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At the August meeting of the U Street Neighborhood Association, ANC 2F’s ARTS Overlay Review Committee presented an update on their work.  The Committee was formed in June 2009 to review the effectiveness of the ARTS Overlay District zoning rules and to feed recommendations into DC’s citywide zoning review process that is currently underway.  

The ARTS District, which was established in 1989, encompasses large parts of both the 14th and U Streets corridors.  The original purpose of the ARTS District was to encourage arts and related cultural and support uses, as well as pedestrian-friendly retail, residential and other development, that fosters 18-hour activity in the district.  

The committee is now formulating its report and recommendations, which will be circulated for public comment during August, and which are due to be received by the Office of Planning and the DC Zoning Commission by September 7, 2009. 

 

Read more for the summary of findings and the complete preliminary report.

 

Ideas Under Discussion (as possible recommendations)

• Retain the use of an “ARTS Overlay District” as a zoning tool in this area, but split up the current district into 2 arts overlay areas:
• Provide more significant bonus density and height incentives for new developments that include a “substantial” arts component targeted at a very limited number of non-profit and low-profit arts uses, and arts live/work spaces, 
• Level the playing field for residential and small-scale office development in the area by providing the same maximum FAR (floor area ratio) envelope for both uses. 
• Increase the current limit for restaurants/bars to 40-50% 
• Retain the 50% ground floor retail requirement for all lots wider than 50 feet
• Update and re-focus the zoning definition of arts and creative uses
• Ask the DC Government to earmark some local government-owned sites for future redevelopment with substantial dedicated arts components 
• Create a 501c3 organization for each Arts District 
• Request FY11 DC Budget funds for the Arts Districts  

Read the preliminary report here: ANC 2F Arts Overlay Committee - Preliminary Findings Report - August 2009 (PDF file)

 

ANC2F’s ARTS Review committee comprises 5 residents (both newcomers and long-time residents), 2 business owners (including one restaurateur) and one local developer.  The ARTS committee held 8 public meetings over June and July in which over 100 people participated and heard from panels of speakers that included local and national developers, business owners, restaurateurs, community leaders, residents, DC Office of Planning staff, urban planning and retail development experts, business associations, artists, gallery owners, theater representatives, the DC Zoning Administrator, the former chair of DC’s Board of Zoning Adjustment, and DC’s former Deputy Mayor for Economic Development.

 

Further information about the public dialogue process undertaken by the committee is available at the committee’s website: http://www.anc2f.org/arts/