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DC’s Highest Court Asked to Reverse Soccer Stadium Approval; Among Other Key Issues, Residents Point to Lack of Findings Regarding Flooding in Surrounding Buzzard Point Neighborhoods
Washington, DC, Ward 6 – In the past two weeks, there have been papers filed with the DC Court of Appeals by William Shickler, a Buzzard Point Resident and native Washingtonian, alleging the Zoning Commission erroneously approved the siting of DC United’s Audi Field in a known floodplain despite growing climate change unpredictability.
“I’ve sent to court the maps and a Presidential order showing that Buzzard Point is in a federally recognized floodplain. This was a key issue myself and others raised to the Zoning Commission but we were completely ignored,” said Shickler, host of the public cable show, Media Watch on Hunger and Poverty. “We are at the confluence of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers and both will rise with greater regional rainfall anticipated in the coming years.”
Shickler’s court filings also argue that the Commission did not truly evaluate how the stadium, along with other cumulative developments in the neighborhood, will impact Metro access, capacity, and safety. “If there’s flooding on the way, seniors like me need to find an inexpensive and expedient way out of danger. That’s Metro! But there was no real consideration given to the ability of the abused and underfunded public transit system to handle all of this overdevelopment,” Shickler worried.
Shickler, proceeding in this case without an attorney, has asked the appeals court to reverse the Zoning Commission’s approval until the Commission can base their conclusions on real evidence and fact finding, something the Zoning Commission has recently struggled with. See McMillan Park; 901 Monroe; 15 PUD’s in Union Market; Barry Farms; and other cases.
Shickler has reached out to Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen with regards to the above flooding and Metro concerns, but to no avail. Shickler also says neighborhood concerns about air quality impacts from toxins being dug up at the former Pepco electric station site, now Audi field, have also gone largely ignored by Allen’s office and the Mayor’s Department of the Environment.
William Shickler can be reached at 202-484-4148. See Shickler’s court filings here >> Shickler_Reversal.pdf & Shickler_Reply.pdf.
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