July 2011 Meeting Minutes

July 19, 2011

Meeting Report

Attendance (See Below)

Meeting Agenda:

• Clean Currents and Living City Block
• Further Discussion Regarding New Building at 15^th and V St.
• Volunteers for upcoming U St. Movie Night on 7/26
• Treasurer and Membership Update
• August Meeting? / Additional Items

Clean Currents and Living City Block:

Living City Block re-introduced their plans for the blocks within the Meridian Hill Boundaries, going into further detail about their garden at Dunbar Towers.  The garden will start construction on Saturday, June 23^rd.  The Garden will be available for everyone in the Community to volunteer and distribution of any vegetables is still being worked out.  There will be a fundraiser for the Garden on Thursday July 21^st at the Blackbird Warehouse on 14^th St. from 6-9pm.

Living City Blocks plans on working with existing businesses between the Meridian Hill Neighborhood, starting with the blocks bound by U and V and 13^th to 15^th Streets.  One of the projects that they are exploring is how the Reeves Center Plaza could be improved as a gathering space for the community.  In addition, they have been in discussions with the Harrison Rec. Center to help them implement improvements to their facility.

Clean Currents also introduced themselves as locally run clean energy company.  They provide competitively priced clean energy as an alternative to other power companies.  DC residents can switch their power supplier to Clean Currents to support alternative green energy sources.  Green Currents also is offering a $25 donation to Living City Blocks every time someone from U St. Neighborhood Assoc. or U St. Neighborhood Assoc. switches to Clean Currents.  Clean Currents has made this a competition between U Street Neighborhood Association and Meridian Hill Neighborhood Association to see who can get the most people to switch to Clean Currents. 

Further Discussion Regarding New Building at 15^th and V St.: 

Christina P. relayed that the HRB review of the proposed Jair Lynch Building has been pushed back to Sept. 22^nd.  The Board has asked the Developer to come back with revised plans citing concerns in the scale and materials of the proposed building.  The Developer has also been asked to do more outreach to neighboring properties.

Neighbors expressed concerns about the scale, size, and materials that are proposed for the Building.  They also expressed that they did not receive any opportunities for input prior to the May MHNA Meeting.  One resident noted that perhaps setbacks could be utilized to reduce the presence of the proposed building next to the historic church next door.

U Street Summer Series

The U Street Summer Movie Series needs volunteers to man the MHNA table.  Volunteers are needed at 6:30 the day of the event, Tuesday July 26th.

Treasurer Update:

 MHNA gained one new member.  As of the July Meeting there are 18 paying members of the Association.

August Meeting? / Additional Agenda Items:

MHNA will hold off on deciding on whether or not there will be an August Meeting until they know if they will have the revised drawings for the 15^th and V Project back in time for discussion. 

The hours of the Drum Circle at Meridian Hill Park were discussed.  Some members expressed that the hours of the permit may be too late.  Follow up on the appropriate contacts to voice concerns to will be sent out to concerned members.

Attendance: 

Bob Barusefski, Secretary

Christina Parascandola

Craig Brownstein

Pete Quinnan, Treasurer

John DeTaeye

Mark Parascandola

Eric Johnson

Kristen Shulz (Clean Currents)

Becca Studky (Living City Block)

Daniel Hardy

Chris Winnike