Mayor Gray Supports the Community in the Campus Planning Process, Sees Signs of Progress

At the Georgetown Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) Monday, Mayor Vincent Gray said he supports the community in the campus planning process and he was encouraged that a solution might be found that was acceptable to both the neighbors and .

Gray pointed to recent efforts made by Georgetown University to in support of his hopeful outlook for the contentious ten-year planning process.

"Some of the concerns that were expressed on behalf of the community by the Advisory Neighborhood Commission, in my opinion, were well-grounded," said Gray to a packed room of Georgetown residents. He said that opinion put him at odds with the University.

But, he added, "based on information that I have, it looks like there has been some positive movement and hopefully we’ll continue in that direction."

In addition to shuttles to transport students along the M Street corridor, trash pickup and additional reimbursable details, the Mayor referenced a new quality of life working group that the neighbors and university representatives were working to establish.

Still the most vocal community members in the campus planning hearings made it clear to the mayor that not all of their concerns were being addressed.

Lenore Rubino, president of the Burleith Citizens Association, thanked the mayor for his support, but told him, "we need your continued support." There remains the issue of a “devastating loss of single family homes" in her community because of students living off campus she explained.

Gray said of the progress "I think we still have a ways to go, but we hope that that will happen." When the plan is finalized, Gray was confident that "it will be a campus plan on which the university and the community can agree."

Given the remaining concerns among residents and the mayor's declared support for the community, does the University share the mayor's hope that common ground can be found?

"The mayor said it himself, that we have seen positive progress on our quality of life initiatives," said Kerr.

"I think the mayor shares our confidence because our campus plan 2010-2010 is a plan for modest targeted growth," said Kerr. Echoing a statement made by university officials throughout the campus plan hearing process.

The working group of neighbors and university representatives will begin meeting in the next few weeks to identify solvable problems that will benefit the community and help improve the University's standing among neighbors.

The next campus plan meeting is .