Zoning commission advances Pennsylvania Avenue East NMU‑5 zone to proposed action

The Zoning Commission on Feb. 20 voted 5‑0 to take proposed action on case No. 24‑10, a text and map amendment that would create a new Pennsylvania Avenue East neighborhood mixed‑use zone (NMU‑5APAE) covering properties fronting Pennsylvania Avenue SE between Fairlawn Avenue SE and 20th Street SE.

The new zone, proposed by the Office of Planning, would allow moderate‑density mixed‑use development with a maximum height of 70 feet and a maximum floor‑area ratio (FAR) of 4.2 with Inclusionary Zoning. The draft includes a 0.5 FAR density bonus for a grocery store, step‑back requirements intended to protect adjacent lower‑density residential lots, and requirements for ground‑floor retail and storefront design to improve the pedestrian experience.

Why it matters: The Pennsylvania Avenue East Small Area Plan, adopted in 2022 after the 2021 comprehensive plan update, recommended a new zone for the eastern corridor to support moderate‑density commercial and mixed‑use development. The planning area is in Far Northeast and Southeast, where the Office of Planning reported that more than 90% of residents are Black and median household…