227.1 Purpose of the Future Land Use Map:

The Future Land Use Map is part of the adopted Comprehensive Plan and carries the same legal weight as the Plan document itself. The Map uses color-coded categories to express public policy for future land uses across the city. The Future Land Use Map is intended to be used in conjunction with the Comprehensive Plan's policies and actions. Preparation of this map is explicitly required by D.C. Law; its purpose is to 'represent the land use policies set forth in the proposed Land Use Element,' using 'standardized colors for planning maps.' (D.C. Official Code § 1-306.02).

Each land use category identifies representative zoning districts and states that other zoning districts may apply. The Zoning Commission, in selecting a zone district such as through a Planned Unit Development or Zoning Map Amendment, determines if it is not inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan. In making this determination for a selected zone district, the Zoning Commission considers and balances the competing and sometimes conflicting aspects of the Comprehensive Plan, including the policies and text; the intent of the Future Land Use Map land use category; and the Future Land Use Map and Generalized Policy Map. Under the Zoning Regulations, a proposed Planned Unit Development should not result in unacceptable project impacts on the surrounding area.

Definitions of Land Use Categories: Sections 227.4 through 227.23 describe the land use categories depicted on the Future Land Use Map. References herein to density, scale, use or other features are intended to distinguish generally between the categories. Citing Floor Area Ratios (FAR) in the land use categories does not eliminate the need for height limits and other dimensional requirements established in the Zoning Regulations for a particular zone district, although the Zoning Regulations provide 'flexibility around such standards for Inclusionary Zoning and Planned Unit Developments. The residential and commercial land use categories run a spectrum from low to high density. It is important to consider the categories in relationship to each other. For each category, one to three zone districts are listed as illustrative. Accordingly, other zones may also apply. Some zones may straddle categories, reflecting the higher end of one category, or the lower end of another.

227.4 Definitions of Land Use Categories: Residential Categories.

Four residential categories appear on the Future Land Use Map. Density in the residential categories is typically calculated either as the number of dwelling units per minimum lot area, or as a FAR. FAR is a ratio between a building's total gross floor area and lot area, and is used to regulate density. Using this approach, some

aspects of a building may be higher than is characteristic for the land use category, but still consistent with the category's density range. Similarly, density on a portion of a site may be greater, provided the density for the site overall is not inconsistent with the specified range.

227.5 Low Density Residential: This designation is used to define neighborhoods generally, but not exclusively, suited for single family detached and semi-detached housing units with front, back, and side yards. The R-1 and R-2 Zone Districts are consistent with the Low Density Residential category, and other zones may also apply.

227.6 Moderate Density Residential: This designation is used to define neighborhoods generally, but not exclusively, suited for row houses as well as low-rise garden apartment complexes. The designation also applies to areas characterized by a mix of single-family homes, two- to four-unit buildings, row houses, and low-rise apartment buildings. In some neighborhoods with this designation, there may also be existing multi-story apartments, many built decades ago when the areas were zoned for more dense uses (or were not zoned at all). Density in Moderate Density Residential areas is typically calculated either as the number of dwelling units per minimum lot area, or as a FAR up to 1.8, although greater density may be possible when complying with Inclusionary Zoning or when approved through a Planned Unit Development. The R-3, RF, and RA-2 Zone Districts are consistent with the Moderate Density Residential category, and other zones may also apply.

227.7 Medium Density Residential: This designation is used to define neighborhoods or areas generally, but not exclusively, suited for mid-rise apartment buildings. The Medium Density Residential designation also may apply to taller residential buildings surrounded by large areas of permanent open space. Pockets of low and moderate density housing may exist within these areas. Density typically ranges from 1.8 to 4.0 FAR, although greater density may be possible when complying with Inclusionary Zoning or when approved through a Planned Unit Development. The RA-3 Zone District is consistent with the Medium Density Residential category, and other zones may also apply.

227.8 High Density Residential: This designation is used to define neighborhoods and corridors generally, but not exclusively, suited for high-rise apartment buildings. Pockets of less dense housing may exist within these areas. Density is typically greater than a FAR of 4.0, and greater density may be possible when complying with Inclusionary Zoning or when approved through a Planned Unit Development. The RA-4 and RA-5 Zone Districts are consistent with the High Density Residential category, and other zones may also apply.

