3266007 Zoning Commission Notice of Public Hearing: Case No. 12-13 (Text Amendment: § 199.1, Definition of Clear Height, Floor to Ceiling)

ZONING COMMISSION FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

 

TIME AND PLACE:           Thursday, October 11, 2012, @ 6:30 p.m. – 3^rd Case

Jerrily R. Kress Memorial Hearing Room

441 4th Street, N.W., Suite 220-S

Washington, D.C.  20001

 

FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING: 

Case No.  12-13 (Text Amendment: § 199.1, Definition of Clear Height, Floor to Ceiling)

 

THIS CASE IS OF INTEREST TO ALL ANCs

 

The Office of Planning (“OP”), in a report dated July 26, 2012, petitioned the Zoning Commission for the District of Columbia (“Zoning Commission” or “Commission”) for text amendments to clarify that when measuring the clear height of a building’s ground floor, the measurement is to be taken from grade level, rather than from the level of the ground floor’s finished floor.

 

At its regular public meeting held July 30, 2012, the Zoning Commission set down this case for a public hearing. The OP report served as the pre-hearing submittal for the case.

The proposed amendments to the Zoning Regulations, Title 11 DCMR, are as follows (additions to existing text are shown in bold and underlined text; deleted text is shown with strikethrough):

 

Chapter 1, THE ZONING REGULATIONS, § 199, DEFINITIONS, § 199.1, definition of “Clear Height, Floor to Ceiling” is amended as follows:

 

Clear Height, Floor to Ceiling - floor to ceiling height is a vertical distance measured from the finished floor to measurement within a building story. The upper point of the measurement is the finished ceiling that is unobstructed by any of the following:

 

(a)        Elements of the building structure, other than columns and walls;

 

(b)        Components of mechanical, plumbing, or fire suppression systems; or

 

(c)        Components of electrical systems, except lighting fixtures.

 

If the ceiling is not finished, the distance shall be measured to the lowest point of any of the structural elements of systems referenced in (a), (b) or (c) above.

 

For all stories above the ground level and for a ground story for which there is no clear height requirement, the bottom point of the measurement shall be the level of the finished floor. For a ground story subject to minimum clear height requirements, the bottom measuring point for clear height shall be the level of the curb opposite the middle of the building’s frontage on the street from which the building draws its clear height requirement.

 

Proposed amendments to the Zoning Regulations of the District of Columbia are authorized pursuant to the Zoning Act of June 20, 1938, (52 Stat. 797), as amended, D.C. Official Code § 6-641.01, et seq.

 

The public hearing on this case will be conducted as a rulemaking in accordance with the provisions of 11 DCMR § 3021.  Pursuant to that section, the Commission will impose time limits on testimony presented to it at the public hearing.

 

All individuals, organizations, or associations wishing to testify in this case should file their intention to testify in writing.  Written statements, in lieu of personal appearances or oral presentations, may be submitted for inclusion in the record.

 

Information should be forwarded to Sharon S. Schellin, the Secretary of the Zoning Commission, Office of Zoning, Suite 200-S, 441 4^th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20001.  Please include the number of this particular case and your daytime telephone number.  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, YOU MAY CONTACT THE OFFICE OF ZONING AT [phone].

 

ANTHONY J. HOOD, MARCIE I. COHEN, PETER G. MAY, AND MICHAEL G. TURNBULL -------- ZONING COMMISSION FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, BY SARA A. BARDIN, DIRECTOR, AND BY SHARON S. SCHELLIN, SECRETARY TO THE ZONING COMMISSION