Carol for Council

1005 7^th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 737-7337
Web site: www.carol2000.com
E-mail: carol@carol2000.com

Councilmember Carol Schwartz’s responses to Citizens Association of Georgetown questionnaire, August 3, 2000. Responses are limited to 80 words.

1. Washington, D.C., is home to several fine universities. As a Council member, what would you do to protect communities from the adverse impacts created by these universities? Do you have any proposals to improve the process by which Campus Plans are reviewed?

I have suggested that the city’s Zoning Commission establish a taskforce to deal specifically with concerns of university neighborhoods. I supported legislation to limit the number of students sharing residences in university neighborhoods. It would be useful for the Council to review Campus Plans during the city’s Comprehensive Plan review process, which occurs every four years. I sympathize with residents as I struggle to strike a balance between the legitimate needs of our universities and the well-being of nearby neighborhoods.

2. In Georgetown and elsewhere in the District, historic homes are permitted to be destroyed, illegal additions are permitted to stand, illegal signs proliferate, etc. What would you do on the City Council to protect the city’s many historic districts and buildings?

I am a strong and vocal proponent of historic preservation. I wrote to the president of George Washington University and expressed my outrage about the destruction of several historic GW-owned properties. I also co-sponsored legislation to provide tax relief for buyers who choose older homes. This initiative would help defray costs associated with restoration and upkeep. We must make certain that buyers, owners and construction companies are aware of our historic preservation laws and that they abide by them.

3. The Residential Permit Parking (RPP) program is like a three-legged stool consisting of signage and regulations, enforcement, and a workable visitor/temporary pass procedure. Georgetown residents continue to experience serious parking problems, as do other parts of the city. Inconsistent parking enforcement, all-day business parking in residential areas, limited use and availability of parking garages, and evening valet parking for money on our residential streets, all drastically reduce residents’ ability to park near their homes. What would you do to ensure that the District’s RPP program protects residents’ ability to safely park on the streets near their homes and also makes it easier and more convenient?

I supported the recommendations of the Georgetown Parking Task Force and, as Chair of the Committee on Public Works, pushed them through the Council. To meet your concerns and the concerns of others in neighborhoods plagued by parking problems, I added money in next year’s budget earmarked to beef up residential parking enforcement by hiring additional parking control aides. As we know, there is no one specific remedy, but I will continue to work to ease parking problems if re-elected.

The Council fully funded the DC Public Schools budget for the coming year, and in my oversight role as a member of the Committee on Education, I have worked to ensure accountability on the part of the DCPS administration. The critical shortage of quality teachers has been a legislative focus for me. I introduced one bill, now law, that authorizes signing bonuses for new teachers, and another to make teachers eligible for low-interest loans to purchase homes in the District.

Small businesses in our neighborhoods offer residents both vitality and convenience, and I want them to thrive. When addressing the divergent interests you mention, I listen to the varying needs and desires and try to strike the best possible balance. For example, I supported expanding Georgetown’s zone parking restrictions to 10 p.m., which pleased most residents, but few businesses. Eventually choices must be made, and I will continue to be accessible and responsive in making the necessary choices.

6. Enforcement is a cross-cutting complaint in this city – from ensuring that ABC laws are not violated and traffic and parking regulations are enforced, to compliance with historic, building, and construction requirements and sanitation rules, to name a few. What initiatives would you propose to improve enforcement by city agencies?

The Council, in its budgeting and oversight roles, has worked diligently to beef up laws in these areas and to strengthen the enforcement of those laws. As I mentioned in my response to #3, we have funded additional parking control aides to concentrate on residential parking enforcement. We have also provided additional support for the enforcement of housing, building, and construction rules. However, it is ultimately the job of the Executive Branch to enforce the city’s laws.

Paid for by the Committee to Re-elect Carol Schwartz, Edward Hayes, Treasurer, 1005 7^th Street, N.W., Washington, DC, 20001.
A copy of our report is on file with the Director of the Office of Campaign Finance.