District of Columbia Administrative Code

750 CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (C-4) 750.1 The Central Business (C-4) District shall be designed for the downtown core that comprises the retail and office centers for both the District of Columbia and the metropolitan area. 750.2 The C-4 District shall be large enough to provide …

751 USES AS A MATTER OF RIGHT (C-4) 751.1 The conversion of gross floor area in an existing structure from above ground parking to any use permitted in the C-4 District shall be permitted in a C-4 District as a matter of right; provided: (a) The amount of area to be converted sha…

752 ACCESSORY USES AND BUILDINGS (C-4) 752.1 A mechanical amusement machine shall be permitted in a C-4 District as an accessory use incidental to the uses permitted in §§ 751 through 754, subject to provisions of § 2501. 752.2 A child development home or an expanded child develo…

753 SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS (C-4) 753.1 The following buildings and uses shall be permitted in a C-4 District as a special exception if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment under § 3104: (a) Public utility pumping station, subject to any requirements pertaining to setbacks or sc…

754 SEXUALLY-ORIENTED BUSINESSES (C-4) 754.1 A sexually-oriented business establishment shall be permitted as a special exception in a C-4 District, if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment under § 3104, subject to the provisions of this section. 754.2 No portion of the esta…

755 DOWNTOWN HISTORIC PROPERTIES RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (C-4) 755.1 This section authorizes the transfer of development rights from a qualifying rehabilitation project within the C-4 District to a receiving zone or lot established pursuant to § 1709. 755.2 A…

756 ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT FACILITIES (C-4) 756.1 An Electronic Equipment Facility (EEF) that does not qualify as a matter-of-right use under § 751 may be permitted as a special exception in a C-4 District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment under § 3104, subject to the r…

760 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (C-5 (PAD)) 760.1 The Pennsylvania Avenue Development (C-5 (PAD)) District is established to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare and amenities in the area adjacent to the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue…

761 C-5 (PAD) DISTRICT USES 761.1 Any use permitted in a C-4 District under § 751 shall be permitted in the C-5 (PAD) District as a matter of right, except that an animal boarding use shall be prohibited and a gasoline service station shall be permitted only as an accessory use t…

762 C-5 (PAD) DISTRICT BONUS INCENTIVE SYSTEM 762.1 For the purpose of encouraging public amenities, development design, and in-town residential uses, the maximum permissible floor area ratio for a building or other structure in the C-5 (PAD) District specified in § 771 may be in…

763 OPEN ARCADE CRITERIA (C-5 (PAD)) 763.1 Where an open arcade is provided, it shall meet the criteria of this section to qualify for the award of the bonus specified in § 762.4. 763.2 An open arcade for its entire length shall be along the perimeter of a building and shall adjo…

764 ENCLOSED PEDESTRIAN SPACE CRITERIA (C-5 (PAD)) 764.1 Where an enclosed pedestrian space is provided in the C-5 (PAD) District, the space created shall meet the criteria of this section before the floor area bonus in § 762.4 can be awarded. 764.2 The space shall be directly ac…

765 THROUGH SQUARE CONNECTION CRITERIA (C-5 (PAD)) 765.1 Where a through square connection is provided in the C-5 (PAD) District, the space created within the square as the connection shall meet the criteria of this section before additional gross square feet shall be awarded inc…

766 THEATER CRITERIA (C-5 (PAD)) 766.1 The Board of Zoning Adjustment may authorize within a C-5 (PAD) District an increase in bulk as specified in § 762.4 for any new building containing a legitimate theater or similar performing arts facility. 766.2 The Board may also prescribe…

767 CLOSED COURTS CRITERIA (C-5 (PAD)) 767.1 Where a closed court in the C-5 (PAD) District is enlarged for the purpose of obtaining an award of a bonus incentive, the criteria in this section shall be met. 767.2 A closed court shall be landscaped and may be used for a restaurant…

768 BONUS INCENTIVE PROCEDURES (C-5 (PAD)) 768.1 Application, review, and award under the Bonus Incentive System shall be made to the Board of Zoning Adjustment. 768.2 The Board shall process the application in accordance with its normal rules of procedure. 768.3 Application shal…

770 HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES (C) 770.1 Except as provided in this section and in Chapters 17 and 20 through 25 of this title, the height of a building or structure, not including a penthouse, in a Commercial District shall not exceed that set forth in the following table…

