iii. corridor assessment comprehensive plan zoning land use … · 2015-03-06 · regulations and...

14 GEORGIA AVENUE - PETWORTH METRO STATION AREA AND CORRIDOR PLAN REVITALIZATION STRATEGY

Zoning

The Zoning Regulations of the District of Columbia controlland use, density, height and bulk characteristics of prop-erty in the city. The District of Columbia Zoning Map iden-tifies the designated zoning for all parcels of land in theCity. All construction or rehabilitation on private land mustconform to the requirements imposed by the ZoningRegulations and Zoning Map adopted by the DC ZoningCommission or seek relief before the appropriate bodies.The Zoning Regulations also must be consistent with theComprehensive Plan.

Existing Zoning

The majority of the study area is zoned for mixed-usedevelopment, with the predominant land use alongGeorgia Avenue being commercial. Residential zone dis-tricts exist only in the northern portion of the study area.Specifically, properties on the east side of Georgia Avenuefrom Varnum Street to Decatur Street are located withinthe R-4 Zone District (a moderate density zone permittingprimarily row dwellings and those that have been convert-ed for two or more families). Properties on the east side ofGeorgia Avenue, between Buchanan Street and DecaturStreet are located in the R-1-B Zone District (primarilyone-family detached dwellings). Properties on the westside of Georgia Avenue, between Allison Street andBuchanan Street (4500 block) are located in the R-4 Zone

Comprehensive Plan

The Home Rule Act of 1973 requires the District govern-ment to develop a Comprehensive Plan, which is a long-range (20 year) general policy document that providesoverall guidance for future planning and development ofthe city. The first Comprehensive Plan was adopted in1985. The plan is updated periodically, most recently in1999. The DC Office of Planning is currently revising theDistrict Elements of the Comprehensive Plan. Small AreaPlans, like the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro StationArea & Corridor Plan, that are approved by the DistrictCouncil become supplement to the Comprehensive Plan.

Development of Land Use Pattern

Georgia Avenue’s land use pattern was developed prima-rily during the early part of the Twentieth Century, mainlywith residential structures, including row houses, apart-ment buildings and single-family detached dwellings.Although no parking spaces were required when most ofthese buildings were constructed, some of the row housesand single-family detached dwellings were improved withdetached garages that were accessed from the alleys.

Commercial development included small, one-story com-mercial structures, and the ground floor of some apart-ment buildings. Over time, many of the row houses wereexpanded with storefront additions for retail uses. Asmany of these commercial structures are on narrow lots,have low ceilings, and lack modern features, they areobsolete in terms of today’s retail industry standards.

The lack of parking for businesses and residents is anoth-er challenge resulting from the development history of thecorridor. Georgia Avenue was primarily developed prior toWorld War II, when few Americans had automobiles andmost met their transportation needs through a combinationof walking and using the trolley. Demand for parking wasminimal. However, as the use and ownership of automo-biles increased significantly during the second half of thelast century, the lack of off-street parking became appar-ent along the corridor, for both business and residents.Most individual businesses were unable to provide suffi-cient off-street parking due to the small size of the lots.Some property owners did acquire adjacent properties forthe provision of off-street parking.

III. Corridor Assessment

LAND USEAND ZONING

Existing Zoning Districts

Zone Predominant Permitted Permitted Maximum MaximumUse/Description FAR FAR with a Height Height with

PUD a PUD

C-2-A Permits office, retail, 2.5 3 50 ft. 65 ft.housing, and mixedmixed use.

C-3-A Permits major retail, 4 4.5 65 ft. 90 ft.office housin, andmixed uses.

R-4 Permits single-family n/a 1 40 ft. 60 ft.residential uses(including detached,semi-detached, androw dwellings andflats), churches, andpublic schools.

Georgia Avenue Zoning Districts (Euclid Street to Decatur Street)

GEORGIA AVENUE - PETWORTH METRO STATION AREA AND CORRIDOR PLAN REVITALIZATION STRATEGY

development, which would provide a strong “shot in thearm” for retailing. Encouraging housing, as well as officedevelopment, would support retail by creating more cus-tomers and supporting longer hours. Additionally, residen-tial units above retail keep the street active around theclock, improve security through the provision of additional“eyes on the street” and provide convenience for residentsand sales volume for retailers.

