Author: Cheryl Cort
Planners, advocates seek to change troubling provision in DC Comprehensive Plan bill
DC Office of Planning and advocates seek to change troubling provision in DC Comprehensive Plan bill
by Cheryl Cort & Stewart Schwartz, Coalition for Smarter Growth
On October 8 (postponed from September 17), after three years of discussion, the DC Council is poised to adopt a bill that sets the framework for the rest of the Comprehensive Plan. However, language inserted into the bill in July by Council Chairman Phil Mendelson would impose standards for the Zoning Commission’s review of Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) that would both block new affordable housing and increase displacement.
Housing advocates in the Housing Priorities Coalition have expressing alarm over the provision, while seeking to strengthen the plan’s commitments to affordable housing and displacement prevention. And this week, in a September 11 letter from the DC Office of Planning, Director Andrew Trueblood expressed concern that the Council bill’s language would create “a novel and ambiguous review standard,” that would lead to even more litigation.
Planned Unit Development is a flexible, participatory review process which has been all but halted in the District as a means for building new housing due to lawsuits. Clarifying the PUD approval process has been a goal of both affordable housing advocates and developers in the wake of thousands of housing units being stalled in lawsuits in the last few years. PUDs have been largely abandoned in favor of “by-right” development, meaning loss of opportunities to exchange flexibility and increased density for more affordable housing and other community benefits. Only three PUDs have been proposed in 2019, down from dozens per year in recent history.
The Office of Planning raised concerns about the previous PUD guidance in the Council’s version of bill before the first vote on July 10, 2019. At the same time, affordable housing and smart growth advocates have been urging for clarification of the PUD process so that we can create more housing and give high priority in PUDs to building and preserving more affordable housing, and preventing displacement.
Advocates cite the Bruce Monroe plan (now stalled in litigation) as an example of the benefits of PUDs where affordable housing is made a high priority in review and approval. At the core of the plan to replace all 174 homes for the deteriorating Park Morton public housing complex, is the nearby mixed income PUD for the Bruce Monroe site.
In July, Chairman Mendelson changed the guidance language, adding new standards, including requiring the Zoning Commission to determine if a PUD or Zoning Map Amendment “is generally compatible with the physical and visual character of the surrounding neighborhood.” As noted in previous posts, prioritizing physical form of neighborhoods — rather than its activity or its people — suggests that this factor is more important than other goals in the plan, like preserving and building more affordable housing, and preventing displacement of long-time residents.
This “physical and visual character” language raises the specter of exclusionary zoning according to affordable housing advocates, who note that this language is similar to planning language that has historically perpetuated housing segregation. Office of Planning’s September 11 letter recommends removing the exclusionary language and the other new standards created by Mendelson in the July version of the bill.
Affordable housing advocates are alerting their supporters to the potential exclusionary impact of the language. In addition to recommending adoption of the Office of Planning’s recommended language or its outright removal, the groups are also supporting Councilmember Brianne Nadeau’s proposed amendment for another section of the bill – which would make affordable housing and displacement prevention priorities in PUDs.
Andrew Trueblood’s letter says the Office of Planning looks forward to working with the Council committee to “make sure we get it right and avoid unintended consequences that would undermine the District’s ability to meet the needs of its residents, especially the need for affordable housing.”
On October 8, we’ll see if the DC Council adopts language to make the city more inclusive or more exclusive, and if they will adopt a predictable Planned Unit Development Process that places a priority on affordable housing as part of PUD approvals.
Click here for CSG’s action alert.
CSG in the News: There’s another delay for changes to D.C.’s comp plan. This is why.
There’s another delay for changes to D.C.’s comp plan. This is why.
By Alex Koma Staff Reporter, Washington Business Journal
…Over the last few days, everyone from a member of the Zoning Commission to the head of the District’s Office of Planning to prominent housing activists have expressed consternation over the comp plan changes. While their concerns vary slightly, they generally agree on the same few issues — namely, they fear the plan amendments still don’t do enough to prevent lawsuits from slowing the progress of large planned-unit developments, thereby endangering a key source of new housing for the District at a time when rent prices are soaring….
