Sept Meeting

Pope Branch Park Restoration Alliance
September 6, 2007 Meeting minutes

In attendance:
Joseph Glover, chair 202-581-1214 jagbfree@comcast.net
Irv Sheffey, Sierra Club irv.sheffey@sierraclub.org
Gail Benjamin, DPR gail.benjamin@dc.gov
Trinh Doan, DDOE 202-535-1653 patricia.doan@dc.gov
Tom Arrasmith, AWCAC thomas.arrasmith@verizon.net
Barry Lucas, DWASA blucas@dcwasa.com
Julie Rones, jrones_2000@yahoo.com
Dennis Chestnut, Marvin Gaye Park dchestn@msn.com

Action Items/Agenda:
(1) Agency Reports
(2) Outreach – recruitment for governance maintenance on Pope Branch Park.
(3) Watts Branch interests

Agency Status Reports
DDOE: (T. Doan)
- Contractor, Black & Vetch (B&V) is on schedule for designing alternative technical memo. There may be one or two months turn around on DATM approval of alternative.

DCWASA: (B. Lucas)
- B&V is performing the necessary background information. They have found that there are erosion along the stream bank. B&V will develop a topo map to evaluate the slope. , surveying, geological mapping, and WASA record drawing search to identify potential design alternatives for both the stream restoration and the sewer rehabilitation.
September 27, B&V is when the design alternate memorandum plan will be submitted from B&V. The MOU will have a public meeting.
- On March 2008, the design will be up for bids. It will be sent to full board of directors. Public meetings. Three agencies will view and approve or reject the project. There will be a press release by end of October on the design.

DDPR: (G. Benjamin)
- The MOU for installing a rain garden signed, and the project is ready to proceed.
No updates on the walking trail of Pope Branch. (Refer to Jesse Rounds)

DDOT: DDOT has monthly meetings with Anacostia Watershed Initiatives, with various agencies and contactrators to focus on the waterfront restorations.

Outreach and Education for Pope Branch areas: (I. Sheffey)
- As part of the publicity & outreach efforts, PBPRA would like to conduct a “virtual brainstorming” session. An e-mail will come out with a list of ideas. An individual will “reply all” with more ideas. Irv Sheffy I. Sheffey will oversee the flow of emails and will compile all the suggestions into a master list. Some suggested ideas already are: (1) go door to door to homes along the creek; ask neighbors what they would like to see happen in and around Pope Branch Park. (2) Conduct a poll. (3) Ask neighbors to adopt-a-spot with the park to keep clean and free of invasive plants. (4) Host a community cook out; celebrate the park. (5) Post signs along the edges of the park informing the community that “we all live in a watershed”; create ownership. ect…
Watts Branch interest: (D. Chestnut)
- Watts Branch has a grant from DDOE to work on bank restoration, just like Pope Branch Park, but much larger.
- The fund uses to replace to old bridge to build a new pedestrian bridge on 42nd Street and Hunt Place, NE.
- The trail on Watts Branch Park will be completed in Jan. 08. DSWASA and DDOT are building and supporting the trail project. Other restoration projects include to develop a pervious surface parking lot, rain gardens and a river crossing for alignment. Watts needs an MOU from WASA to continue. PBPRA advise Watts Branch to seek partnership with DPR in install rain gardens and LID practices.

Announcements: (all)
- Correction from last minute: Casey Trees’ “Project Slurp” is an educational service on stormwater runoff. DDOE (Trinh) provides supplies and assistance on the Storm Drain Marker installation project.
- Allison Fisher, coordinator of the Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light is seeking a part-time internship, $12/hr. Please recommend.
- Brendan Shane, formerly with Anacostia Waterfront Corporation is now working for District Dept. of the Environment as a financial advisor for the DDOE director.
- Anacostia Waterfront Citizens Advisory advises DC to increase stream stewardship by installing floating docks. In MD, National Capital of Public & Planning with AWS, installed a floating dock by the US Arboretum. DDOE approved the project with collaboration from various organizations. T. Arrasmith advises the organizations to build constituencies for budgeting competitiveness, convince congressional delegation to save the environment.
- DC License Tag initiative: ““No taxation without representation” or “Save the Anacostia”. Concilmember Jim Graham is heavy on green cars. MD has adopted CA car standards, DC should follow.
- October 22, 2007: Councilmen hearing on green business development.
- Ward 7 has a new green high school, TC William HS that is obtaining an LEED grade for underground water system. An initiative calls for all new DC buildings will be LEED building.

Next meeting: Thursday – October 4, 2007. 6:30- 7:30 P.M.