Could Carver Langston Get DC's First RF-4 Zone?

• November 13th 2019

by Nena Perry-Brown

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A section of Ward 5 could be the city's first to use a pre-existing, but unmapped, zone identification aimed at maintaining the appearance of the area's existing housing stock. 

Last night, ANC 5D approved a resolution to rezone several blocks and portions of blocks between G and I Streets NE, between 17th and 21st Streets, from the RA-2 designation to RF-4.

The RF-4 zone aims to preserve the appearance of rowhouses and maintain residential use in areas abutting higher-density zones. It is not currently in use anywhere on the DC zoning map. 

"The Commission and its constituents are interested in using all available laws and regulations to increase affordable housing, such as inclusionary zoning while working to maintain community character and manage future development for the best interest of all district residents," the resolution reads.

ANC 5D also voted in support of upzoning the blocks on the northern edge of Benning Road, behind 1701 H Street (map) to 21st Street NE (map), from MU-4 to MU-5A. While the MU-4 zone permits moderate density mixed-use development up to 50 feet tall, MU-5A permits medium density, residential-heavy mixed-use development up to 65 feet tall.

This change would bring this side of the block in line with currently proposed changes to the Future Land Use Map which would upzone the southern side of Benning Road from MU-4 to MU-5A along this same stretch. The upzoning is requested in order to create more capacity for inclusionary zoning units in this corridor and have balance on both sides of the street.

The requests for rezoning will be submitted to the Zoning Commission for review.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/could-carver-langston-get-dcs-first-rf-4-zone/16134.