During the next 20 years, about 15 percent of Washington's housing growth and 10 percent of its job growth will take place on ten large sites outside of the Central Employment Area. The large sites include properties in federal ownership, District ownership, and private ownership. The status of each site varies; redevelopment on a few is imminent, but may be over a decade away on others. Some still contain vital, active uses. Others have been dormant for years. 305.1
Four of the ten sites are owned (at least in part) by the federal government. Consequently, policies in the District Elements for these lands are not binding, and are intended only to express the District's vision for these properties. The District will work collaboratively with the federal government in future planning and development decisions to ensure that development on these sites is compatible with adjacent neighborhoods and furthers the goals and policies of the District Elements. 305.2
The large sites are shown in Map 3.4 and are listed in Table 3.2 below. The Area Elements should be consulted for a profile of each site and specific policies for its future use. The policies in this section focus on broader issues that apply to all sites. As shown on Map 3.4, several of the sites fall within the boundaries of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative, an economic revitalization and environmental protection program now being implemented by the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation. 305.3
Table 3.2: Large Sites 305.4
Policy LU-1.2.1: Reuse of Large Publicly-Owned Sites
Recognize the potential for large, government-owned properties to supply needed community services, create local housing and employment opportunities, remove barriers between neighborhoods, provide large and significant new parks, enhance waterfront access, and improve and stabilize the city's neighborhoods. 305.5
Map 3.4: Large Sites 305.6
Policy LU-1.2.2: Mix of Uses on Large Sites
Ensure that the mix of new uses on large redeveloped sites is compatible with adjacent uses and provides benefits to surrounding neighborhoods and to the city as a whole. The particular mix of uses on any given site should be generally indicated on the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map and more fully described in the Comprehensive Plan Area Elements. Zoning on such sites should be compatible with adjacent uses. 305.7
Policy LU-1.2.3: Federal Sites
Work closely with the federal government on re-use planning for those federal lands where a change of use may take place in the future. Even where such properties will remain in federal use, the impacts of new activities on adjacent District neighborhoods should be acknowledged and proactively addressed by federal parties. 305.8
Policy LU-1.2.4: New Methods of Land Regulation
Recognize the opportunity afforded by the District's large sites for innovative land regulation (such as form-based zoning) and the application of sustainable design principles (green building and low impact development) on a large scale. 305.9
Policy LU-1.2.5: Public Benefit Uses on Large Sites
Given the significant leverage the District has in redeveloping properties which it owns, include appropriate public benefit uses on such sites if and when they are reused. Examples of such uses are affordable housing, new parks and open spaces, health care and civic facilities, public educational facilities, and other public facilities. 305.10
Policy LU-1.2.6: New Neighborhoods and the Urban Fabric
On those large sites that are redeveloped as new neighborhoods (such as Reservation 13), integrate new development into the fabric of the city to the greatest extent feasible. Incorporate extensions of the city street grid, public access and circulation improvements, new public open spaces, and building intensities and massing that complement adjacent developed areas. Such sites should not be developed as self-contained communities, isolated or gated from their surroundings. 305.11
Policy LU-1.2.7: Protecting Existing Assets on Large Sites
Identify and protect existing assets such as historic buildings, historic site plan elements, important vistas, and major landscape elements as large sites are redeveloped. 305.12
Policy LU-1.2.8: Large Sites and the Waterfront
Use the redevelopment of large sites to achieve related urban design, open space, environmental, and economic development objectives along the Anacostia Waterfront. Large waterfront sites should be used for water-focused recreation, housing, commercial, and cultural development, with activities that are accessible to both sides of the river. Large sites should further be used to enhance the physical and environmental quality of the river. 305.13
Action LU-1.2.A: Federal Land Transfer
Continue to work with the federal government to transfer federally-owned waterfront sites and other sites as mutually agreed upon by the federal and District governments to local control to capitalize more fully on unrealized waterfront development and parkland opportunities. 305.14
Policies and actions for large sites are contained in the Comprehensive Plan Area Elements.
Action LU-1.2.B Encouraging Livability of Former Federal Lands
When land is identified to shift from federal to private or local use, develop planning and zoning approaches that provide for, as appropriate, the reconstruction of historic rights-of-way and reservations, integration of the sites into the adjoining neighborhoods, and the enhancement of special characteristics or opportunities of the sites. Encourage cultural, residential, and retail to ensure mixed-use neighborhoods, even if designated as high-density commercial on the District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map; coordinate with the National Capital Planning Commission, as appropriate.
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 available www.planning.dc.gov.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10, r. 10-A305