Mr. Anthony Hood
Chairman
Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia
441 4th Street, NW, Suite 210S
Washington, DC 20001

RE: Support for Z.C. Case No. 25-09, proposed Zoning Text and Map Amendments to create and map a new Cleveland Park Neighborhood Mixed Use Zone – NMU-8A/CP and a new Woodley Park Neighborhood Mixed Use Zone – NMU-9A/WP

Dear Chairman Hood and Commissioners:

Please accept this testimony on behalf of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. We are a nonprofit organization advocating for walkable, bikeable, inclusive, transit-oriented communities as the most sustainable and equitable way for the Washington, DC region to grow and provide opportunities for all. 

We are pleased to express our support for Case No. 25-09, which creates new mixed use zones for the commercial areas on Connecticut Avenue in the Cleveland Park and Woodley Park main streets and historic districts. This action implements the Comprehensive Plan, Rock Creek West Roadmap, and the Connecticut Avenue Development Plan. These are all planning efforts which engaged local and DC residents to craft larger goals and specific implementation actions for Cleveland and Woodley Park. 

We support this proposed rezoning because it will help us meet the District and community goals of increasing housing, including affordable housing. This is especially needed in Ward 3, at two Metro stations. The rezoning also improves the mix of uses, while ensuring building forms that integrate with the historic districts and foster a people-friendly streetscape around the Cleveland Park and Woodley Park Metro stations. 

The District’s planning and guidance documents identify the commercial areas of the Connecticut Avenue corridor to accommodate more housing by allowing taller buildings and FAR on Connecticut Avenue, with careful transitions to address the relationship between new development adjacent to lower scale residential neighborhoods. Since both areas are also historic districts, any development will also be subject to HPRB approval. We appreciate that HPRB has worked with OP to approve the Connecticut Avenue Development Guidelines. The guidelines help us foster new housing while also respecting the function of the historic districts.

To create housing at these high opportunity, in-demand locations, developers need a predictable process. The new mixed use zones for Connecticut Avenue, can bring renewed interest in building new commercial spaces and housing that support more vibrant main streets. Increasing both market rate and dedicated affordable housing in this corridor is also an important contribution to making DC and Ward 3 more inclusive, and addressing economic and racial inequity. Economic and racial barriers have kept many lower income and African American families from accessing these desirable neighborhoods (see attached chart). Repeating OP’s analysis — Rock Creek West has 72% white residents, and 9% black residents; versus 39% and 43% respectively, Districtwide. Median income of white households in Rock Creek West is nearly $175,000, while median income for black households is under $75,000. These stark gaps between white and black households demonstrate the importance of more housing and more affordable housing in Rock Creek West neighborhoods like Cleveland Park and Woodley Park.

Building more kinds of housing here, also relieves growth pressures on other parts of the city. This is part of the way DC combats displacement of lower income residents from our expensive city. 

For these reasons, we urge the Zoning Commission to approve the proposed changes which will allow for much-needed housing, including affordable housing, while also improving public spaces for residents and visitors, and help sustain a thriving commercial corridor. 

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Cheryl CortPolicy Director