District of Columbia Administrative Code

1561 FORT TOTTEN OVERLAY DISTRICT (FT) 1561.1 The Fort Totten (FT) Overlay District is established to allow existing industrial businesses to remain and expand and to propose land use control policies to further implement the Comprehensive Plan. 1561.2 The FT Overlay District is …

1562 GENERAL PROVISIONS (FT) 1562.1 The FT Overlay District is mapped in combination with the underlying C-3-A, CR, C-M-1, or M Districts and not instead of the underlying districts. 1562.2 Where there is a conflict between this chapter and the underlying zoning, the more restric…

1563 HEIGHT, BULK, AND USE PROVISIONS (FT) 1563.1 An existing commercial or industrial use in the FT Overlay District with a valid certificate of occupancy as of May 26, 1995 shall be deemed a conforming use. 1563.2 An existing business or industrial use as provided in § 1563.1 s…

1564 SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS (FT) 1564.1 The Board of Zoning Adjustment, after public hearing, may waive or vary the requirements of this chapter relating to building setback, landscaping, and fencing, as a special exception in accordance with § 3104; provided, that the proposed varia…

1565 CHAIN BRIDGE ROAD/UNIVERSITY TERRACE OVERLAY DISTRICT (CB/UT) 1565.1 The Chain Bridge Road/University Terrace (CB/UT) Overlay District is established to preserve and enhance the park-like setting of the Chain Bridge Road/University Terrace area by regulating alteration or di…

1566 GENERAL PROVISIONS (CB/UT) 1566.1 The CB/UT Overlay District is mapped in combination with the underlying Residence District and not instead of the underlying district. 1566.2 Where there is a conflict between the CB/UT Overlay District and the underlying zoning, the more re…

1567 LOT OCCUPANCY AND GROUND COVERAGE RESTRICTIONS (CB/UT) 1567.1 The principal building and any accessory building on the lot shall not exceed total lot occupancy of thirty percent (30%); provided that on lots of six thousand, four hundred ninety-nine square feet (6,499 ft.2) o…

1568 LIMITATIONS (CB/UT) 1568.1 Except as provided in § 1568.2, constructing a building, accessory building, or an addition to a building, creating any impervious surface area, subdividing any unimproved lot, or subdividing any improved lot so as to increase the number of princip…

1569 SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS (CB/UT) 1569.1 Any exception from the requirements of this chapter shall be permitted only as a special exception, if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment after public hearing, in accordance with the conditions specified in § 3104, and subject to the…

1570 CAPITOL HILL COMMERCIAL OVERLAY DISTRICT (CHC) 1570.1 The Capitol Hill Commercial (CHC) Overlay District is established to implement the goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan, particularly those land use objectives and policies relating to improving the physical condi…

1571 GENERAL PROVISIONS (CHC) 1571.1 The CHC Overlay District is mapped in combination with, and not instead of, the underlying Commercial District and the Capitol Interest (CAP) Overlay District. 1571.2 All buildings and structures permitted under §§ 1572 and 1573 and the pertin…

1572 HEIGHT AND FLOOR AREA RATIO RESTRICTIONS (CHC) 1572.1 Except as provided in § 1572.2, the maximum permitted building height in the CHC Overlay District shall be the height permitted in the underlying Commercial District. 1572.2 If the affected property is located in both the…

1573 PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS (CHC) 1573.1 In the CHC Overlay District, the development standards in §§ 1572.3 through 1572.4 shall serve as the maximum permitted floor area ratio for a planned unit development. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 49 DCR 9064, 9070-73…

1599 DEFINITIONS 1599.1 When used in this chapter, the following term has the meaning ascribed: 1599.2 Nonresidential use - a permitted use in the R-1 District other than a one-family dwelling. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 41 DCR 5045, 5048 (July 29, 1994). AUTHORITY: DC…

1600 PREAMBLE (CG) 1600.1 The Capitol Gateway (CG) Overlay District is applied to the Buzzard Point and Capitol Gateway areas, which are designated for mixed use development in the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. The following Squares and portions of Squares in the S…

1601 BONUS DENSITY AND HEIGHT (CG) 1601.1 CG Overlay developments subject to the set-aside requirements of Chapter 26 Inclusionary Zoning may use the FAR, Height and Lot Occupancy in the following table as the basis of calculating the set-aside requirements of § 2603: IZ Bonus Ba…

1602 COMBINED LOT DEVELOPMENT (CG) 1602.1 Two (2) or more lots within the Overlay District may be combined for the purpose of allocating residential and nonresidential uses regardless of the normal limitation on floor area by uses on each lot; provided, that the aggregate residen…

