board, but "the library they are trying to put up does not reflect the community we live in."

Next step: ANC 8 commissioners are rallying together, and hope to have passed resolutions by the end of the month that call on the D.C. Public Library to renovate rather than rebuild.

(UPDATE: George Williams, DC Public Library spokesman, called to note that there weren't only community meetings. They also had 5 focus groups, in which a total of 47 people participated, and another 90 locals responded to surveys.)

The Issue: The 11th Street Bridge Replacement Project hopes to improve the transport connection between Southeast-Southwest freeway and the Anacostia Freeway. Jolly good plan, DDOT, says the National Capital Planning Committee (NCPC). Except for the proposed streetcar overhead wires, obviously.

Opponent: A new NCPC report says: "The Commission does not support a streetcar system with overhead wires because it supports the unobstructed views to important landmarks along the cities [sic] streets and avenues."

Proponent: Greta Fuller ANC commissioner for 8A03 says, "I'm not against the street car wires if that's how it's got to run. But I've got worries for the immediate residents in the area, with the traffic they are going to bottle neck us in."

Read More "Neighborhood Watch: Anacostia and Those Pesky Overhead Wires…Again" »

The issue: Shaw residents are infuriated by delays at the National Park Service (NPS). They want the agency to hurry up and develop three vacant, rundown properties in the neighborhood, including the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historical Site. Is NPS doing all it can?

No: Irate resident Ray Milefsky writes on the Shaw listserv: "You, the Park Service, are dissing the Shaw community and the City by keeping these buildings as magnets for vagrancy, trash, and criminal activity...We are fed up and angered at being told to look for the pie-in-the-sky when all we can smell is the defecation at your doorstep in OUR neighborhood."

Read More "Neighborhood Watch: Shaw Residents vs. The Park Service" »

The Issue: The Uptown Arts Overlay District Committee has been struggling with how to keep 14th Street—between Thomas Circle and U Street—an artsy mecca. The booming restaurant scene stands accused of provoking rent hikes, a development that leaves arts and retail struggling. According to a new committee report, "by the end of 2009 this district is at serious risk of losing almost one half of its existing contemporary visual arts uses."

The report suggests increasing the limit on restaurant frontages from 25% to 40-50%. And—in certain circumstances—lifting the restrictions on heights for buildings used for art-related activities. But is it inevitable that smaller galleries will be driven out?

No: Andrea Doughty, chair of the Arts Overlay Committee, says: "Art galleries are always at the vanguard, searching for cheaper areas. But we want to incentivize so they remain here.... Everybody benefits from these art uses."

Yes: Sandra Truesdale, proprietor of the Emma Mae Gallery says: "People are coming to the neighborhood with more money. Developers see that and put up rent.... I think that the galleries that are not funded and are directed to lower income people, perhaps they will close. The city should come forward and support small galleries."

Read More "Neighborhood Watch: 14th Street and the Arts Overlay District Committee" »

The Issue: The Pleasant Plains Civic Association hosted a meeting last night to discuss the Howard Town Center development on Georgia Ave. The center will include 400-450 rental units and a 24-hour supermarket. Over 70 people turned out to discuss the pros and cons.

Proponent: Darren Jones, chair of the Pleasant Plains Civic Association says: "I am happy so far, but we also hope that developers take our concerns into consideration. Only 8% of the units will be affordable housing—the rest will be at market rate. We'd like to see more affordable housing."

Opponent: Alex comments on the New Columbia Heights blog: "yikes, I thought that was an old picture. That building's ugly!"

Sylvia Robinson of the Emergence Community Arts Collective says: "It's not set in stone yet."

Next step: ANC 1B 11 are set to debate the development at their meeting on September 14.

The Issue: Should we shoot the deer? The National Park Service (NPS) is trying to decide how to deal with the white-tailed deer population. They've been mating like rabbits and eating all the shrubs.

Proponent: Adrienne Colman, Superintendent of Rock Creek Park, says: "It's just one of the options. Montgomery County has been sharpshooting for some years now...It reduces the deer population fairly quickly."

As in Montgomery County, the Rock Creek crew would donate the meat to charity. Three words: free venison burgers.

Opponent: John Hadidian, director of the Urban Wildlife Program at the Humane Society of the United States is sticking up for the deer: "We don't think that the deer should be blamed for something that is natural to them. It doesn't seem that there is a compelling reason to kill these animals."

Alexa Fritts, spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, says: "overpopulation of deer can have a devastating effect on...songbirds."

