D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10-A, § 104
104.1 Before 2006, the District used a three-tiered system of city planning comprised of:
104.2 Since 2006, the Comprehensive Plan has been the repository for the District-wide and Large Planning Area policies. The small area policies, meanwhile, have appeared in separately bound Small Area Plans for particular neighborhoods and business districts.
104.3 The 2006 Comprehensive Plan retains three geographic tiers but incorporates a number of changes to improve the Comprehensive Plan's effectiveness and readability. One of the most significant changes is the replacement of Ward Plans with Area Elements. While Ward Plans were an effective way to express local priorities within the Comprehensive Plan, the boundaries changed dramatically in 1990 and 2000 due to population shifts. Redistricting occurred after the 2010 Census and will occur again after the 2020 Census and subsequent censuses. Moreover, the District's wards are drawn to ensure an equal number of residents reside in each Council district rather than to provide a coherent rationale for planning Washington, DC. Thus, places like Downtown Washington, DC (divided by a ward boundary) and the Anacostia River (divided by four ward boundaries) have been covered in multiple places in past Comprehensive Plans. This has resulted in redundancy and fragmented policies for many areas in the District. The relationship between the Comprehensive Plan and the three tiers is described below.
104.4 The Comprehensive Plan includes 13 Citywide Elements, shown in Figure 1.2, each addressing a topic that is District-wide in scope, followed by an Implementation Element:
Housing
Economic Development
104.5 The Comprehensive Plan includes 10 Area Elements, shown on Figure 1.2. Taken together, these ten areas encompass the entire District:
104.6 Although the Citywide and Area Elements appear in separate sections of this document, they carry the same legal authority. The Area Elements focus on issues that are unique to particular parts of the District. Many of their policies are place-based, referencing specific neighborhoods, corridors, business districts, and local landmarks. However, the policies are still general in nature and do not prescribe specific uses or design details. Nor do the Area Elements repeat policies that already appear in the Citywide Elements. They are intended to provide a sense of local priorities and to recognize the different dynamics at work in each part of Washington, DC.
104.7 Figure 1.2: Comprehensive Plan Organization
104.8 Small Area Plans supplement the Comprehensive Plan by providing detailed direction for areas ranging in size from a few city blocks to entire neighborhoods or corridors. In the past, Small Area Plans have been prepared for places in Washington, DC where District action was necessary to manage growth, promote revitalization, or achieve other long-range planning goals. Examples include Southwest, Mid-City East, and Walter Reed.
104.9 In the future, additional plans focused on distinct geographies will be developed. The Implementation Element of this Comprehensive Plan outlines where and under what conditions such plans should be undertaken. Existing Small Area Plans are cross-referenced in the Comprehensive Plan Area Elements and should be consulted for further detail about the areas they cover. In addition to Small Area Plans, OP and sister agencies will use other neighborhood planning and design tools to provide analysis of, and direction for, the built environment. These
focused tools address specific conditions, such as the quality of the public realm, access to locally serving amenities and opportunities, and access to opportunities for economic and community development. For example, in recent years, OP has produced Vision Frameworks, Design Guidelines, Technical Studies, Placemaking Interventions, and Retail Toolkits to respond to the tailored needs of communities. OP anticipates additional neighborhood planning and design tools will be created for future planning work.
SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).