Section 10-A2309. RCW-1.2 CONSERVING AND ENHANCING COMMUNITY RESOURCES

 

2309.1Policy RCW-1.2.1: Urban Design Focus

 

Focus urban design efforts in the Rock Creek West Planning Area on its commercial centers and major avenues, historic landmarks, historic districts, and areas with significant environmental and topographical features. 2309.1

 

See the Urban Design Element for policies on preserving and enhancing architectural character, including guidelines for height, scale, massing, setbacks, and materials.

 

2309.2Policy RCW-1.2.2: Scenic Resource Protection

 

Conserve the important scenic and visual resources of Rock Creek West, including:

 

a.Views from Fort Reno National Park, which is the highest point of land in the city and a place of historic significance;

 

b.The Potomac Palisades, which should be protected as a low density, wooded area above the Potomac River and C&O Canal, with future improvements along the river limited to passive open space, trails, and natural parkland;

 

c.Dalecarlia Reservoir, which is environmentally important because of its large land area and proximity to the Potomac River;

 

d.The US Naval Observatory Grounds, which contain abundant woodlands, are proximate to parkland, and are vulnerable to light and heat pollution;

 

e.Stream valleys, including Rock Creek Park and its tributaries, and Glover Archbold Park;

 

f.Neighborhoods developed on hilly terrain on or near stream valleys such as Barnaby Woods, Forest Hills, Hawthorne, Spring Valley, and Woodland-Normanstone; and

 

g.The Fort Circle Parks, including Fort Bayard Park, and Whitehaven Parkway. 2309.2

 

The Norman-style water tower at Fort Reno is located near Tenley Hill, highest point in the District of Columbia.

 

2309.3Any future development adjacent to these areas must be designed to respect and maintain their park like settings, and conserve their environmental quality. 2309.3

 

2309.4Policy RCW-1.2.3: National Park Service Areas

 

Conserve and improve the more than 2,000 acres of natural open space in the forested neighborhoods that lie between the Potomac River and Rock Creek Park, including Battery Kemble Park, Glover Archbold Park, the Potomac National Heritage Scenic Area, and the Fort Circle Parks. Support efforts to restore water quality and improve natural habitat, along with capital improvements to improve trails and provide appropriate recreational features. 2309.4

 

2309.5Policy RCW-1.2.4: Cultural and Tourist Attractions

 

Protect and enhance the cultural and visitor attractions west of Rock Creek Park, including the National Cathedral, the C&O Canal, the Capital Crescent Trail, Peirce Mill, the Hillwood Estate, and the National Zoo. Encourage broader recognition of other attractions in the area, such as the Naval Observatory and the Fort Circle Parks. Ensure that tourist activity does not disrupt the quality of life for nearby residents by requiring strict adherence to traffic routing, transportation and parking management plans, and reasonable visitation hours. 2309.5

 

2309.6Policy RCW-1.2.5: Historic Resources

 

Conserve the important historic resources of the neighborhoods west of Rock Creek, including but not limited to the Glover, Taft, and Ellington bridges; the Washington National Cathedral; mansions such as the Tregaron, Twin Oaks, Cloverdale, and Rosedale Estates, and the Babcock-Macomb House, the Rest, and Owl’s Nest; the Pine Crest/Greystone/Klingle Mansion cluster of houses near Rock Creek; the historic districts such as Cleveland Park, Woodley Park, and Grant Road; historic apartment buildings such as the Kennedy-Warren, Cathedral Mansions, the Ponce de Leon, 3901 Connecticut, and Alban Towers; the Chevy Chase arcade and Avalon and Uptown Theaters; the Spring Valley Shopping Center; and the sites of significance inventoried in the Historic Resources Survey conducted by the Tenleytown Historical Society and the National Park System. 2309.6

 

2309.7Policy RCW-1.2.6: Naval Observatory

 

Ensure that planning decisions in the vicinity of the Naval Observatory consider the possible effects of light pollution and take appropriate steps to avoid adverse impacts. 2309.7

 

2309.8Policy RCW-1.2.7: Fire and EMS Services

 

Renovate and enlarge fire stations while remaining sensitive to their historic architectural qualities and avoiding the loss of adjacent open space. Ensure that there are a sufficient number of fire stations to serve the needs of area residents and businesses.2309.8

 

2309.9Policy RCW-1.2.8: Schools and Libraries

 

Place a very high priority on the renovation and improvement of schools and libraries. The fact that a majority of the schools in this Planning Area are operating at or above capacity should be considered in DCPS facility planning, and in the approval of any residential development that could further exacerbate school overcrowding. Changes to school service boundaries and the development of additional school facilities should be aggressively pursued to ensure that school overcrowding is proactively addressed. 2309.9

 

2309.10Policy RCW-1.2.9: Recreation Centers and Aquatic Facilities

 

Expand recreation grounds where and when feasible, with a particular emphasis on athletic fields for activities such as soccer, softball, and regulation baseball. Expand aquatic facilities to a level of service that is comparable to the level provided in other parts of the District. 2309.10

 

2309.11Policy RCW-1.2.10: Community Based Residential Facilities

 

Encourage the development of small-scale community-based residential facilities on scattered sites within the Planning Area, and social service counseling and referral facilities on the commercial corridors. Additional group homes and community based residential facilities should be accommodated, provided that such facilities are consistent with the area’s low-density character. Local religious institutions should be encouraged to host small shelters to provide for the homeless, taking into consideration issues of liability, security, and adequacy of facilities. 2309.11

 

See the Environmental Protection Element for additional policies on stream valley parks, limits on impervious surface coverage, expansion of the tree and slope overlay zone, urban forestry, air quality, aircraft noise, and development adjacent to parkland. See the Urban Design Element for policies on conserving natural landform and topography. See the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Element for policies discouraging the placement of buildings on parkland.

 

2309.12Action RCW-1.2.A: Combined Sewer Separation

 

Continue efforts to separate storm sewers and sanitary sewers within the area’s stream valleys, with a priority on the combined sewer in Glover Archbold Park (conveying Foundry Branch). 2309.12

 

2309.13Action RCW-1.2.B: Recreation Center and Pools

 

Develop a new recreation center and community pool in the eastern part of the Planning Area. An analysis conducted as part of the District’s 2006 Parks and Recreation Master Plan determined a shortage of such facilities in the Tenleytown/North Cleveland Park/Forest Hills area and suggested that immediate planning begin to select appropriate sites. 2309.13

 

2309.14Action RCW-1.2.C: Palisades Open Space Protection

 

Protect the historic linear open space that once supported the Palisades/Glen Echo trolley line. 2309.14

 

2309.15Action RCW-1.2.D: Senior Center Development

 

Develop an additional senior center in the Rock Creek West Planning Area, in order to improve the delivery of services to the area’s large elderly population. 2309.15

 

2309.16Action RCW-1.2.E: Tenley-Friendship Library

 

Complete the renovation/reconstruction of the Tenley-Friendship Library as a community gathering space and repository for books and media serving the surrounding community. 2309.16

 

2309.17Action RCW-1.2.F: Façade Improvements

 

Encourage urban design and façade improvements in the established commercial districts along Wisconsin Avenue and Connecticut Avenue. 2309.17

 

2309.18Action RCW-1.2.G: Spring Valley Remediation Program

 

Continue the public health evaluation for the Spring Valley community and take appropriate follow-up actions to remediate any hazards that are identified. This evaluation is being conducted to determine if residents who live in the vicinity of the former American University Experiment Station have elevated exposure to arsenic or other contaminants. 2309.18

 

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.