District of Columbia Administrative Code

222 USE AND EXPANSION OF FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS (R‑1) 222.1 The following uses, if located in a building owned by the District of Columbia that formerly served as the location of a public school (“former school building”), shall be permitted as a special exception in the …

223 ZONING RELIEF FOR ADDITIONS TO ONE-FAMILY DWELLINGS OR FLATS (R-1) AND FOR NEW OR ENLARGED ACCESSORY STRUCTURES 223.1 An addition to a one-family dwelling or flat, in those Residence Districts where a flat is permitted, or a new or enlarged accessory structure on the same lot…

224 EXPANSION OF POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL FACILITIES (R-1) 224.1 The expansion of a Police Department General Facility in existence as of May 23,1990, shall be permitted as a special exception if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment under § 3104, subject to the provisions …

2000 GENERAL PROVISIONS 2000.1 The provisions of this title shall establish separate districts, each of which is an appropriate area for the location of uses and structures permitted in that district. 2000.2 Within the districts established by this title, or in amendments that ma…

2001 NONCONFORMING STRUCTURES DEVOTED TO CONFORMING USES 2001.1 The restrictions set forth in this section shall apply to a nonconforming structure devoted to a conforming use. 2001.2 Except as provided in §§ 2001.11 and 2001.12, ordinary repairs, alterations, and modernizations …

2002 NONCONFORMING USES WITHIN STRUCTURES 2002.1 The restrictions set forth in this section and §§ 2003 and 2004 shall apply to nonconforming uses within structures, whether the structure is conforming or nonconforming. 2002.2 Where the nonconforming use occupies only a portion o…

2003 CHANGING USES WITHIN STRUCTURES 2003.1 If approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment, as authorized in §§ 3103 and 3104 for variances and special exceptions, a nonconforming use may be changed to a use that is permitted as a matter of right in the most restrictive district i…

2004 DESTRUCTION OF STRUCTURE DEVOTED TO NONCONFORMING USE 2004.1 If a structure devoted to a nonconforming use is destroyed by fire, collapse, explosion, or act of God to an extent of more than fifty percent (50%) of the cost of reconstructing the entire structure, it shall not …

2005 DISCONTINUANCE 2005.1 Discontinuance for any reason of a nonconforming use of a structure or of land, except where governmental action impedes access to the premises, for any period of more than three (3) years, shall be construed as prima facie evidence of no intention to r…

2100 AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE PARKING SPACES 2100.1 All buildings or structures erected on or after May 12, 1958 shall be provided with parking spaces to the extent specified in § 2101, except as permitted by §§ 2102 through 2108 and for structures erected on Kingman and Heritage Isl…

2101 SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS FOR PARKING SPACES 2101.1 On and after May 12, 1958, all buildings or structures shall be provided with parking spaces as specified in the following table, except for buildings and structures located in the StE or the WR zones: USES NUMBER OF PARKING…

2102 EXCEPTIONS TO THE SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS: C-4 DISTRICT 2102.1 In a C-4 District, the provisions in this section shall apply. 2102.2 The parking requirements applicable to a Disposition Lot as defined in the Urban Renewal Plan for the Downtown Urban Renewal Area shall be as…

2103 EXCEPTIONS TO THE SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS: DOWNTOWN URBAN RENEWAL AREA 2103.1 Within the Downtown Urban Renewal Area, parking spaces required for all uses need not be provided if adopted, public law or municipal regulation prohibits a curb cut on the street on which the lot…

2104 EXCEPTIONS TO THE SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS: NEAR METRORAIL STATIONS 2104.1 The number of parking spaces required for a nonresidential building or structure shall be seventy-five percent (75%) of the amount otherwise ordinarily required under § 2101.1 if the building is locat…

2105 EXCEPTIONS TO THE SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS: CENTRAL EMPLOYMENT AREA 2105.1 The number of parking spaces required under § 2101.1 for a nonresidential building or structure located within the Central Employment Area may be reduced or eliminated; provided: (a) The building or s…

2106 EXCEPTIONS TO THE SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS: COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 2106.1 For a college or university use, if a campus plan has been approved by the Zoning Commission or the Board of Zoning Adjustment for the college or university, parking shall be provided as set forth i…