That’s a concern shared by housing advocates.
“It…undermines a lot of other things that are really important, like affordable housing and preventing displacement,” said Cheryl Cort, policy director for the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “It’s wiping out progress we thought we’d made with this legislation.”
Read the full Washington Business Journal story here.
CSG in the News: D.C. Council Chairman Postpones Comprehensive Plan Vote Amid Concerns Over His Changes
D.C. Council Chairman Postpones Comprehensive Plan Vote Amid Concerns Over His Changes
by Jon Banister, Bisnow Washington, D.C., September 16, 2019
The D.C. Council has postponed a key vote on the District’s Comprehensive Plan after planners and housing advocates raised concerns over a recent addition to the bill.
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson removed the final vote on amendments to the Comprehensive Plan’s Framework Element from the agenda for Tuesday’s legislative meeting and rescheduled the vote to Oct. 8, his spokesperson, Lindsey Walton, confirmed. “We’ve received a number of comments, most of these before first readings but more discussion since then, to address issues of displacement and promoting affordable housing and so we’ve been working on what I would call tweaks to enhance what the document says with regard to those issues,” Mendelson said during a Monday press conference.
D.C. Planning Director Andrew Trueblood sent Mendelson a letter last week detailing concerns over additions to the amendments that he said could make it easier for development opponents to delay projects by appealing them in court. He called for the additions to be removed or significantly revised. Advocates including Coalition for Smarter Growth shared Trueblood’s concerns and supported his recommendations…
Read full Bisnow story here.
Testimony in support of 100% affordable redevelopment PUD at 1 Hawaii Ave NE
CSG Support for No 19-01 PUD 1 Hawaii Ave NE
Note: This Planned Unit Development is one of only 3 submitted in 2019, down from dozens in previous years.
CSG in the News: New D.C. Comp Plan Bill Could ‘Open A Pandora’s Box’ To More Development Appeals
New D.C. Comp Plan Bill Could ‘Open A Pandora’s Box’ To More Development Appeals
by Jon Banister, Bisnow Washington, D.C., September 12, 2019
The D.C. Council is nearing a final vote on the first set of amendments to the city’s comprehensive plan, but planning officials and advocates are raising concerns around changes that they say could allow more of the appeals that have delayed dozens of developments….
Director of Planning Andrew Trueblood sent a letter Wednesday to Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, which he shared with Bisnow, detailing issues with specific additions the council made to the plan that he said could lead more housing developments to become stuck in court. “What we think this language does is it adds to the uncertainty,” Trueblood tells Bisnow. “When you have uncertainty, often that can result in more litigation. We are trying to create a Framework Element and a remainder of the Comprehensive Plan that is clearer to avoid uncertainty, ambiguity and unnecessary litigation.”…
Coalition for Smarter Growth Policy Director Cheryl Cort raised concerns around the same section of the bill, which she described as a “crisis.”
“The PUD language in the council version of this bill opens up a Pandora’s box for new litigation,” Cort said. “This whole exercise was supposed to resolve this issue with the court where thousands of new homes were held up in appeals. This bill does the opposite. It throws us into greater uncertainty.”
Cort said she supports the revisions that Trueblood proposed to resolve the issue. She added that the specific language around neighborhood character is reminiscent of past methods of blocking new housing development.
“It really smacks of exclusionary zoning that has been used in the past to perpetuate housing segregation,” Cort said.
A Mendelson spokesperson tells Bisnow the chairman’s office has heard recent concerns from members of the public around language in the bill and is continuing to review the issues ahead of the scheduled vote.
Read full story here.
Read the DC Office of Planning Letter here. Note: DC Council vote is now scheduled for October 8, 2019.
