What You Need to Know about DC’s New Zoning for Mixed-Use

Zones

Rachael Hesling

What You Need to Know about DC’s New Zoning for Mixed-Use Zones• Subtitle G of the 2016 Washington, DC, Zoning

Regulations covers Mixed-Use (MU) zones. As their name implies, MU zones encompass a broad range of commercial, institutional, and residential uses, providing a variety of facilities for housing, shopping, and business needs.

Goals of the new regulations• The intent of the new zoning regulations for MU zones is to ensure that the diverse ways in which

land and structures are used in these unique zones are provided for in an orderly and consistent way. The regulations are designed to accommodate a varied mix of uses—including retail, service, employment, and residential—and to reflect, at appropriate densities and scale, an assortment of different building types, including shop-front uses that combine residential and non-residential uses, and buildings that consist entirely of either residential or non-residential uses.

• Other priorities for the development of MU zones as indicated by the new regulations include ensuring that travel for pedestrians and motor vehicles alike is both safe and efficient, encouraging infill development in a style and pattern consistent with the surrounding areas, leveraging development opportunities at an appropriate scale to preserve and enhance existing commercial areas and nodes, and ensuring that developments located in proximity to transit hubs, such as fixed-rail stations, are oriented in such a way as to optimize active public transportation use and safe public spaces.

• Development standards for structures located in MU zones are, for the most part, outlined in the zone-specific chapters of Subtitle G. While particular standards may vary somewhat between zones, the standards are, in a general way, intended to control structure bulk or volume, manage the relationship of building bulk to adjacent lots and streets, regulate the mixture of uses each building or structure houses, and ensure that new development adequately upholds environmental standards of performance.

MU-1 and MU-2• Because MU-1 and MU-2 zones serve as a buffer between

neighboring residential and non-residential areas, the zoning regulations for these areas are designed to ensure that any new development takes this transitional function into account in terms of its use, scale, and design. They also verify that areas adjacent to non-residential or partially-residential uses or zones, particularly those buildings that are of historic or architectural interest, are preserved and protected. New residential development in these zones is permitted at a higher density than that allowed for new office or institutional developments; the MU-1 zone is geared towards moderate density, the MU-2 zone towards medium density.

MU-3 through MU-10• These zones address the density designation outlined

in the Comprehensive Plan on a zone-by-zone basis throughout the city. The different zones specify the permitted density, ranging from low through moderate and medium to high; the use emphasis, whether residential, retail and business, employment, or some combination of these; and the proximity to such features as arterial streets, rapid-transit stops, and uptown or regional centers.

MU-11 through MU-14• These zones address the mixed-use areas located in

proximity to the city’s waterfront. Designed to be applied in those waterfront areas that are currently undeveloped, the MU-11 zone allows for the creation of open spaces and parks and permits the development of retail and arts uses that are low-density, low-height, and suitably oriented to the waterfront. The other three zones focus on general mixed-use development in the vicinity of the waterfront, with MU-12 permitting moderate density, MU-13 permitting medium density, and MU-14 permitting high density.

Dupont Circle MU zones (MU-15 through MU-22)• These zones are intended to preserve, protect, and

enhance the historic residential character of the Dupont Circle area. Under the zoning regulations, development must respect a scale, style, and density that is controlled and compatible with the area’s older buildings, in particular those considered to be “contributing buildings” under the Historic Landmark and Historic District Protection Act of 1978; the light, air, and privacy of open gardens and backyards must be preserved and the streetscape enhanced by maintaining landscaped green spaces in front of buildings; and greater use of public transportation, as well as the easy and efficient circulation of vehicles, must be encouraged.

Capitol Interest and Capitol Hill commercial MU zones (MU-23 through MU-26)

• The broad purpose of these zones is to ensure that the US Capitol precinct and its adjacent areas are appropriately protected in terms of public health, safety, and general welfare. This includes the provision of controls for the area contiguous with the US Capitol as well as surrounding those properties that are widely recognized to be of general public interest. In order to reduce the risk of harming a protected site, building, or district, some permitted uses may be restricted in these zones.

Naval Observatory MU zone (MU-27)• Intended to permit mixed-use development of a

moderate density in the sensitive and historic area of the Naval Observatory, the MU-27 zoning prioritizes public health, safety, and general welfare in this area; a use of public land that is consistent with the Naval Observatory’s unique importance to both the District of Columbia and the nation; and the protection of Federal interest concerns.

Fort Totten MU zones (MU-28 and MU-29)• Geared towards future residential and commercial

development, the MU-28 and MU-29 zones also aim to allow existing industries to continue to operate in the District, and to provide protection for neighboring residential areas from any adverse effects due to industrial support uses. The MU-28 zone permits medium-density, mixed-use development with employment as the primary focus, while the MU-29 zone permits medium- to high-density development that encompasses a range of uses in order to provide a balanced, high-quality environment for the area’s residents, businesses, employees, and institutions.