Section 10-A811. PROS-3 OPEN SPACE NETWORKS

 

811.1The District of Columbia is characterized by four outstanding and distinct networks of open space:

 

•The Monumental Core, including the National Mall and adjacent areas in East and West Potomac Parks

 

•Rock Creek Park and the linear parks along its tributary streams, extending from the Potomac River to the Maryland border

 

•The Fort Circle Parks, forming a "ring" of open space approximately five miles out from the city center

 

•The Anacostia and Potomac parklands, including linear parks along tributary streams. 811.1

 

811.2Each of these areas is profiled in more detail below. Together, they comprise 6,700 acres of parkland, or about 18 percent of the city’s land area. Because almost all of this land is under the control of the National Park Service, the policies presented here are intended to express the District’s aspirations for their long term management. They are statements of the District’s values and priorities, to be consulted by our federal partners as they plan and manage these important properties. 811.2

 

811.3In addition to the four open space networks described above, there are other important “chains” of interconnected open space across the city. Among the most significant is the corridor of District, federal, and institutional lands extending from McMillan Reservoir on the south to Fort Totten on the north. 811.3

 

Langston Golf Course is part of an open space network that spans both banks of the Anacostia River

 

811.4This section of the Comprehensive Plan also includes a special focus on park and open space planning for Washington’s waterfronts. The need to improve connectivity between our open spaces through trails and greenways also is addressed. Policies on these topics are supplemented in Section PROS-4.0 with a discussion on “functional” open spaces that may augment this network, further contributing to community needs, environmental quality, and economic value. 811.4

 

811.5Figure 8.2 compares the total parkland acreage within the District of Columbia to other high density US cities, using data from a recent analysis by the Trust for Public Land. 811.5

 

811.6Figure 8.2: Parkland Open Space, DC Compared to Other Cities

 

http://planning.dc.gov/planning/frames.asp?doc=/planning/lib/planning/2006_revised_comp_plan/8_parksrecreation.pdf.

 

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.