2009 Year in Review: District of Columbia
2009 Year in Review: District of Columbia
- Cleveland Park Giant: With our support, a mixed-use transit-oriented redevelopment for the old grocery store finally won approval.
- Comprehensive Re-Zoning: We continued to help overhaul the city’s (very!) outdated zoning code.
- Affordable Housing Policy Victory: Our years of advocacy finally resulted in the adoption of inclusionary zoning, a critical housing tool.
If you attended any of our D.C. walking tours this year, you know that despite the real estate slowdown, the city is becoming more vibrant by the minute. This past year, we continued to advocate for good urban design, innovative parking management and greater transportation choices, while working to make sure all residents share in the benefits of D.C.’s revitalization. We have built close partnerships with residents around the city, particularly in Wards 7 and 3, and with young planning and transportation professionals committed to transit, pedestrian/bicycle, energy efficiency and the vibrancy of the city.
Our long-term campaign to promote better planning in Ward 7 east of the Anacostia River is finally paying off. We’ve worked closely with community members to make sure private redevelopment of the government-owned parcel at Minnesota Avenue and Benning Road follows community plans and realizes community benefits. We helped the community win commitment from the Council to a number of community benefits, but not the street connection we thought important. Our action alert generated 70 emails to D.C.’s elected officials in just a few hours, attracting immediate attention from the D.C. Council.
The D.C. Office of Planning frequently seeks CSG’s expert insight and participation in zoning reform. We recently supported D.C. Office of Planning’s efforts to include a variety of aspects of environmental sustainability in the comprehensive zoning reform -- and encouraged reforms in the code’s approach to low and moderate density housing zones.
Read on to learn what else we've been doing in the region in 2009:
