1914.1 For nearly 50 years, the Southwest neighborhood has been a quiet, tucked away neighborhood of almost 12,000 residents. The product of urban renewal interventions of the 1950s and 1960s, the predominantly residential enclave is unlike any other in Washington, DC. Its modernist architecture, large swaths of green open space, and variety of residential development are sources of pride for many Southwest residents. Major changes have taken shape in Southwest, such as the removal of Waterside Mall to allow for the reopening of 4^th Street SW between I and M Streets SW and the addition of new offices, retail, and residential developments to form a town center. As the surrounding waterfront areas around Southwest continue to grow, the established core of the Southwest neighborhood continues to experience mounting development pressure.

1914.2 Population projections for Southwest indicate that the population will increase by almost 3,000 residents, bringing the total closer to 15,000 residents in Southwest by 2023. Southwest residents have indicated a desire to maintain the area’s historic integrity of inclusion for all kinds of families and household incomes. The neighborhood contains an abundance of District and federally owned parcels, many of which are currently underused or underdeveloped with low-scale buildings and surface parking lots clustered on M Street near South Capitol Street. As technology changes and service needs grow and evolve, the District is interested in optimizing its properties, as well as finding opportunities to use these assets to best serve residents and contribute to the community through improved design and function. Additionally, the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) intends to redevelop the Greenleaf public housing complex, located on four large parcels straddling both sides of M Street SW near the Waterfront Metro station, into a mixed-income housing development.

1914.3 All of these changes and existing opportunity areas served as a catalyst for studying and analyzing the Southwest neighborhood through a Small Area Plan, which was initiated in 2013 and approved by the D.C. Council in 2015. The Southwest Neighborhood Plan supplements the Comprehensive Plan by providing more detailed planning and land use guidance at the block level. The Southwest Neighborhood Plan focused on a study area that extended from South Capitol Street to the east, Maine Avenue SW to the west, P Street SW to the south, and the I-395 Freeway to the north. The Southwest Neighborhood Plan is a community-based strategy developed for the purpose of creating an urban design, land use, and neighborhood preservation framework to enhance parks and pedestrian and street connections, integrate community amenities, enhance transportation choices, and guide the future growth of the Southwest neighborhood. In addition, the Southwest Neighborhood Plan provides land use guidance for the Future Land Use Map. The Southwest Neighborhood Plan aims to provide Southwest residents and property owners with assurances of what future development may look like,

including recommendations to preserve and enhance existing assets and ensure that Southwest retains social, economic, and racial diversity. The following policies have been developed to reinforce the outcomes of the Southwest Neighborhood Plan.

1914.4 Policy A W-2.5.1: 4th Street SW as a Thriving Town Center Develop 4th Street SW as a thriving town center and commercial heart of the community with a range of neighborhood-serving retail options, an active street atmosphere, high-quality public realm, new development, and accessible transit options. Support the redevelopment of the remaining parcels of land at the Waterfront Metro station (formally the Waterside Mall site) with residential, office, and local-serving retail uses. 4th Street SW should serve as a retail anchor for the surrounding Southwest community and improve aesthetics, circulation, and connectivity.

1914.5 Policy A W-2.5.2: Southwest Neighborhood Plan Implement the policies and recommendations of the Southwest Neighborhood Plan. Use the Southwest Neighborhood Plan as a framework for guiding public investment and evaluating new development per plan recommendations and design guidelines.

1914.6 Policy A W-2.5.3: Greenleaf Public Housing Redevelopment Promote the redevelopment of the Greenleaf public housing complex, composed of four sites on both the north and south sides of M Street SW between 3rd and Delaware Streets SW, to benefit existing Greenleaf residents and realize a well-designed mixed-income community. Explore the potential for District-controlled properties in the vicinity to support a build-first strategy to keep Greenleaf residents within the Southwest neighborhood. Support one-for-one replacement of all existing public housing units on site.

1914.7 Policy A W-2.5.4: An Equitable and Inclusive Southwest Neighborhood Ensure that Southwest remains an exemplary model of equity and inclusion for all races, ages, abilities, and income levels and enhances all residents' well-being. Support and encourage affordable and equitable access to housing with a range of housing types to support families, older adults, single persons, persons with disabilities, and artists. Encourage more inclusive options for transit and more accessible public realm design.

