In response to suggestions that the DC Office of Planning and the DC Office of Zoning have no had enough public input into the proposed zoning rewrite, the Zoning Commission has decided to take their show on the road. The Ward 3 event will take place on February 11 at Wilson High School, 6:00 PM. Those who have already testified in person are not supposed to be able to testify again. As such, this is an important opportunity for new voices to be heard.
The city is expected to grow by 100,000 to 200,000 new residents in the coming decades. If you think the roads are already choked and parking is already difficult, then the way to grow the population without the negative impacts that an auto-centric lifestyle bring is to support the Office of Planning proposals.
Please come out to Wilson on February 11th and let the Zoning Commission know that you support a sustainable and resilient District of Columbia.
For more information, please The DC Zoning Update and some additional resources.
Showing posts with label Zoning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zoning. Show all posts
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Monday, November 19, 2012
Zoning Regulation Revisions
From the District of Columbia Office of Planning:
The District of Columbia Office of Planning is holding eight community meetings to discuss draft proposed changes to the existing Zoning Ordinance (11 DCMR).
The current zoning regulations have not been thoroughly updated since 1958. The Comprehensive Plan specifically addresses the issue:
"The Zoning Regulations themselves need substantial revision and reorganization, ranging from new definitions to updated development and design standards, and even new zones." (IM-1.3)
The Office of Planning has been working on revisions and reorganization of the zoning regulations for the last four years. With input from a task force, topic-focused working groups, and numerous community meetings, as well as general guidance from the Zoning Commission, the Office of Planning has prepared draft proposals for modernizing the zoning regulations.
At the upcoming community meetings, the Office of Planning will describe the process to date, present the draft proposals, and solicit and listen to community feedback. We remain open to making additional changes to the draft proposals, based on your comments, before they are taken to the Zoning Commission for consideration at public hearings.
The community meetings are open to everyone. The meetings will be the same in every ward, so you should feel free to attend the one that is most convenient for you.
This notice is to inform you of the community meetings dates and times:
January 8, 2013 Tuesday, 6:30 P.M - 8:30 P.M. Ward 3
The District of Columbia Office of Planning is holding eight community meetings to discuss draft proposed changes to the existing Zoning Ordinance (11 DCMR).
The current zoning regulations have not been thoroughly updated since 1958. The Comprehensive Plan specifically addresses the issue:
"The Zoning Regulations themselves need substantial revision and reorganization, ranging from new definitions to updated development and design standards, and even new zones." (IM-1.3)
The Office of Planning has been working on revisions and reorganization of the zoning regulations for the last four years. With input from a task force, topic-focused working groups, and numerous community meetings, as well as general guidance from the Zoning Commission, the Office of Planning has prepared draft proposals for modernizing the zoning regulations.
At the upcoming community meetings, the Office of Planning will describe the process to date, present the draft proposals, and solicit and listen to community feedback. We remain open to making additional changes to the draft proposals, based on your comments, before they are taken to the Zoning Commission for consideration at public hearings.
The community meetings are open to everyone. The meetings will be the same in every ward, so you should feel free to attend the one that is most convenient for you.
This notice is to inform you of the community meetings dates and times:
January 8, 2013 Tuesday, 6:30 P.M - 8:30 P.M. Ward 3
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Repeal the Anti-Food Zoning in Cleveland Park
Cleveland Park resident Herb Caudill has written an excellent summary about the 25% zoning overlay restricting food uses on the Connecticut Avenue commercial strip. With a new ANC and more residents clamoring for this change, there is an opportunity to finally get a decent breakfast place or some more carry out options in the neighborhood.
If you think some loosening here is a good idea, fill out the petition today!
If you think some loosening here is a good idea, fill out the petition today!
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Cleveland Park Antics
So someone has decided to game a listserv poll. Read about it at the City Paper
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Zoning Overlay: More Food in Cleveland Park?
The every two year discussion about the restaurant zoning overlay is taking place on the Cleveland Park listserv. Recall that about 25 years ago, neighborhood leaders, fearing the "Adams Morganing" of their neighborhood took two measures. First, they created a historic district to help manage changes to the Connecticut Avenue commercial strip in the vicinity of the Metro station. Second, they were able to convince the city to install an overlay restricting the percentage of storefronts that can be dedicated to restaurants.
In the early 2000's, clarifications were made with the DC Office of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs related to how the 25% was measured and what kind of food places counted towards the cap.
In the intervening years, the wishes for the desired book store and hardware stores, while still present, seem to be measured with the reality that the viability of such places in a neighborhood like Cleveland Park are pretty slim. Instead, non-food places include a number of tanning salons, nail salons and other uses that some in the community feel are less desirable.
