District of Columbia Administrative Code

BICYCLE PARKING (USN) Bicycle parking spaces shall be provided at a minimum as follows: TABLE K § 310.1: MINIMUM BICYCLE PARKING SPACES Type of use Indoor Spaces Outdoor spaces Residential 1 for every 3 units 1 for every 20 units, with a minimum of 2 Non-residential 1 for every 1…

OFF STREET AUTOMOBILE PARKING (USN) The provisions of Subtitle C, Chapter 7 do not apply to the USN zone. There shall be no minimum number of automobile parking spaces required in the USN zone. No lease or purchase agreement for a dwelling unit may include within its terms the sa…

LOADING (USN) Loading shall be provided as required in Subtitle C, Chapter 9. The Zoning Commission may, as a special exception, permit the reduction, elimination, relocation, or consolidation of loading facilities, provided that the applicant demonstrates that: The proposed numb…

USE PERMISSIONS (USN) Use permissions, including uses permitted as a matter of right, as a special exception, and as an accessory use, and uses not permitted shall be in accordance with the MU-Use Group F of Subtitle U, Chapter 5 and Arts uses of Subtitle U, Chapter 7. SOURCE: Fi…

GROUND FLOOR AREAS REQUIRED TO BE DEVOTED TO PREFERRED USES (USN) One hundred percent (100%) of the ground floor H Street frontage of building units, except for space devoted to building entrances or lobbies, space required to be devoted to fire control, or space dedicated to tra…

ZONING COMMISSION REVIEW – GENERAL (USN) Due to the unique nature of the USN zone, all proposed buildings, structures, or any proposed exterior renovation to any existing buildings or structures that would result in an alteration of the exterior design, as well as any associated …

ZONING COMMISSION REVIEW – MASTER PLAN (USN) Prior to or together with either the first-stage 1 or the first consolidated application submitted pursuant to this chapter, the applicant shall submit for review and approval by the Zoning Commission a master plan for the entire USN z…

ZONING COMMISSION REVIEW – STAGE 1, STAGE 2, AND CONSOLIDATED APPLICATIONS (USN) A stage 1 or stage 2 application may request review and approval of one (1) or more building units, structures or open spaces, or of one (1) or two (2) buildings. An applicant may request considerati…

COMMUNITY REVIEW (USN) The affected ANC shall be granted party status to any application submitted pursuant to this chapter, and may participate in the public hearing for the application pursuant to Subtitle Z. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 3176 (March 4, 201…

AGENCY REVIEW (USN) The Office of Zoning shall refer the application to the Office of Planning, the District Department of Transportation, Fire and Emergency Services, the District Department of Energy and Environment, and any other relevant District agencies for review and comme…

MASTER PLAN SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS (USN) An applicant requesting approval of a master plan application shall provide: A written description of the proposal, including a description of how the master plan review criteria are met; and A plan or plans encompassing the entire USN zon…

MASTER PLAN REVIEW CRITERIA (USN) The following criteria are applicable to master plan applications: Internal Connectivity – Internal connections shall result in a form of development that generally reflects the grid pattern of the District and that avoids the creation of excessi…

STAGE 1 SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS (USN) An applicant requesting approval of a stage 1 review application shall provide: A written description of the proposal, including a description of how the applicable review criteria are met; Site plans, elevations, renderings, photographic simu…

STAGE 1 REVIEW CRITERIA (USN) The following criteria are applicable to stage 1 applications: External Connectivity – The development shall provide pedestrian connections in appropriate and feasible locations to surrounding development and surrounding neighborhoods including Union…

STAGE 2 SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS (USN) An applicant requesting approval of a stage 2 review application shall provide: Information required in Subtitle K §§ 322.1(a) through (f); Elevations, detail drawings, renderings, or other graphics that clearly demonstrate the proposed archit…

STAGE 2 REVIEW CRITERIA (USN) The following criteria are applicable to stage 2 applications: External Connectivity – External connections shall provide adequate size, materials, lighting and signage to move users easily and safely; Visual Relationship to Surroundings – A suitable…

ASSOCIATED RELIEF (USN) Relief from any section of this chapter may be heard and decided by the Zoning Commission as a special exception in accordance with Subtitle X, Chapter 9. The applicant shall also demonstrate that the purposes of the USN Zone would be met if the relief wer…

