1313 IN-4.2 LEVERAGING NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

1313.1 Digital technology is enabling Washington, DC to enhance infrastructure systems and to create new ways to serve and support neighborhoods. The District's smart city approach leverages intelligent city infrastructure, connected devices, sensors, and data analytics to address challenges and improve the quality of life for residents, enhance economic growth and mobility, and improve operations and services.

1313.2 As digital technology advances, digital communications and information processing will become more important. The Internet of Things is the network comprised of physical devices, including computers, cellphones, vehicles, and any other device, that can connect to the internet and exchange data. This connectivity will allow new opportunities for infrastructure systems to be integrated, with electrical systems, water systems, and other infrastructure coordinating the operations.

1313.3 Testing applications of technology through pilot programs provides opportunities for the District to inform decision-making, develop new methods for integration, and create a flexible environment for investing in infrastructure. Urban prototyping allows the District to experiment with different pilots and technology applications, with the ability to learn and build on previous efforts.

1313.4 Infrastructure technologies are evolving and proliferating rapidly, and are expected to include notable changes, including the deployment of improved wireless connectivity, such as small cell/5G wireless. It is important that Washington, DC be responsive and flexible as new technologies emerge.

1313.5 Innovations in technology will create opportunities for the optimization of existing and future infrastructure. Smart city applications present promising opportunities, but also significant risks. While they can enhance infrastructure operations and address various needs, their adoption comes with risks that include the potential for rapid obsolescence, as well as a wide range of data management and security and privacy issues that will need to be addressed at federal, regional, and local levels in the coming years.

1313.6 Policy IN-4.2.1: Technology Applications

Technology-based initiatives, including pilot projects, should be designed to be user centric, prioritizing end users, such as residents for public-facing solutions, or government employees for government-facing solutions. These efforts should focus on solutions that address challenges including financial, operational, and environmental sustainability and resiliency issues. District needs should be clearly identified and rigorously evaluated before technology initiatives are deployed.

1313.7 Policy IN-4.2.2: Encourage Interdisciplinary and Cross-Sector Collaboration

Foster an environment of collaboration, cooperation, and shared opportunity across disciplines (technology, District planning, and design) and sectors (public, private, philanthropic, and think tanks) so that a range of perspectives and stakeholders participate in the identification of potential use cases and appropriate digital solutions to address identified District needs and providing an efficient use of District infrastructure, investment, and resources in smart city efforts.1313.8 Policy IN-4.2.3: Efficient Use of District Assets and Resources

Leverage District assets and resources to reduce overall cost and complexity as new technologies are identified, evaluated, and deployed, including smart city projects.1313.9 Policy IN-4.2.4: Neighborhood Integration

Integrate the hardware that supports digital technology in ways that minimize environmental impacts and visual intrusions or negative impacts to public space through noise, lighting, clutter, or obstructions.1313.10 Policy IN-4.2.5: Privacy and Security

Smart-city services and solutions should strike an appropriate balance between capability and privacy so that they have or use appropriate resilience and cybersecurity measures. In all applications that involve collection and storage of user data, the District shall anonymize data to protect the privacy of individual residents, workers and visitors to the extent possible.1313.11 Policy IN-4.2.6: Data Privacy

The privacy of residents, workers, and visitors should be protected through careful management of data in both specific and aggregate forms. Washington, DC is committed to being open and transparent about the “who, what, where, when, why, and how” of data collection, transmission, processing and use, but these factors should be balanced with data privacy and security considerations. The District should anonymize data collection to protect the privacy of individual residents, workers and visitors when possible.1313.11a Text Box: ParkDC—Smart Parking

In large cities, approximately 30 percent of traffic congestion is caused by drivers who circle District streets in search of parking. The District Department of Transportation has initiated ParkDC, a demand-based pricing pilot initiative to manage and regulate the District’s curbside and parking assets. The program is designed to encourage parking turnover in high-demand areas to improve traffic congestion. It leverages intelligent sensors to measure parking usage and availability, then it shares this information with a mobile application to assist

drivers with parking choices. The pilot is also using other sensor technologies to measure driver circling and identify whether this approach reduces traffic congestion.

1313.12 Action IN-4.2.A: Building on Pilot Project Lessons

Upon completion of pilot activities, such as PA 2040 and ParkDC, develop after-action reports that inform future 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)).