Georgetown University 10-Year Plan and the Save Our Neighborhood Fund
Overview
Georgetown University has unveiled its Campus Plan for the next decade, as required by the DC Government, given the expiration of its current plan at the end of this year. CAG has carefully reviewed the GU plan and believes it violates DC zoning regulations and would negatively impact the quality of life in Georgetown's residential neighborhoods.
Specifically the plan would:
- increase graduate student enrollment by more than 2100 students which would increase the total student population from approximately 14,000 to over 16,000 students
- provide no additional undergraduate on-campus housing
- add 1,000 parking spaces to accommodate anticipated additional traffic to campus and the hospital
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GU (outlined at left on map) is a large part of our community |
In the past, GU's projected increase in the number of graduate students has been exceeded by a huge margin. This increase in the number of Georgetown students, with no comparable expansion in student housing, will mean more students living off campus. Based on past experience, this influx of students into surrounding neighborhoods will adversely impact the housing stock and exacerbate an already acute lack of on-street parking. More seriously, student misconduct will erode the quality of life in Georgetown: there is a well
documented correlation between the number of 911 calls for disorderly conduct in our neighborhood and the concentration of off-campus student housing.
CAG understands and appreciates the value of having a world-class educational institution in our midst. But without a plan for responsible growth, neither the University, nor the Georgetown community, nor other adjacent neighborhoods will continue to flourish. The District government requires that a university in a residential community shall not become objectionable to neighboring properties "because of noise, traffic, number of students, or other objectionable conditions." In order to bring the proposed Georgetown University plan into compliance with DC zoning requirements, CAG is advocating:
- requiring a connection between enrollment increases and University housing availability
- an increase of student housing on the traditional campus
- mitigating traffic and parking impacts on the neighborhood
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Jennifer Altemus introducing CAG's stance on GU Campus Plan at April Meeting. |
CAG Georgetown University Relations Committee
Chair Cynthia Pantazis, Jennifer Altemus, Ken Archer,
Karl Bourdeau, Roberto Coquis, Betsy Cooley, Karen Cruse,
Michelle Galler, Richard Hinds, Seth Kirshenberg,
Brenda Moorman, Luca Pivato, Shannon Pryor |
