That’s an urban myth. It may be what Cheh and the Cheh Cadres say now, but that’s not what she said a few days before her election. So she’s either going senile or she’s lying. See what she posted on the Cleveland Park list serve in November 2006 when the issue of her being too close to developers was raised. She responded that she would consider added density only at Metro stops (the Giant PUD is over a mile from the closest station) and “fully supported” historic and commercial overlays! Explicit pro-development campaign? Puhleeze.

“I want to thank all of the listserve contributors for raising important issues
as the political season comes into the home stretch. I once again invite residents to visit my web site and contact me, as many of you have, if they need more information.

As far as questions about particular development projects are concerned, a
councilmember does not have the authority to approve or disapprove of proposals
or the details of proposals. Rather the process is either matter-of-right (with builder
co- operation with the community hopefully but not necessarily forthcoming) or one
that requires zoning approval (e.g., PUD). In that case the builder has to meet
conditions which arise from community concerns, ANC input, or zoning demands. Obviously not all development is good and not all plans make sense, and, even though I would have no decision-making authority with respect to particular developments, I would try to be helpful in seeing that projects fit the neighborhood, serve the common good, and are pursued in a way least disruptive to all concerned.

My view of development overall, i.e., across the City, is that we should preserve our unique neighborhoods and encourage lively mixed residential-retail along the corridors. For Ward 3, the main corridors of Connecticut and Wisconsin are already developed and/or have zoning overlays, such as historic and commercial overlays, which I fully support. But there is a segment in Tenleytown and Friendship Heights, positioned as it is along the subway,
which offers an opportunity for enhanced retail and residential development
(complete with the infra structure to support it, as well as amenities such as green
design, affordable housing units, etc.) which would serve the public good and give residents the
lively, walkable city scape they want and deserve. My hope is that the community as a
whole and the planning and zoning agencies can develop a small area plan that will
invigorate this area…..again, that is my hope, but the decisions must arise from the
community….the councilmember has no direct role, but can serve to bring residents and
government together to forge consensus.

…
Thanks,
Mary M. Cheh
Democrat for Ward 3, DC Council”

Dozens of neighbors recently joined CPCA, annoyed at the store closings and aggravated over continued delays in the Giant project. CPCA, sensing change in the air, canceled their yearly officer’s election, as well as their annual summer meeting cashing the checks of new members all the while denying them a vote. The Washington Post’s Raw Fisher hammered the CPCA in one of his posts last week.

Citizen’s Associations can be a massive impediment to healthy retail and smart growth, if, as is the case in Cleveland Park, new owners face the one-two punch of an overly restrictive overlay for an urban zone AND a citizen’s group with a very small but noisy following that will nitpick an application for a new business to death. Small businesses will simply find somewhere else to go because they can’t afford to wait (literally) years for the zoning/nimby issues to iron out.

Cleveland Park’s unemployment rate is exceptionally low–less than 3%, and median incomes are quite high. This isn’t the “economy stupid” it’s a small number of “stupid neighbors.”

@CP: I’ve lived in and around the area since 1994 and I am totally skeptical when people keep raising this issue of certain changes affecting property values, quality of life etc. I remember the hand wringing when Macgruder’s opened (and knew many people who feared the Starbucks as well); they’re “chain” stores, will ruin the neighborhood character, will drive out local competitors. But they’re practically neighborhood institutions now and certainly people are unhappy that they’ll soon be gone.

I just don’t think there is very much anyone or anything can do to make CP an UNdesirable place to live. Even Van Ness and the Wisconsin Ave corridor (where I live), with our grim and semi-useful retail options, have remained very nice (and increasingly expensive!) residential neighborhoods.

If anything the problem I see is that it’s become almost unaffordable. If I hadn’t bought my condo 10 years ago, no way I could buy even a small place here now.

Elevation of…
Woodley Park Metro: 165ft
CP Metro: 212ft
Zoo Entrance: 223ft