2107 EXCEPTIONS TO THE SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS: OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL EMPLOYMENT AREA 2107.1 The Board of Zoning Adjustment is hereby authorized to reduce or eliminate the amount of required parking spaces for nonresidential buildings or structures located outside the Central Empl…

2108 REDUCTION OF PARKING SPACES: AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD 2108.1 The Board of Zoning Adjustment is hereby authorized to reduce the amount of parking spaces required for nonresidential uses under § 2101.1 in accordance with the requirements of § 3104 for special exceptions, pursuan…

2109 APPLICABILITY OF NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDING AND STRUCTURE PROVISIONS 2109.1 For the purposes of §§ 2104, 2105, 2107, and 2108, a nonresidential building or structure includes any building or structure where eighty percent (80%) or more of the gross floor area is devoted to a us…

2110 TEMPORARY SURFACE PARKING LOTS AND SPACES FOR THE BALLPARK 2110.1 Permitted Use - Notwithstanding §§ 602.1 and 902.1 and not subject to any otherwise applicable proximity requirement, a temporary surface parking lot accessory to the Ballpark shall be permitted as a temporary…

2111 SURFACE PARKING LOTS LANDSCAPING STANDARDS 2111.1 Surface parking areas with ten (10) or more parking spaces shall conform to the landscaping, tree canopy cover, screening, and lighting requirements as set forth in this section: A minimum of ten percent (10%) of the total ar…

2115 SIZE OF PARKING SPACES 2115.1 Except as otherwise provided in this section, a required automobile parking space shall be a minimum of nine feet (9 ft.) in width and nineteen feet (19 ft.) in length, exclusive of access drives, aisles, ramps, columns, office or work areas and…

2116 LOCATION OF PARKING SPACES 2116.1 Except as provided in §§ 214, 510, 708, 730, 743.2(d), 753.1(c), 761.2, 803.1, 926, 2116.5, 2116.10 and 2117.9(c), all parking spaces shall be located on the same lot with the buildings or structures they are intended to serve. 2116.2 Parkin…

2117 ACCESS, MAINTENANCE, AND-OPERATION 2117.1 The parking spaces required by this chapter shall be provided and maintained so long as the structure that the parking spaces are designed to serve exists. 2117.2 Required parking spaces shall not be reduced in total extent after the…

2118 RULES OF INTERPRETATION 2118.1 For the purpose of this chapter, the rules of interpretation set forth in this section shall apply. 2118.2 Where individual seats are not provided, each eighteen inches (18 in.) of benches or other similar seating shall be considered as one (1)…

2119 BICYCLE PARKING SPACES 2119.1 Bicycle parking spaces shall be provided for office and retail and service uses, except for retail and service uses in the C-3-C, C-4, and C-5 (PAD) Districts. For office uses in the C-4 and C-5 (PAD) Districts, bicycle parking spaces shall be p…

2120 PARKING FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS 2120.1 This section sets forth the circumstances under which existing and new uses in historic resources and additions thereto are exempt from providing parking and shall not apply to new unattached structures constructed on the same lot as a h…

2200 AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE LOADING FACILITIES 2200.1 All buildings or structures erected on or after May 12, 1958 shall be provided with loading berths, loading platforms, and service/delivery loading spaces to the extent specified in § 2201, except as provided in § 2202 and for s…

2201 SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS FOR LOADING BERTHS, LOADING PLATFORMS, AND SERVICE/DELIVERY LOADING SPACES 2201.1 On and after May 12, 1958, all buildings or structures shall be provided with loading berths, loading platforms, and service/delivery loading spaces as specified in the…

2202 EXCEPTIONS TO THE SCHEDULE OF REQUIREMENTS 2202.1 Within the Downtown Urban Renewal Area, loading berths and service/delivery loading spaces need not be provided if adopted public law or municipal regulation prohibits a curb cut on the street that the lot faces and there is …

2203 LOCATION OF LOADING BERTHS, LOADING PLATFORMS, AND SERVICE/DELIVERY LOADING SPACES 2203.1 Except as provided in this section, all required loading berths and service/delivery loading spaces shall be located as follows: (a) Within the building or structure the berths or space…

