Councilman's Development Expo

As reported by Dino Drudi:

After Saturday's (2/28/09) Ward Five economic summit, Councilmember Thomas met w/ four dozen area residents and interested property owners for 2 hrs re OP's small area plan for the Brookland Metro Station. The plan is to be acted on this Tuesday b/c, unless it is revised or rejected by Tuesday, it takes effect automatically.
This bit of news took the affected ANC Commissioners in the room (Feeley, Steptoe, Blair, Daly from 5C) by surprise b/c they felt Council chairman Gray had committed to having OP meet w/ ANC 5A beforehand. Steptoe, however, felt that Tregoning had half-heartedly agreed to meet but felt such a meeting would not persuade OP to make any substantive changes. Nevertheless, the meeting had not taken place and could not take place by Tuesday. Councilmember Thomas insisted his ad hoc meeting was intended to fulfill Chairman Gray's objective, but the ANC Commissioners present objected to this end run around the great weight to which ANCs are entitled as disrespectful of the ANCs not then formally assembled or quorumed to make any decisions.