Support for Local Businesses
Growing up in a family of farmers and small business owners, supporting and advocating for community small businesses is near and dear to my heart. I know how much personal time and financial risk there is required to start up and maintain a small business and I look forward to working with the DC Office of Planning, the Van Ness Main Street, and Chevy Chase Main Street organizations as part of DC's Connecticut Avenue Development Plan.
The DC Office of Planning is finishing up the Connecticut Avenue Development Guidelines study to share with DC leadership, the ANC, and the public in early 2023. This could be similar to the small area plans recently adopted for nearby Chevy Chase or Cleveland Park retail centers and set important decisions around zoning, streetscape, and density for decades to come.
Working with Office of Planning on executing the Connecticut Avenue Development Plan
As an ANC member, I will be highly engaged with existing small business owners in our area to ensure that their views, needs, and support is factored into the proposals from Office of Planning for the multi-year Connecticut Avenue Development plan.
How can we expand services and encourage new businesses to join our community?
If the Connecticut Avenue Development plan is in keeping with similar small area plans for other nearby communities, then there may be opportunities for the ANC to express their support for expanding local businesses as part of the "up zoning". Examples of this could be requirements for retail on the ground floor of large residential construction or requesting tax advantages for local or minority-owned small businesses versus large corporations.
