District of Columbia Administrative Code

SPECIAL EXCEPTION USES (WR) The uses listed as requiring special exception approval (S) in § 3512 shall be permitted in a WR zone if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment pursuant to § 3104 and subject to the provisions of this section. The Board of Zoning Adjustment may imp…

PROHIBITED USES (WR) In addition to the use groups listed in the table in § 3512 as not permitted, the following uses are prohibited in the WR zone as both principal and accessory uses: Drive-through or drive-in, as either a principal or accessory use; Any establishment that has …

AUTOMOBILE PARKING (WR) The cumulative total of all automobile parking spaces, including below-grade, surface, and above-grade structured parking, shall not exceed a total of three thousand four hundred (3,400) parking spaces. Each application to the Department of Consumer and Re…

BICYCLE PARKING (WR) When bicycle parking spaces are required, signs shall be posted in a prominent place at each entrance to the building or structure stating where bicycle parking spaces are located. A property owner shall provide and maintain all required bicycle parking space…

LOADING (WR) Any building permit application for new construction or an addition to an existing building shall be accompanied by a detailed loading plan demonstrating full compliance with this chapter. All access to loading facilities, whether from a public or private right of wa…

AFFORDABLE HOUSING 3540.1 Affordable housing shall be provided as described in this section. The provisions of Chapter 26 of this title shall not apply. 3540.2 The purposes of this section are to: Ensure the provision of a significant amount of affordable housing, including for v…

3541 GREEN AREA RATIO (WR) 3541.1 In the WR-2, WR-3, WR-4, WR-5, WR-7, and WR-8 zones, the GAR requirement is four-tenths (0.4), pursuant to Chapter 34 of this title. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 62 DCR 12168 (September 4, 2015). District of Columbia Municipal Regulation…

PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENTS (WR) A planned unit development (PUD) in the WR zone shall be subject to the following provisions in addition to the provisions of Chapter 24 of this title: The minimum area required for a proposed PUD shall be fifteen thousand square feet (15,000 sq. ft…

SPECIAL EXCEPTION RELIEF (WR) Except for § 3503.10 or as provided elsewhere in this chapter, relief from any section of this chapter may be heard and decided by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception. In addition to the general special exception criteria of § 3104,…

USE GROUPS 3590.1 When used in this chapter, the following use categories shall have the following meanings: Agriculture, large: The on-site cultivation, or maintenance of plants, or the breeding or keeping of animals and livestock intended for personal use or eventual sale or le…

USES – RULES FOR INTERPRETATION This Section establishes rules for assigning and codifying use groups and use categories and regulations for the operation of temporary uses. The following rules shall be used to determine a use group: Use groups describe activities being performed…

400 HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES (R) 400.1 Except as specified in this chapter and in Chapters 20 through 25 of this title, the height of buildings or structures, not including the penthouse, in a Residence District shall not exceed that given in the following table: ZONE DI…

401 MINIMUM LOT DIMENSIONS (R) 401.1 Except as provided in Chapters 20 through 25 of this title and in the second sentence of this subsection, in the case of a building located, on May 12, 1958, on a lot with a lot area or width of lot, or both, less than that prescribed in § 401…

402 FLOOR AREA RATIO (R) 402.1 In an R-1 and R-2 District, the maximum floor area ratio requirements applicable in each district may be increased for specific public school buildings or structures; provided, the total gross floor area of all buildings and structures on the campus…

403 PERCENTAGE OF LOT OCCUPANCY (R) 403.1 A public school building may occupy the lot upon which it is located in excess of the permitted percentage of lot occupancy prescribed in §403.2; provided, that the portion of the building excluding closed courts exceeding the lot coverag…

404 REAR YARDS (R) 404.1 A rear yard shall be provided for each structure located in a Residence District, the minimum depth of which shall be as set forth in the following table: ZONE DISTRICT MINIMUM DEPTH OF REAR YARD R-1-A, R-1-B R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5-A R-5-B, R-5-C, R-5-D R-5-E…

405 SIDE YARDS (R) 405.1 In an R-2, R-3, R-4, or R-5 District, a one-family detached dwelling shall be subject to the side yard requirements of an R-1 District. 405.2 In an R-3, R-4, or R-5 District, a one-family semi-detached dwelling shall be subject to the side yard requiremen…

406 COURTS (R) 406.1 Where a court is provided in a Residence District, the court shall have the minimum dimensions set forth in the following table: ZONE DISTRICT AND STRUCTURE MINIMUM WIDTH OF OPEN COURT MINIMUM WIDTH AND AREA OF CLOSED COURT R-1-A, R-1-B, R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5-A …

407 MINOR FLEXIBILITY BY ZONING ADMINISTRATOR'S RULING (R) 407.1 The Zoning Administrator is authorized to permit a deviation not to exceed two percent (2%) of the area requirements of §§ 401 and 403 (minimum lot dimensions and maximum percentage of lot occupancy); and a deviatio…