227.9 Commercial Categories: Four commercial categories appear on the Map. The

predominant use is commercial, with housing permitted in all categories, and incentivized in all but the High Density category. Although all Commercial Categories accommodate a mix of uses, a separate category (Mixed Use, defined in Section 227.20) is used to identify areas where the mixing of commercial, residential, and sometimes industrial uses is strongly encouraged. Density is typically calculated as a FAR. Using this approach, some aspects of a building may be higher than is characteristic for the land use category, but still consistent with the category's density range. Similarly, density on a portion of a site may be greater, provided the density for the site overall is not inconsistent with the specified range.

227.10 Low Density Commercial: This designation is used to define shopping and service areas that are generally lower in scale and intensity. Retail, office, and service businesses are the predominant uses. Areas with this designation range from small business districts that draw primarily from the surrounding neighborhoods to larger business districts that draw from a broader market area. Their common feature is that they are comprised primarily of commercial and mixed-use buildings that range in density generally up to a FAR of 2.5, with greater density possible when complying with Inclusionary Zoning or when approved through a Planned Unit Development. The MU-3 and MU-4 Zone Districts are consistent with the Low Density category, and other zones may also apply.

227.11 Moderate Density Commercial: This designation is used to define shopping and service areas that are somewhat greater in scale and intensity than the Low-Density Commercial areas. Retail, office, and service businesses are the predominant uses. Areas with this designation range from small business districts that draw primarily from the surrounding neighborhoods to larger business districts uses that draw from a broader market area. Buildings are larger and/or taller than those in Low Density Commercial areas. Density typically ranges between a FAR of 2.5 and 4.0, with greater density possible when complying with Inclusionary Zoning or when approved through a Planned Unit Development. The MU-5 and MU-7 Zone Districts are representative of zone districts consistent with the Moderate Density Commercial category, and other zones may also apply.

227.12 Medium Density Commercial: This designation is used to define shopping and service areas that are somewhat greater in scale and intensity than the Moderate Density Commercial areas. Retail, office, and service businesses are the predominant uses, although residential uses are common. Areas with this designation generally draw from a citywide market area. Buildings are larger and/or taller than those in Moderate Density Commercial areas. Density typically ranges between a FAR of 4.0 and 6.0, with greater density possible when complying with Inclusionary Zoning or when approved through a Planned Unit Development. The MU-8 and MU-10 Zone Districts are consistent with the

Medium Density category, and other zones may also apply.

227.13 High Density Commercial: This designation is used to define the central employment district, other major office centers, and other commercial areas with the greatest scale and intensity of use in the District. Office and mixed office/retail buildings with densities greater than a FAR of 6.0 are the predominant use, although high-rise residential and many lower scale buildings (including historic buildings) are interspersed. The MU-9, D-3, and D-6 Zone Districts are consistent with the High Density Commercial category, and other zones may also apply.

227.14 Production, Distribution, and Repair (PDR): The Production, Distribution, and Repair (PDR) category is used to define areas characterized by manufacturing, warehousing, wholesale and distribution centers, transportation services, food services, printers and publishers, tourism support services, and commercial, municipal, and utility activities which may require substantial buffering from housing and other noise-, air-pollution and light-sensitive uses. This category is also used to denote railroad rights-of-way, switching and maintenance yards, bus garages, and uses related to the movement of freight, such as truck terminals. It is important to ensure that adequate, appropriate land is provided for these PDR uses that are critical to supporting the retail, transportation and service needs of the city. A variety of zone districts apply within PDR areas, recognizing the different intensities of use and impacts generated by various PDR activities. The corresponding zone category is PDR, and the present density and height limits set in these districts are expected to remain for the foreseeable future. Other districts may also apply where the PDR map designation is striped with other land uses. In an area striped to include PDR, development must include PDR space, and on sites containing existing PDR space the amount of PDR space on-site should be substantially preserved.

227.15 Public and Institutional Categories:

Four Public and Institutional Land Use categories appear on the Map, as follows:

227.16 Federal: This designation includes land and facilities owned, occupied and used by the federal government, excluding parks and open space. Uses include military bases, federal government buildings, the International Chancery Center, federal hospitals, museums, and similar federal government activities. The "Federal" category generally denotes federal ownership and use. Land with this designation is generally not subject to zoning. In the event federal interests on any given federal site terminate, zoning for these areas should be established in a manner that is consistent with Comprehensive Plan policies.

