The Cleveland Park Historical Society

The ongoing discussions over redrawing Advisory Neighborhood Commission boundaries still leaves Cleveland Park at serious risk of being split in two. This would be disastrous for the neighborhood and the Historic District and is contrary to the DC Council’s stated intentions to maintain neighborhood cohesiveness.

A Redistricting Task Force has recommended a proposal for new Ward 3 ANC boundaries that would split Cleveland Park into two ANCs, using 34^th Street as an east/west dividing line.

Why does this matter?

For the first time, the Historic District would be split into two ANCs significantly weakening CPHS and other citizen groups voices on matters of traffic, zoning, and historic preservation.  The impact on residents is even greater.  Cleveland Park will suffer if important neighborhood matters involving our public elementary school, infrastructure, and environmental issues are no longer considered holistically.  For example, if 34th Street is considered the neighborhood “border,” how much more complicated will it be to get multiple ANCs to agree on traffic safety measures near John Eaton School?  How will we comprehensively address significant runoff and infrastructure issues on the east side of Cleveland Park that originate up the hill on the west side of Cleveland Park?  Will we still have consistent ANC focus on public safety, fire protection, the library, and preserving the tree canopy in Cleveland Park? It’s very unclear what the advantages of the split would be but very clear that it’s a convoluted idea which will make Ward 3 government less effective and more challenging.

There is a viable alternative map created by a coalition of community groups from Ward 3 (including CPHS and Cleveland Park Citizens Association) that keeps Cleveland Park in one ANC. This Neighborhood Voices group submitted its balanced-population alternative to the DC Council Redistricting Committee.

We appreciate that Council Redistricting Subcommittee Chair Elissa Silverman and Subcommittee and Council Member Anita Bonds met with concerned Ward 3 and Cleveland Park citizens in a discussion session on May 7 at the Cleveland Park library.  A large group of members of our community explained in detail to the Council Members and staff why the Ward 3 Redistricting Task Force proposal is so problematic and why changes should be made in the approach.

What Can You Do?

Please act now to express your opposition to the Task Force proposal to split the CP ANC and recommend Council give attention to alternative plans such as proposed by the Neighborhood Voices coalition! There were DC Redistricting Subcommittee hearings on April 7 and 23 at which CPHS representatives and many other concerned Ward 3 residents detailed the serious problems.

Now, with the Council Redistricting Subcommittee closing the public record on May 13, is the time to write to the DC Council to express your opposition to the split of Cleveland Park and your support for keeping our cohesive neighborhood within a single ANC. Even after May 13, you could write to other members of the DC Council, especially Chair Phil Mendelson. The Council can change the proposal by amending the bill that Council Member Silverman submits. It needs to see the overwhelming opposition to the Task Force’s map and very strong support for keeping Cleveland Park together. If you agree with the Neighborhood Voices alternative map, state your support in your comments to Council.

Important email addresses:
All written statements: Redistricting@dccouncil.us

DC Council Redistricting Subcommittee:
Elissa Silverman, chair esilverman@dccouncil.us
Christina Henderson chenderson@dccouncil.us
Anita Bonds abonds@dccouncil.us
Ward 3 Council Member Mary Cheh mcheh@dccouncil.us
DC Council Chair Phil Mendelson pmendelson@dccouncil.us

Additional info about the Redistricting Initiative https://www.elissasilverman.com/redistricting

We live in a great neighborhood! Let’s keep it together!