Unfortunately, one of our long-time ANC Commissioners in Ward 4, Hattie Holmes, passed away yesterday. Because her funeral is the same time as the hearing on the Takoma Central District Plan (Small Area Plan), the hearing will not begin until 12pm. Here is the message that I just received from the Office of Linda Cropp, Chair, Committee of the Whole. The Committee is in the process of calling people on the witness list.

> Due to a funeral that Chairman Cropp and Councilmember Fenty will be
> attending next Tuesday morning, May 14th, the Takoma small area plan
> hearing by the Council's Committee of the Whole will begin at 12 noon that
> day rather than at 10 am as originally scheduled.
>
> --Rob Miller
>
Additionally, the following is a letter outlining new information received by my office on how the Council considers Small Area Action Plans submitted by the Mayor.

May 9, 2002

Dear Resident:

In recent months, I have received correspondence from many constituents concerning the upcoming Council hearing and vote on the Takoma Central District Plan ("SAP" or "Plan" or "TCDP"). Many constituents have asked whether the Council could amend the plan. Until this week, I was under the
impression that the Council could only vote up or down on the plan because it was submitted with a resolution (most resolutions submitted by the Mayor can only be voted up or down by the Council).

However, as was pointed out to me by a constituent on May 7, 2002 there is an exception in the statute, which allows the Council to approve or disapprove the resolution, "in whole or in part." The general counsel of the Council of the District of Columbia has advised me that this is one of a
few exceptions to the general rule that all Council resolutions submitted by the Mayor be approved "up or down."

As you may know, this entire statute was e-mailed out to my entire e-mail list over a month ago and also to the Takoma DC Listserve. Unfortunately, not until this week was my inaccuracy discovered.

While I have not made up my mind how I will vote on this particular resolution, I felt it necessary to advise you of this new information, so that I do not miscommunicate the role of the Council in this important process.

Sincerely,

Adrian Fenty
Councilmember, Ward 4
AF/sb