Working Groups
Review of the DC Zoning Regulations has been divided into 20 subject areas. Each subject area will be reviewed separately by a public working group that will make recommended changes to the Regulations. After working group review, recommendations for each subject area will be reviewed by the Zoning Review Taskforce and then forwarded on to the Zoning Commission for a public hearing.
Subject Areas:
Height (Working group meetings January 29-February 26, 2008)
The subject area on height will include discussions about how height is measured, the relationship of the Height Act with zoning, roof structures, stories, and other issues that relate to the height of buildings. This area will not examine raising or lowering the limits on height under zoning or the Height Act.
Flood Plain (Working group meetings February 6-28, 2008)
The working group for this study area will examine the city’s policies for building structures within the flood plain. The group will discuss zoning strategies for regulation of these structures.
Parking (Working group meetings February - May 2008)
This subject area will cover all of the issues within the current Chapter 21 of the zoning ordinance. We will examine the requirements for parking spaces as well as the standards for their location and access.
Loading (Working group meetings February - May 2008)
This subject area will cover all of the issues within the current Chapter 22 of the zoning ordinance. We will examine the requirements for loading as well as the standards for location and access.
Retail Strategy (Working group meetings March 19-April 30, 2008)
This area will examine zoning strategies to encourage retail development and improve local retail options. We will focus on supporting and encouraging local, small, and disadvantaged businesses.
Arts & Culture (Working group meetings March 18-April 22, 2008)
The current zoning code has many incentives and requirements for arts and culture uses. This group will review existing policies and examine ways to expand the availability of art space and arts related uses throughout the city.
Historic (Working group meetings March 13-April 24, 2008)
This area will deal with the relationship between the zoning code and the existing review structure for historic buildings. We will examine the current sections on historic structures and determine what exceptions or special requirements need to be in place for these buildings.
Industrial (Working group to begin meeting in June 2008)
The industrial use group will work with the existing Industrial Land Use Study and policies of the Comprehensive Plan to determine how our existing industrial zones could be improved. Issues will include relationships to residential use, matter-of-right uses in industrial zones, and transitional uses.
Campus/Institutional (Working group to begin meeting in July 2008)
This area includes examination of campus plan options for educational and institutional uses.
Sustainability (Working group to begin meeting in Summer 2008)
This subject area will examine encouraging environmental sensitivity through zoning and removing zoning obstacles to sustainable design. Issues will include green building design, low impact development, transit oriented development, energy efficiency and measures of sustainability.
Low/Moderate Density Residential (Working group to begin meeting in March)
This subject area will deal with issues relating to lower density residential neighborhoods. Areas that would fit into the traditional R-1 through R-4 zones with largely single and two-family housing stock are the focus. This group will look at a very wide variety of issues including alley lots, accessory dwellings, corner retail stores, related non-residential uses, bulk and setback requirements, and many others. This group will also be examining the existing residential zoning categories and overlays to determine if these are sufficient to meet the needs of the city’s neighborhoods.
Medium/High Density Commercial & Residential (Working group to begin meeting in June)
This subject area will deal with those issues surrounding the higher density commercial and residential nodes outside of the downtown. While not including commercial corridors, this area deals with other areas traditionally zoned C-3, CR, and R-5. The group will review existing zoning categories for sufficiency to meet city policies.
Downtown (Working group to begin meeting in June)
The Downtown subject area will begin with the area contained in the Downtown Development Overlay District. The group will examine the goals of the district to determine what has been accomplished and what needs remain. The group will look at the boundaries of “downtown” and examine the zoning techniques used to address this area.
Commercial Corridors (Working group to begin meeting in September)
This subject area will discuss zoning options to meet the needs of the city's commercial corridors. We will examine the relationship between commercial uses and the surrounding residential zones. The group will review the use of geographically specific overlays and options for zoning solutions more specifically related to each corridor.
Mixed/Other Districts (Working group to begin meeting in September)
This study area will deal with issues related to zone districts not covered in the other areas. Specifically, the group will examine the Waterfront and Special Purpose districts as well as some of the miscellaneous overlays in the code.
Parks/Open Space (Working group to begin meeting in November)
This group will examine the need for and makeup of potential zones for open space.
PUD (Working group to begin meeting in January 2009)
This subject area will look at different options for review and approval of larger development projects in the District. Issues include the limits of matter-of-right development, the relationship between density and public benefits, the role of government agencies and community groups in development, and other issues relating to discretionary review of large developments.
Design Review (Working group to begin meeting in January 2009)
This area will examine the need for and place for design review in our development review process. This group may work with or be combined with the PUD study area in the inclusion of design review as a part of the discretionary review process.
Administration & Enforcement (Working group to begin meeting in March 2009)
Working closely with the Office of Zoning, this group will use the results of the first 18 working groups to update and improve the policies of Chapter 32 of the existing ordinance.
ZC & BZA Procedures (Working group to begin meeting in March 2009)
Working closely with the Office of Zoning, this group will use the results of the first 18 working groups to update and improve the policies of Chapter 31 of the existing ordinance.