D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10, r. 10-A225
Purpose of the Land Use Map
The Future Land Use Map is part of the adopted Comprehensive Plan and carries the same legal weight as the Plan document itself. The Map uses colorcoded categories to express public policy on future land uses across the city. Preparation of this map is explicitly required by DC Law; its purpose is to "represent the land use policies set forth in the proposed Land Use Element," using "standardized colors for planning maps." (1-246, D.C. Code). 225.1
Definitions of Land Use Categories: Residential Categories
Four residential categories appear on the Future Land Use Map, as follows: 225.2
Low Density Residential: This designation is used to define the District's single family neighborhoods. Single family detached and semi detached housing units with front, back, and side yards are the predominant uses. The R-1-A, R-1-B, and R-2 Zone Districts are generally consistent with the Low Density Residential land use category, although other zones may apply. 225.3
Moderate Density Residential: This designation is used to define the District's row house neighborhoods, as well as its low-rise garden apartment complexes. The designation also applies to areas characterized by a mix of single family homes, 2-4 unit buildings, row houses, and low-rise apartment buildings. In some of the older inner city neighborhoods with this designation, there may also be existing multi-story apartments, many built decades ago when the areas were zoned for more dense uses (or were not zoned at all). The R-3, R-4, R-5-A Zone districts are generally consistent with the Moderate Density Residential category; the R-5-B district and other zones may also apply in some locations. 225.4
Medium Density Residential: This designation is used to define neighborhoods or areas where mid-rise (4-7 stories) apartment buildings are the predominant use. Pockets of low and moderate density housing may exist within these areas. The Medium Density Residential designation also may apply to taller residential buildings surrounded by large areas of permanent open space. The R-5-B and R-5-C Zone districts are generally consistent with the Medium Density designation, although other zones may apply. 225.5
High Density Residential: This designation is used to define neighborhoods and corridors where high-rise (8 stories or more) apartment buildings are the predominant use. Pockets of less dense housing may exist within these areas. The corresponding Zone districts are generally R-5-D and R-5-E, although other zones may apply. 225.6
Commercial Categories: Four commercial categories appear on the Map, listed below. Although housing is permitted in all of these categories, the predominant use is commercial. A separate category (Mixed Use, defined on Page 2-32) is used to identify areas where the mixing of commercial and residential uses is strongly encouraged: 225.7
Low Density Commercial: This designation is used to define shopping and service areas that are generally low in scale and character. Retail, office, and service businesses are the predominant uses. Areas with this designation range from small business districts that draw primarily from the surrounding neighborhoods to larger business districts uses that draw from a broader market area. Their common feature is that they are comprised primarily of one- to three-story commercial buildings. The corresponding Zone districts are generally C-1 and C-2-A, although other districts may apply. 225.8
Moderate Density Commercial: This designation is used to define shopping and service areas that are somewhat more intense in scale and character than the low-density commercial areas. Retail, office, and service businesses are the predominant uses. Areas with this designation range from small business districts that draw primarily from the surrounding neighborhoods to larger business districts uses that draw from a broader market area. Buildings are larger and/or taller than those in low density commercial areas but generally do not exceed five stories in height. The corresponding Zone districts are generally C-2-A, C-2-B, and C-3-A, although other districts may apply. 225.9
Medium Density Commercial: This designation is used to define shopping and service areas that are somewhat more intense in scale and character than the moderate-density commercial areas. Retail, office, and service businesses are the predominant uses. Areas with this designation generally draw from a citywide market area. Buildings are generally larger and/or taller than those in moderate density commercial areas but generally do not exceed eight stories in height. The corresponding Zone districts are generally C-2-B, C-2-C, C-3-A, and C-3-B, although other districts may apply. 225.10
High Density Commercial: This designation is used to define the central employment district of the city and other major office employment centers on the downtown perimeter. It is characterized by office and mixed office/retail buildings greater than eight stories in height, although many lower scale buildings (including historic buildings) are interspersed. The corresponding Zone districts are generally C-2-C, C-3-C, C-4, and C-5, although other districts may apply. 225.11
Production, Distribution, and Repair (PDR): The Production, Distribution, and Repair (PDR) category is used to define areas characterized by manufacturing, warehousing, wholesale and distribution centers, transportation services, food services, printers and publishers, tourism support services, and commercial, municipal, and utility activities which may require substantial buffering from noise-, air pollution- and light-sensitive uses such as housing. This category is also used to denote railroad rights-of-way, switching and maintenance yards, bus garages, and similar uses related to the movement of freight, such as truck terminals. A variety of Zone districts apply within PDR areas, recognizing the different intensities of use and impacts generated by various PDR activities. The corresponding Zone districts are generally CM-1, CM-2, CM-3, and M, although other districts may apply. The present density and height limits set by these districts are expected to remain for the foreseeable future. 225.12
