318.1 There are more than 170 countries across the globe with foreign missions in Washington, DC. These missions assist the U.S. government in maintaining positive diplomatic relations with the international community. By international treaty, the U.S. government is obligated to help foreign governments in obtaining suitable facilities for their diplomatic missions. This obligation was reinforced through the Foreign Missions Act of 1982, which established an Office of Foreign Missions within the Department of State and empowered the secretary of state to set criteria relating to the location of foreign missions in the District. As noted in the section entitled Washington's Foreign Missions, foreign missions are housed in many different types of buildings, ranging from row houses and mansions to custom-designed office buildings.

318.2 The number of foreign missions in the District is dynamic, with some growth likely. In addition, some of the existing missions are likely to relocate as they outgrow their facilities, respond to increased security requirements, and move beyond their traditional diplomatic functions. The Federal Elements of the Comprehensive Plan indicate that sites for as many as 100 new and relocated chanceries may be needed during the next 25 years. The availability of sites that meet the needs of foreign missions within traditional diplomatic areas is limited and the International Chancery Center on Van Ness Avenue has no available sites remaining. A portion of the Walter Reed campus is planned for chancery use, but additional areas may be needed for chancery use, and it may be necessary for foreign missions to look beyond traditional diplomatic enclaves.

318.3 The facilities that house diplomatic functions in Washington, DC are commonly referred to as embassies. To differentiate the functions that occur in buildings occupied by foreign missions, a variety of designations are used:

1. Chanceries, colloquially referred to as embassies, are the principal offices used by a foreign mission.
2. Chancery annexes are used for diplomatic purposes in support of the mission, such as cultural attaches or consular operations.
3. Ambassadors' residences are the official homes of ambassadors or chiefs of missions.

318.4 Many foreign governments occupy chanceries, chancery annexes, and ambassador's residences in more than one location. In 2004, the federal government indicated that there were 483 separate facilities in the District serving these functions.

318.5 Since 1982, chanceries have been allowed to locate in most of Washington, DC's non-residential zone districts as a matter-of-right. They are also permitted in higher-density residential and special purpose (SP) zones, as well as in less dense residential areas covered by a diplomatic overlay district.

318.6 Historically, chanceries have been concentrated in Northwest Washington, particularly along Massachusetts Avenue NW (also known as Embassy Row), and in the adjacent Sheridan-Kalorama and Dupont Circle neighborhoods. There are also 16 chanceries on a large federal site adjacent to the Van Ness-UDC Metro station, specifically created to meet the demand for foreign missions.

318.7 The Foreign Missions Act of 1982 established procedures and criteria governing the location, replacement, or expansion of chanceries in the District. The act identifies areas where foreign missions may locate without regulatory review (matter-of-right areas), including all areas zoned commercial, industrial, waterfront, or mixed-use. These areas are located in all quadrants of Washington, DC, and include large areas south of the National Mall and in Wards 7 and 8. The 1982 act also identifies areas where foreign missions may locate subject to disapproval by the District of Columbia Foreign Missions Board of Zoning Adjustment (FMBZA). These include areas zoned medium-high and high-density residential, SP, and areas within a diplomatic overlay zone.

318.8 As a result of the analysis accomplished in support of the Foreign Missions Act, a methodology was developed in 1983 to determine the most appropriate areas for foreign missions to locate, subject to FMBZA review. The 1983 methodology allows foreign missions to locate in low- and moderate-density District blocks (squares) in which one-third or more of the area is used for office, commercial, or other non-residential uses. In some cases, a consequence of the square-by-square determination has been an unanticipated increase in chanceries.

318.9 In 2015, NCPC updated the Federal Elements of the Comprehensive Plan, including the Foreign Missions and International Organization Element. The Foreign Mission Element recognizes "a key challenge with locating chanceries is balancing the need to plan secure locations for diplomatic activities while being sensitive to residential neighborhoods." The Foreign Mission Element acknowledges that the State Department is preparing a master plan for a new foreign mission center to be developed on the former Walter Reed Medical Center site and suggests that new chanceries be encouraged to locate first in areas where their use is considered a matter-of-right under local zoning. Working with NCPC and the State Department, clarified zoning regulations were written regarding applications to locate, replace, or expand a chancery use not otherwise permitted as a matter-of-right. The new zoning standards were adopted as part of the 2016 amendments to the zoning regulations.

318.10 Policy LU-3.4.1: Chancery Encroachment in Low-Density Areas Encourage foreign missions to locate their chancery facilities where adjacent existing and proposed land uses are compatible (i.e., office, commercial, and mixed-use), taking special care to protect the integrity of residential areas. Discourage the location of new chanceries in any area that is essentially a residential use area to the extent consistent with the Foreign Missions Act.

318.11 Policy LU-3.4.2: Target Areas for New Chanceries Encourage the development of new chancery facilities in locations where they would support neighborhood revitalization and economic development goals, particularly in federal enclaves and east of 16th Street NW. Work with the Department of State, the NCPC, and other organizations to encourage foreign missions to locate in these areas.

318.12 Policy LU-3.4.3: Compatibility of New Chanceries Promote the design and maintenance of chanceries in a manner that protects open space and historic resources, mitigates impacts on nearby properties, is compatible with the scale and character of its surroundings, and enhances Washington, DC's international image as a city of great architecture and urban design.

318.13 Action LU-3.4.A: Foreign Mission Mapping Improvements On an ongoing basis, accurately inventory foreign mission locations, distinguishing, chanceries, ambassador's residences, and institutional land uses.

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)).