Community representatives have submitted complaints to the D.C. Zoning Commission requesting a delay in the approval of the University’s Performing Arts Center, construction of which was originally scheduled to begin this spring. They claimed that the University is not meeting conditions that the Board of Zoning Adjustment imposed last March, including an enrollment cap and a requirement that student vehicles be registered.
In a letter to the Zoning Commission dated Jan. 13, Georgetown University denied the allegations.
Representatives from the Burleith Citizens Association and the Citizens Association of Georgetown failed to return phone calls by press time.
While the issue was not discussed at the Zoning Commission’s most recent hearing last Thursday, the Commission will announce a decision at a public hearing in February, according to Director of Off-Campus Student Life Jeanne Lord.
After the announcement, the University will know whether it can proceed with the construction of the performing arts center, according to Assistant Vice President for Communication Julie Bataille. Construction will involve renovating the Ryan Administration building and adding 30,000 square feet to the existing structure.
The University’s 10-year plan, released in 2000, was met with opposition by local organizations such as the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 2E and several citizens’ associations. The original plan, which called for an increase in student enrollment, was denied by the BZA. The plan was accepted by the BZA only after the addition of a list of conditions, including a student enrollment cap, public records of student misconduct and student vehicle registration in the District.
Representatives of the Citizens Association of Georgetown argued that the University has surpassed the enrollment cap of 5,627 that was imposed by the BZA. As a result of this accusation, the University sent a letter to the Zoning Commission on Jan. 13, claiming that it has not exceeded the enrollment cap. The University’s Review and Certification of Compliance with Campus Plan Conditions in November showed the traditional head count of full-time undergraduates at 5,754 for Fall 2002, but states that undergraduate enrollment for the academic year is figured by averaging the total for each semester, bringing enrollment under the cap.
“The University averages the fall and spring numbers to arrive at its enrollment number for the academic year, which is a practice it has been using for over 12 years … Numbers for traditional full-time undergraduates historically are higher in the fall than in the spring due primarily to students leaving campus in the spring to attend Georgetown programs in other countries,” the letter said.
BZA-imposed conditions on the 10-year plan also require that students register their vehicles in the District. According to the Jan. 13 letter from the University to the Zoning Commission, the Citizens Association of Georgetown claims that the University has refused to monitor vehicle registration.
In the November Review, the University said it had informed all students of this requirement through the Registrar and the Office of Off-Campus Student Life and had asked the Department of Public Safety to contact the Metropolitan Police Department in cases of violation.
Despite the complaints, University administrators are confident that the Zoning Commission will approve plans for the Performing Arts Center as expected.
“We think we presented a strong case for moving forward with the performing arts center on campus and hope to get a positive decision in the near future,” Bataille said.