1914.8 Policy A W-2.5.5: Southwest Historic Preservation Support and promote Southwest's unique legacy of modernist mid-20th century architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design. Continue the community-led process to garner support for preserving modernist properties through a variety of ways, such as individual landmarks.

1914.9 Policy A W-2.5.6 Southwest Greenspaces and Parks Strike a balance between nature and the built environment and retain the green character of Southwest as it continues to grow. Encourage additional capital investments, resilient design enhancements, and outstanding programming at Southwest parks: Lansburgh, Randall, King Greenleaf, Southwest Duck Pond, and Library Park. The needs of both school-age children and older adults aging in place should be considered in future designs for all parks, green spaces, and recreational programming. Parks and green spaces should be beautiful and functional while contributing to stormwater management and flood mitigation.1914.10 Policy A W-2.5.7: Southwest Sustainability and Resilience Encourage the adoption of sustainability measures to support outstanding environmental performance, energy efficiency, stormwater management, and healthy living. New developments in Southwest that are vulnerable to flooding and future sea level rise should incorporate flood protection in building and site designs.1914.11 Policy A W-2.5.8: Southwest Arts and Culture Grow and support Southwest as a premier arts and cultural destination, leveraging existing institutions, such as Arena Stage and the Anthem concert venue to attract new creative uses in both temporary and permanent locations and to reinforce I Street SW as a cultural corridor.1914.12 Policy A W-2.5.9: Southwest District-Owned Parcels Redevelop outdated public facilities and underused publicly owned land for development that delivers high-quality design and community benefits. These District properties include key sites adjacent to M Street SW and Half Street SW and are the current locations of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Fire and Emergency Medical Services (FEMS), and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Future developments at these sites should consider public-private opportunities for joint development and co-location of District government uses. Land use changes recommended in the Small Area Plan should be achieved through the PUD process and conform to the design guidelines, affordable housing goals, and broader recommendations of the Small Area Plan.1914.13 Policy A W-2.5.10: Southwest Multimodal Transportation Options Support an active and growing Southwest community by accommodating multiple transportation modes, increasing mobility and safety within the community, and providing ease of access to adjacent neighborhoods and the waterfront. Improve pedestrian and bike crossings through enhanced signage and redesigned crosswalks. Continue to expand and link bicycle routes. Where feasible (as detailed in the Small Area Plan), reinstate lost connections of the L'Enfant Plan.1914.14 Policy A W-2.5.11: Affordable and Family-Sized Housing in Southwest

Promote a mix of affordable and market rate residential units that better serve community needs in Southwest. Prioritize the creation of a greater number of affordable units than the Inclusionary Zoning requirement or more family-sized units as part of a community benefits agreement for any PUDs and by targets on District-controlled sites that exceed overarching affordable housing requirements.

1914.15 Action AW-2.5.A: Greenleaf PUD

Support the redevelopment of DCHA-controlled Greenleaf public housing parcels consistent with the increased density of Future Land Use Map designations as outlined in the Southwest Neighborhood Plan if development is achieved through a PUD that meets the following criteria:

1. Conforms to the design guidelines for each parcel as outlined in the Small Area Plan;
2. Provides replacement housing for all the existing public units within the development or the immediate Southwest neighborhood;
3. Encourages a mixed-income community through the inclusion of market rate units and, to the extent practicable, moderate-income housing; and
4. Achieves a significant level of green design in terms of both site and building design to contribute to healthy living and improved environmental performance.

1914.16 Action AW- 2.5.B: Lansburgh Park

Redesign Lansburgh Park to become a safer, more accessible central park for the Southwest community. Create a signature design and beautiful park space that serves as a centerpiece for redevelopment of surrounding properties like the Greenleaf complex and the Southwest government cluster. Any future design also should enhance community resilience by helping to address and manage flooding issues.

1914.17 Action AW-2.5.C: Storage Facility at Jefferson Middle School Academy

Complete a feasibility study to determine the need for the existing storage facility located adjacent to the Jefferson Middle School Academy. Study the option of removing the storage facility to expand the recreation space or repurposing the building to better serve the community.

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)).