Public and Institutional Categories
Four public and institutional land use categories appear on the Map, as follows: 225.13
Federal: This designation includes land and facilities owned, occupied and used by the federal government, excluding parks and open space. Uses include military bases, federal government buildings, the International Chancery Center, federal hospitals, and similar federal government activities. The "Federal" category generally denotes ownership rather than use. Land with this designation is generally not subject to zoning. In the event federal interests on any given federal site terminate, zoning for these areas should be established in a manner that is consistent with Comprehensive Plan policies. 225.14
Local Public Facilities: This designation includes land and facilities occupied and used by the District of Columbia government or other local government agencies (such as WMATA), excluding parks and open space. Uses include public schools including charter schools, public hospitals, government office complexes, and similar local government activities. Because of the map scale, local public facilities smaller than one acre-including some of the District's libraries, police and fire stations, and similar uses-may not appear on the Map. Zoning designations vary depending on surrounding uses. 225.15
Institutional: This designation includes land and facilities occupied and used by colleges and universities, large private schools, hospitals, religious organizations, and similar institutions. Smaller institutional uses such as churches are generally not mapped, unless they are located on sites that are several acres in size. Zoning designations vary depending on surrounding uses. 225.16
Parks, Recreation, and Open Space: This designation includes the federal and District park systems, including the National Parks, the circles and squares of the L'Enfant city and District neighborhoods, the National Mall, settings for significant commemorative works, certain federal buildings such as the White House and the US Capitol grounds, and museums, and District operated parks and associated recreation centers. It also includes permanent open space uses such as cemeteries, open space associated with utilities such as the Dalecarlia and McMillan Reservoirs, and open space along highways such as Suitland Parkway. This category includes a mix of passive open space (for resource conservation and habitat protection) and active open space (for recreation). Because of the map scale, parks smaller than one acre-including many of the triangles along the city's avenues-may not appear on the Map. Zoning designations for these areas vary. The federal parklands are generally unzoned, and District parklands tend to be zoned the same as surrounding land uses. 225.17
Production, Distribution, and Repair Local Public Facilities Federal Institutional
Mixed Use Categories: The Future Land Use Map indicates areas where the mixing of two or more land uses is encouraged. The particular combination of uses desired in a given area is depicted in striped patterns, with stripe colors corresponding to the categories defined on the previous pages. The Mixed Use category generally applies in the following three circumstances:
The general density and intensity of development within a given Mixed Use area is determined by the specific mix of uses shown. If the desired outcome is to emphasize one use over the other (for example, ground floor retail with three stories of housing above), the Future Land Use Map may note the dominant use by showing it at a slightly higher density than the other use in the mix (in this case, "Moderate Density Residential/Low Density Commercial). The Comprehensive Plan Area Elements may also provide detail on the specific mix of uses envisioned. 225.19
It should also be acknowledged that because of the scale of the Future Land Use Map and the fine-grained pattern of land use in older parts of the city, many of the areas shown purely as "Commercial" may also contain other uses, including housing. Likewise, some of the areas shown as purely "Residential" contain existing incidental commercial uses such as corner stores or gas stations, or established institutional uses such as churches. The "Mixed Use" designation is intended primarily for larger areas where no single use predominates today, or areas where multiple uses are specifically encouraged in the future. 225.20
A variety of zoning designations are used in Mixed Use areas, depending on the combination of uses, densities, and intensities. The city has developed a number of designations specifically for mixed use areas (such as SP-1, SP-2, CR, and the Waterfront districts). Residential uses are permitted in all of the commercial zones, however, so many Mixed Use areas may have commercial zoning. 225.21
The provisions of Title 10, Part A of the DCMR accessible through this web interface are codification of the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. As such, they do not represent the organic provisions adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia. The official version of the District Elements only appears as a hard copy volume of Title 10, Part A published pursuant to section 9 a of the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1994, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; D.C. Official Code § 1 -301.66)) . In the event of any inconsistency between the provisions accessible through this site and the provisions contained in the published version of Title 10, Part A, the provisions contained in the published version govern. A copy of the published District Elements is availablewww.planning.dc.gov.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10, r. 10-A225