In summary, three key issues emerged from three stake-holder groups—residents, businesses, and property own-ers—concerning land use and zoning along the corridor:

1. Residents: Encourage a better mix of uses, includingquality neighborhood-serving retail and a mix of localand national retailers;

2. Businesses: Strengthen existing viable and desirablebusinesses, particularly long-time businesses thathave contributed to and served the community; and

3. Property Owners: Encourage building expansion byincreasing Floor Area Ratios (FAR).

District. Several apartment buildings do exist in this block,although apartment buildings are not permitted in the R-4Zone District. Three of these apartment buildings datefrom the 1920s. This block also includes row houses anddetached and semi-detached dwellings.

Two commercial zone districts make up the remainder ofthe corridor: the C-3-A Zone District (a medium densitymixed-use zone providing a broad range of goods andservices) on both sides of Georgia Avenue between ParkRoad and Shepherd Street and the C-2-A Zone District (alow to medium density mixed-use zone providing a limitedrange of retail goods and services) on the remainder ofthe corridor. The C-2-A Zone also extends east of GeorgiaAvenue on both sides of Upshur Street to Eighth Streetand west of Georgia Avenue on the north side of LamontStreet to the alley located behind buildings fronting onSherman Avenue.

Current Land Use Pattern

The land use pattern that has developed along the corri-dor is mainly a continuous stretch of retail uses. Theseretail uses, however, lack the diversity of retail servicesthat many residents desire, forcing them to go elsewhereto meet their shopping and service needs. There are alsomany vacant storefronts along the corridor, indicating anexcess of retail space. These vacancies are also attributa-ble to today’s modern retail options, which now include bigbox stores, shopping malls, catalog shopping and theInternet, all of which contribute to reducing the demand onan older, local commercial corridor like Georgia Avenue.As indicated above, many of the buildings are not suitablefor modern retailing, which further contributes to the highrate of vacancies.

Vacant storefronts are evidence that the market has notbeen able to fill these units. These vacant, boarded upstores not only discourage existing retailers from investingin their businesses and new retailers from entering thearea, they also contribute to the crime and other quality oflife issues along the corridor. The reduction of vacant andabandoned spaces, and the addition of more people onthe street will increase the sense of safety, as the numberof available places to hide is decreased and the numberof eyes on the street is increased.

Since the corridor’s land use pattern has changed tomostly commercial uses, there is now a lack of residential


LAND USEAND ZONING

15


• Repairing/replacing of exterior doors and doorlocks

• Landscape improvements

Although it is evident that DCHA has made improvementsto Park Morton in terms of safety and physical upgrades,the development is still challenged with a poor physicallayout and design, which consists of suburban style apart-ment buildings that are not in character with the surround-ing row house neighborhood and creates a visible exclu-sion from the surrounding community. As such, ParkMorton incorporates design elements that have the ten-dency to foster criminal activity, such as odd street pat-terns that dead end in the middle of the development andcentral spaces that are invisible from the street.

Many residents of Park Morton are in need of social serv-ices to improve their quality of life. The issues include:

• Unemployment and underemployment; job training

Park Morton Apartment Complex

The Park Morton apartment development is a public hous-ing complex located in the Park View neighborhood (Ward1) of the study area. The property was built in 1960 and ismade up of 17 garden-style apartment buildings with 174walk-up units, all of which are two-bedroom units. Themajority of the households are headed by females withtwo to four children. All of the units at Park Morton areunder the Low Income Public Housing inventory, whichdoes not include any Housing Choice Voucher Programrecipients.

Apartment residents and surrounding neighborhood resi-dents have expressed concerns about the amount of crimeand drug activity on and surrounding the Park Morton apart-ment complex. Many have viewed this situation as a con-tributing factor to attracting and fostering negative activity inthe surrounding neighborhood, as well as an obstacle to anyserious investment in and around the corridor.

The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) whoowns and manages the apartment complex, has workedextensively to reduce crime at the complex. Just as recentlyas 5 to 10 years, the development was plagued with crimebut over the years crime has been significantly reduced.This has primarily been through lease enforcement (“OneStrike” policy) and coordinated public safety efforts betweenthe DCHA and Metropolitan Police departments.

The following improvements/actions have been imple-mented:

• Installation of cameras and bulletproof lighting

• Installation of barriers in alleyways behind ParkRoad and Morton Street

• Weed and Seed mobile unit

• Removal of ladders leading to building roofs andlocking of access hatches to roofs

• Construction of a new playground

• Upgrade of fire alarms

• Interior and exterior painting

During phase II of the planning process, it became evidentthat in order to stimulate investment within the corridor, theconditions of the surrounding neighborhoods needed to beconsidered. Specifically for the surrounding neighborhoodsin the Ward 1 portion of the corridor, issues relating to theresidential building conditions and the Park Morton apart-ment complex, need to be addressed.

