Neighbors urge Zoning Commission to reject or rework 901 Monroe plan, citing alley safety, shadows and weak construction protections

Neighbors who live within 200 feet of the proposed 901 Monroe Street development urged the D.C. Zoning Commission to press the applicant for major changes or deny the PUD, saying the current proposal would put a high volume of vehicle and delivery traffic into a narrow, residential alley and would cast new shadows on adjacent homes.

Barbara Kalo, who testified on behalf of the “200 footers” group, said the party has long opposed inappropriate up‑zoning and that the 2024–25 proposal repeats past mistakes: “The requested spot zoning of this site would be precedent setting for the entire area south of Monroe Street,” she said, adding that the project is “larger and taller than the prior proposal.”

The 200‑foot group’s nut graf: neighbors said they are not opposed to development but want a design and legal conditions that protect adjacent row houses from noise, dust, vibration, vehicle movements and loss of sunlight. They pressed for a detailed construction management agreement (CMA), narrower massing adjacent to Tenth Street townhomes, relocation of vehicular access away from the Lawrence Street alley, and tangible neighborhood amenities…