D.C. Wire – City reaches deal to remove billboards many saw as eyesores

By Christopher Dean Hopkins | December 18, 2009; 8:30 AM ET

via D.C. Wire – City reaches deal to remove billboards many saw as eyesores.

Bishop William Barr said that he was grateful for the commercial billboard that stood high above his church’s property in Northeast Washington.

“That sign has been there even before the church was here,” Barr said. “We got about $2,000 a year for it to be there because they use our electricity.”

The money helped helped finance the church’s work with the homeless.

But what was a blessing to the members of the Holiness Community Church at 3rd and K streets N.E. has long been considered an eyesore by other residents, and earlier this week the neighborhood won out. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty announced that the District reached a settlement agreement with Clear Channel regarding the removal of five billboards — four located at the intersection of New Jersey, 4th and P streets N.W., and one at 3rd Street and K streets N.E.

“These billboards have been a source of frustration for the residents of the Mount Vernon neighborhood for years,” Fenty said in a statement. “We are excited to see them come down today and that an agreement could be reached so quickly without unnecessary time, expense or further litigation.”

For decades, residents in Wards 2 and 5 have fought to get the billboards removed. Ward 2 community leader Cary Silverman said he wrote to city officials to complain about ten billboards in his community.

“These billboards for years have given the impression to motorist that they were on a highway,” said Silverman, who singled out one sign at New Jersey and P streets N.W.

Clear Channel began removing the billboards on Tuesday and will complete the removal by Monday. In addition, Clear Channel will take down all supporting posts for the billboards by the end of the month.

Examiner article on the billboards

This article does not appear to be posted at the Examiner website, but was in print, and circulated by Scott Roberts of Bloomingdale.

Nuisance Billboards Come Down in NW

A cluster of illegal billboards on the corner of New Jersey Avenue NW and P Street NW that once shielded illegal activities were town down Tuesday, thanks to a group of community activists.

Denise Prichard of the Bates Area Civic Association led the crusade against the four billboards on her block that masked public urination, illegal dumping and drug use.  The District issued a moratorium on most new billboards nearly 80 years ago, but some manage to slip through the cracks.  After being contacted by the activists, the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) ordered Clear Channel Communications to take the illegal signs down in October, but the company won a preliminary injunction and the billboards remained.

As a result, the city passed emergency rules clarifying that billboards locate within 200 feet of residential areas were illegal.  Two weeks later, down came the signs.  “Together, we chipped away at the billboards until they fell,” Prichard said of the fight waged by several neighborhood groups and eventually the city.  The new rules have brought down several other billboards in the Mount Vernon area as well.

The next target is one on the corner of 3^rd & K Street NW, scheduled for tear-down on Thursday.

Old Bates Market renovation complete

Living within sight of this once-dilapidated building is a pleasure now! After six months of work the place looks great. Inside and out. The workers gave me and some other neighbors a tour inside. All brand new, from the hardwood floors, to the windows, doors and ceilings. I can’t wait to see what actually will be going inside. The owner told us his ideas included a corner market, a coffee shop and a wine shop. See here for past entries on the place.

BACA blog around town

Our neighborhood is being talked about!

See the Washington Business Journal talking about the billboards at 4th and P St NW coming down.

See the City Paper, leading folks to this here blog.

See the Greater Greater Washington blog, pings back to our dear blog also.

See The Other 35 Percent blog here.

And stay tuned for a Washington Examiner article on the billboard issue.

Prince of Petworth talks about the renovations and what’s in store for the Old Bates Market at 3rd and P St NW.

Bye Bye Billboards! The P Street Billboards finally come down.

Thanks to the hard work of DCRA Director Linda Argo, the Office of the Attorney General, and all our dedicated community representatives and leaders, the four P Street billboards came down this morning. It was a beautiful sight to see.

Click on the links below for video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua_v8cGG2NM
http://www.shawbillboardblight.org/billboard-removal1.MOV
http://www.shawbillboardblight.org/billboard-removal2.MOV

Don’t Be a Victim of Crime This Holiday Season

It’s the Season for Robberies. The holidays present thieves with great opportunities. Here are some measures you can take to avoid being a victim of crime.

Don’t have your car broken into
1. Don’t leave packages in your car. Place shopping bags in your trunk. Bags on the back seat of on the floor of your car may cause thieves to break your window.
2. Don’t leave your GPS (even the if it is just the suction cup on the windshield) visible. Ensure you carry a paper towel or tissue to remove the rings the GPS suction cup leaves on your windshield. Remember, thieves will break your window thinking your GPS is stored in your glove compartment.
3. Do not leave your cell phone charger or satellite radio antennal visible in your car.
4. Do not put your purse, brief case or other valuables on the passenger seat when driving. When you do this, you become a prime target for a thief at a red light. Thieves will break your window and take your package knowing that there is little you can do at a red light.
5. Look around and make sure you’re not being followed when leaving a store to put bags in the trunk of your car to continue shopping. Many thieves will follow you to see if you leave packages in your car and go back into the stores to continue shopping.

