The D.C. Zoning Commission hearings on the AU Campus Plan will continue into the fall, as cross-examination of the Office of Planning’s report on the plan took up the entire July 14 hearing.
While the hearings were initially scheduled to end July 14, the continuation “is a little bit of a bump, but not a derailment” in AU’s plans, said AU Chief of Staff David Taylor.
The Office of Planning, which oversees the city’s development, recommended the Commission approve the Campus Plan subject to AU:
•decreasing the number of East Campus beds to 400 from 590,
•setting East Campus buildings back 65 ft. from the east property line near the Westover Place townhomes,
•and submitting a comprehensive retail plan describing what retail services will be on East Campus.
OP’s primary concern was the creation of a student community on East Campus that would draw non-East Campus residents to the site.
OP supported moving the Washington College of Law to Tenley Campus.
“[The move] will not create objectionable conditions for neighboring populations,” OP Development Review Specialist Arlova Jackson said.
OP also suggested AU reduce and reorient the Reeves Field bleachers and replace the current Jacobs Field sound system with a series of low-level speakers surrounding the field.
After the three OP representatives presented their report, AU and neighborhood groups cross-examined them, challenging and asking for clarifications of their conclusions.
Tom Smith, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3D chair, asked about the proposed landscape “buffer” between East Campus and Westover Place.
Smith said the distance is smaller than that between Nebraska Hall and the Ft. Gaines neighborhood. At its closest point, the distance between an East Campus administrative building and Westover homes is 65 ft. Neighbors prefer a buffer of at least 120 feet.
“Are the Westover neighbors undeserving of the same buffer than at Nebraska?” Smith asked.
“That [question] borders on offensive,” replied OP Deputy Director Jennifer Steingasser.
Smith also asked the representatives about regulating window hangings in East Campus dormitories that would likely be visible from Nebraska Avenue.
“We don’t normally regulate the interior” of a room, replied OP Associate Director of Development Review Joel Lawson.
The OP representatives and the zoning commissioners became visibly agitated with questions and questioners throughout the hearing. Commissioners consistently asked questions how many more questions they had and interrupted them when their questions toed the line of acceptability.
The Spring Valley cross-examiner asked multiple questions about retail, the Georgetown campus plan and AU’s commercial space — which the university is allowed to use as a “matter of right” and without the oversight of OP and neighborhood groups — despite OP and the commissioners stating that the OP representatives can and will only testify on their report.
As the Spring Valley representative’s rambling questions continued 40 minutes later, Commissioner Konrad Schlater pressed his eyes and nose into his microphone.
One representative for Tenley neighbors asked the OP representatives if they knew neighbors were putting their houses up for sale because of AU’s plan.
Later, ANC 3E Commission Chair Jonathan Bender asked about the requirement to house 67 percent of AU undergraduates on campus, a number proposed by AU in its previous plan. Closer to 63 percent of undergraduates actually live on campus, meaning AU is not complying with the requirement.
The Office of Planning did not independently determine nor re-examine the 67 percent requirement.
“Should the Zoning Commission give great weight to your 67 percent that you didn’t decide it independently?” Bender asked.
“They have no choice but to give the Office of Planning great weight,” Steingasser replied to a few laughs.
The next hearings are scheduled for Sept. 22, Oct. 6 and Oct. 13, if needed.
landerson@theeagleonline.com
