Key Milestone for Plan

/

May 17, 2017—The District's Office of Planning extended the Comprehensive Plan amendment period from May 26 through June 23. Click here for the press release. A November 2016 Burleith website post provided a brief introduction to the plan and the community input process.

Over the past year, the DC Office of Planning has led an array of activities to engage residents in [PLAN]DC, a citywide initiative to amend the District’s Comprehensive Plan. Unprecedented public outreach has ranged from expert panels and industry roundtables in the community to social events, temporary design projects, and town hall meetings.

From page 13 of Chapter 1, Volume I (District Elements).

From page 13 of Chapter 1, Volume I (District Elements).

On March 24, Mayor Muriel Bowser, the DC Office of Planning (OP), and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) launched an “Open Call” period, through May 26, 2017, to give all stakeholders an opportunity to formally propose Comprehensive Plan amendments. (Click here for How-To Guide.)

The Comprehensive Plan is the 20-year plan the District government uses to guide future development within Washington, DC. It contains the maps and policies that influence the neighborhoods where people live, work, shop, and play, as well as the investments the city makes in its services and infrastructure. Most importantly it is the primary tool that helps the District to manage change in a way that embraces progress while protecting the qualities that make DC a special place.

(Burleith is within the Near Northwest Area Element. Chapter 21 of Volume 2, which provides goals, objectives, and policies that are specific to the city's 10 area elements, is an interesting and readable account of the 3.9-square-mile area that includes Burleith.)

The Comprehensive Plan was initially adopted in 2006 and was last amended in 2011. Much has changed since that time, including a population increase of over 75,000. Having an up-to-date Comprehensive Plan is critical to achieving the long-term success of the District and realizing our collective vision for an inclusive city. The result of the current [PLAN]DC effort is not a new Plan, but a set of amendments to the existing Comprehensive Plan. In early fall 2017, OP will release a draft of all approved amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and invite 30–60 days of public comment before the final amended Comprehensive Plan is sent to the DC Council as legislation.

During the Open Call period, OP will hold a series of 15 technical assistance workshops (called Office Hours) in locations across the city, where participants will be able to ask questions and receive support in preparing proposed amendments. Although residents may attend ANY of the office hours regardless of where they live, Ward 2 Office Hours will be held Wednesday, April 12, from 9:30 am–12:30 pm, at Georgetown Neighborhood Library.

Stakeholders interested in making an amendment proposal can find a host of useful materials on the [PLAN]DC website, including these Open Call materials:

Please visit plandc.dc.gov to learn more about the Comprehensive Plan amendment process and to sign up for project alerts.