2204 ACCESS, MAINTENANCE, AND OPERATION 2204.1 All loading berths and service/delivery loading spaces including access aisles, driveways, and maneuvering areas shall be paved and maintained with bituminous, concrete, or brick materials or a combination of these materials or other…

2205 RULES OF INTERPRETATION 2205.1 For the purpose of this chapter, the rules of interpretation in this section shall be applicable. 2205.2 In computing the number of required loading berths, that portion of the gross floor area or cellar floor area devoted to any pump island ca…

2300 PRIVATE GARAGES AND CARPORTS 2300.1 A building erected, altered, converted, or reconstructed for use as a private garage shall be subject to the provisions of this section. 2300.2 A private garage that is an accessory building in a Residence District: (a) May be located eith…

2301 PARKING GARAGES 2301.1 A building erected, altered, converted, or reconstructed for use as a parking garage shall be subject to the provisions in this section. 2301.2 A parking garage that is an accessory use may be located as follows: (a) As an accessory building in any dis…

2302 PUBLIC STORAGE GARAGES, REPAIR GARAGES, MECHANICAL PARKING GARAGES, AND GASOLINE SERVICE STATIONS 2302.1 A public storage garage, repair garage, mechanical parking garage, or gasoline service station established or enlarged in any district except in the C-M or M Districts sh…

2303 PARKING LOTS 2303.1 A parking lot in any district shall conform to the following provisions: (a) All areas devoted to driveways, access lanes, and parking areas shall be surfaced and maintained with an all-weather surface. In addition to traditional impervious surfaces, allo…

2304 DRIVE-THROUGH USES 2304.1 A driveway serving as a vehicle queuing lane for a drive-through shall conform to the standards in this section. 2304.2 The queuing lane shall provide a minimum of five (5) queuing lane spaces before the first service location and one (1) queuing la…

2400 PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT (PUD) 2400.1 The planned unit development (PUD) process is designed to encourage high quality developments that provide public benefits. 2400.2 The overall goal is to permit flexibility of development and other incentives, such as increased building …

2401 AREA REQUIREMENTS 2401.1 The minimum area included within the proposed development, including the area of public streets or alleys proposed to be closed, shall be as follows: (a) A total of two (2) acres for a development to be located in any R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4, or R-5-A Dis…

2402 TYPES OF APPLICATIONS 2402.1 The PUD process may be either a one-stage or a two-stage process. 2402.2 The two (2) parts of a two-stage PUD shall be as follows: (a) The first stage involves a general review of the site's suitability for use as a PUD; the appropriateness, char…

2403 PUD EVALUATION STANDARDS 2403.1 The Commission will evaluate and approve, disapprove, or modify a PUD application according to the standards in this section. 2403.2 The applicant shall have the burden of proof to justify the granting of the application according to these sta…

2404 HOUSING LINKAGE 2404.1 A PUD application that proposes an increase in gross floor area devoted to office space over and above the amount of office space permitted as a matter of right under the zoning included as part of the PUD shall comply with the housing linkage requirem…

2405 PUD STANDARDS 2405.1 Except as limited by an overlay, no building or structure shall exceed the maximum height permitted in the least restrictive zone district within the project area as indicated in the following table; and no penthouse shall exceed the maximum height permi…

2406 FILING REQUIREMENTS 2406.1 Each PUD application shall meet the requirements of this section before it will be accepted by the Commission for processing. 2406.2 A PUD application may be filed in conjunction with a change in zoning for the property involved. 2406.3 No PUD appl…

2407 PROCESSING OF FIRST-STAGE PUD APPLICATIONS 2407.1 The Commission shall refer a PUD application to the D.C. Office of Planning, which shall report to the Commission on whether the application is consistent with the purpose of the PUD process, and whether or not a hearing shou…

2408 PROCESSING OF SECOND-STAGE PUD APPLICATIONS 2408.1 In accordance with §§ 2406.12 and 2407.8 through 2407.11, the applicant may file an application for second-stage PUD approval. 2408.2 The application shall be filed on a form as may be designated from time-to-time by the Com…