Activists Prefer Car Lots to High-Rises

"We feel there's a lot at risk," said Gina Mirigliano, a member of the Friendship Neighborhood Association and a resident since 1989.

The concern, these residents say, goes beyond whether a desirable part of the city can stand a few more swinging singles parking their Mini Coopers and drinking Starbucks coffee. How the upper Wisconsin Avenue corridor is designated as the city revises its comprehensive plan, the blueprint that guides growth in the District, could have long-term implications for the neighborhood.

The current comprehensive plan states that Ward 3's economic development goals "differ" from the rest of the city and that "large-scale retail" should be directed first to other wards.

That unique status is being threatened, coalition members claim. A map accompanying a draft of the revised comprehensive plan places the corridor in a "growth management area" rather than a "conservation area" much more prohibitive of development. They believe this proves that the Williams administration's objective of attracting 100,000 new residents and a bigger tax base comes at the expense of those who have already invested in the city.

District officials disagree. "The Office of Planning considers quality of life of neighborhoods the most important principle," said the agency's head, Ellen McCarthy. "[We are] constantly accused of promoting these smart-growth principles only to create revenue for the District. Nothing could be further from the truth."

Some Ward 3 residents supportive of development projects warn that the activists' victories are creating an undesirable landscape: A currently abandoned storefront at the Babe's site, and empty storefronts next door. A car dealership at Martens. And at the Buick dealership site, more used cars in front of a Metro bus barn that's also on the block for development.

"We'll have noxious fumes hanging around longer because of the outrageous tactics of the Northwest NIMBYs," said Tom Quinn, a member of the Ward 3 Smart Growth Coalition who lives across the street from the Friendship Heights Metro. "It's really a very small, very tenacious, well-organized group of people who oppose development. . . . It's squeaky-wheel democracy."

The activists plan to seek victory in the upcoming elections, too. For the Ward 3 council race, many support Cathy Wiss, a candidate who favors the current height restrictions. Wiss is one of seven candidates seeking the seat.

Sherman and other coalition members said that they won't automatically support their current council member, Kathy Patterson (D), in her quest for council chairman. "She has not taken a leadership role," said Sherman. "I doubt we will campaign against her, but we won't do anything for her."

In fact, the residents recently got one of Patterson's challengers, Vincent C. Gray (D-Ward 7), to write a letter to the mayor echoing their concerns about the comprehensive plan.

"I think I've done the job the best I know how, balancing competing interests," Patterson responded.