TIMEFRAME FOR APPROVAL (USN) The Zoning Commission may approve timeframes within which time an application must be filed for a building permit or a stage 2 application must be filed. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 3176 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2). District of Col…

MINOR MODIFICATIONS (USN) The Zoning Administrator shall have authority to approve minor modifications in the final plans approved by the Zoning Commission as set forth in Subtitle A § 304.4. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 3176 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2). Distri…

GENERAL PROVISIONS (HE) The purposes of the Hill East (HE) zones (HE-1 through HE-4) are to: Connect and integrate Reservation 13 with adjacent neighborhoods, and the new waterfront park along the Anacostia River; Utilize the site to meet a diversity of public needs, including he…

DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS (HE) The development standards in Subtitle K §§ 402 through 407 control the bulk of structures in the HE zones. 401.2 In addition to the development standards set forth in this subtitle, additional general regulations relevant to this subtitle can be found i…

DENSITY – FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR) (HE) The maximum permitted FAR of buildings in HE zones shall be given in the following table: TABLE K § 402.1: MAXIMUM PERMITTED FAR HE Sub-district Maximum FAR HE-1 (19th St.) 3.0 HE-2 (20th St.) 4.8 HE-3 (Water St.) 7.2 HE-4 (Corrections) 6.0 S…

HEIGHT (HE) The maximum permitted building height and number of stories, not including the penthouse or rooftop structure, in HE shall be given in the following table: TABLE K § 403.1: MAXIMUM PERMITTED HEIGHT AND STORIES HE Sub-District Building Height Minimum Maximum No. of Sto…

LOT OCCUPANCY (HE) The maximum permitted lot occupancy in the HE zones shall be given in the following table: TABLE K § 404.1: MAXIMUM PERMITED LOT OCCUPANCY HE Sub-District Maximum Lot Occupancy HE-1 (19th St.) 80% HE-2 (20th St.) 75% HE-3 (Water St.) 80% HE-4 (Corrections) 75% …

405 SETBACKS (HE) Buildings or structures in the HE zones that abut the HE-1 zone shall provide a twelve foot (12 ft.) setback from the zone boundary line for any part of the building or structure that exceeds fifty feet (50 ft.) in height. Buildings or structures in the HE zones…

REAR YARD (HE) Except as provided in Subtitle K § 406.2, no rear yard shall be required for entirely non-residential buildings. Notwithstanding Subtitle K § 406.1, an entirely non-residential building shall have a rear yard if: The building’s rear wall faces a wall of a residenti…

SIDE YARD (HE) No side yard is required; however, if a side yard is provided it shall be no less than eight feet (8 ft.). SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 3176 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Zoning Regulations of 2016: Speci…

PARKING, LOADING, AND VEHICLE ACCESS (HE) Parking requirements for the HE zones are as specified in Subtitle C. Bicycle parking requirements for the HE zones are as specified in Subtitle C. Loading requirements for the HE zones are as specified in Subtitle C. Loading berths shall…

ZONING COMMISSION REVIEW (HE) The Zoning Commission shall review the design of all new buildings, or additions to existing buildings for consistency with the design guidelines set forth at Subtitle K §§ 419 through 421 and with the purposes as stated in Subtitle K § 400 of this c…

USE PERMISSIONS (HE) This chapter contains use permissions and any applicable conditions in the HE zones. Antenna uses are permitted as a matter of right, subject to the standards and procedures that apply to the particular class of antenna pursuant to Subtitle C, Chapter 13. The…

PREFERRED USES (HE) For the purposes of the HE zones, preferred uses shall include retail, entertainment, assembly, and performing arts, and service uses. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 3176 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations …

USES PERMITTED BY SPECIAL EXCEPTION (HE) The following uses shall be permitted as a special exception if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment under Subtitle X, subject to Subtitle K § 413 and any applicable provisions of this section: Campus plan for a college or university…

ACCESSORY USES (HE) Except when required as a special exception by Subtitle K § 412 or not permitted by this section, accessory uses, buildings, or structures customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal uses permitted in Subtitle K § 410 shall be permitted in the HE z…