1603 BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES, AND USES IN THE CG/W-2 DISTRICT 1603.1 The following provisions apply to new buildings, structures, or uses within the CG/W-2 District. 1603.2 No private driveway to any parking or loading berth areas in or adjacent to a building or structure construct…

1604 BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES ON M STREET, S.E. (CG) 1604.1 The following provisions apply to new buildings, structures, or uses with frontage on M Street S.E. within the CG Overlay. 1604.2 No driveway may be constructed or used from M Street to required parking spaces or loading…

1605 BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES, AND USES ON SOUTH CAPITOL STREET (CG) 1605.1 The following provisions apply to new buildings, structures, or uses with frontage on South Capitol Street within the CG Overlay. 1605.2 Each new building or structure located on South Capitol Street shall b…

1606 BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES, AND USES ON FIRST STREET S.E, SOUTH OF M STREET S.E. (CG) 1606.1 The following provisions apply to new buildings, structures, or uses with frontage on First Street S.E. south of M Street S.E., within the CG Overlay. 1606.2 Each new building shall devot…

1607 BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES, AND USES ON HALF STREET S.E., SOUTH OF M STREET S.E. (CG) 1607.1 The following provisions apply to new buildings, structures, or uses with frontage on Half S.E. south of M Street S.E., within the CG Overlay. 1607.2 Any portion of a building or structur…

1608 STEP-BACK FOR CERTAIN BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES ON POTOMAC AVENUE (CG) 1608.1 The following provisions apply to new buildings, structures, or uses with frontage on Potomac Avenue within the CG Overlay. 1608.2 Any portion of a building or structure that exceeds 110 feet in hei…

1609 PRIVATE DRIVEWAYS ON P STREET S.W. (CG) 1609.1 No private driveway may be constructed or used from P Street S.W. to any parking or loading berth areas in or adjacent to a building or structure subject to the provisions of this chapter that is constructed after February 16, 2…

1610 ZONING COMMISSION REVIEW OF BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES, AND USES (CG) 1610.1 The following provisions apply to properties located: (a) Within the CG/W-2 District; (b) On a lot that abuts M Street S.E.; (c) On a lot located within Squares 700 or 701, north of the Ballpark site; (d…

1611 EXISTING INDUSTRIAL USES (CG) 1611.1 A commercial or industrial use that is first permitted in the CM or M Zone Districts and that is in existence with a valid Certificate of Occupancy as of the date the provisions of this Chapter first became effective shall be deemed a con…

1612 BALLPARK (CG) 1612.1 A Ballpark may be constructed and operated within Squares 702, 703, 704, 705, and 706 and Reservation 247 (the “Ballpark Site”). 1612.2 For the purposes of this section, the term "Ballpark" means a stadium or arena, including accessory buildings or struc…

1699 DEFINITIONS (CG) 1699.1 When used in this chapter, the term "residential uses" shall have the same meaning as the term "residential purposes" as set forth in § 631.2, except as otherwise qualified. See § 1601.3 for example. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 52 DCR 72 (Ja…

1700 GENERAL PROVISIONS (DD) 1700.1 The Downtown Development (DD) Overlay District is applied to the core of the Downtown area, including subareas identified in the Comprehensive Plan as the Downtown Shopping District (Retail Core), the Arts District, Gallery Place, Chinatown, Pe…

1701 AREA-WIDE DESIGN STANDARDS (DD) 1701.1 The floor area ratio credit for open arcades as provided in § 2515 is not applicable in the DD Overlay District. 1701.2 Any open arcade in the DD Overlay District shall extend the length of an entire block frontage, or shall connect wit…

1702 AREA-WIDE USE PROVISIONS (DD) 1702.1 Each building that faces or abuts a street segment identified in §§ 1701.4 or 1701.5 shall devote not less than fifty percent (50%) of the gross floor area of the ground floor to permitted retail, service, arts, and arts-related uses list…

1703 DOWNTOWN SHOPPING DISTRICT (RETAIL CORE) 1703.1 The principal policies and objectives for the Downtown Shopping (SHOP) District, or Retail Core, derived from the Comprehensive Plan, are to: (a) Create the most concentrated area of retail, service, arts, and arts-related uses…

1704 DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT (DD) 1704.1 The policies and objectives for the Downtown Arts District, as defined in the Comprehensive Plan, including the Gallery Place subarea of Downtown and portions of the Downtown Shopping (SHOP) District (Retail Core), Pennsylvania Quarter, Con…

