Current Zoning Along Wisconsin Avenue

Useful Links for Zoning Issues

 

DC Zoning Map

DC Office of Zoning

DC Zoning Commission

Under the current zoning, we could double the number of residents along Wisconsin Avenue. Why?

People often confuse current zoning (what's allowed under the current zoning laws) with current build-out (what's actually built there right now). In fact, Wisconsin Avenue from Tenleytown to Western Avenue is not built up to even two-thirds of what's allowed under the current, matter-of-right zoning . There's room under current zoning for thousands of new residents.`

The map below shows the current zoning in place along upper Wisconsin Avenue.

Why has ARD opposed certain projects that call for massive upzoning?

 

We believe zoning is a contract between the property owner and the city. You buy a building or a house with the legitimate expectation that the zoning in place gives you an accurate prediction of what's going to be built there, what's allowed. You are making a huge investment of money and lifestyle, often with a family in mind, and zoning is your protection for doing your own planning.

That's not to say that zoning shouldn't be changed. But the bar should be high, and the benefit to the community should be proportionate to the impact of the zoning change on the neighborhood's quality of life. Developers shouldn't buy a building site assuming they can get the zoning changed, and complain when they're not allowed to build more than what they knew they'd be allowed to build under the zoning under which they made their purchase.

Current Zoning:  Wisconsin Avenue Corridor

from Western Avenue to Davenport Street

 

 

 

Description of the zoning designations:

 

R-2:  Uses:  Single-family residential – detached and semi-detached, churches and public schools; Maximum height of 40 feet, with at most 3 stories.

 

R-3:  Uses:  single-family residential – detached, semi-detached, and rowhouses, churches and public schools; Maximum height of 40 feet, with at most 3 stories

 

R-4:  Uses:  single-family residential – detached, semi-detached, rowhouses, and flats, churches and public schools; Maximum height of 40 feet, with at most 3 stories.  With a PUD, this can be developed with a maximum height of 60 feet.  If developed as a PUD, the Floor Area Ratio [FAR} cannot exceed 1.0, meaning that the square footage of the building(s) cannot exceed the land area of the property.

 

R-5-B:  Uses:  single- or multi-family residential; Maximum height of 50 feet; Maximum lot coverage of 60%, Maximum FAR of 1.8, i.e., the square footage of the building(s) cannot exceed 1.8 times the land area of the property.  If developed as a PUD, the maximum height increases to 60 feet and the maximum FAR is 3.0.  The PUD must be in the public interest, meeting the strict evaluation standards of the Zoning Regulations.

 

C-2-A:  Uses:  office, retail, residential; Maximum height of 50 feet; Maximum lot coverage of 60%, Maximum FAR of 2.5, of which no more than 1.5 can be non-residential, i.e., the square footage of the building(s) cannot exceed 2.5 times the land area of the property and the non-residential portion of the development cannot exceed 1.5 times the land area.  If developed as a PUD, the maximum height increases to 65 feet and the maximum FAR is 3.0, of which no more than 2.0 can be non-residential.  The PUD must be in the public interest, meeting the evaluation standards of Chapter 24 of the Zoning Regulations.

 

C-2-B:  Uses:  office, retail, residential; Maximum height of 65 feet; Maximum lot coverage of 80%, Maximum FAR of 3.5, of which no more than 1.5 can be non-residential.  If developed as a PUD, the maximum height increases to 90 feet and the maximum FAR is 6.0, of which no more than 2.0 can be non-residential.  The PUD must be in the public interest, meeting the evaluation standards of Chapter 24 of the Zoning Regulations.

 

C-3-A:  Uses:  office, retail, residential; Maximum height of 65 feet; Maximum lot coverage of 75%, Maximum FAR of 4.0, of which no more than 2.5 can be non-residential.  If developed as a PUD, the maximum height increases to 90 feet and the maximum FAR is 4.5, of which no more than 3.0 can be non-residential.  The PUD must be in the public interest, meeting the evaluation standards of Chapter 24 of the Zoning Regulations.