Reader Question: Why is an Adjacent ANC Weighing in on a Development Project? [UPDATED]

 

A rendering of 1701 H Street as appears in a filing available in IZIS

My post from yesterday about tonight's ANC 6A Economic Development & Zoning Committee meeting elicited a reader question as to why ANC 6A would discuss a project (1701 H Street) in ANC 5D's boundaries. The short answer is that it is common practice for an Advisory Neighborhood Commission to weigh in on projects that are close to its borders. This makes sense because residents and other stakeholders in the adjacent ANC may be impacted by the project. The section below (11 DCMR 3106.2) from the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations explains how this happens. There's also relevant information on the Office of Zoning website. Here's a simple explanation of the entire process.


Here's a brief further statement from ANC 6A chair Phil Toomajian.

ANC6A is taking up 1701 H St NE for the reasons you reference and also because it was referred to us as "of interest"  by the Zoning Commission in the attached.  It is a matter that interests the nearby neighbors who live in ANC6A for whom our review provides an avenue to be heard.  In my view, having it reviewed by multiple community groups increases the opportunities for nearby residents to have a chance to hear about the plans and to make suggestions to help improve them.

At the bottom of this post I have also added the letter sent to both ANC 5D and ANC 6A.

DCMR 11-3106 from Inked78

1701 H Street NE Letter to ANCs from Inked78