1705 CHINATOWN (DD) 1705.1 The principal policies and objectives from the Comprehensive Plan for the Chinatown area are to: (a) Protect and enhance Chinatown as Downtown's only ethnic cultural area; (b) Maintain and expand the existing concentration of retail uses emphasizing Chi…

1706 RESIDENTIAL AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT (DD) 1706.1 The policies and objectives for residential use and development in and near Downtown as specified in the Comprehensive Plan are to: (a) Encourage construction of new housing and retention of existing housing so that a sizeabl…

1707 HISTORIC PRESERVATION (DD) 1707.1 The most directly applicable policies and objectives from the Comprehensive Plan and other adopted policies for Downtown may be summarized as follows: (a) Preserve the unique character and fabric of historic buildings, the Downtown Historic …

1708 COMBINED LOT DEVELOPMENT (DD) 1708.1 Two (2) or more lots may be combined for the purpose of achieving the required FAR equivalent for preferred uses as follows: (a) The lots may be located in the same square or in different squares; (b) A combined lot development shall be e…

1709 TRANSFERABLE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (DD) 1709.1 This section shall authorize the transfer of development rights from a project within the DD Overlay District to a receiving lot or lots located elsewhere in the DD Overlay District or in the Downtown East, New Downtown, or other r…

1710 RETAIL AND SERVICE USES (DD) 1710.1 For the purposes of this chapter, the following uses are preferred retail and personal/consumer service uses: (a) Anchor Store; (b) Antique Store; (c) Apparel and Accessories Store; (d) Appliance Store: (e) Auction House: (f) Auto and Home…

1711 ARTS USES AND ARTS-RELATED USES 1711.1 For the purpose of this chapter, the following uses are preferred arts uses and arts-related retail and support uses: (a) Art Center; (b) Art Exhibition Area; (c) Art Gallery; (d) Art School, including school of dance, photography, film…

1712 OFFICE SPACE USES (DD) 1712.1 For the purposes of this chapter, the following uses are office space uses and not preferred uses: (a) Accountant; (b) Architect; (c) Attorney; (d) Bail Bondsman; (e) Counseling Service; (f) Consultant - General; (g) Dentist, Doctor, or Medical …

1720 MOUNT VERNON TRIANGLE DISTRICT: OBJECTIVES AND BOUNDARIES (DD/MVT) 1720.1 The principal objectives for the Mount Vernon Triangle District (MVT District) are to: (a) Promote the development of ground floor level street frontages that will be active and pedestrian-friendly, pa…

1721 OFFICE OF PLANNING REVIEW (DD/MVT) 1721.1 The provisions of § 1700.6 shall apply only to building permits for new construction within the MVT District or for additions, alterations, or repairs that would first subject a building to the provisions of the MVT District pursuant…

1722 STREETWALL DESIGN REQUIREMENTS (DD/MVT) 1722.1 Except for a building located in the Principal Intersection Area, as described in § 1723.1, or a building located on Lot 158 in Square 515 for which a building permit has been received within nine (9) months prior to or after [t…

1723 PRINCIPAL INTERSECTION AREA (PIA): LOCATIONS INCLUDED (DD/MVT) 1723.1 With the exception of a building located on Lot 158 in Square 515 for which a building permit has been received within nine (9) months prior to or after [the effective date of this section], or any portion…

1724 PIA: MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT (DD/MVT) 1724.1 Except for buildings in Square 515, the portion of a building within an "A" module shall be no higher than fifty (50) feet above grade. 1724.2 No more than fifty percent (50%) of the portions of a building within each of the "B" a…

1725 PIA: MINIMUM GROUND FLOOR HEIGHT (DD/MVT) 1725.1 The following minimum ground floor height requirements apply to each building located within the PIA: Module Minimum clear floor-to-ceiling height A 22 Feet B & C 22 Feet for at least 50% of its ground floor D 14 Feet SOURCE: …

1726 PIA: STREETWALL DESIGN (DD/MVT) 1726.1 Each building shall devote not less than sixty-five percent (65%) of the surface area of the streetwall(s) at the ground level, to a height of at least twenty-two (22) feet, to display windows with clear and/or low-emissivity glass, exc…

1727 PIA: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS (DD/MVT) 1727.1 There shall be no direct entrances to lobbies serving residential or office uses. 1727.2 Roof terraces, whether open to the sky or covered with awnings or canopies, that are atop the portions of a building within the "A," "B," or…