Continuance Granted Until November 17 for Georgetown Campus Plan

The Zoning Commission unanimously supported a continuance on the Georgetown University Campus Plan hearing, scheduled originally for June 20 and now rescheduled for November 17. The continuance came, Georgetown University, with support from the District Department of Transportation (DDOT).

The hearing Monday would have addressed the supplemental report from DDOT on the transportation impacts of the University's 10-year campus plan. However, in its report dated June 14, that the data provided by GU was insufficient for the transportation agency to determine the impacts on traffic.

Georgetown requested a continuance until September 19. At the hearing Monday, DDOT official Jeff Jennings said the agency would like until November to provide a complete analysis and report on additional data the University would provide.

Parties in opposition to the campus plan submitted a statement requesting the commission finish the hearing Monday and deny a continuance.

ANC2e Chair Ron Lewis said a continuance would leave the community subject to further impact from increased enrollment among graduate and non-traditional undergraduate students. He added that DDOT could make determinations on transportation issues such as a proposed left turn signal on Canal Road during the morning hours on its own time and not that of the community.

"We've been waiting a long time to wrap this thing up," said Lewis.

Maureen Dwyer, attorney for GU, said students had already been accepted for the fall semester and the numbers would not be impacted over the next few months in the way the community suggested.

Commissioner Hood said he was inclined to approve a continuance and to close the record for public comment.

"We know there's plenty of opposition out there...we know there's minimum support" said Hood.

Though the commissioners unanimously moved to continue the hearing November 17, several of them expressed frustration with the course of the hearings.

"Nobody is more frustrated, probably, than I am," said Commissioner Hood.

Commissioner Konrad Schlater said he was frustrated with both Georgetown and DDOT.

"The fact that we have to wait another  three months to get good data to make a good decision is a little frustrating for me," he said.

On the upside, during that time Schlater said he "hopes and expects" the University, government agencies and the community,  to "come close together" and work their own way through their differences.

The next hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. November 17, 2011.