July 7, 2011 PAGE 1 REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR During the past month, the Executive Director approved 14 projects under the Commission’s delegated authority: 1. Preliminary site and building plans for the construction of Columbarium Court Nine, Phase V, in the southeastern quadrant of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. (0180) Columbarium Court Nine (1) 2. Renewal of seven previously-approved water systems communication antennas at five U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites located in Northwest, Washington, DC. (6450) 3. Renewal of two previously-approved water systems communications antennas at two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites located in Montgomery County, Maryland. (6451) 4. Preliminary and final site development plans for the construction of signage improvements at eighteen forts and batteries located in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. (7224). Signage Improvements (4) 5. Preliminary and final site development plans for the Milkhouse Run and Bingham Run regenerative stormwater conveyances in Rock Creek Park in Northwest, Washington, DC. (7235) 6. Preliminary and final site and building plans for the new skatepark on the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Grounds in Southeast, Washington, DC. (7248) 7. Preliminary and final building plans for envelope repairs to Buildings 60 and 61 at the National Naval Medical Center, located at 8901 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Montgomery County, Maryland. (7258) Rock Creek Park (5) 8. Preliminary and final building plans for renovation of the Learning Resource Center at the National Naval Medical Center, located at 8901 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Montgomery County, Maryland. (7259) 9. Preliminary and final site plans for installation of a photovoltaic system on Building #357 at the Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, DC. (7260) 10. Preliminary and final site and building plans for the construction of a permanent truck screening facility known as the Secure Access Lane and Remote Screening Facility located on the southwest portion of the Pentagon Reservation in Arlington, Virginia. (7262/6301) Skatepark (6) 11. Preliminary and final site development plans for the renovation of the eighth-floor roof terrace at the Harry S Truman Building, United States Department of State Headquarters, located at 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, DC. (7263) 12. Preliminary and final site and building plans for the expansion of the Dewatering Building at the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant located at 5000 Overlook Avenue, SW, Washington, DC. (7267) Dewatering Building (12) July 7, 2011 PAGE 2 13. Found that the Second Stage Planned Unit Development, at Square 5055, Lots 21-23, 803- 805 and portions of Lots 24 and 802 for the Parkside development, located in Northeast, Washington, DC and related map amendment from R-5-B to C-3-A and CR, allowing for the approved residential use to be changed to a community college, would not be inconsistent PRESIDENT’S with the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital, nor would they adversely affect any PARK SOUTH other federal interests. (ZC 05-28C) 14. Found that the proposed text amendment to Section 2116 regarding the location of parking spaces would not be inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital, nor would they adversely affect any other federal interests. (ZC 11-01) PLANNING UPDATES President’s Park South Design Competition This past month, NCPC completed the design competition that was conducted to generate ideas to beautify the security components and improve the visitor experience at President’s Park South. The five competitors in the process were Hood Design Studio, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Reed Hilderbrand Associates, Rogers Marvel Architects, and SASAKI. On June 21, the design proposals were made available to the public at www.ncpc.gov and at the White House Visitor Center, providing the public with an opportunity to provide their opinions about the designs. Public response was very good, and we received over 130 comments. COMPREHENSIVE >PLAN The design teams presented their proposals to NCPC’s Interagency Security Task Force at a well- attended public showcase on June 28, and the Task Force met to evaluate the proposals and select the design concept that best addressed the overarching objectives of the competition on June 29. The winner of the design competition will be announced on July 7. They will share their concept proposal with the Commission as part of an information presentation that day. Comprehensive Plan Update FEDERAL ELEMENTS Draft updates to the policies for the transportation and federal workplace elements will be submitted to the Commission at its July 7 meeting for approval to release the draft for a 60-day public and agency comment period. FEDERAL FCIP CAPITAL The draft Federal Capital Improvements Program will be reviewed by the Commission at the July IMPROVEMENTS meeting for authorization to be circulated for a 45-day public comment period. The final draft of PROGRAM the FCIP is proposed