DC Zoning Commission Order Extensions and Operations Status

In response to business complications from the coronavirus, the D.C. Zoning Commission will consider an emergency text amendment to the Zoning Regulations that will extend the expiration dates of all Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Adjustment Orders that otherwise are scheduled to expire between April 27, 2020, and December 31, 2020. With this text amendment, the expiration dates of these orders will be automatically extended by six months.

The Zoning Commission will hold a virtual public meeting via WebEx on April 27 at 4:00 pm to consider this emergency text amendment as well as other cases.

Other District of Columbia reviewing bodies for land use are operating in limited capacities. The status of each for which we have information is as follows:

• Zoning Commission – Public meetings have resumed. The next scheduled public meeting will be virtual on April 27 at 4:00 pm via WebEx. Public hearings for only rulemaking cases will resume in May.  The next scheduled public hearings will be virtual on May 4 and May 7 at 4:00 pm via WebEx. Public hearings for contested cases are suspended.
• Board of Zoning Adjustment – Public meetings have resumed. The next scheduled public meeting will be virtual on April 29 at 9:30 am via WebEx. Public hearings are suspended.
• Historic Preservation Review Board – The regularly scheduled meeting on April 23 has been canceled. The next public meeting is tentatively scheduled to be virtual on April 30. New applications are not being accepted.
• Old Georgetown Board – The next regularly scheduled meeting on May 7 is anticipated to occur in-person as planned, but the last meeting on April 2 occurred virtually to review only consent calendar items.
• Commission of Fine Arts – The regularly scheduled meeting on April 16 has been canceled. They are exploring the potential of a future virtual public meeting for reviewing consent calendar and appendix application items. The next regularly scheduled meeting on May 21 is anticipated to occur in-person as planned.

Goulston & Storrs is actively monitoring the proposed text amendment and agency operations, but the information in this alert is subject to change. Please contact Cary Kadlecek and Allison Prince if you have any questions or want more information.