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BZA allows five rooftop antennas at WMATA headquarters; CFA and OP register no objection
Summary
The Board of Zoning Adjustment approved Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s request to add five rooftop antennas at 300 Seventh St. SW, finding that the proposed whip and GPS antennas would be slender, visually minimal and functionally necessary for transit communications; the Commission of Fine Arts registered no objection.
The Board of Zoning Adjustment on Sept. 10 approved application No. 21331 for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to install five additional building‑mounted antennas at 300 Seventh St. SW, the WMATA headquarters building. The antennas will extend above the rooftop in order to improve WMATA operations and communications.
WMATA’s authorized representative, Gary Ferraro, and technical consultants described three whip antennas (approximately 16.5 feet above the roofline) and two short GPS antennas (about 1.5 feet above the roofline). The applicant said the proposed antennas are thin, cylindrical elements roughly three inches in diameter and would be finished to blend with the rooftop backdrop.
The Office of Planning presented a written recommendation of approval, citing the prior 2022 approval of similar antennas on the same building and concluding the addition would not have an adverse impact on the surrounding neighborhood. The Commission of Fine Arts reviewed the submission and had no objection; OP confirmed the CFA response in the record. The antenna installation is also exempt from CFA review under the Shipstead‑Luce Act for WMATA property, the record shows.
Board members noted the antennas’ slim profile and the existing presence of rooftop antennas on neighboring federal buildings, including HUD and GSA facilities, which already have roof‑mounted equipment. Vice Chair Carl Blake moved to approve; the board recorded a 3–0–2 vote to grant the special exception relief.
The board said the antennas were functionally necessary for WMATA communications and that their design and proposed finishes would limit visual intrusion from public spaces. The applicant will proceed with required technical filings and permit work after the filing of the order.
