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1500.1 The Capitol Hill Planning Area encompasses the 3.1 square miles located east of the U.S. Capitol, north of I-695, and south of Florida Avenue NE and Benning Road NE. Boundaries of the Planning Area are shown on the Capitol Hill map. Most of this area has historically been Ward 6 and is now partially in Ward 7, although in past decades parts have been included in Wards 2 and 5.

1500.2 The Planning Area is bounded on the west by Central Washington and on the south by the Lower Anacostia Waterfront/Near Southwest Planning Area. Because plans for this area is of particular concern to Capitol Hill residents, this chapter includes cross-references to relevant sections of the Central Washington and Lower Anacostia Waterfront /Near Southwest Planning Area Elements. Changes along the waterfront—particularly at Reservation 13 and in the Near Southeast—are extremely important to the future of Capitol Hill. The Planning Area is bounded to the north by Florida Avenue NE and Benning Road NE. To the south, the area is bounded by Southeast Boulevard. To the west, the area is bounded generally by 1st Street NE. The Anacostia River provides a natural border to the east.

1500.3 In many respects, Capitol Hill is a city within the city. The community has well-defined physical boundaries that enhance its sense of identity. Its neighborhoods are united by history, architectural tradition, and relatively consistent urban form, including a grid system of diagonal streets that has remained faithful to the 1791 L'Enfant Plan for Washington, DC. Much of the community has the feel of a small historic town, with block upon block of attractive late 19th century and early 20th century row houses, well-maintained public spaces, historic schoolhouses and corner stores, alleys, and traditional neighborhood shopping districts. The community's attractive housing stock, living history, low scale, and proximity to the U.S. Capitol Building make the Hill one of the District's most sought-after communities.

1500.4 The Capitol Hill Planning Area is comprised of several distinct neighborhoods. The original Capitol Hill neighborhood was developed on the high ground just east of the U.S. Capitol Building during the 1800s and is still the historic heart of the community. The Lincoln Park and Stanton Park neighborhoods developed around their namesake squares, with similar housing stock and street patterns. Other areas, such as the H Street residential neighborhood, are defined both by historic row houses adjacent to the corridor and also by the new, higher-density residential buildings developed on infill sites along the corridor. Since the H Street Revitalization Plan was completed in 2003, over 1,500 residential units have been constructed or are in the planning stages along the H Street corridor. Areas such as Hill East, Northeast Capitol Hill, Kingman Park, and Rosedale have their own sense of identity, shaped by such factors as geography, housing stock, architecture, public schools and parks, and commercial centers. Kingman Park was designated a Historic District in 2018. Rosedale is characterized by wood-

frame row houses (rather than brick), smaller lots, and less uniform architecture. Other parts of the Hill include concentrations of flats and small apartments, including publicly subsidized housing complexes, such as Potomac Gardens.

1500.5 The major business districts in the Capitol Hill Planning Area are located along the east-west avenues that cross the community, particularly Pennsylvania Avenue, Massachusetts Avenue, and H Street NE. Historically, some of the north-south streets also supported neighborhood commercial districts, including 8th Street SE, 11th Street NE/SE, and 15th Street NE/SE. Among these, only the 7th Street/8th Street SE (Barracks Row) business district remains active today; the others have changed uses or been replaced by housing, as shopping patterns and transportation conditions have changed. Eighth Street SE, the spine of the Barracks Row Main Street, has grown into a District-wide destination due to several nationally acclaimed restaurants. As an older urban neighborhood, there continue to be small neighborhood commercial uses, such as dry cleaners, beauty salons, and corner stores, across the Planning Area. Capitol Hill is also home to Eastern Market, a lively and historic public market where independent vendors sell fresh meats, vegetables, flowers, and other goods to customers from across Washington, DC. On any given weekend, thousands of residents and visitors frequent the market.

