District of Columbia Administrative Code

[REPEALED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 3176 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 10932 (August 26, 2016); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 70 DCR 011297 (August 25, 2023). District of Columbia Municipal Reg…

[REPEALED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 3176 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 70 DCR 011297 (August 25, 2023).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: Special Purpose Zones 11-K DCMR § 716 A…

717 [REPEALED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 10932 (August 26, 2016); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 70 DCR 011297 (August 25, 2023). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Zoning Regulations of 2016: Special Purpose Zones 11-K DCMR § 717 AUTHORITY…

PURPOSE AND INTENT (ARTS) The purposes of the Mixed-Use-Uptown Arts (ARTS) zones (ARTS-1 through ARTS-4) are to: Promote the creation of arts, arts-related, and art-supporting uses; Encourage a pedestrian scale of development, a mixture of building uses, adaptive reuse of older b…

DENSITY – FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR) (ARTS) Except as provided in other provisions of this chapter, the maximum permitted floor area ratio (FAR) in an ARTS zones shall be as set forth in the following table: TABLE K § 801.1: MAXIMUM PERMITTED FAR Zone Use Maximum FAR ARTS-1 Total 2.5…

BONUS DENSITY (ARTS) A project shall be eligible for bonus density for space devoted to one (1) or more of the preferred arts uses of Subtitle K § 802.2, subject to the following provisions: Bonus density may be used either to increase the gross floor area of the building for any…

HEIGHT AND PENTHOUSE AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURE REGULATIONS (ARTS) Except as provided in this section, the maximum permitted building height, not including the penthouse or rooftop structure, shall be as set for in the following table: TABLE K § 803.1: MAXIMUM PERMITTED BUILDING HEIGH…

LOT OCCUPANCY (ARTS) No structure, including accessory buildings, shall occupy a lot in excess of the percentage of lot occupancy set forth in the following table: TABLE K § 804.1: MAXIMUM PERMITTED LOT OCCUPANCY Zone Use Lot Occupancy Maximum ARTS-1 Public Rec Center 20% Residen…

REAR YARD (ARTS) A rear yard shall be provided for each structure in the ARTS zones with a minimum depth as set forth in the following table: TABLE K § 805.1: MINIMUM REAR YARD Zone Minimum Rear Yard ARTS-1 15 ft. ARTS-2 15 ft. ARTS-3 2.5 inches per foot of vertical distance from…

SIDE YARD (ARTS) No side yard is required in an ARTS zone for a principal building; however, if a side yard is provided it shall be at least two inches (2 in.) wide for each foot of height of building but no less than five feet (5 ft.). Any portion of a building setback from the …

COURT (ARTS) A court is not required in an ARTS zone; however, if a court is provided it shall have the following minimum dimensions: TABLE K § 807.1: MINIMUM COURT DIMENSIONS Type of Structure Minimum Width Open Court Minimum Width Closed Court Minimum Area Closed Court Resident…

GREEN AREA RATIO (ARTS) A minimum green area ratio (GAR) shall be provided for each lot in an ARTS zone as set forth in the following table pursuant to the conditions and requirements of Subtitle C, Chapter 6: TABLE K § 808.1: MINIMUM GREEN AREA RATIO Zone Minimum GAR ARTS-1 0.30…

809 PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT (ARTS) 809.1 In the ARTS zones, the bonus density and height permitted with bonus uses shall serve as the guidelines for planned unit developments. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 3176 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2). District of Columbia …

STREET FRONTAGE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS (ARTS) The following design requirements shall apply to any lot that fronts on 14th Street, U Street, 7th Street, or Florida Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets ("pedestrian streets”): No driveway that provides access from a pedestrian street to…

USE PERMISSIONS (ARTS) In an ARTS zone, the retail and service uses shall be permitted as a matter of right subject to the conditions of this section. In the ARTS-1 and ARTS-2 zones, arts uses in Subtitle U, Chapter 7 shall be permitted as a matter of right in addition to the MU-…

COMBINED LOT DEVELOPMENT (ARTS) Combined lot development is permitted for the purposes of transferring bonus density and allocating the permitted mixture of uses among development sites, in accordance with Subtitle C, Chapter 12 and the following provisions. The lots may be locat…

