Section 10-A209. SECURITY CHANGES

 

209.1Security is not a new concern or challenge in the District of Columbia. As a capital city, we are used to a heightened level of risk and the visibility of military personnel and operations. As an urban center, we also face daily concerns about personal safety and crime. But security concerns have taken on a new meaning since September 2001. The attacks on Washington and New York changed the psyche of our city and ushered in an uncertainty about the future that still persists today. 209.1

 

209.2Over the past five years, we have struggled with the need to balance beauty, access, and openness with the need to protect our landmarks, government buildings, and officials from danger. The federal government has strived to discourage acts of terrorism through the design and management of public spaces and buildings, including the closing of some District streets and retrofitting of major landmarks. Security issues have also been cited in decisions to shift the federal workforce to more remote locations. They also have resulted in design standards for federally leased space that will reverberate through the regional office market for many years to come. 209.2

 

209.3These concerns are not likely to diminish in the future. The need to balance our desire for safety, accessibility, and aesthetics is one of the key challenges that this plan seeks to address. 209.3

 

notation

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 9a 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.