1500.6 The Capitol Hill Planning Area has an excellent transportation network, making auto ownership an option rather than a need for many households. The scale and topography of the neighborhood, as well as wide sidewalks and street trees, create ideal conditions for walking. The southeast portion of the Hill is served by the Capitol South, Eastern Market, Potomac Avenue, and Stadium-Armory Metro stations. The northern area is served by the Union Station Metro station and the DC streetcar, which operates an east-west line from Union Station to Benning Road. The entire Planning Area is served by multiple bus lines connecting the District. Additionally, there are 30 Capital Bikeshare stations located throughout the Planning Area. Arterials like Pennsylvania Avenue SE and East Capitol Street NE provide excellent east-west circulation. The downside, however, is that Capitol Hill neighborhoods suffer from heavy volumes of commuter traffic going between downtown (or Central Washington) and areas in Wards 7 and 8. The community is also easily accessed by I-295 and the Southeast/Southwest Freeway (I-695).

1500.7 The Capitol Hill Planning Area is home to several parks, including Lincoln Park and Stanton Park, Rosedale and Sherwood Recreation Centers, and many smaller pocket and triangle parks. It is also home to the 25-acre Congressional Cemetery, a national historic landmark. The largest parks serving the Hill's neighborhoods are along the Anacostia River, including West Anacostia Park and the lands north of RFK Stadium.

1500.8 Kingman Island, located in the Anacostia River, is the largest park owned by the District. Its unique natural setting creates a peaceful setting in the District. It continues to grow in popularity, with its access to hiking, fishing, biking, and boating. In January 2018, the site was designated as a State Conservation Area, and the southern portion of Kingman Island is a Critical Wildlife Area. Additionally, it is now home to the DC Bluegrass and Folk Festival, attracting thousands of visitors annually to the event. Future plans for Kingman Island include a nature center and additional educational programming to serve all District residents.

1500.9 The Planning Area is served by multiple public schools, including elementary and middle schools, and one high school, along with several private and charter schools. The growing number of families in the Planning Area, coupled with improvements in public schools, have increased the interest and enrollment in local public schools. Major modernization efforts have been completed or are planned for Stuart-Hobson, Elliot-Hine, Watkins, Jefferson, Brent, and Eastern schools to better accommodate growth and a modern educational system. As part of the District's ongoing effort to renovate and modernize libraries, both the Rosedale and Northeast Libraries have undergone significant renovation to better serve Capitol Hill Planning Area neighborhoods, and significant renovations are planned for the Southeast Library.

1500.10 Much of the community's distinctive character is protected as a historic district that is also included in the DC Inventory of Historic Sites. In fact, Capitol Hill is the largest residential historic district in Washington, DC and includes some 8,000 structures, mostly dating from the early 1800s to the 1940s. The collection of buildings portrays a rich community history in all its aspects: civic, institutional, economic, technological, spiritual, and domestic. Residential buildings range from Federal-era manors and town houses, to small frame dwellings and alley houses, to grand Italianate homes and picturesque apartment buildings. Perhaps the most numerous are the pressed-brick row houses, many of which have whimsical decorative elements. Many of the row houses have rentable English basement units, contributing to neighborhood diversity and affordability. Increased home values and an influx of higher-income professionals have increased the buying power of area residents and have helped to revitalize commercial corridors. But housing options for lower- and middle-income families have been shrinking, especially in the last decade.

1500.11 Capitol Hill has always had active and involved citizenry. The Capitol Hill Restoration Society was founded in 1955 to protect the historic fabric of the Hill neighborhood. Their efforts led to the designation of the Capitol Hill Historic District in 1976 and its later expansions. Other neighborhood groups, like the North Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association, the Barney Circle Neighborhood Association, Moms on the Hill (MOTH), and the Kingman Park Civic Association

are committed to ensuring the livability of their neighborhoods. Business organizations like the Capitol Hill Association for Merchants and Professionals, Barracks Row Main Street, H Street Main Street, Capitol Hill Business Improvement District (BID), and Penn East Alliance all work to ensure that the Hill is a great place to shop, work, visit, and live.

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)).