Section 11-E206. ROOF TOP OR UPPER FLOOR ADDITIONS

206.1 In an RF zone district, the following provisions shall apply:

 

(a)A roof top architectural element original to the building such as cornices, porch roofs, a turret, tower, or dormers, shall not be removed or significantly altered, including shifting its location, changing its shape or increasing its height, elevation, or size. For interior lots, not including through lots, the roof top architectural elements shall not include identified roof top architectural elements facing the structure’s rear lot line.  For all other lots, the roof top architectural elements shall include identified rooftop architectural elements on all sides of the structure;

 

(b) Any addition, including a roof structure or penthouse, shall not block or impede the functioning of a chimney or other external vent compliant with any District of Columbia municipal code on an adjacent property. A chimney or other external vent must be existing and operative at the date of the building permit application for the addition; and

 

(c) Any addition, including a roof structure or penthouse, shall not significantly interfere with the operation of an existing solar energy system of at least 2kW on an adjacent property unless agreed to by the owner of the adjacent solar energy system.  For the purposes of this paragraph, the following quoted phrases shall have the associated meanings:

 

(1)“Significantly interfere” shall mean an impact caused solely by the addition that decreases the energy produced by the adjacent solar energy system by more than five percent (5%) on an annual basis, as demonstrated by a comparative solar shading study acceptable to the Zoning Administrator; and

 

(2)“Existing solar energy system” shall mean a solar energy system that is, at the time the application for the building permit for the adjacent addition is officially accepted as complete by the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs or an application for zoning relief or approval for the adjacent addition is officially accepted as complete by the Office of Zoning, either:

 

(A)Legally permitted, installed, and operating; or

 

(B) Authorized by an issued permit; provided that the permitted solar energy system is operative within six (6) months after the issuance of the solar energy system permit not including grid interconnection delays caused solely by a utility company connecting to the solar energy system.

 

206.2In an RF zone district, relief from the design requirements of Subtitle E § 206.1 may be approved by the Board of Zoning Adjustment as a special exception under Subtitle X, Chapter 9, subject to the conditions of Subtitle E § 5203.3.

 

 

authority

§ 1 of the Zoning Act of 1938, approved June 20, 1938 (52 Stat. 797, as amended; D.C. Official Code § 6-641.01 (2012 Repl.)).

source

Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 2887 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 64 DCR 4055 (April 28, 2017).