D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10-A, § 2503
2503.1 Small Area Plans cover defined geographic areas that require more focused direction than can be provided by the Comprehensive Plan. The intent of such plans is to guide long-range development, improve neighborhoods, achieve District-wide goals, and attain economic and community benefits. The Comprehensive Plan Area Elements identify recommended locations for Small Area Plans, with an emphasis on the Land Use Change Areas, Enhancement Areas, and business districts shown on the Comprehensive Plan’s Generalized Policy Map. A Small Area Plan provides supplemental guidance to the Comprehensive Plan, unless incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan by a D.C. Council act. In exceptional cases, it may be appropriate to prepare a Small Area Plan for an area not called for in the Comprehensive Plan. Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) and public involvement in the development of Small Area Plans is desired and expected.
2503.2 Further, the Generalized Policy Map identifies Future Planning Analysis Areas and describes them as follows: “Areas of large tracts or corridors where future analysis is anticipated to ensure adequate planning for equitable development. Boundaries shown are for illustrative purposes. Final boundaries will be determined as part of the future planning analyses process for each area. Planning analyses generally establish guiding documents. Such analyses shall precede any zoning changes in this area. The planning process should evaluate current infrastructure and utility capacity against full build out and projected population and employment growth. Planning should also focus on issues most relevant to the community that can be effectively addressed through a planning process. Individual planning analyses may study smaller areas than the Analysis Area. For the purposes of determining whether a planning analysis is needed before a zoning change, the boundaries of the Future Planning Analysis Areas shall be considered as drawn. The evaluation of current infrastructure and utility capacity should specify the physical or operational capacity both inside the boundaries and any relevant District-wide infrastructure available.”
2503.3 Notwithstanding 2503.2, re-zoning proposals received prior to planning studies in these Future Planning Analysis Areas may be considered if the following occur or have occurred: a Small Area Plan, development framework, technical study, design guidelines, Planned Unit Development, master plan already approved by the National Capital Planning Commission, or the re-zoning proposal would have been consistent with the 2012 Future Land Use Map. The intent is that both steps of the two-step process must occur: planning analyses and then appropriate rezoning, although in the case of a Planned Unit Development the planning analyses and rezoning may be combined. To advance deeply affordable housing production, proposals that reserve at least one third (33 percent) of housing units as affordable to very-low- and extremely-low-income households for the life of
the building in Future Planning Analysis Areas with high housing costs and few affordable housing options may proceed in advance of planning analyses.
2503.4
Prepare Small Area Plans and other planning studies for parts of Washington, DC where detailed direction or standards are needed to guide land use, transportation, housing, urban design, equitable development and other future physical planning decisions. These plans must be conducted using a racial equity lens and consider use of a racial equity impact analysis or similar tools. The focus should be on areas that offer opportunities for new residential, commercial, and mixed-use development, or areas with challenges or characteristics requiring place-specific planning actions.
2503.5
Use the Comprehensive Plan Area Elements, the Generalized Policy Map and land use monitoring activities to identify areas where Small Area Plans or other appropriate planning studies should be conducted. Prioritize planning study resources and efforts in locations specified in the Area Elements, within the Future Planning Analysis Areas and Resilience Areas, Land Use Change areas, Enhancement areas, or business areas downtown. A Small Area Plan or other planning study may also be appropriate in response to community requests that demonstrate a clear purpose and need and aligns with these priorities to the greatest extent possible. In exceptional cases, it may be appropriate to prepare a Small Area Plan for an area not called for in the Comprehensive Plan.
2503.6
Ensure that Small Area Plans and other studies take a form appropriate to the needs of both the community and the District, reflecting community and District-wide needs, District-wide and neighborhood economic development policies and priorities, market conditions, and implementation requirements. As with any other commitment of public resources, Small Area Plan work should consider competing demands, available staffing and time, and available funding. Such plans must be shaped using a racial equity lens and address topics such as neighborhood revitalization and conservation needs and strategies, achieving housing and affordable housing targets, addressing displacement, aesthetic and public space improvements, circulation improvements and transportation management, capital improvement requirements and financing strategies, the need for zoning changes or special zoning requirements, and other implementation techniques necessary to achieve plan objectives. Small Area Plans are typically approved by resolution of the D.C. Council, and information from these plans may be subsequently incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan Elements. If approved by D.C. Council resolution, the Small Area Plans should be used as supplemental guidance by the Zoning Commission where not in conflict with the Comprehensive Plan. A Small Area Plan can be incorporated into, and given the
same force as, the Comprehensive Plan by D.C. Council act.
2503.7 Action IM-1.2.A: Implementation of Small Area Plans As needed, amend the Comprehensive Plan to reflect Small Area Plan policies that are inconsistent with or not appropriately specified in the Comprehensive Plan.
2503.8 Action IM-1.2.B Small Area Plan Activities Provide a list of completed, in-progress, and proposed Small Area Plans and other planning studies through the Comprehensive Plan Progress Reports, as discussed in Action IM-3.1.A.
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)).