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| Florida Avenue Baptist Church |
Commissioner Holness announced the office of City Councilmember Jim Graham (D-Ward One) had formed the task force to address how to facilitate parking at churches across Ward One on Sundays and at other times of religious worship. Holness said she expected the task force to meet three or four times. The first meeting will be within the next two weeks, and there will be a town meeting. The task force will issue a final report.
"We want the final report to reflect the entire community," Holness said.
Task force membership
Holness said eight Ward One pastors would serve on the task force. She named several of them, including Dr. Earl D. Trent Jr. of Florida Avenue Baptist Church (623 Florida Avenue NW) and Father Patrick Smith of St. Augustine Catholic Church (1419 V Street).
Holness also asked for "a commissioner other than me" to participate in the task force. Commissioner Dyana Forrester (district 06) volunteered to do so. Forrester said she has attended Florida Avenue Baptist Church.
Forrester compared D.C. police tactics concerning churches and parking to suburban police tactics in the same context.
"In Maryland and Viriginia, police help. They don't write tickets," Forrester said.
Holness on the traffic scene
Holness took the opportunity of the announcement to touch on several traffic-related issues. They included bloggers who complain about suburbanites coming on Sunday to park near historical churches, while not complaining about suburbanites who drive into D.C. from Monday to Friday and park on local streets.
She compared weekday commuters to Sunday church visitors: "Many people who come in on the weekends have lived here at one time."
She also commented on bicyclists.
"I'm 57 and I ride a bike," she said.
However, Holness went on, bicyclists received too much consideration because they do not bicycle in inclement weather.
"You don't see bikes when it snows, when it's raining," she said.
Concerning the historic churches in Ward One, Holness said: "They were here before many of the new residents came. They will be here after they are gone."
well based on Holness' comments, I can already see where this is going. A few points/counterpoints:
ReplyDeleteThey included bloggers who complain about suburbanites coming on Sunday to park near historical churches, while not complaining about suburbanites who drive into D.C. from Monday to Friday and park on local streets.
First of all, weekday visitors don't double park to the extent that parishioners seem to. But primarily, despite attempts to frame this issue as one of church-goers vs. nonchurch-goers, it's really simply an issue of parking, not religion: the "I want to be able to park however and wherever I want" crowd vs. "These excessive parking violations are unreasonable." I don't care what your purpose is (to go to church or otherwise) or where you're from (suburbia or right down the street), you shouldn't park illegally and the city should enforce parking laws. Otherwise they need to amend the laws so that the parking policies work for all...and not just for Christians on Sundays, as seems to be the real purpose of this task force. The parking problem is there regardless of churches; it's only exacerbated by them.
bicyclists received too much consideration because they do not bicycle in inclement weather. "You don't see bikes when it snows, when it's raining," she said.
Well that's blatantly false. You certainly see fewer bicyclists when it's snowing or raining, but the same can be said for pedestrians but I don't hear anyone advocating for permission to park on sidewalks.
What is the purpose of a one sided task force? Do we always announce or circle jerks now?
ReplyDeleteI would like to send all the tickets I receive in Virginia to Commisioner Forrester. Perhaps she will pay them for me.
ReplyDeleteDrivers receive too much consideration because they do not drive at 4am
ReplyDeleteIn Virginia the churches have to PAY the police officers to "help". The officers work at $50 per hour in Fairfax County and can be hired by any non-profit group.
ReplyDelete