SPECIAL EXCEPTION (ARTS) The Board of Zoning Adjustment may grant exceptions pursuant to Subtitle X, Chapter 9 from the requirements or limits of this chapter, other than Subtitle K § 811.9, subject also to the following criteria: The uses, buildings, or features at the size, int…

814 PARKING, LOADING, AND VEHICLE ACCESS (ARTS) 814.1 Parking requirements for the ARTS zones are as specified in Subtitle C, Chapter 7. 814.2 Bicycle parking requirements for the ARTS zones are as specified in Subtitle C, Chapter 8. 814.3 Loading requirements for the ARTS zones …

GENERAL PROVISIONS AND PURPOSE AND INTENT (WR) The purposes of the Walter Reed (WR) zones (WR-1 through WR-15) are to: Provide for the growth of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus with a broad mix of uses, achieved through the adaptive reuse of existing buildings a…

WR-1 ZONE FIGURE K § 901: ILLUSTRATION OF BOUNDARIES OF THE WR-1 ZONE The WR-1 zone is intended to: Provide for residential development that complements the character of nearby established residential neighborhoods; Transition from the low- to moderate-scale residential uses nort…

WR-2 ZONE FIGURE K § 902: ILLUSTRATION OF BOUNDARIES OF THE WR-2 ZONE The WR-2 zone is intended to: Create a vibrant and pedestrian-oriented commercial and residential center to serve as a housing, commercial, and retail anchor for the Walter Reed campus, adjacent neighborhoods, …

WR-3 ZONE FIGURE K § 903: ILLUSTRATION OF BOUNDARIES OF THE WR-3 ZONE The WR-3 zone is intended to: Provide for moderate- to medium-density commercial and residential development that activates Georgia Avenue frontage through enhanced ground-floor retail opportunities, a more uni…

WR-4 ZONE FIGURE K § 904: ILLUSTRATION OF BOUNDARIES OF THE WR-4 ZONE The WR-4 zone is intended to: Provide for moderate-density commercial and residential development that adaptively reuses and sensitively develops proximate to historic resources; and Maintain the campus-like se…

WR-5 ZONE FIGURE K § 905: ILLUSTRATION OF BOUNDARIES OF THE WR-5 ZONE The WR-5 zone is intended to: Provide moderate-density residential and commercial development that also supports arts and cultural uses; and Encourage continuous east/west green connections and passive and acti…

WR-6 ZONE FIGURE K § 906: ILLUSTRATION OF BOUNDARIES OF THE WR-6 ZONE The WR-6 zone is intended to: Preserve the unique character of the Great Lawn and maintain the campus atmosphere at the heart of the historic Walter Reed campus, including the landscaped entrances to the WR zon…

WR-7 ZONE FIGURE K § 907: ILLUSTRATION OF BOUNDARIES OF THE WR-7 ZONE The WR-7 zone is intended to: Provide medium-density residential development that is sensitive to existing development on the south side of Aspen Street; Encourage adaptive reuse of existing buildings to accomm…

WR-8 ZONE FIGURE K § 908: ILLUSTRATION OF BOUNDARIES OF THE WR-8 ZONE The WR-8 zone is intended to: Provide medium-density residential development that is sensitive to existing development on the south side of Aspen Street; and Encourage open and green space suitable for sustaina…

909 WR-9 ZONE 909.1 The WR-9 zone is intended to support the expansion of medical care and research facilities at a scale of development that does not adversely impact the character of nearby established neighborhoods. 909.2 The development standards for the WR-9 zone are set for…

910 WR-10 THROUGH WR-15 ZONES 910.1 The WR-10 through WR-15 zones are intended to: (a) Support the expansion of medical care and research facilities at a scale of development that does not adversely impact the character of nearby established neighborhoods; and (b) Encourage adapt…

911 HEIGHT AND PENTHOUSES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES (WR) 911.1 In the WR zone, the point chosen for measurement of height shall conform to the other provisions of this title, except that the point may be on either a public or private street. 911.2 For the purposes of applying genera…

STREETSCAPE STANDARDS (WR) In all WR zones, all buildings are subject to the following design requirements: Façades that front on public or private streets or plazas shall not have blank walls uninterrupted for more than ten feet (10 ft.) by doors, windows, or architectural featu…