In this era, with internet based retail and more flexible working patterns, the neighborhood experience is evolving. More people want to be able to conduct meetings at coffee houses, enjoy a unique meal or be able to carry out lunch or dinner in an expedient manner. Corridors such as 14th Street, U Street, H Street, or 8th Street South East and the Navy Yards are transforming to very vibrant and unique places based on the services available.
Cleveland Park, on the other hand, remains relatively static in comparison. It is a wonderful neighborhood with fantastic building stock and natural foot traffic based on visitors to the National Zoo and the density of apartment buildings and condos along Connecticut Avenue to the north and south of the commercial strip.
In a 2008 poll, neighborhood listserv members supported the removal or relaxing of the zoning overlay by a factor of 70%. While this is not a scientific survey, it is one measure of public sentiment. So again, there is a new poll to measure public sentiment. Maybe this time, the ANC and Community Associations will take note that residents of the community really do not like this artificial barrier to improving realistic and improved choices in the community.
If you are a member of the listserv, vote now!
In the early 2000's, clarifications were made with the DC Office of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs related to how the 25% was measured and what kind of food places counted towards the cap.
In the intervening years, the wishes for the desired book store and hardware stores, while still present, seem to be measured with the reality that the viability of such places in a neighborhood like Cleveland Park are pretty slim. Instead, non-food places include a number of tanning salons, nail salons and other uses that some in the community feel are less desirable.
In this era, with internet based retail and more flexible working patterns, the neighborhood experience is evolving. More people want to be able to conduct meetings at coffee houses, enjoy a unique meal or be able to carry out lunch or dinner in an expedient manner. Corridors such as 14th Street, U Street, H Street, or 8th Street South East and the Navy Yards are transforming to very vibrant and unique places based on the services available.
Cleveland Park, on the other hand, remains relatively static in comparison. It is a wonderful neighborhood with fantastic building stock and natural foot traffic based on visitors to the National Zoo and the density of apartment buildings and condos along Connecticut Avenue to the north and south of the commercial strip.
In a 2008 poll, neighborhood listserv members supported the removal or relaxing of the zoning overlay by a factor of 70%. While this is not a scientific survey, it is one measure of public sentiment. So again, there is a new poll to measure public sentiment. Maybe this time, the ANC and Community Associations will take note that residents of the community really do not like this artificial barrier to improving realistic and improved choices in the community.
If you are a member of the listserv, vote now!
Saturday, September 01, 2012
New Zoning and Ward 3
The District is embarking on a city-wide zoning revision. While this is not solely a Ward 3 issue, there has been a tremendous amount of discussion on various community listservs. Below is a recent, very relevant post:
we have centuries of evidence to see what neighborhoods look like
without parking minimums. I recently stumbled on this great little piece
entitled "Legalize Georgetown" (http://bit.ly/QKVm6a), written by David
Alpert in 2008, back when the zoning rewrite process was just getting
underway. He points out that some of DC's most beloved neighborhoods would
be illegal under today's zoning code.
"If Georgetown burned down tomorrow, then the zoning code should allow it
to be rebuilt similar to the way it is today. If someone wanted to expand
the rowhouses of Capitol Hill to vacant blocks in Southeast they should be
able to. But that's not true...
"My current building in Dupont has 13 apartments and zero parking spaces.
If it were rebuilt today, it would need an empty lot next door that's about
the same size as the building to fit the seven spaces required under
current zoning. It would mean more cars crossing the sidewalk, and one of
the prettiest blocks in Dupont would be much less. And having these spaces
would encourage more driving and raise the cost of living here."
I would add Cleveland Park to that list; many of the grand buildings lining
Connecticut Avenue predate the zoning code and would be much less grand if
they were subject to the 1950s rules. For that matter most of the pre-WWII
duplexes and townhouses in the neighborhood wouldn't be allowed.
None of the great cities of the world rose up under the constraints of
restrictive zoning codes or parking minimums, nor could they have. The most
beautiful parts of Paris, Rome, London, New York - and Washington DC -
would have been prohibited, or scarred with ugly parking lots and garages.
It's the zoning excesses of the 1950s that were reckless experiments, and
their unintended consequences - from the oceanic parking lots and strip
malls of Rockville Pike to the bleak megablocks of Southwest DC - are plain
for all to see. Today's zoning reforms take a small step towards undoing
that damage.
Residential parking scarcity is a problem; but the correct solution, as
I've argued before, is to price parking on public land in a way that
reflects its value, not to impose arbitrary Soviet-style supply quotas on
developers.
we have centuries of evidence to see what neighborhoods look like
without parking minimums. I recently stumbled on this great little piece
entitled "Legalize Georgetown" (http://bit.ly/QKVm6a), written by David
Alpert in 2008, back when the zoning rewrite process was just getting
underway. He points out that some of DC's most beloved neighborhoods would
be illegal under today's zoning code.
