Meet the Candidates: Dave Garrison ANC 6B01

We have offered to post brief statements from all of the ANC candidates running for seats on Capitol Hill and the surrounding neighborhoods that we cover here on The Hill is Home.  These statements are not endorsements and have been posted exactly as submitted by the candidates.

Dave Garrison ANC 6B01

My name is Dave Garrison. I am the Commissioner for ANC 6B01, representing the Single Member District that covers the western most edge of the Capitol Hill Neighborhood from East Capitol Street down to the freeway. I was elected to the Commission in May of 2005 and am currently the Chair of ANC 6B. I am an active member of ANC 6Bʼs two standing committees – Planning and Zoning and Alcoholic Beverage Control. During my 4 1⁄2 years on the Commission, I have been fully engaged with the wide range of planning, zoning, transportation, public space, historic preservation and liquor license issues that come before the Commission. I have testified a number of times on behalf of ANC 6B before city entities, including City Council committees, the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Historic Preservation Review Board and the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.

The future wellbeing of our neighborhood depends upon how we work our way through a surprisingly long list of major changes. That list includes the redevelopment of the Hine Jr. High School block, badly needed improvements to the Eastern Market Metro Plaza, the redevelopment of the Hill East project area, the ongoing growth in the number of restaurants and bars and related loss of street-level retail, the redevelopment of the Lower 8th Street area below the freeway down to the Navy Yard, CSXʼs plans to expand the height of the underground train tunnel that runs along Virginia Avenue next to the freeway, the impact of the 11th Street bridge construction project on our neighborhood, and the plans of the Marines to replace their building at 8th and Eye Street, perhaps by expanding their footprint below the freeway. Our neighborhood will also be impacted by the continued development south of the freeway, especially as the remainder of the Capper-Carrollsburg project comes on line. All of these major projects will bring continued pressure on parking along the residential blocks in our area, an issue of special concern to ANC 6B.

A special area of focus for several of us on the Commission the past two years has been the burgeoning number of restaurants and bars along the commercial strips in the 6B area, especially along the Barracks Row blocks of 8th Street. Interest in further investment in new businesses on the Hill is welcome. Yet the concentration of eating and drinking establishments, oriented largely to evening activity, brings with it many challenges to the adjacent residential areas with late night noise and reduced availability of parking for residents, not to mention the loss to the community at large of non-food and drink retail as these new businesses displace established stores. Last year I co-chaired an economic development roundtable made up of representatives from various business and civic groups on Capitol Hill, the purpose of which was to investigate ways in which the community could guide this process in hopes of retaining a mix of retail in our commercial areas. This year, I appointed an ANC 6B task force to consider the retail mix challenge. I intend to devote further energy to this important issue in the next two years.

A few words about my background. I came to the Hill in 1965 and married in 1969. We bought our current townhouse in 1972. Our kids attended Peabody Elementary. During my career in Washington, I had two staff assignments in Congress, one for a member and one on a committee staff. I worked for two Administrations in senior appointed positions, first at HUD and then at HHS. I represented the nationʼs cities on housing and community development issues. I was the VP for the National Academy of Public Administration and a Senior Fellow at Brookings. Iʼm retired now.

Thank you for your attention. I look forward the challenges ahead. I appreciate your interest and support.

Dave Garrison
Commissioner, ANC 6B01
David6b01@ANC6B.org