Don’t have your home burglarized
1. If you are going away for the holidays, ensure you stop mail delivery and newspaper delivery. Newspapers on your front door or a full mail boxes let thieves know you’re not home.
2. Leave a light on inside the home or a light on a timer.
3. Ensure your front and back yard lights are on. Flood lights with dusk till dawn setting are the best for security and energy conservation purposes.
4. Get an alarm system. Most home monitoring systems can be installed for around $100 and $35 a month for monitoring.
5. Let a neighbor know you’ll be away. A neighbor will know to call police if they see someone in your home while you’re gone.
6. Have a friend check on your home while you’re gone.
7. Ensure you lock all windows. You may take an old broom stick or similar object to place on your window track; this makes it nearly impossible for a window to be opened from the outside.
8. Do NOT change your answering machine or voicemail greeting to say that you’re out of town.

Make this a Safe and Happy Holiday Season

Your BACA Public Safety Committee

Emergency Billboard Legislation Issued

From DCRA Director, Linda Argo. She notes there is a 30-day comment period, so neighbors, please review the attached PDF (link below) and make your comments known on this blog or via email to helder.gil@dc.gov by Jan 1, 2010

DCRA Emergency and Proposed Rulemaking (12A DCMR 3107 – Billboards)
=====

On December 2nd, DCRA issued emergency regulations amending several provisions of the Construction Codes dealing with billboards.

The emergency regulations specify that any existing billboard that was on the Authorized List must be removed by the owner if the billboard is located on a lot within 200 feet of any residential district. As you know, the four billboards at the corner of 4th and P Streets, NW would fall under this provision, as would a billboard at 301 K Street, NE.

The regulations require that any affected billboard, if ten or more years old, must be removed within 30 days of the effective date of the regulations (i.e., by January 1, 2010), unless DCRA issues an extension of up to 60 days based on the billboard owner’s showing of a special need or hardship.

Failure by the billboard owner to remove the affected billboards by the deadline would allow DCRA to remove the billboards and assess the abatement costs to the owner. Billboard owners may try to seek “just compensation” for the removal of the affected billboards, but they cannot prevent DCRA from proceeding with removal of the billboards and assessment of costs.

The regulations also require the owners of any existing billboard on the Authorized List to notify DCRA by January 1, 2010 of the location of each of their billboards.

By law, all amendments to the Construction Codes are subject to review by the Council. After the 30-day comment period, DCRA will submit the regulations to the Council for a 45-legislative day review period. If the Council does not act within those 45 legislative days, the regulations are deemed approved and DCRA will publish them in the DC Register as final regulations.

Mayor opens new NorthwestOne Library at Walker Jones Elementary School | ccca-online.org

Check it out on the CCCA blog:

via Mayor opens new NorthwestOne Library at Walker Jones Elementary School | ccca-online.org.

Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe Posada Celebration & Fundraiser

From the Norwood Tenant Association on N and 14th Street, NW

We are getting ready for our cultural celebration dedicated to La Virgen de Guadalupe. The posada will take place on Saturday, December 12 from 6:00-9:00pm at the National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Cir NW) in Washington DC. We will commemorate the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe and will give thanks for the community support we have received.

An exhibit of traditional Mayan sawdust paintings in the image of the virgin will be on display. A posada puppet show will tell the story of the Norwood Tenant Association. Musical performances will include the Grupo Raíbales, from the Guatemalan highlands, and Son Jarocho from México. Reception to follow. Tickets are $10 per person. Free for children less than 12 years of age. Proceeds from the event will be used toward the purchase of the Norwood apartment building as affordable housing.

Parking available at the Washington Plaza Hotel across from the event. Bring this announcement and pay $7 for parking.

We want to share this event with all of the community so please send this announcement to your family, friends, colleagues and networks.

For more information, call 202-232-8924, email Norwoodinfo@gmail.com, or visit www.norwoodtenants.org.

UPO to relocate its methadone clinic on the unit block of N Street NE

Somewhat stale news at this point, but worth posting here.

I attended a police/community meeting earlier this week.  In attendance was Stanley Mayes, who is currently the chair of the United Planing Organization (UPO).  He mentioned at the meeting that the UPO methadone clinic on the unit block of N Street NE would be closing.  I posted this news at the Bloomingdale Neighborhood blog (http://bloomingdaleneighborhood.blogspot.com/2009/12/stanley-mayes-upo-to-close-its.html).

One of the responses posted was from Harvey Johnson, UPO Public Awareness Director, which I have copied in below:

The Comprehensive Treatment Center, a program operated by the United Planning Organization, remains open and will soon relocate to a new location.

UPO will issue a press statement announcing the relocation at that time.

Harvey N. Johnson III

UPO Public Awareness Director

202.238.4696

Hjohnson@upo.org