"If Georgetown burned down tomorrow, then the zoning code should allow it
to be rebuilt similar to the way it is today. If someone wanted to expand
the rowhouses of Capitol Hill to vacant blocks in Southeast they should be
able to. But that's not true...
"My current building in Dupont has 13 apartments and zero parking spaces.
If it were rebuilt today, it would need an empty lot next door that's about
the same size as the building to fit the seven spaces required under
current zoning. It would mean more cars crossing the sidewalk, and one of
the prettiest blocks in Dupont would be much less. And having these spaces
would encourage more driving and raise the cost of living here."
I would add Cleveland Park to that list; many of the grand buildings lining
Connecticut Avenue predate the zoning code and would be much less grand if
they were subject to the 1950s rules. For that matter most of the pre-WWII
duplexes and townhouses in the neighborhood wouldn't be allowed.
None of the great cities of the world rose up under the constraints of
restrictive zoning codes or parking minimums, nor could they have. The most
beautiful parts of Paris, Rome, London, New York - and Washington DC -
would have been prohibited, or scarred with ugly parking lots and garages.
It's the zoning excesses of the 1950s that were reckless experiments, and
their unintended consequences - from the oceanic parking lots and strip
malls of Rockville Pike to the bleak megablocks of Southwest DC - are plain
for all to see. Today's zoning reforms take a small step towards undoing
that damage.
Residential parking scarcity is a problem; but the correct solution, as
I've argued before, is to price parking on public land in a way that
reflects its value, not to impose arbitrary Soviet-style supply quotas on
developers.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Zoning 101 at the Tenleytown Library
The Office of Zoning (OZ) is conducting community meetings in every Ward in the District to inform citizens about zoning. The educational series of presentations Zoning 101, 201, and 301, will cumulatively provide a detailed collection of information that will bring an even more solid foundation of zoning knowledge to the community.
On April 27, 2011, OZ will be presenting Zoning 101: Zoning Basics to Ward 3 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and citizens. Zoning 101 is a presentation on zoning essentials and does not address more complex aspects of process and procedure. The presentation will run approximately 30-40 minutes, leaving an additional 30 minutes for questions.
Please note that questions should be strictly geared to the subject matter presented in Zoning 101.
Tenley-Friendship Library
Large Meeting Room
4450 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.
Washington, DC 20016
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Please RSVP to Sara Bardin of the Office of Zoning at sara.bardin@dc.gov or
(202) 727-5372.
On April 27, 2011, OZ will be presenting Zoning 101: Zoning Basics to Ward 3 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and citizens. Zoning 101 is a presentation on zoning essentials and does not address more complex aspects of process and procedure. The presentation will run approximately 30-40 minutes, leaving an additional 30 minutes for questions.
Please note that questions should be strictly geared to the subject matter presented in Zoning 101.
Tenley-Friendship Library
Large Meeting Room
4450 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.
Washington, DC 20016
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Please RSVP to Sara Bardin of the Office of Zoning at sara.bardin@dc.gov or
(202) 727-5372.
Friday, September 11, 2009
WNNC Files Appeal in Giant
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Wash Post: BZA Approves Mass Ave Buddhist center
Per the Washington Post:
The D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment agreed yesterday that a two-story building being constructed by a U.S. Buddhist association on Massachusetts Avenue NW is a place of worship.
A group of residents who live near the Naval Observatory asked the city to appeal a decision this year by the zoning administrator that Soka Gakkai International-USA could build there as a "matter of right." The residents argued that the meetings held by the Buddhists were community meetings, not religious gatherings.
Under District zoning laws, a religious organization can build a place of worship in a residential area without asking for an exemption, which would be needed for a community center. Neighbors had contended that the building would create traffic and noise in the neighborhood several days a week.
The D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment agreed yesterday that a two-story building being constructed by a U.S. Buddhist association on Massachusetts Avenue NW is a place of worship.
A group of residents who live near the Naval Observatory asked the city to appeal a decision this year by the zoning administrator that Soka Gakkai International-USA could build there as a "matter of right." The residents argued that the meetings held by the Buddhists were community meetings, not religious gatherings.
Under District zoning laws, a religious organization can build a place of worship in a residential area without asking for an exemption, which would be needed for a community center. Neighbors had contended that the building would create traffic and noise in the neighborhood several days a week.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Soka Gakkai Continues to Draw Ire
Michael Neibauer reports on the continuing zoning battle between Embassy Row residents and the Buddist Temple slated to come in to the predominantly residential neighborhood.
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