D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10-A, § 2504

IM-1.3 Zoning Regulations and Consistency

Effective Aug 21, 2021Authority: Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)). 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)).District of Columbia, Office of the Secretary

2504.1 The importance of zoning as a tool for implementing the Comprehensive Plan, particularly the Future Land Use Map, is discussed in several places in the Comprehensive Plan. The Home Rule Charter requires that zoning “shall not be inconsistent” with the Comprehensive Plan. Consequently, revisions to the Comprehensive Plan should be followed by revisions to the Zone Map or text, with an emphasis on eliminating clear inconsistencies.

2504.2 However, the zoning impact of the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan is broad and is not limited to areas of conflict between the Comprehensive Plan and Zone Map. Additional zoning map amendments may be needed to achieve neighborhood revitalization or conservation goals, greater housing availability, and access to public transit. A major revision to the zoning regulations was completed in 2016. Action items throughout the Comprehensive Plan were considered during this effort, eventually enabling zoning to work more effectively as a Comprehensive Plan implementation tool. Table 25.1 highlights all zoning-related actions that are included in the Comprehensive Plan.

2504.3 Policy IM-1.3.1: Updating Land Use Controls Regularly review and update the District’s land use controls and building codes to eliminate obsolete regulations and develop new regulations that address emerging issues, land uses, building types, and technologies.

2504.4 Policy IM-1.3.2: Zone Map Consistency Consistent with the Home Rule Charter, ensure that the Zone Map is “not inconsistent” with the Comprehensive Plan, including the text and the Future Land Use Map. Make appropriate revisions to the Zone Map or zoning text to improve its alignment with the Comprehensive Plan text and the Future Land Use Map and to eliminate clear inconsistencies.

2504.5 Policy IM-1.3.3: Consultation of Comprehensive Plan in Zoning Decisions The Board of Zoning Adjustment, the Zoning Commission, and other District agencies or decision-making bodies regulating land use, shall, when required by law or regulation, look to the District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan and its accompanying maps. Decisions on requests for rezoning shall be guided by the Future Land Use and Generalized Policy Maps read in conjunction with the text of the Comprehensive Plan (Citywide and Area Elements), as well as Small Area Plans pertaining to the area proposed for rezoning.

2504.6 Policy IM-1.3.4: Interpretation of the District Elements Recognize the overlapping nature of the Comprehensive Plan Elements as they are interpreted and applied. An element may be tempered by one or more of the other elements. As noted in Section 300.3, because the Land Use Element

integrates the policies of all other District Elements, it should be given greater weight than the other elements.

2504.7 Policy IM-1.3.5: District Government Compliance Improve and ensure continued compliance by the District government with the provisions and standards of its building and zoning regulations in all parts of Washington, DC.

2504.8 Action IM-1.3.A: Monitor and Review New Zoning Regulations Regularly monitor and review the zoning regulations to verify that they are working to achieve their purpose and submit corrections, changes, and amendments as necessary.

2504.9 Action IM-1.3.B: Adoption of Future Land Use Map and Policy Map Adopt the Future Land Use Map and Generalized Policy Map by Act. Any inconsistencies in land use map designations between the illustration on the map and the textual description of the map designation that is contained in the adopted Comprehensive Plan legislation shall be resolved in favor of the text.

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)).