District of Columbia Administrative Code

APPLICABILITY OF GREEN AREA RATIO STANDARDS The requirements of this chapter became applicable October 1, 2013. Except as provided in Subtitle C § 601.3 and pursuant to the conditions and requirements of this chapter, properties in all zones except the R and RF zones shall provid…

CALCULATION OF GREEN AREA RATIO The GAR shall be calculated using the following formula: (area of landscape element 1 x multiplier)+ GAR = (area of landscape element 2 x multiplier)+… Lot Area For the purposes of the above formula and the remainder of this chapter: The term “land…

LANDSCAPE ELEMENT CONDITIONS FOR GREEN AREA RATIO No landscape element may be counted towards a property’s GAR unless it meets the applicable conditions stated in this section. Plantings over the specified soil depths shall meet the required conditions listed in Table C § 602.9: …

SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS FOR GREEN AREA RATIO This section lists the submittal requirements for demonstrating compliance with a GAR requirement. For the purposes of this section, the term “Certified Landscape Expert” means a person who holds one of the following licenses or certifi…

SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS FOR GREEN AREA RATIO The Board of Zoning Adjustment may grant, as a special exception, a full or partial reduction in the GAR required under this chapter if, in addition to meeting the general requirements of Subtitle X, Chapter 9, the applicant demonstrates th…

606 MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR GREEN AREA RATIO 606.1 All plantings and landscape elements used to calculate a property’s GAR must be maintained for the life of the project. If, for any reason, the installed landscape elements fall below the minimum required GAR score, new elig…

INTRODUCTION This chapter provides parking regulations intended to: Ensure that vehicular parking areas are located, accessed, and designed to minimize negative impacts on adjacent property, urban design, the pedestrian environment, and public spaces; Ensure that vehicle parking …

MINIMUM VEHICLE PARKING REQUIREMENTS The minimum parking requirements set forth in this section shall apply to the R, RF, RA, MU, NMU, and PDR zones; and only as specified in zones within Subtitle K. Where required, the minimum parking requirements set forth in Subtitle C § 701.5…

EXEMPTIONS FROM MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS Within any zone other than an R or RF zone, the minimum vehicle parking requirement identified in the table of Subtitle C § 701.5 shall be reduced by fifty percent (50%) for any site which is located: Within one-half mile (0.5 mi.) of …

SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS FROM MINIMUM PARKING NUMBER REQUIREMENTS This section provides flexibility from the minimum required number of parking spaces when providing the required number of spaces would be: (a) Impractical due to the shape or configuration of the site; (b) Unnecessary d…

MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR ADDITIONS TO EXISTING BUILDINGS OR STRUCTURES An addition to an existing building triggers additional parking requirements only when the gross floor area of the building is expanded or enlarged by twenty-five percent (25%) or more beyond the gross…

MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EXPANSION OR CHANGE OF USE WITHIN AN EXISTING BUILDING OR STRUCTURE Additional parking spaces shall be required only when the minimum number of parking spaces required for the new use exceeds the number of spaces required for the prior use that…

MAXIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS The maximums for all newly constructed parking areas, and parking areas that increase the number of parking spaces or the land area by twenty-five percent (25%) or more shall be no above-grade parking area built or expanded to exceed one hundred thous…

MITIGATION FOR PARKING SIGNIFICANTLY IN EXCESS OF THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT For the purposes of this section, the term “excess parking space” is defined as all vehicle parking spaces provided in excess of the minimum parking requirement for that location and use pursuant to Subtitl…

CAR-SHARE PARKING SPACE PROVISIONS Dedicated car-share parking spaces may be counted toward fulfillment of any minimum parking requirement in any zone other than an R or RF zone. Up to two (2) dedicated car share spaces provided in accordance with this provision may each count as…

RULES OF CALCULATION Gross floor area shall be as defined in Subtitle B, except that for purposes of calculating off-street parking requirements: (a) In all zones, gross floor area shall not include floor area devoted to off-street parking or loading facilities, including aisles,…

