ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION 3E
TENLEYTOWN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PARK FRIENDSHIP HEIGHTS
c/o Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home 5425 Western Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20015
www.anc3e.org
Resolution Regarding Initiatives to Underground Utilities
Whereas, the recent storms underscored again the vulnerability of our utilities to the elements with outages from downed lines causing substantial hardship and imposing many costs, and
Whereas, according to published data, the outages were the most severe in the 20016 and 20015 zip codes which are within and adjacent to ANC 3E, and
Whereas, elevated utility lines contribute (due to aggressive “pruning” by Pepco) to compromising the tree canopy which is an important aesthetic and environmental asset, and
Whereas, elevated utility lines have been shown to be tied to decreased property values and by extension decreased tax revenue for our City, and
Whereas, downed wires pose a serious and potentially life threatening safety hazard, and
Whereas, many major cities and parts of our City have underground utilities showing that it can be done affordably, and
Whereas, a project to underground utilities could create jobs for District residents, and
Whereas, many stakeholders have called for initiatives to underground as many utilities as affordable and possible to avert outages, preserve the tree canopy, bring our City into the 21st Century and create jobs for District residents, and
Whereas, there have been proposals by members of the DC City Council including Ward Three Councilmember Cheh to commence a process to look at how to prioritize and pay for undergrounding as many utilities as practicable.
Now therefore be it resolved, ANC 3E enthusiastically supports the efforts to commence a process to underground as many utilities as practicable and calls on the DC City Council to launch a process to evaluate the priorities, costs and potential funding mechanisms to do so.
Be it further resolved, ANC 3E pledges to seek to work with other stakeholders in the most affected areas in the 20016 and 20015 zip codes to help support and shape such an effort.
ANC 3E approved this resolution at its meeting on July 12, 2012, which was properly noticed and at which a quorum was present. The resolution was approved by a vote of 5-0-0. Commissioners Jonathan Bender, Matthew Frumin, Tom Quinn, Sam Serebin and Beverly Sklover were present.
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ANC 3E
By Matthew Frumin, Chairperson