What's Hot: Barnes and Noble Will Return to Georgetown in June | The 3,000 Units On The Boards From Trinidad to Gallaudet
DCRA: New Multifamily Construction in Some DC Zones to Require BZA Approval
As UrbanTurf reported earlier this year, the DC area is facing a housing shortage that will necessitate production of over 25,000 additional housing units annually. Now, it is about to get harder to build multi-family properties in some parts of DC proper.
Yesterday, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs released guidance regarding the provision that multi-family construction cannot be built in the RA-1 and RA-6 zones without a special zoning exception. In practical terms, this meant that developers in these zones must apply to the Board of Zoning Adjustment before being eligible for permits to build a multi-family property. As of January 1st, this regulation will also apply to expansions of existing properties in cases where the number of units and gross floor area would, at minimum, double, or where the numbers of units increases by at least 10.
story continues below
loading...story continues above
The "RA" in these zone titles stands for "Residential Apartment", a nod to the prevalence of low- to moderate-density multi-family buildings in these zones interspersed with detached and attached single-family dwellings. Both zones permit by-right construction as high as 40 feet or three stories; the RA-6 zone in particular, however, refers solely to the neighborhood surrounding the Naval Observatory.
As shown in the above map, the majority of the 76 tracts zoned as RA-1 are east of the Anacostia River, where multi-family development is already prevalent; many of the other tracts are dispersed in corridors which are less friendly toward new multi-family development, including parts of Spring Valley and Cathedral Heights. UrbanTurf will be interested to see how or whether this new stipulation will impact the pace and location of development overall in the District.
Clarification: The article earlier stated that new multi-family construction would require special exception in these zones as of January. A special exception for new multi-family construction was always required in these zones; the new guidance pertains to expansion of existing properties.
See other articles related to: board of zoning adjustment, building permits, bza, multi-family properties, zoning, zoning changes, zoning code
This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/per-dcra-new-multifamily-construction-in-some-zones-to-require-bza-approval/14777.
Most Popular... This Week • Last 30 Days • Ever
Rossdhu Gate is the remaining piece of a 30-room castle built by socialite Daisy Calh... read »
As profits drop around the country, sellers around DC are still realizing hefty retur... read »
A Home Equity Line of Credit, commonly referred to as HELOC, is a borrowing product t... read »
The Gen Z market; ranking food halls around DC; and is this the new king of Queens?... read »
The term "luxury" has been applied broadly in the housing market, but a new report ai... read »
DC Real Estate Guides
Short guides to navigating the DC-area real estate market
We've collected all our helpful guides for buying, selling and renting in and around Washington, DC in one place. Start browsing below!
First-Timer Primers
Intro guides for first-time home buyers
Unique Spaces
Awesome and unusual real estate from across the DC Metro