LOCATION RESTRICTIONS The intent of this section is to prevent negative impacts on neighboring property from excessive parking, minimize vehicle-pedestrian conflicts, respect the pedestrian environment, foster good urban design, and provide space for active uses to line parking s…

ACCESS REQUIREMENTS Approval of a driveway under this title does not constitute permission for a curb cut in public space. An applicant for a driveway with a curb cut in public space shall have the responsibility to obtain all other necessary approvals from the District Departmen…

SIZE AND LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS All parking spaces and parking aisles, whether required or not required, shall conform to the dimensional requirements of this section, except as provided in Subtitle C §§ 712.2 and 717. An automated parking garage is exempt from the requirements of t…

MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS All parking areas, including access aisles, driveways, and ramp areas, shall be surfaced and maintained with an all-weather surface. In addition to traditional impervious surfaces, allowable all-weather surfaces include porous (or pervious) concrete, poro…

SCREENING REQUIREMENTS FOR SURFACE PARKING 714.1 Screening shall be required for any external surface parking spaces except: (a) On a property located in a PDR zone that does not abut property that is not within a PDR zone; or (b) On a property devoted to residential uses with a …

LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS FOR SURFACE PARKING LOTS Surface parking lots with ten (10) or more parking spaces shall conform to the landscaping, tree canopy cover, and lighting requirements of this section: A minimum of ten percent (10%) of the total area devoted to parking, includi…

DRIVE-THROUGH QUEUING LANES A driveway serving as a motor vehicle queuing lane shall conform to the standards in this section. The queuing lane shall provide a minimum of five (5) queuing spaces before the first service location and one (1) queuing space after the last service lo…

EXCEPTIONS FROM PARKING SIZE, LAYOUT AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR ATTENDANT PARKING In an MU or D zone, the Zoning Administrator may waive the parking space dimensional, size, design, and striping requirements stated in Subtitle C §§ 712.4 through 712.7, and 713 for parking l…

TEMPORARY SURFACE PARKING LOTS FOR BALLPARK A temporary surface parking lot for the Ballpark shall be permitted on Squares 603, 605, 657, 658, 660, 661, 662, 662E, 664, 664E, 665, 700, 701, 707, 708, 708E, 708S, 744S, and 882; Square 658, Lot 7; Square 767, Lots 44-47; Square 768…

INTRODUCTION Any building permit application for new construction or addition to an existing building shall be accompanied by a bicycle parking plan, which shall be depicted on detailed site plans and building plans and demonstrate full compliance with this chapter. The Zoning Ad…

BICYCLE PARKING REQUIREMENTS 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 parki…

MINIMUM NUMBER OF BICYCLE PARKING SPACES All residential uses with eight (8) or more dwelling units and non-residential uses with four thousand square feet (4,000 sq. ft.) or more of gross floor area shall provide bicycle parking spaces as follows: TABLE C § 802.1: MINIMUM NUMBER…

RULES OF CALCULATION All bicycle parking standards shall be calculated on the basis of gross floor area, except for residential uses, which base bicycle parking standards on the number of dwelling units. For purposes of calculating bicycle parking standards: Gross floor area does…

SHORT-TERM BICYCLE PARKING SPACE REQUIREMENTS Required short-term bicycle parking spaces shall be located either on the same lot as the use they are intended to serve or on public space within twenty feet (20 ft.) of the lot. A use providing short-term bicycle parking on adjacent…

LONG-TERM BICYCLE PARKING SPACE REQUIREMENTS All required long-term bicycle parking spaces shall be located within the building of the use requiring them. Required long-term bicycle parking spaces shall be located no lower than the first cellar level or the first complete parking…

REQUIREMENTS FOR SHOWERS AND CHANGING FACILITIES – NON RESIDENTIAL USES The intent of this section is to ensure that long-term bicycle parking spaces are usable by the long-term occupants, especially employees, of non-residential uses. The requirements of this section shall apply…

SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS FROM BICYCLE PARKING REQUIREMENTS This section provides flexibility from the requirements of this chapter when providing the number of bicycle parking spaces or showers and changing facilities required would be: (a) Impractical due to the shape or configuration…

INTRODUCTION Any building permit application for new construction or addition to an existing building shall be accompanied by a detailed loading plan demonstrating full compliance with this chapter. The Zoning Administrator may, at his or her discretion, request that the District…

LOADING REQUIREMENTS All buildings or structures shall be provided with loading berths and service/delivery spaces as follows, except for structures erected on Kingman and Heritage Islands for which the construction of service delivery loading spaces shall be prohibited: TABLE C …

RULES OF MEASUREMENT When two (2) or more non-residential uses in the same use category share a building or structure, all of the uses in the same use category shall be added together to derive the total gross floor area, to determine the required number of berths and spaces for …

LOCATION RESTRICTIONS Except as provided in this section, all loading berths and service/delivery spaces shall be located as follows: Within the building or structure the berths or spaces are designed to serve; Within the rear yard of the building they are intended to serve; or W…

ACCESS REQUIREMENTS All loading berths and service/delivery spaces shall be accessible at all times from a driveway meeting the requirements of Subtitle C §§ 904.2 and 904.3. A driveway or access aisle leading to a loading berth or service/delivery space shall have a minimum widt…

SIZE AND LAYOUT REQUIREMENTS The intent of this section is to ensure that loading facilities are adequately sized and capable of performing their intended functions. All loading berths shall be a minimum of twelve feet (12 ft.) wide, have a minimum depth of thirty feet (30 ft.) a…

MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS All loading berths and service/delivery spaces including access aisles, driveways, and maneuvering areas shall be surfaced and maintained with an all-weather surface. A loading berth or service/delivery space, including access aisles, driveways, and maneu…

TRASH ROOM AND RECEPTACLE REQUIREMENTS Buildings requiring loading shall have a designated trash area either within the building or within a loading berth or within an accessory building or structure immediately adjacent to the loading area or within an enclosed receptacle in a d…

SCREENING AND LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS All loading berths or service/delivery spaces that are not enclosed within a building and are located in a zone other than a PDR zone or a PDR zone that abuts an R, RF, or RA zone, shall have screening around the entire perimeter, subject to th…

SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS FROM LOADING REQUIREMENTS This section provides flexibility from the loading requirements when providing the number or dimensions of loading spaces or the access and screening required by this section would be: (a) Impractical due to the shape or configuration …

GENERAL PROVISIONS Subtitle D is to be read and applied in addition to the regulations included in: (a) Subtitle A, Authority and Applicability; (b) Subtitle B, Definitions, Rules of Measurement, and Use Categories; (c) Subtitle C, General Rules; and (d) Subtitle U, Use Permissio…

PURPOSE AND INTENT The Residential House (R) zones are residential zones, designed to provide for stable, low- to moderate-density residential areas suitable for family life and supporting uses. The R zones are intended to: (a) Provide for the orderly development and use of land …

[REPEALED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 2834 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 70 DCR 011297 (August 25, 2023). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Zoning Regulations of 2016: Residential House (R) Zones 11-D DCMR §…

[REPEALED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 2834 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 70 DCR 011297 (August 25, 2023). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Zoning Regulations of 2016: Residential House (R) Zones 11-D DCMR §…

[REPEALED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 2834 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 3776 (April 3, 2020); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 70 DCR 011297 (August 25, 2023). District of Columbia Municipal Regula…

[REPEALED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 2834 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 66 DCR 13705 (October 18, 2019); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 68 DCR 013904 (December 24, 2021); as amended by Final Rulemaking …

[REPEALED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 2834 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 70 DCR 011297 (August 25, 2023). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Zoning Regulations of 2016: Residential House (R) Zones 11-D DCMR §…