771 FLOOR AREA RATIO (C) 771.1 Except as specified in §§ 771.5 and 771.6 and chapters 20 through 25 of this title, the maximum permitted floor area ratio of a building or structure in a Commercial District shall be as specified in this section. 771.2 For a building or structure f…

772 PERCENTAGE OF LOT OCCUPANCY (C) 772.1 In a Commercial District, no building or portion of a building devoted to a residential use, including accessory buildings but excluding hotels, shall occupy the lot upon which it is located in excess of the percentage of lot occupancy in…

774 REAR YARDS (C) 774.1 Except as provided in this section, a rear yard shall be provided for each structure located in a Commercial District, the minimum depth of which shall be as prescribed in the following table: ZONE DISTRICT AND STRUCTURE MINIMUM DEPTH OF REAR YARD C-1 20 …

775 SIDE YARDS (C) 775.1 Side yards shall be provided for structures in a Commercial District as specified in this section. 775.2 A one-family detached dwelling shall be subject to the side yard requirements of an R-1 District. 775.3 A one-family semi-detached dwelling shall be s…

776 COURTS (C) 776.1 Where a court is provided for a building or portion of a building devoted to nonresidential uses, at any elevation in the court, the width of court shall be a minimum of three inches per foot (3 in./ft.) of height, measured from the lowest level of the court …

777 PENTHOUSES (C) 777.1 The provisions of § 411 shall also regulate penthouses in the Commercial Districts. 777.2 [REPEALED]. SOURCE: §§ 5306.1 and 5303.2 of the Zoning Regulations, effective May 12, 1958; as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 47 DCR 9741-43 (December 8, 2…

800 COMMERCIAL-LIGHT MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS (C-M) 800.1 The Commercial-Light Manufacturing (C-M) Districts are intended to provide sites for heavy commercial and light manufacturing activities employing large numbers of people and requiring some heavy machinery under controls th…

801 USES AS A MATTER OF RIGHT (C-M) 801.1 The uses set forth in this section shall be permitted in a C-M District as a matter of right. 801.2 Any commercial use permitted in the C-4 District under § 751, except establishments whose principal use is the administration of massages,…

802 SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS (C-M) 802.1 The uses in this section shall be permitted as special exceptions in a C-M District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment under § 3104, subject to the provisions of this section except that emergency shelters shall not be permitted in a …

803 ACCESSORY PARKING SPACES (C-M) 803.1 Accessory parking spaces, except for a motel, wholly within three hundred feet (300 ft.) of the lot or part of the lot on which the principal use is permitted, shall be permitted as a special exception in a C-M District when those parking …

804 STANDARDS OF EXTERNAL EFFECTS (C-M) 804.1 All uses established in a C-M District under authority of § 801.7 and any uses accessory to those uses shall be operated so as to comply with the standards of external effects in this section. 804.2 The volume of sound inherently and …

805 EXTERNAL EFFECTS PERMIT APPLICATIONS (C-M) 805.1 When filing an application for a building permit or certificate of occupancy with the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs for a use permitted under § 801.7, the applicant shall submit with the application three (3) co…

806 LANGDON OVERLAY DISTRICT (LO) 806.1 The Langdon Overlay (LO) District shall apply to the C-M-1 zoned properties of Squares 4103, 4106, 4107(3), 4108, 4255, 4256, 4265, 4282, 4284, and 4347 (west of the B&O Railroad right-of-way) in the general vicinity of 24th and Douglas Str…

820 GENERAL INDUSTRY DISTRICTS (M) 820.1 The General Industry (M) Districts are designed to provide areas suitable for development as heavy industrial sites, but at the same time protect those industrial developments from the intrusion of non-industrial uses that impede the full …

821 USES AS A MATTER OF RIGHT (M) 821.1 The uses in this section shall be permitted as a matter of right in M Districts. 821.2 Any uses permitted in a C-M District under §§ 801.2 and 801.4 through 801.10. 821.3 Any other lawful use not regulated by §§ 822 or 823 shall be permitte…

822 SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS (M) 822.1 The uses in this section shall be permitted as special exceptions in the M District if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment under § 3104, subject to the provisions specified in this section. 822.2 Any establishment whose principal use is the…