Posts about Zoning
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How many homes are currently stuck in DC courts?
Right now in DC there are thousands of homes and hundreds of affordable homes stuck in the courts. Numerous recent lawsuits challenging approved Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) are winding their way through the DC Court of Appeals. Keep reading…
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A reset in Reston? Fairfax Zoning says “no thanks,” we’re going to allow new homes
Fairfax County zoning officials say they will not back off from commitments they’ve already made, despite pressure to allow fewer new homes in Reston. Officials recently responded to two groups that want to change or reverse zoning updates that would allow more density — changes that would mean going back on plans and compromises already made, some as recently as 2015. Keep reading…
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Three months of organizing urbanists, and one historic night (morning) - GGWash housing digest
We're through the first three months of the year and a lot has been happening. Take a moment to catch up on historic preservation, competition over a football stadium, growth in Reston, redlining, segregation, and more. Keep reading…
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Hey DC YIMBYs, need data for your arguments? Here it is.
Urbanists and YIMBYs in DC have been making some of the same arguments for a long time: we need to build more homes, studios and one-bedrooms help and don’t hurt, too much of DC is zoned like a suburb and that’s exclusionary. Ever wish you had more to back that all up? Well have we got a report for you. Keep reading…
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A tomato trellis popup is tearing this historic neighborhood apart
In recent years, some homeowners and small-scale developers have created infill density in DC by adding new floors to existing homes to convert single-family townhouses to multi-family structures. These “pop-ups” have been very controversial, and have triggered pushback from the DC Zoning Commission. Now, this building trend is expanding from residential to other land uses — and the controversy is riper than ever. Keep reading…
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Richard Rothstein lays out the reality of government-mandated segregation in “Color of Law”
The government's explicit role in building and enforcing segregation has been largely obscured, and it has done comparatively little to rectify the harm it's caused to African-American communities — harm which deeply resonates into the present day. Keep reading…
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DC’s Zoning Commission might downzone much of the city by redefining cellars
Text amendments to the zoning code do not usually make headlines, but this change could have a huge impact. DC’s Zoning Commission may take a technical proposal about how to measure space and effectively downzone neighborhoods across the District by 25 percent. Keep reading…
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Friday is the last day to sign up. Will you help shape the Comp Plan?
We could have a better Comp Plan that embraces the changes needed to house a growing population, but also takes steps to ensure we have enough affordable housing and protections against displacement. Help us push for that kind of Comp Plan on March 20. Keep reading…
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Whoever shows up March 20 will affect the future of DC
We don’t often ask GGWash readers from DC to come out to DC Council hearings, but we are now. We need you to advocate for more affordable housing and protections from displacement in the city's Comprehensive Plan. Keep reading…
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Why the Office of Planning likes PUDs (and why you should too)
Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) are a particular development process in DC where an applicant can receive zoning flexibility and relief in exchange for a set of community benefits negotiated with the city and the neighborhood. PUDs have helped create affordable homes in the city. Keep reading…