ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES:

THE WASHINGTON DC EXPERIENCE

IV
or TOD to be appropriate in the District of

F Columbia, it must respond to the unique condi-

tions of the neighborhoods of this city. On June
8th, 2002 a community training workshop was held
to review the general principles of transit-oriented
development and discuss their application in District
neighborhoods. The purpose of the workshop was to
encourage broader understanding of TOD, the chal-
lenges and opportunities it presents, and the positive
impact it can have on our neighborhoods.

One hundred people attended this workshop

Washington is unlike any other city. Each neighborhood
representing every ward of the city. Many of the Also in attendance were neighborhood associa-
must adapt TOD principles to the unique conditions of
participants were Advisory Neighborhood Com- tion leaders, community activists, small busi- their community and the unique needs and objectives of
missioners (ANCs) responsible for gathering and ness entrepreneurs, DC Main Street organiza- their residents.
conveying neighborhood reactions to develop- tions, community development corporations,
ment proposals that come before the Board of and interested individuals. Many people came
Zoning Adjustment (BZA) or Zoning Commission. to the workshop knowing very little about tran-
The goal of the workshop was to help ANC sit-oriented development or urban design. They
Commissioners understand, craft, and share came because they were interested in the topic
TOD principles with the residents of their neigh- and wanted to learn more about how to use
borhoods. transit assets to meet the goals of their neigh-
borhoods for growth or stability.

Issues and Opportunities 11

 On June 8, 2002, residents from
across the city participated in a
community training workshop to
explore how transit can help
define the active center of District
neighborhoods.

WHAT IS THE ISSUE? CAPTURING OPPORTUNITIES

For the past three decades, the Washington The positive effects of regional and city-wide • Land is available for development without dis-
region has experienced tremendous population growth include a growing and diversified placement or neighborhood disturbance. The
growth. Over the same period; however, the employment base, economic development and District has over 2,000 acres of vacant or
District of Columbia has lost nearly a third of the increased tax revenues to fund public services. abandoned land within a 10-minute walk of
city’s population, from a high of 802,000 in the The negative impacts include increased traffic high quality bus or rail service. WMATA con-
1950s to 572,000 currently. Today there is an and associated declines in air quality, unequal trols over 1.7 million square feet of devel-
upward trend in population as the District is access to jobs and opportunities, and increasing opable land.
once again beginning to capture a portion of the housing costs. Creating appropriate designs for
region’s growth. While all neighborhoods can TOD means neighborhoods can capitalize on • The region’s roadways are filling up.
expect change, development pressures are the positive opportunities and mitigate negative Legendary traffic congestion in the suburbs
uneven. Neighborhood residents have reacted impacts. is making District neighborhoods with high
to these pressures, often with concern. quality transit service more appealing for
However, the issue is not if District neighbor- Existing Metro infrastructure, including bus routes employers and new residents;
hoods will change, but how growth and change and subway stops, presents a great opportunity • Transit ridership is increasing. WMATA has
will occur and what strategies are in place to for neighborhoods to capture the positive aspects reported a region-wide increase of over
guide it in a way that is feasible for developers of regional growth while mitigating negative 100,000 daily trips since 1998;
and desirable for neighborhoods. impacts. The opportunities are many:

12 Issues and Opportunities

• Air quality concerns are more acute. The
region risks losing substantial federal funding DEVELOPER’S ADVICE FOR TOD 1. Identify a Vision
for transportation infrastructure if air quality At the June 2002 workshop, ULI: The Urban 2. Create Partnerships
standards are not met. Better utilization and
Land Institute – a national development trade 3. Use Innovative Tools
promotion of transit is essential.
and research organization - shared with partici- 4. Creatively Address Parking
• Neighborhoods want solutions to traffic con- pants draft recommendations from a ULI study 5. Create hubs of mobility
gestion, housing and economic development. group convened to identify guiding principles for 6. Think 360 degrees
Over a third of neighborhood clusters identi- implementing TOD from the private sector per- 7. Transit area must work for pedestrians
fied traffic, affordable housing, and/or eco-
nomic development as priority issues in their
spective. These recommendations included: 8. Be Realistic about Retail
Strategic Neighborhood Action Plans (SNAPs). 9. Think of the corridor and not just the station
10. Make Buses a Better Idea
11. Every Price Point Likes to Live Around Transit
(diversity)
12. Development Around Transit Responds to a
Changing and Growing Market
13. Factor Economic Feasibility into Planning
14. Invest for the Future
15. Commuting, Work and Corporate Culture is
Changing
Vacant land around metro
stations provides an
immediate opportunity to ULI’s report on TOD Principles will be available in
redefine and recreate our
neighborhood centers. October 2002 and can be obtained through the web
at http://www.uli.org

Issues and Opportunities

13
TAILORING PRINCIPLES UNDERSTANDING NEIGHBORHOOD
FOR DISTRICT TYPOLOGIES
NEIGHBORHOODS
DC’s neighborhoods are quite different from
The TOD principles presented one another in their current land uses, densities,
in this guidebook are typical economic conditions, and market conditions.
for many cities and communi- Some neighborhoods are extremely attractive
ties trying to plan for develop- to developers, while other neighborhoods
ment that maximizes the use of transit. struggle to attract any development at all.
However, the District is unique in a num- Some of the District’s neighborhoods
ber of ways: it is a wholly urban juris- are characterized predominantly by
diction with well established neigh- large, single family homes and
borhoods; the transit system has yards; others are a mix of tra-
been in place for over a gen- ditional rowhouses and
eration; and there are limit- smaller apartment build-
ed opportunities for planning ings; while others still are
and redevelopment for whole dominated by larger apart-
new neighborhoods around transit ment buildings. These land uses
areas as exist in the suburbs. Each help define the identity of the neigh-
neighborhood has its own unique borhood and its residents.
strengths and challenges. What might be
appropriate in Foggy Bottom may not be feasi- The application of TOD design principles
ble or desirable in Deanwood. A transit-corridor should enhance these unique characteristics
may have consistently higher densities all along while at the same time providing
its length but not penetrate very deeply into the needed opportunities for growth
neighborhood; whereas a transit-area may be that strengthen the existing neigh-
concentrated around a single node. borhood. Continued citizen educa-
tion, understanding and participa-
Therefore, these Principles are general guidelines tion will help developers, investors,
that should be adopted and modified as appropri- and public officials to appropriately
ate to respond to unique neighborhood condi- implement TOD for each unique
tions. Generally speaking, however, is that areas District neighborhood.
around high-quality transit service are character- Washington neighborhoods vary in their
ized by a relatively higher level activity of a greater land uses, densities, and development
potential. Transit-oriented neighborhood
variety than areas farther removed and less con-
centers should provide increased activity
venient to transit and the neighborhood center. relative to the character of the surrounding
neighborhood.

14 Issues and Opportunities