The Change That Could Lead To More Alley Homes in DC

• May 22nd

by UrbanTurf Staff

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Six years ago, the DC Zoning Commission unanimously approved measures aimed at allowing more alley dwellings to be built in DC. At the time, the commission heard from alley lot owners who said that the changes were a good start, but even more needed to be done in order to spur development in vacant alley lots around the city. 

Now, the Zoning Commission is pushing to make that happen. 

Earlier this month, zoning text amendments were proposed with the goal of making better use of underutilized alleys around the city. 

The proposed changes include allowing residential development on alley lots in R-1 and R-2 zones, and allowing a second residential unit to be built within an alley lot building based on the lot size. The amendments also call for reducing the maximum lot occupancy for alley lots in R-1 and R-2 zones, and increasing yard requirements for those lots in the R-1 zone.

"The amendments are intended to implement Comprehensive Plan policies, by furthering several policies regarding infill development, efficient land utilization, and innovative approaches to housing development in neighborhoods," the filing stated. 

OP estimates that around 500 vacant alley lots around the city could permit residential development under the change. The amendments will likely go before the Zoning Commission later this summer. 

Thumbnail photo by Ted Eytan.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/the_change_that_could_lead_to_more_alley_homes_in_dc/23529.