USE PERMISSIONS (WR) 913.1 The uses in this section shall be permitted as a matter of right in the WR-1 zone, subject to any applicable conditions. Agriculture, large and residential; Antennas subject to the conditions of Subtitle K § 914.2; Arts, design, and creation subject to …

CONDITIONAL USES (WR) The following conditions shall apply as required in Subtitle K § 913. 914.2 Antennas shall be permitted subject to the standards and procedures that apply to the particular class of antenna in Subtitle C, Chapter 13 of this title, which shall be applied to t…

SPECIAL EXCEPTION USES (WR) The uses in this section shall be permitted in the WR-1 zone if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception under Subtitle X, Chapter 9, subject to any applicable conditions of each paragraph below: Community-based institutional f…

916 PROHIBITED USES (WR) 916.1 The following uses are prohibited in the WR zone as either a principal or accessory use: Drive-through or drive-in, as either a principal or accessory use; Any establishment that has as its principal use the administration of massages; and Self-stor…

VEHICLE PARKING (WR) 917.1 Except as noted in this section, the provisions and requirements of Subtitle C, Chapter 7, Vehicle Parking, shall not apply, and the following provisions of this section shall apply. 917.2 In the WR-1 through WR-8 zones, the cumulative total of all auto…

918 BICYCLE PARKING (WR) 918.1 Bicycle parking shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of Subtitle C, Chapter 8, and in accordance with Subtitle K § 918.2. Long-term bicycle parking spaces shall meet the following additional requirements: All required long-term bicy…

LOADING (WR) 919.1 Loading shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of Subtitle C, Chapter 9 and the provisions of this section. Access to loading and service/delivery space shall not be required to meet the requirement of Subtitle C § 904.5, which requires access be…

AFFORDABLE HOUSING (WR) 920.1 Affordable housing shall be provided as described in this section. The provisions of Subtitle C, Chapter 10, shall not apply, with the exception of the relevant penthouse habitable space affordable housing provisions pursuant to Subtitle C § 1507.2. …

GREEN AREA RATIO (WR) In the WR-2, WR-3, WR-4, WR-5, WR-7, WR-8, and WR-10 through WR-15 zones, the GAR requirement is four-tenths (0.4), pursuant to Subtitle C, Chapter 6. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 3176 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulem…

GENERAL USE PROVISION This subtitle contains use permissions for R, RF, RA, MU, ARTS, D, and PDR zones. Each zone category may be divided into separate use groups which include specific use limitations. Use groups identify different zones within a zone category that share the sam…

101 SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS USE PROVISIONS 101.1 When special exception relief is permitted for a use not meeting the matter-of-right requirements for its use group, that special exception relief shall not be used to relieve a condition that prohibits a use or activity or places a lim…

200 GENERAL USE PROVISION (R) This chapter contains uses permitted as a matter of right or as a special exception and, when applicable, uses that are not permitted in the R zones use groups. 200.2 Use groups for the R zones are as follows: TABLE U § 200.2 R-USE GROUPS R-Use Group…

201 MATTER-OF-RIGHT USES – R-USE GROUPS A, B, C, AND D 201.1 The following uses in this section shall be permitted as a matter-of-right subject to any applicable conditions: (a) A principal dwelling unit shall be permitted as follows: (1) In the R-Use Groups A and D, the principa…

202 MATTER-OF-RIGHT USES – R-USE GROUPS A, B, AND C The following uses shall be permitted as a matter of right in R-Use Groups A, B, and C subject to any applicable conditions: Any use permitted as a matter of right in Subtitle U § 201; Accessory uses, subject to Subtitle U § 250…

203 SPECIAL EXCEPTION USES – R-USE GROUPS A, B, C, AND D 203.1 The uses in this section shall be permitted in R-Use Groups A, B, and C, if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception under Subtitle X, Chapter 9, subject to applicable conditions of each parag…

204 MATTER-OF-RIGHT USES – R-USE GROUP D 204.1 The following uses shall be permitted in the R-Use Group D zone: (a) Any use permitted as a matter of right in Subtitle U § 201; and (b) An existing non-residential use with a valid certificate of occupancy shall be considered a conf…

205 SPECIAL EXCEPTION USES – R-USE GROUP D 205.1 The uses in this section shall be permitted in the R-Use Group D zone if approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception under Subtitle X, Chapter 9, and subject to the provisions of this section: (a) Any non-resi…