Good News! Council Changes Library Closure Provision
Hello:
Today, in its final vote, the D.C. City Council rewrote an earlier
proposal on city libraries that will help to protect the Takoma and
Shepherd libraries from closure.
Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 4B joined other city groups,
including the D.C. Federation of Civic Organizations, librarians,
Friends of Library groups, and about 270 Takoma residents in
opposing the old language. ANC 4B passed a formal resolution urging
that the Council reject the Office of Planning's (OP) draft
language.
The citizens groups read the OP proposal as a threat to the future
of the Shepherd and Takoma libraries, and possibly other branches.
The language is one provision in the massive Comprehensive Plan, a
major and telephone book-sized document that outlines city policy on
planning, land use, and the delivery of city services for the next
few decades.
Here is the new language for Policy CSF-3.2.1
"Locate branch libraries in a systematic way to maximize access for
the greatest number of district residents, including future
residents who will reside in planned new neighborhoods. This
approach may result in the development of new libraries in growing
population centers within the city and the replacement of the
substandard "kiosk" type libraries, with larger, more appropriately
designed facilities."
Here is the old language for Policy CSF-3.2.1
"Locate branch libraries in a systematic way to maximize access for
the greatest number of District residents, including future
residents who will reside in planned new neighborhoods. This
approach may result in the closure of libraries that are close to
one another, and the development of new facilities in growing
population centers within the city."
Bravo to everyone who helped change the OP proposal!
I don't know who on the council was responsible for the change and
who voted for the change. And I don't know what happened to other
controversial parts of the Plan. But we should thank Council members
for this one, and get the word out to our neighbors!
Sara Green,
ANC 4B01
Faith Wheeler, ANC 4B02