408 GROSS FLOOR AREA (R) 408.1 A public recreation and community center shall not exceed a gross floor area of forty thousand square feet (40,000 sq. ft.), unless approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception in accordance with the provisions of § 3104.1. SOUR…

411 PENTHOUSES (R) 411.1 A penthouse permitted in this title shall comply with the conditions specified in this section. 411.2 [RESERVED] 411.3 Except for compliance with the setbacks required by § 411.18 and as otherwise noted in this section, a penthouse that is less than four …

412 PERVIOUS SURFACE 412.1 The minimum pervious surface percentage requirement stated below shall be applicable only in conjunction with the following: The construction of a new principal structure; An addition to a principal or accessory structure, other than a historic resource…

413 RETAINING WALLS 413.1 In R-1, R-2, R-3, and R-4 Districts a retaining wall may be erected in accordance with the requirements of this section. The height of a retaining wall shall be determined as follows: The height of a retaining wall is the vertical distance measured from …

414 AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRODUCTION REQUIREMENT GENERATED BY CONSTRUCTION ON A NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDING OF PENTHOUSE HABITABLE SPACE 414.1 The owner of a non-residential building proposing to construct penthouse habitable space shall produce or financially assist in the production …

500 GENERAL PROVISIONS (SP) 500.1 The SP District (Special Purpose) is designed to stabilize those areas adjacent to C-3-C and C-4 Districts and other appropriate areas that contain: (a) Existing apartments, offices, and institutions; and (b) Mixed use buildings. 500.2 The major …

501 USES AS A MATTER OF RIGHT (SP) 501.1 The following uses shall be permitted as a matter of right in an SP District: (a) Any use permitted in any R-5 District under §§ 350.4 and 350.5, except a hotel; (b) Antenna, subject to the standards and procedure which apply pursuant chap…

502 ACCESSORY USES (SP) 502.1 The following commercial uses shall be permitted in an SP District as accessory uses and appropriate adjuncts to an apartment house or hotel, incidental to the uses permitted in this chapter; provided, that the requirements of §§ 502.2 through 502.4 …

503 CHANCERIES (SP) 503.1 A chancery shall be a permitted use in an SP District, subject to disapproval by the Board of Zoning Adjustment in accordance with chapter 10 of this title. SOURCE: § 4108.8 of the Zoning Regulations, effective May 12, 1958, as added by Final Rulemaking …

504 POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL FACILITY (SP) 504.1 A vehicle maintenance facility or equestrian unit shall be permitted in an SP District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception under §3104, subject to the provisions of this section. 504.2 The vehicle …

505 PARKING LOTS (SP) 505.1 A parking lot in existence on October 5, 1978, under approval by the Board of Zoning Adjustment, may be permitted by the Board to continue in existence for a period not to exceed twenty (20) years from the date of expiration of the Certificate of Occup…

506 PARKING GARAGES (SP) 506.1 Parking garages shall be permitted in an SP District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception under § 3104, subject to the provisions of chapter 23 and this section. 506.2 [DELETED] 506.3 Each parking garage shall be loca…

507 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (SP) 507.1 A college or university that is an academic institution of higher learning, including a college or university hospital, dormitory, fraternity, or sorority house proposed to be located on the campus of a college or university, shall be perm…

508 OFFICE USES (SP) 508.1 Construction of a new office building or construction of an addition to a building for office use, or conversion of an existing building to office use, shall be permitted in an SP District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special excep…

509 UTILITIES (SP) 509.1 If declared necessary in the public interest by the Public Service Commission, a telephone exchange, public utility pumping station, electric substation using nonrotating equipment, or a natural gas regulator station shall be permitted in an SP District i…

510 ACCESSORY PARKING SPACES (SP) 510.1 Accessory parking spaces elsewhere than on the same lot or part of the lot on which any principal SP use is permitted, except for a one-family dwelling, when the parking spaces will be established within the square in which the principal us…

512 HOTELS AND INNS (SP) 512.1 A hotel or inn shall be permitted in an SP District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception under § 3104, subject to the provisions of this section. 512.2 [DELETED] 512.3 The height, bulk, and design of the hotel or inn …

513 COMMUNITY-BASED RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES (SP) 513.1 Community-based residential facilities in the following subcategories shall be permitted in an SP District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception under § 3104: (a) Youth residential care home or c…

516 CLERICAL AND RELIGIOUS GROUP RESIDENCES (SP) 516.1 Use as residences for clerical groups and religious denominations in excess of fifteen (15) persons shall be permitted in an SP District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception under § 3104, subje…

517 CHURCH PROGRAMS (SP) 517.1 Use for a program conducted by a church congregation or group of churches shall be permitted in an SP District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception under § 3104, subject to the provisions of this section. 517.2 The pa…

518 RETAIL AND SERVICE USES (SP-2) 518.1 The uses identified in § 518.4 shall be permitted in certain properties in an SP-2 District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment under § 3104, subject to the provisions of this section. 518.2 The properties are those located south…