PROHIBITED USES IN THE HE ZONES (HE) The following uses are prohibited within the HE zones as both principal and accessory uses, unless otherwise noted: Any establishment that has as its principal use the administration of massages; Any industrial use first permitted in an MU zon…

INCLUSIONARY HOUSING REQUIREMENTS (HE) Development that is subject to the inclusionary zoning requirements in Subtitle C, Chapter 10 shall be constructed according to the provisions set forth in Subtitle K § 402, notwithstanding any bonus it may be granted by Subtitle C, Chapter …

GROUND FLOOR USE REQUIREMENTS (HE) The following locations are required to devote not less than sixty-five percent (65%) of the ground floor frontage to preferred uses and main building entrances, or lobbies to office and residential uses, and shall comply with the design require…

DESIGN STANDARDS FOR GROUND FLOOR PREFERRED USES CONDITIONS (HE) Wherever preferred uses, as defined in Subtitle K §411, are required or allowed pursuant to Subtitle K §§ 412, such ground floor preferred uses shall: If located on a corner, wrap around the corner to a minimum dept…

DESIGN CONDITIONS (HE) The provisions of this section establish the design requirements for all buildings and structures located in the HE zones. Except as provided in Subtitle K § 418.2, the front of a building or structure shall extend to the property line(s) abutting the stree…

DESIGN CONDITIONS FOR BUILDINGS LOCATED ON PRIMARY STREETS (HE) The provisions of this section set forth standards for buildings and structures with frontage(s) on a primary street. Notwithstanding Subtitle K §§ 419.2 and 419.3, the fronts of buildings located at street intersect…

4900 GENERAL PROVISIONS 4900.1 The provisions of this govern the height and bulk of public school buildings, public recreation and community centers, and public libraries in the RC-1 through RC-3 zones. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 3776 (April 3, 2020). District o…

4901 DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS 4901.1 The specific standards of this section shall govern public schools, public recreation and community centers, and public libraries; in the absence of specific standards, the development standards for the zone in which the building or structure is …

4902 DENSITY 4902.1 Public schools, public recreation and community centers, and public libraries shall be permitted a maximum floor area ratio as set forth in the following table: TABLE K § 4902.1: MAXIMUM FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR) FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS Zone Maximum FAR RC-1 2.0 RC-2,…

4903 HEIGHT 4903.1 The maximum permitted building height, not including the penthouse or rooftop structure, shall be as set forth in the following table: TABLE K § 4903.1: MAXIMUM HEIGHT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS Zone Maximum Height (ft.) Maximum Number of Stories RC-1 90 No limit RC-2,…

4904 PENTHOUSES OR ROOFTOP STRUCTURES 4904.1 Penthouses and rooftop structures shall be subject to the regulations of Subtitle C, Chapter 15, and to the height and story limitations specified in each zone of this subtitle; provided that public schools shall be permitted a mechani…

4905 REAR YARD 4905.1 A rear yard shall be provided for each public school, the minimum depth of which shall be as set forth in the following table: TABLE K § 4905.1: MINIMUM REAR YARD FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS Zone Minimum Rear Yard RC-1 4 in./ft. of vertical distance from the mean fin…

4906 SIDE YARD 4906.1 In the case of a lot proposed to be used by a public school that abuts or adjoins a public open space, recreation area, or reservation on a side lot line, no side yard shall be required. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 3776 (April 3, 2020). Dist…

4907 LOT OCCUPANCY 4907.1 Public schools shall not occupy a lot in excess of the maximum lot occupancy as set forth in the following table: TABLE K § 4907.1: MAXIMUM LOT OCCUPANCY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS Zone Maximum Lot Occupancy (%) RC-1 60 RC-2, RC-3 No limit 4907.2 A public school…

4908 SPECIAL EXCEPTION 4908.1 Exceptions to the development standards of this chapter for public schools shall be permitted as a special exception if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment under Subtitle X, Chapter 9. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 3776 (April 3…

GENERAL PROVISIONS (CG) The purposes of the Capitol Gateway (CG) zones (CG-1 through CG-7) are to: Assure development of the area with a mixture of residential and commercial uses, and a suitable height, bulk, and design of buildings, as generally indicated in the Comprehensive P…