A recent report lists 34 locations in the District that the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority and the Fire & EMS Department have identified as having fire hydrants that need “special attention”—and Georgetown University is on that list, according to WUSA9.

According to the WUSA9 article, there are a variety of potential reasons why the University is on the list; possibilities include small water mains, hydrant configuration, topography, access, and the possibility of private hydrants not regulated by WASA.

[DC Fire & EMS Department spokesman Pete] Piringer says if your neighborhood or building is on the list there is no need to panic. He says the fire department has put plans in place to make sure there is an adequate water supply to fight fires.

The list was compiled after firefighters had difficulty suppressing a recent fire on Chain Bridge Road due to low water pressure in nearby hydrants. Hydrant problems also resulted in extra damage when the Georgetown Public Library caught fire a couple years ago.

Georgetown isn’t the only local university to make “special attention” list—Catholic, Gallaudet, Howard’s Law School and George Washington’s Mount Vernon campus are on it as well.

Via Georgetown Metropolitan. Photo from Flickr user Shannon Coffey, used under a Creative Commons license.

It smells?

Lately, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E meeting have all had their share of fireworks, and last night’s meeting was no exception. They didn’t get to verbally stone any representatives from WASA, but they did unleash fury like Hell hath none on the owner of Philly Pizza. The Commissioners also applauded the arrival of The North Face store, while poo-pooing their big red signs, and prepared Georgetown for the 11-month loss of its Safeway.

Philly P’s: The highlight of tonight’s ANC meeting was the Commissioners’ unanimous chastisement of Philadelphia Pizza’s new 1211 Potomac location. The night started out poorly with Commissioners interrogating the engineer of the new ventilation system for Philly P’s and only got worse as they attacked Philly P’s ratio of sit down patrons to unruly students. (According the the Commissioners, Philly P’s needed a permit if over 50% of their customers used take out after ordering their food.)

Matt, the owner of Philly P’s, told the Commissioners that only 5% or less of his customers left the store before finishing their food (OK, Matt). An intense question-and-answer session followed in which the commissioners essentially accused Matt of dishonesty. It was unclear, however, if the owner of Philly P’s completely understood what the Commissioners were asking

ANC Chairman Ron Lewis ultimately issued a veiled threat against Philly P’s, bothered by their late hours, the high number of take out customers, and the odor that bothers the neighbors.

“If you are truly interested in being a good neighbor, you will fix these things,” Lewis said. “If not, we will have a long and complicated relationship.”

Shiver. The ANC passed a resolution condemning Philly P’s.

The North Face: As we noted last week, Georgetown is getting its own North Face store.

The commissioners seemed pleased the store was coming to Georgetown. However, ANC Commissioners were not enthusiastic about the bright red sign that usually comes with these stores. Commissioners Starrels and Skelesy were especially critical of the “excessively” red nature of the sign.

But don’t let a headline fool you. The sign was the only contested aspect of the new store. According to the North Face rep, the store is set to open in three months—provided the Old Georgetown Board gives it the go-ahead this Thursday. Godspeed, TNF.

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In the first of what will be regular ANC 2E wrapups, we’re proud to bring you the events of last night’s ANC meeting. (But between Issue Rundowns, GUSA Roundups, and ANC Wrapups, it grieves me to report that we’re running out of summary nouns.)

Last night’s local government rumble had a considerable many high points:  the ANC’s communal chastisement of WASA Director Louis Jarvis, the Dixie Liquor owner’s truly pathetic request for an exception to the singles ban, a resolution of gun stores in Georgetown, Apple’s store redesign, and a visit from the wardmaster himself, Jack Evans.

Details to follow, but the Safeway on Wisconsin will be closing for construction for over a month this Spring.

WASA: Jarvis felt the fury of the ANC when he admitted that 30% of Ward 2 hydrants, still need maintenance nearly two years after bum hydrants stymied firefighter’s efforts to rescue the burning Georgetown Library.

Ed Solomon, who recently watched from his tuxedo shop as a dumpster fire at Addison School required a second pumper truck (the nearby hydrant, tagged as “needing maintenance” but still supposedly in working condition, was in fact a dud), noted that this amounted to 59 hydrants and called the situation “unacceptable.” Later in the meeting, Jack Evans agreed.

Dixie Liquors: Next, Dixie Liquor’s Jody Kurash stopped by to request an exception to Ward 2’s singles ban, saying the store projected a $38,000 loss in sales for this year based on 2008 figures.

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