D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 11-K, § 200
200
200.1 The Southeast Federal Center (SEFC) zones (SEFC-1 through SEFC-4) provide for the development of a vibrant, urban, mixed-use, waterfront neighborhood, offering a combination of uses that will attract residents, office workers, and visitors from across the District of Columbia and beyond.
200.2 The purposes of the SEFC zones are to:
(a) Assure development of the area with a mixture of residential and commercial uses and a suitable height, bulk, and design of buildings, as generally identified in the Comprehensive Plan, and in recognition of the objectives of the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative and the Near Southeast Urban Design Framework Plan;
(b) Encourage high-density residential development with a pedestrian-oriented streetscape through flexible zoning parameters;
(c) Encourage a variety of support and visitor-related uses, such as retail, service, entertainment, cultural, and hotel or inn uses;
(d) Provide for a reduced height and bulk of buildings along the Anacostia riverfront in the interest of ensuring views over and around waterfront buildings, and provide for continuous publicly-accessible open space along the waterfront;
(e) Require suitable ground-floor level retail and service uses near the Navy Yard Metrorail station, along M Street, S.E., near the SEFC-4 zone, and at other key pedestrian locations;
(f) Encourage the design and development of properties in a manner that is sensitive to the adjacent Navy Yard and the historically significant buildings within the SEFC zones; and
(g) Establish zoning incentives and restrictions to provide for the development of a publicly-accessible park along the Anacostia River and encourage uses in that park as permitted in the SEFC-4 zone.
200.3
The SEFC-1 zones provide for high-density mixed-use development with ground floor retail, with bonus density and height for development proximate to the Navy Yard Metrorail Station and the proposed 1½ Street, and with review of the relationship of new buildings to the M Street, S.E. corridor and the adjacent
Washington Navy Yard. The SEFC-1 zones consist of the SEFC-1-A zone, which permits high-density commercial or residential use with ground floor retail on parcels A, F, and G near the Navy Yard Metrorail Station entrance, and the SEFC-1-B zone, which promotes a mix of high-density residential and medium-density commercial development with ground floor retail on parcels D, E, K, H, and I. The Property descriptions and zone district for each parcel is as follows:
| Parcel | Square | Lot(s) | Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 743 | 94 | SEFC-1A |
| F | 743 | 94 | SEFC-1A |
| G | 743 | 94 | SEFC-1A |
| H | 744 | 807 | SEFC-1B |
| I | 744 | 807 | SEFC-1B |
| K | 770 | 40 | SEFC-1B |
| D | 771 | 811, 813, 814, 7000-7010 | SEFC-1B |
| E | 853 | All (Also referred to in § 203.2 as Parcel E1) | SEFC-1B |
| 883 | Portion bounded by M Street on the north, Isaac Hull Avenue on the east, and Tingey Street on the south | SEFC-1B |
200.3 The SEFC-2 zone provides for high-density residential development with limited ground floor retail, and the review of the relationship of new buildings to the SEFC waterfront park open space area.
200.4 The SEFC-3 zone provides for medium-density residential development with limited ground floor retail, and the review of the relationship of new buildings to the SEFC waterfront park open space area.
200.5 The SEFC-4 zone provides for a five (5) acre minimum public park along the Anacostia River, with defined areas for retail, cultural, education, and institutional uses to serve residents of the neighborhood and the District of Columbia.
200.6 Additional objectives for the SEFC-4 zones are to:
(a) Encourage open space;
(b) Promote a lively, interactive waterfront environment;
(c) Discourage parking;
(d) Provide a development area for retail, cultural, educational, and institutional uses;
(e) Provide an open space area, intended to be the site of open space recreation use as well as limited uses that are directly waterfront dependent; and
(f) Allow for a continuous publicly-accessible pedestrian and bicycle trail along and adjacent to the waterfront as part of the Anacostia Waterfront Trail system.
200.7 The SEFC-4 zone is divided into two geographic areas:
(a) SEFC-4 development area, consisting of (1) the northeastern portion of the SEFC- 4 zone, specifically the existing Building 173 and that portion of the SEFC-4 zone located directly to the east of Building 173, north of a line extending east from the south elevation of Building 173, and (2) the far eastern portion of the SEFC-4 zone that is immediately south of the Washington Navy Yard and is identified in the Southeast Federal Center Master Plan as Parcel P3; and
(b) SEFC-4 open space area, consisting of all property within the SEFC-4 zone that is located outside of the development area.
200.8 Notwithstanding the subdivision requirements of
Subtitle C § 302, two (2) or more principal buildings or structures may be erected as a matter-of-right on a single lot within the SEFC-4 zone provided that such principal buildings or structures comply with all other theoretical lot subdivision requirements of Subtitle C § 305, except that the maximum permitted density for the SEFC-4 zone District shall be aggregated across the entire SEFC-4 zone and allocated to each theoretical lot in any manner so long as the maximum permitted density set forth in Subtitle K § 230 is not exceeded.
200.9 The parking requirements are as follows:
(a) The provision of vehicular parking spaces shall not be required. Any parking spaces and access provided shall conform to the requirements of Subtitle C, Chapter 7;
(b) Bicycle parking spaces shall be required, in accordance with the standards of Subtitle C, Chapter 8; and
(c) Parking for marine and parks and recreation uses, including any accessory uses, shall be located in accordance with the provisions of Subtitle C §1102.
200.11 Penthouses and rooftop structures shall be subject to the regulations of Subtitle C, Chapter 15, and the height and story limitations specified in each zone of this chapter.
200.12 The Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) requirements, and the available IZ modifications and bonus density, shall apply to the SEFC zones except for:
(a) Properties subject to a land disposition or other agreement with the District of Columbia that mandates the provision of affordable housing; provided that these properties shall be subject to IZ requirements for new penthouse habitable space as described in Subtitle C § 1507.2; and
(b) Penthouses and rooftop structures in residential rental buildings.
200.13 The matter-of-right height, penthouse and rooftop structure height, and floor area ratio limits shall serve as the maximums permitted building height, penthouse and rooftop structure height, and floor area ratio for a planned unit development (PUD) for each SEFC zone.
SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 63 DCR 2447, 3176 (March 4, 2016 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 65 DCR 7200 (July 6, 2018); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 66 DCR 13705 (October 18, 2019); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 68 DCR 013834 (December 24, 2021); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 72 DCR 012752 (November 14, 2025).