Next step: The National Park Service is holding a public meeting at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center (5200 Glover Rd NW) on Wednesday, September 2 to debate the options.

The Issue: The Festival Latino is set to return to Mount Pleasant at the end of September. Or is it? Some local residents and businesses are not completely stoked about the idea.

Proponent: Alberto Ferrufino of Don Juan restaurant says: "We support the festival 100%. There are a few people here who think they are the king or the government, but I don't know what they are protesting about."

Opponent: Kelly DiNardo, manager of Past Tense Yoga studio, writes in a Google group discussion: "We do have some very serious concerns. The current plans call for a stage almost directly outside of the studio. We could not hold classes with that level of noise outside the studio.... While I think the festival provides other value—cultural enrichment, community involvement—it cannot be allowed to damage or undercut Mt. Pleasant businesses."

Local Resident Sam Broeksmit says: "It's a very hard neighborhood to traverse from East to West. Last year they closed Irving street."

Next step: A community meeting to discuss the festival is set for Tuesday 1 September.

CORRECTION: Kelly DiNardo, of Past Tense yoga studio, was identified as an opponent of Fiesta DC's return. While she did have "very serious concerns" about its impact on her studio's classes, DiNardo says she supports the festival overall.

Regular updates on D.C. community issues!

The Issue: The Abdo - Catholic University of America (CUA) development. It fits in with the Small Area Plan (SAP) aimed at rejuvenating Brookland. Both sides of Monroe Street are to be made over, bringing 725 condos units to the area, along with a number of new retail outlets and cafes.

Proponent: Lisa on 10th sees this as a much needed boost to Brookland. She writes on Brookland listserv:

Read More "Neighborhood Watch: Brookland" »

Georgia Avenue's Yes! Organic Market opened its doors---again---this morning. Mayor Adrian Fenty appeared a bit put out to hear that the store had already been open for a week---but brightened up when he was still allowed to cut his ribbon.

Around 30 people gathered to see the official opening. It's Ward 4's third grocery store, and residents are looking forward to jumping on the organic bandwagon.

"It's a little bit more expensive," said Natarsha Conway. "But it's worth it when you think about health."

Photo by Lois Kapila

So, Fox news reports gleefully on two-timer William Taylor of Centreville, who gave commuters a bit of a giggle this morning.

The glum-faced Virginian stood at an intersection in Tysons Corner wearing a sign that read, "I cheated, this is my punishment." He told a passerby that his wife had caught him cheating and had subsequently dreamed up the punishment.

Nothing like some good old-fashioned public repentance. Or is there? Didn't he get off a bit easily? Or is this just one step towards redemption?

In any case, Mrs Taylor joins an esteemed line-up of creative vengeful females. Here's a top three:

Read More "Centreville Cheater Receives Public Shaming. But Is It Enough?" »

“I might find a home for my asparagus yet,” says Pleasant Plains resident Kelvin Esters, wistfully. The unofficial steward and avid gardener learned today that his community garden at 514-516 Hobart Pl. NW will be closing for public use tomorrow. The patch actually belongs to Howard University, which is selling off the land to raise a bit of cash.

Esters is philosophical, if surprised, about what has been achieved through a couple of plots of tomatoes and squash. He describes its history: The garden was originally built as a community vitalizer, in part to combat high rates of drug usage in Hobart Place. Back in 2002, derelict buildings on the site had become a favorite hangout for users. So residents campaigned for them to be torn down and replaced with this patch of green. And now, drug use has gone down.

“It wasn't the only thing, but it was a contributing factor," says Esters. “Drug activities are definitely less prevalent...and [the garden] brought residents together. They all came out onto the street to build the garden.”

Growers have been told that all crops must be harvested immediately. Maybelle Bennett, assistant for community relations at Howard University, says the university is “waiting for constituents to take whatever they have in the garden.” After that, the garden will be for sale.

One slight problem - not much in the garden is ready yet. Esters says people are welcome to come and grab some tomatoes, greens, squash, and asparagus, but they'll need a bit more TLC before they're ready for the summer salad.

Photo by ndrwfgg, Flickr Creative Commons

John Little's estate (1856)

Dig up a bit of D.C. - literally - and you might be surprised at how much you find. It's well known that slave labor built the U.S. Capitol, that there were slave pens near the National Mall, and that there was a slave market just across from the National Archives. But a new site of interest - perhaps part of a property owned by one of D.C.'s biggest slave owners - has been discovered in Adams Morgan.

Read More "A Little Exploration in Adams Morgan" »