Section 10-A300. OVERVIEW

 

300.1The Land Use Element is the cornerstone of the Comprehensive Plan. It establishes the basic policies guiding the physical form of the city, and provides direction on a range of development, conservation, and land use compatibility issues. The Element describes the balancing of priorities that must take place in order to accommodate a multiplicity of land uses within the boundaries of the District of Columbia. 300.1

 

300.2The critical land use issues facing the District of Columbia are addressed in this element. These include: Promoting neighborhood conservation Creating and maintaining successful neighborhoods Strengthening Downtown Enhancing neighborhood commercial districts and centers Balancing competing demands for finite land resources Directing growth and new development to achieve economic vitality while minimizing adverse impacts on residential areas and open space Siting challenging land uses. 300.2

 

300.3More than any other part of the Comprehensive Plan, this Element lays out the policies through which the city will accommodate growth and change while conserving and enhancing its neighborhoods, commercial districts, and other areas. Because the Land Use Element integrates the policies and objectives of all the other District Elements, it should be given greater weight than the other elements as competing policies in different elements are balanced. 300.3

 

300.4Although the District of Columbia was almost fully developed by 1960, the demand for land for housing and jobs has continued to fuel land use change. The changing needs of the federal government, private industry, and the city’s institutions still shape the landscape on a daily basis. The city’s aging building stock still requires refurbishment and replacement. The renewed popularity of city living generates the need for more housing and new amenities. 300.4

 

300.5Land use changes have the potential to make the city more vibrant, economically healthy, exciting, and even more environmentally sustainable than it is today. But without proper direction and coordinated public investment, change can also be adverse. The Land Use Element strives for positive outcomes in all parts of the city by setting policies on appropriate uses and densities, and describing how different uses can successfully coexist. 300.5

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300.6The Element is divided into several sections. The first section provides basic data on land use and density in the District of Columbia. Subsequent sections of the element present policies and actions, organized under the following major topic headings: Shaping the City Creating and Maintaining Successful Neighborhoods Balancing Competing Demands for Land. 300.6

 

The definitions of Land Use categories and description of the Future Land Use Map and Generalized Policies Map may be found in Chapter 2 (Framework Element).

 

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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.