RELEASE: Coalition Champions Release Bus Transformation Strategy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2019
Contact Stewart Schwartz: 703-599-6437
Washington DC: The Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) applauded today’s release of the Bus Transformation Strategy. Serving on the Executive Committee for the study, CSG worked with business, union, government, community leaders, and the consulting team to arrive at four key recommendations illustrated in this table:
| 1 | Frequent and Convenient Bus Service | Provide frequent and convenient bus service that connects communities and promotes housing affordability, regional equity, and economic growth. |
| 2 | Bus Priority on Roadways | Give buses priority on roadways to move people quickly and reliably. |
| 3 | Customer Experience | Create an excellent customer experience to retain and increase ridership. |
| 4 | Task Force to Implement the Strategy | Empower a publicly appointed Task Force to transform bus and lead the implementation of a truly integrated regional system. |
“We urge elected officials, transit agency directors, and government staff to put the bus first! We strongly support priority bus lanes, more frequent and reliable service, a better customer experience, and more affordable fares for those who need it,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “We also believe that route redesign studies incorporating both WMATA and local buses are essential to developing a network that provides more frequent, reliable service with higher ridership while not sacrificing the coverage for those most in need.”
“Buses are key to an effective and expansive transit network for our region, one that provides better access to jobs and opportunity, an alternative to traffic, and reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change,” said Jane Lyons, Maryland Advocacy Manager for CSG who leads CSG’s long-standing campaign for bus rapid transit in Montgomery County.
“We need to start right away on prioritizing buses,” said Cheryl Cort, Policy Director for CSG. “Our study with MetroHero of DC bus performance confirmed the concerns in the Bus Transformation Study – buses were moving slower and becoming less reliable, scoring a ‘D’ in our analysis. The recommended solutions in our companion report track closely with those in the Bus Transformation Study and the Greater Washington Partnership’s transit report.”
“The public is strongly supportive of better bus service,” said Schwartz, “The Bus Transformation surveys of over 8000 area residents and riders found that people overwhelming want to see dedicated bus lanes, more frequent service, free transfers from bus to rail, and more affordable fares.”
“The Coalition for Smarter Growth will be partnering with other advocacy organizations and business leaders in urging local elected leaders to expeditiously implement the Bus Transformation strategy,” concluded Schwartz.
The Bus Transformation Project website hosts the Executive Summary, Full Report and supporting documents.
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The Coalition for Smarter Growth is the leading organization in the Washington DC region dedicated to making the case for smart growth. Our mission is to promote walkable, inclusive, and transit-oriented communities, and the land use and transportation policies and investments needed to make those communities flourish.
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CSG in the News: An Amazon warehouse instead of offices. Zoning tool allows changes with little scrutiny
An Amazon warehouse instead of offices. Townhouses in place of an airport. Zoning ‘tool’ allows changes with little scrutiny.
Grassy hills where residents were promised bustling office buildings could now hold a massive warehouse. A small airport could be replaced with more than 500 townhouses. A church property could include housing for the elderly.
Each of the projects is dependent on fast-track changes to existing zoning by the Prince George’s County Council, which relies on bills called “text amendments” to circumvent what lawmakers describe as an outdated and cumbersome zoning process…
“It is important to have consistency and certainty,” said Stewart Schwartz, who heads the D.C.-based Coalition for Smarter Growth, noting that in other jurisdictions, a change as substantial as the proposed warehouse would likely have gone through full zoning review processes.
See full story here.
CSG in the News: D.C. wants more accessory dwelling units
From the Washington Business Journal:
By Alex Koma – Staff Reporter, Washington Business Journal
Aug 6, 2019
The District changed its zoning laws three years ago to allow the construction of more accessory dwelling units in the city than ever before — but can homeowners actually secure the permits and financing they need to take advantage of that change?
In too many cases, housing developers and advocates say the answer is a clear “no.”
Accordingly, they’re turning to the public and private sectors alike for help in breaking down barriers across each one of those twin issue areas: finding financing for homeowners looking to build ADUs and helping them navigate the District’s permit process….
“Anyone trying to do this, they’re becoming an amateur developer going through the permitting process,” said Cheryl Cort, policy director at the Coalition for Smarter Growth. “How can we make it understandable so they know what to expect, and it’s predictable?”
See full Washington Business Journal story here.