Commission sets down Connecticut Avenue zoning changes for Cleveland Park and Woodley Park for public hearing

The Zoning Commission voted 4-0-1 to set down Office of Planning’s proposed text and map amendments to create two new Connecticut Avenue neighborhood mixed-use zones: NMU‑8A (Cleveland Park) and NMU‑9A (Woodley Park). The commission also granted, by general consensus, the Office of Planning’s request to waive the statutory posting requirement for signs on private property and for posting on utility poles where OP does not have authority to post.

Maxine Brown Roberts of the Office of Planning presented the proposal, saying it implements recommendations from the 2021 Comprehensive Plan and the Connecticut Avenue development guidelines and aims to expand housing, affordable housing, and ground-floor commercial uses along the corridor. OP described recommended form and dimensional guidance included in the proposed zones—illustrative guidance that informed the proposed FAR and height limits: for Cleveland Park, a FAR of 5 and height of 75 feet; for Woodley Park, FAR up to 6 and 5.5 with heights of 90 and 75 feet respectively depending on side of the avenue. The proposed zones include transition requirements to protect adjacent lower-density residential areas, facade and ground-floor activation requirements, penthouse maximums (15 feet), and limits on eating-and-drinking-establishment frontage that OP proposed to exempt from the new zones.

Several commissioners noted the volume of materials and the need for more time to review. Commissioner Wright said she had “literally received these documents 2 days ago” and did not feel fully up to speed, though she recognized setting down is the start of a process with more community hearings. Vice Chair Miller and others expressed support for setting the matter down and emphasized continued engagement with the ANC, HPRB (Historic Preservation Review Board), and the community. OP reported it has held a dozen engagements with ANC and community representatives and plans further outreach prior to a public hearing.

The motion to set down Zoning Commission Case No. 25‑09 as a rulemaking was made and seconded; the commission recorded a roll-call vote 4-0-1 to set the case down and granted OP’s waiver request. The hearing will proceed under rulemaking procedures, with additional community meetings and targeted outreach required before final action.