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RESOLUTION OF THE CASEY MANSION COMMITTEECALLING ON OFFICIALS TO OPPOSE THE PROPOSED SWAP OF THE WHITEHAVEN TRACTWhereas the National Park Service has agreed to deed 4 acres of Whitehaven parkland bordering Glover Archbold Park to the Casey Mansion Foundation, adding it to the adjoining 16.5 acre tract the Foundation has offered for a District mayoral mansion; and Whereas, this action would result in closure to the public of pristine parkland, wildlife habitat, and wetlands; and Whereas, the Foundation's assertion, this taking of parkland is necessary for mansion security, contradicts the conclusion of the Mayor's Official Residence Commission, that the Foundation-owned 16.5 -acre tract is "large enough to meet any reasonable security concern;" and Whereas, the proposed privatization of the Whitehaven parkland could open the door to intensive development on adjacent undeveloped acreage; and Whereas, the Georgetown Waterfront Park property the Foundation proposes to swap is only 1/37 the size of the four acre Whitehaven parkland, and is assessed at only 38% of the Whitehaven parkland value; and Whereas, the recent Environmental Assessment, financed by the Foundation, is rife with errors and flawed assumptions, and fails to credibly justify this swap; and Whereas, the loss to the public of this wooded treasure defies the NCPC policy stating: "The narrow threads of natural green areas throughout the district like Whitehaven Parkway....should be protected and maintained to provide green background and open space amenity for the residential areas of the city;" and Whereas, the loss of the Whitehaven parkland is not necessary in order to provide for construction of a large guardhouse and second entrance to the mayoral mansion and the development of the Georgetown Waterfront Park, and Whereas, ANC 2E of Georgetown and ANC 3D of the Palisades have voted to oppose the swap, Therefore, the four Community Citizens Associations listed below oppose this deeding of parkland, call on the National Park Service and the Casey Mansion Foundation to nullify their agreement to exchange the above sited properties; and Call on Mayor Williams, Delegate Norton, members of the District of Columbia City Council, and members of the National Capital Planning Commission to oppose this proposed action. In faith, Pete Ross, President Ed Solomon, President Jack Everett, President, Eric Gaull, President |
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