227.17 Local Public Facilities: This designation includes land and facilities occupied and

used by the District of Columbia government or other local government agencies (such as WMAT A), excluding parks and open space. Uses include public schools including charter schools, public hospitals, government office complexes, and similar local government activities. Other non-governmental facilities may be co-located on site. While included in this category, local public facilities smaller than one acre including some of the District's libraries, police and fire stations, and similar uses may not appear on the map due to scale. Zoning designations vary depending on surrounding uses.

227.18 Institutional: This designation includes land and facilities occupied and used by colleges and universities, large private schools, hospitals, religious organizations, and similar institutions. While included in this category, smaller institutional uses such as churches are generally not mapped, unless they are located on sites that are several acres in size. Zoning designations vary depending on surrounding uses. Institutional uses are also permitted in other land use categories.

227.19 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space: This designation includes the federal and District park systems, including the National Parks, such as the National Mall; the circles and squares of the L'Enfant city and District neighborhoods; settings for significant commemorative works, certain federal buildings such as the White House and the U.S. Capitol grounds, and museums; and District-operated parks and associated recreation centers. It also includes permanent open space uses such as cemeteries, open space associated with utilities such as the Dalecarlia and McMillan Reservoirs, and open space along highways such as Suitland Parkway. This category includes a mix of passive open space (for resource conservation and habitat protection) and active open space (for recreation). While included in this category, parks smaller than one acre - including many of the triangles along the city's avenues - may not appear on the map due to scale. Zoning designations for these areas vary. The federal parklands are generally unzoned, and District parklands tend to be zoned the same as surrounding land uses.

227.20 Mixed Use Categories: The Future Land Use Map indicates areas where the mixing of two or more land uses is especially encouraged. The particular combination of uses desired in a given area is depicted in striped patterns, with stripe colors corresponding to the categories defined on the previous pages. A Mixed Use Future Land Use Map designation should not be confused with the Mixed Use (MU) zoning districts, although they frequently apply to the same area or parcel of land. The Mixed Use Category generally applies in the following circumstances:

a. Established, pedestrian-oriented commercial areas that also include substantial amounts of housing, typically on the upper stories of buildings with ground-floor retail or office uses;

b. Commercial corridors or districts which may not contain substantial amounts of housing today, but where more housing is desired in the future. The pattern envisioned for such areas is typically one of pedestrian-oriented streets, with ground-floor retail or office uses and upper story housing;

c. Large sites (generally greater than 10 acres in size), where opportunities for multiple uses exist, but a plan depicting the precise location of these uses has yet to be prepared; and

d. Development that includes residential uses, particularly affordable housing, and residentially compatible industrial uses, typically achieved through a Planned Unit Development or in a zone district that allows such a mix of uses.

227.21 The general density and intensity of development within a given Mixed Use area is determined by the specific mix of uses shown. If the desired outcome is to emphasize one use over the other (for example, ground-floor retail with three stories of housing above), the Future Land Use Map may note the dominant use by showing it at a slightly higher density than the other use in the mix (in this case, Moderate Density Residential/Low Density Commercial). The Comprehensive Plan Area Elements may also provide detail on the specific mix of uses envisioned.

227.22 It should also be acknowledged that because of the scale of the Future Land Use Map and the fine-grained pattern of land use in older parts of the city, many of the areas shown purely as "Commercial" may also contain other uses, including housing. Likewise, some of the areas shown as purely "Residential" contain existing incidental commercial uses such as corner stores or gas stations, or established institutional uses, such as places of worship. The "Mixed Use" designation is intended primarily for larger areas where no single use predominates today, or areas where multiple uses are specifically encouraged in the future.

227.23 A variety of zoning designations are used in Mixed Use areas, depending on the combination of uses, densities, and intensities. All zone districts formerly identified as commercial, SP, CR and Waterfront were renamed as MU zone districts in 2016, and are considered to be mixed use. Residential uses are permitted in all of the MU zones, however, so many Mixed Use areas may have MU zoning.

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 Framework Amendment Act of 2019, effective August 27, 2020 (D.C. Law 23-127; 67 DCR 001360 (February 14, 2020)).