Local resident’s roof design denied at neighborhood meeting

Tensions rose at a local neighborhood meeting on Thursday when a LeDroit Park resident asked to put a roof on his two-story garage that does not fit with the neighborhood’s style.

Local resident Lawrence Braithwaite wanted to put a new roof on his home at 1948 2nd St. NW, but commissioners of the neighborhood commission for the Columbia Heights and U Street area and members of the community were opposed to Braithwaite’s design.

Braithwaite wanted to add a Dutch barn roof to his garage, but the rest of the neighborhood has houses with flat roofs. Patrick Nelson, chairperson of the Zoning, Preservation and Development Committee, said that “the design is incompatible with the rest of the neighborhood.”

Braithwaite told the commission that he had been told by the Zoning, Preservation and Development Committee that there were also issues with the height of his design. However, the commissioners said that this was a miscommunication. The style was the only issue with the design. Commissioner Jerry Johnson said Braithwaite needed approval from the city’s Historic Preservation Office to put this type of roof on his two-story garage.

Dan Winston, co-chairperson of the Transportation Committee, did not see why there was a cause for concern about the roof.

“I think as a rule we ought to … let individuals do what they want with their own property,” Winston said.

After some argument with Braithwaite, the commissioners voted that they would approve the design on the contingency that Braithwaite came back with a flat roof design, instead of the Dutch roof that he desired.

Braithwaite declined to comment for this story.

Josh Mater, vice chairperson of ANC 1B, said that having some disagreement at ANC meetings is a good thing.

“I actually like when there’s kind of discourse and differences of opinions,” Mater said about the roof disagreement. “Generally, if there’s no discussion, it’s a bad thing.”

Jon Squicciarini, secretary of ANC 1B, echoed these sentiments, saying that there should be “healthy discussion that’s not just back-and-forth” at meetings.

Local restaurant owners also came to the meeting to present their new business ideas. These new restaurants include Brooklyn, 801 Restaurant and Bar and U Street Hostel Hotel.These new businesses are being added to the already expanding U Street and Columbia Heights area.

Mater explained that although the committee is mainly “for the residents,” they are also “for the businesses.”

“It’s inevitable, it’s happening,” Mater said regarding the expansion of the community. “I think what our responsibility is to make sure that it happens in a way that preserves the historic context of the community itself and protects the interest of the residents that are here, while at the same time continuing to promote … economic growth and development.”

The meeting ended an hour earlier than expected. Squicciarini explained before the meeting that the monthly ANC 1B meetings are very organized due to the work done in smaller committee meetings.

“All the stuff that you’ll see discussed here tonight already went through the appropriate committee,” Squicciarini said. “It gives us some time to flesh out the issues.”

Issues from this meeting will be further discussed at committee meetings throughout the month of October.

Chairperson of the Zoning, Preservation and Development committee Patrick Nelson (left) and LeDroit Park resident Lawrence Braithwaite (right) present Braithwaite’s roof design to the ANC 1B commissioners.