AU Campus Plan Resolution

by | Nov 12, 2020

Resolution regarding American University’s 2021 Campus Plan

Whereas, American University is required by Zoning Regulations to submit a Campus Plan for approval by the Zoning Commission

  • Whereas, Overview
    • Most issues are addressed in the Campus Plan itself but we will highlight in the resolution a number of issues specific to ANC 3E
  • Whereas, Campus Plan Overview
    • Scope of Plan
      • 2016 Zoning Regulations
        • 5.11 SUBTITLE X SECTION 101.16: A FURTHER PROCESSING OF A CAMPUS BUILDING SHALL NOT BE FILED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH A FULL CAMPUS PLAN APPLICATION
        • This is in contrast to the 2011 Campus Plan where the Plan was debated in parallel with the Further Processing of several proposed buildings making for a complex and ultimately contentious process. 101.16 seeks to avoid that situation by separating the two processes.
      • Further Processing
        • 5.6 SUBTITLE X SECTION 101.9: FURTHER PROCESSING FOR SPECIFIC BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES, AND USES
  • Whereas, Community Engagement
    • Means of Implementing Community Engagement
      • The 2011 Campus Plan had no substantive body for collaborative discussion among the parties in order to mediate differences and establish consensus.
      • The Zoning Commission made clear its desire in Zoning Case 11-07 that the next Campus Plan establish a body to avoid a repetition of the 2011 process, pointing to Georgetown University’s Georgetown Community Partnership as a successful example to learn from. 
      • American University and Campus Plan parties agreed and established the Neighborhood Partnership, patterned after Georgetown’s model, whose existence and purpose was affirmed in Zoning Case 11-07G by the Zoning Commission.
      • American University Neighborhood Partnership
        • Template for Establishment of Neighborhood Partnership
          • Georgetown Community Partnership modified for the AU community
        • Developing the Campus Plan
          • Members
            • Parties to the 2011 Campus Plan
            • Other community organizations
            • Individual community members
            • Any additional signatory parties recognized by the ZC in the 2021 Campus Plan process
          • Scope and duration of engagement
            • Began process in December 2018
            • Will continue through the duration of this and future Campus Plans
          • Areas of Discussion (Working Groups)
            • Student Life & Safety
            • Facilities Planning
            • Engagement & Communications
            • Transportation & Parking
            • Data and Metrics
        • Implementing Campus Plan
          • Avenues for the community to engage AU
            • Neighborhood Partnership
            • Directly via the AU website and the AU Community Relations office
            • Through respective ANCs if necessary
          • Detailed implementation of plan 
            • Neighborhood Partnership uses collaborative engagement between all parties to arrive at consensus      
  • Whereas, Facilities
    • Proposed facility development in ANC 3E
      • No significant facility development within ANC 3E is envisioned over the duration 2021 Campus Plan
  • Whereas, Housing
    • AU will still maintain the 67% requirement for providing student housing
    • ANC 3E recommends that the University pursue opportunities to build housing rather than supplant existing housing whenever possible in order to increase available housing stock within the community
    • Master Leases
      • In its final Campus Plan the University retains the policy that Master Leases that cover all or almost all of the units in a building would count toward the 67% bed requirement. With regard to all other proposed Master Leases, the University would present the proposed Master Lease to ANC3D and ANC3E during their regular meetings and the ANCs would then have the opportunity to address the matter with the public at their next regularly scheduled meeting, should they see fit. Then, the approval of the lease as counting toward the 67% requirement would be addressed by the Partnership, on whose Steering Committee ANC3D and ANC3E representatives serve.
  • Whereas, Enrollment
    • Overall cap of 14,380, see explanation in Campus Plan document for changes in how the Zoning Code counts enrollment 
    • Law School 2,000
    • ANC3E is comfortable with the enrollment cap as expressed by updated zoning calculations.
  • Whereas, Transportation
    • CTR
      • No significant impacts from the Plan
      • Issues identified by ANC 3E in the 2011 Campus Plan
        • Ward Circle – Addressed
        • Tenleytown Metro Station – Waiting on DDOT
        • 42nd Street/Tenley Campus – Addressed
    • TDM
      • Good Neighbor Parking Policy
      • Embracing a multi-mode approach to transportation needs
      • Shuttle Bus impacts: Due to pending development behind the Spring Valley Building at 4801 Massachusetts Avenue NW and at the request of ANC3E, AU is currently pursuing a change to the location of the Spring Valley Building bus stop on the Red Route from 48th Street, NW to in front of 4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW to alleviate the need for the shuttle to utilize the neighborhood streets.
    • Biking
      • Continue adding BikeShare stations
      • Encourage AU, along with local ANCs, to enhance bicycle Infrastructure along Nebraska Avenue and elsewhere in the community
  • Whereas, Parking
    • Continue and enhance the Good Neighbor Parking Policy
    • Maintain a maximum of 3000 parking spaces
    • Continue to implement proactive parking pricing policies in order to discourage Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) trips to campus
  • Whereas, Neighborhood Relations
    • Good Neighbor Guidelines
    • Establishment of Student Life & Safety Working Group in order to continue monitoring and engagement of Neighborhood Relations

Now therefore be it resolved

  1. The Zoning Commission approve the 2021 Campus Plan as developed by American University and the American University Neighborhood Partnership.
  2. ANC 3E authorizes Commissioners Jonathan McHugh and Tom Quinn to testify for the ANC at any proceedings connected to the above-referenced application.

ANC 3E approved this resolution at its meeting on November 12, 2020 which was properly noticed and at which a quorum was present.  The resolution was approved by a vote of x-x-x.  Commissioners Jonathan Bender, Jonathan McHugh, Amy Hall, and Tom Quinn were present.

__________________________

ANC 3E

By Jonathan Bender, Chairperson

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