for adoption at the September Commission meeting. for the National Capital Region 2012-2017 FCIP July 7, 2011 PAGE 3 Executive Order 13514 NCPC submitted its second Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan (“Sustainability Plan”) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in June. The Sustainability Plan highlights NCPC’s FY2010 accomplishments as they relate to Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance. It also discusses the results of our greenhouse gas inventory for FY2010 submitted this past January. This year the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and OMB asked all agencies to include a policy statement on climate change adaptation planning in their Sustainability Plans. This requires agencies to account for climate change impacts as they set goals for achieving the agency’s overall mission. NCPC’s policy statement commits the agency to taking into account climate change impacts when crafting long-range plans, analyzing emergent planning issues, and reviewing site development and building proposals. This September NCPC will submit a draft analysis of agency vulnerability to climate change, and in June of 2012 will submit an agency climate change adaptation plan. While we anticipate that the agency itself is not directly vulnerable to climate change, we expect climate change to impact several of the projects in which we are involved, especially stormwater management studies and review of development proposals in or near floodplains. Southwest Ecodistrict NCPC staff, with support from our design consultants, has developed a range of rehabilitation and redevelopment scenarios for the Southwest Ecodistrict Task Force to review at its July 6 meeting. On June 23, the District Office of Planning (DCOP) held an Advisory Committee meeting to brief the private property owners on the Maryland Avenue components of the team’s work and to review draft land use, design, transportation, and public realm recommendations. The final Advisory Committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for mid-July. NCPC and DCOP scheduled two public meetings for July. On July 14, DCOP will host a public meeting on the Maryland Avenue, SW Small Area Plan to review their recommendations for the avenue and potential development sites. On July 26 NCPC will host a public meeting on the Southwest Ecodistrict to obtain public comments on revitalization and redevelopment scenarios, and draft recommendations targeting sustainability and livability strategies for the overall study area with emphasis on the 10th Street corridor. Both public meetings will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Office of Planning (Waterfront Station, 2nd floor Conference Room, 1100 4th Street, SW) located at the Waterfront-SEU Metro station. Based on the input received at these meetings, DCOP will prepare a draft Small Area Plan for public review in September prior to submittal to the City Council. NCPC will draft final recommendations and the Ecodistrict report for the Task Force, with public review in October. July 7, 2011 PAGE 4 The National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission (NCMAC) NCMAC met on June 23, 2011 to advise on the site selection for a memorial to Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, and to the Quincy family’s legacy, and on five legislative items. The Adams Memorial Commission identified three sites of interest: Rawlins and Whitman Parks on E Street, NW; Freedom Plaza; and a parking lot under jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol at Massachusetts Avenue and 2nd Streets, NE. NCMAC provided feedback on each of the three sites. Commissioners also suggested that the Adams Memorial Commission consider a site on E Street just to the west of Whitman Park. Although the site would require infrastructure improvements, it was identified in the Monumental Core Framework Plan as a centerpiece for a future memorial greenway along E Street from the White House to the Kennedy Center. NCMAC provided views on the following legislative items: • H.R. 854, to authorize the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to commemorate the establishment of the Peace Corps and to honor the ideals of world peace and friendship upon which it was founded. NCMAC responded favorably to the legislation. • S. 253 and H.R. 938, Frank Buckles World War I Memorial Act, To establish a World War I National Memorial Commission and reestablish the DC World War Memorial as the National World War I Memorial. NCMAC members generally appreciated the sponsor’s interest in bringing national attention and honor to World War I through a national memorial in Washington. However, NCMAC did not support rededicating the local DC War Memorial as a national memorial due to concerns about protecting the Reserve and protecting the legacy of a local memorial. • S. 883, Liberty Fund Memorial, to authorize the National Mall Liberty Fund DC to commemorate free persons and slaves who fought for independence, liberty, and justice for all during the American Revolution. NCMAC expressed support for the proposal with the recommendation of a technical change to bring the legislation in conformance with the Commemorative Works Act.