So I close with a cautionary note. Be very careful as you gamble with the 100-year legacy of Washington’s Height Act. Take care not too open things up to casually. I dare say, those height limits may be the single most powerful thing that has made this city so amazingly fulfilling.
—Vancouver, B.C. Planner Larry Beasley, CM
The 1910 federal law limits heights in DC based on the width of a street, with maximum heights set at 130 feet on commercial streets, 90 feet on residential streets, and 160 feet on parts of Pennsylvania Avenue. Height limits have established the District’s iconic horizontal skyline, prioritized the primacy of the nation’s capital monuments, and created incomparable views from many parts of the city. The Committee of 100 has joined with other advocacy groups to preserve the Height of Buildings Act when there are attempts to chip away at the act to allow private development to control the skyline.
Document Library
- Height of Buildings Act
2012-2013 C100 Fight to Preserve the Height of Buildings Act 3
Nancy MacWood
This is a summary of C100 work primarily in 2012-13 when the 1910 Height of Buildings Act was challenged at both the federal and local level. This summary is in addition to documents below detailing more specific activity, given that this matter will come up again and a review of effective action in 2012-13 may be helpful.
C100 Comments ZC 14-13 Proposed Penthouse Zoning Revisions
Laura Richards
Alma H. Gates, Chair of the Committee of 100’s Zoning Subcommittee, protested the scope of the new rules and the speed with which they are being rushed through. “These rules were proposed at a time when Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and civic associations were overwhelmed with the zoning rewrite,” Gates said. “This is a complex set of rules that can change the face and character of our city. They need a broader discussion than they have been given.” Gates urged residents to file testimony immediately opposing the changes and to ask the Zoning Commission to hold the record open and conduct public roundtables. The record closed on November 24, 2014.
C100 PR ZC 14-13 Penthouses
Laura Richards
Alma H. Gates, Chair of the Committee of 100’s Zoning Subcommittee, protested the scope of the new rules and the speed with which they are being rushed through. “These rules were proposed at a time when Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and civic associations were overwhelmed with the zoning rewrite,” Gates said. “This is a complex set of rules that can change the face and character of our city. They need a broader discussion than they have been given.” Gates urged residents to file testimony immediately opposing the changes and to ask the Zoning Commission to hold the record open and conduct public roundtables. The record closed on November 24, 2014.
C100 Comments On Draft SW Ecodistrict Plan Addendum
Richard Houghton
The SW Ecodistrict Plan seeks to address many problem issues, while also setting a high environmental standard. We commend NCPC for undertaking this project and for undertaking the additional studies that are summarized in The SW Ecodistrict Plan Addendum, particularly the study of building heights within the study area. The Committee raises a number of issues and questions with respect to transportation planning and building heights.
C100 Testimony before NCPC Height Act Study
Nancy MacWood
The Committee of 100 has historically supported the Height Act, which has provided a height framework for implementing the L’Enfant and McMillan Plans and has contributed significantly to creating our grand capital city. Until today the title of this hearing would be readily understood since “Height Master Plan for Washington, DC” does not suggest that there only some parts of Washington that need height protections. But the EDR before you would irrevocably divide the city into protected and unprotected, and would result in visual documentation of the action you may approve today.
C100 Letter Mayor Gray HBA Study II
Nancy MacWood
The Committee of 100 on the Federal City strongly urges Mayor Gray to convey to the National Capital Planning Commission and Representative Issa his conclusion that the Height of Buildings Act provisions are working to the District’s benefit and that the study produced no new opportunities to improve the Act.
C100 Height Act Testimony House Subcommittee
Laura Richards
C100 Trustee Laura Richards’ testimony on behalf of the C100 before the House Committee On Oversight And Government Reform Subcomittee On Health Care, District Of Columbia, Census And The National Archives. In summary, Ms. Richards testified that, “In short, lifting the height limit will alter irretrievably the District’s historic, welcoming scale without producing upside benefits. The Committee of 100 therefore believes that the Height Act should remain undisturbed and should be enforced vigorously.”
The 1910 Height Act
Laura Richards
Committee of 100 Height Act Centennial Celebration
Letter on Height Recommendations
Nancy MacWood
Member, Zoning Regulation Rewrite Task Force