The following details the two key housing issues:

Housing Rehabilitation and Vacant &Abandoned Properties

While there are some signs that property owners and pri-vate investors are rehabilitating residential propertiesthroughout the Ward 1 portion of the study area, there isstill a visible significant number of dilapidated housing inneed of rehabilitation. The Plan’s market analysis indi-cates that the market area’s housing stock is aging withminimal construction since the 1960s. Fifty-eight percentof the existing units were built prior to 1939 and only 2.2percent or 164 units were built since 1980. Property own-ers who are not able to maintain their properties, due toeither negligence or elderly homeowners and others withlimited means for property maintenance, has further putstress on this aging housing stock.

The Ward 1 portion of the study area also contains manyvacant and abandoned residential properties. Clusters ofthese properties exist on the east and west side ofGeorgia Avenue.

These vacant and abandoned properties also present seri-ous fire safety concerns for the community. These struc-tures are highly vulnerable to accidental fires because offaulty wiring and flammable debris and can also be sus-ceptible to homeless individuals who start fires inside theproperty to keep warm. These properties are also targetsfor arson.

As a whole, vacant and abandoned properties contribute toblight, crime, and neighborhood instability. Property aban-donment negatively impacts property values within the com-munity, provides lower tax revenues for the city, causeshigher municipal costs and greater negative externalities.


HOUSING

Boarded and Vacant Housing In Study AreaGeorgia Avenue Row Houses

Boarded and Vacant Housing In Study Area


opportunity sites within the study area should be devel-oped to include affordable units.

* Note: Affordable housing is a federally-defined term andprocess which regulates how federal funds can be used to cre-ate homeownership and/or rental housing opportunities.Affordability is based on household size and houshold income asan adjusted percentage of the Area Median Income (AMI) for themetropolitan region. As of January 28, 2004, the AMI for theWashington Metropolitan Region is $85,400 for a family of four.

• Drug rehabilitation

• Lack of proper supervision for youth

• Lack of appropriate activities for youth in the com-munity

• Improved parenting skills

• Illegal drug activity by visitors/non-residents

It will be critical to explore opportunities to address boththe physical and social revitalization of the Park Mortonpublic housing complex not only to improve the apartmentdevelopment and the living condition of those who livethere but also to create an asset to build upon for futureinvestment in the neighborhood as a whole.

Affordable Housing Assessment

Due to the current housing market and escalating housingprices throughout the District, residents in the study areaexpressed the critical need to preserve and create afford-able housing. A key success of the planning process wasthe development of the Request for Proposals (RFP) forthe District owned land adjacent to the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro Station. The RFP was fashioned in a pub-lic process with input from community stakeholders, whichled to the selection of a developer to build a mixed-usedevelopment project. The project will consist of 17,000square feet of ground floor space and 148 residentialunits, of which 20 percent has been set aside for afford-able units (5% at 30% Area Median Income (AMI) andunder, 10% at 50% AMI and under, and 5% at 60% AMIand under). *

Although the study area still holds a good level of housingat affordable prices, this housing stock is shrinking withthe effects of the strong housing market demand as wellas rising housing values. These same high housing valuesthat are positive in supporting and encouraging reinvest-ment and development in the study area also presentchallenges for long-time residents to stay in the area, par-ticularly low-income renters and elderly homeowners.Public and private redevelopment


HOUSING

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Park Morton Apartments

Park Morton Apartments


The community has expressed concerns about the frequen-cy of Green Line trains compared to the frequency of trainson other lines, particularly the Red Line. The difference intrain frequency could be partially attributed to 1.) the fact thatGreen Line trains have to share a single track with YellowLine trains while Red Line trains have exclusive use of theirtrack and 2.) the significantly larger number of daily RedLine passengers versus Green Line passengers.

The Georgia Avenue study area is served by eight bi-directional Metrobus routes. There are Metrobus stopslocated every two blocks along Georgia Avenue in thestudy area, with approximately 25 percent of the Metrobusstops having shelters. Most of the sheltered bus stops arelocated near the larger intersections in the study area (e.g.New Hampshire Avenue/Kansas Avenue intersection) andthe Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail Station. TheWashington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA) deter-mines the location of bus shelters based on criteria devel-oped by the Transit Cooperative Research Program(TCRP), with a general threshold of 50 boarding passen-gers per day justifying the installation of a passenger wait-ing shelter. A transportation study conducted in 2004 bythe District’s Department of Transportation (DDOT) for theColumbia Heights/Mount Pleasant neighborhood, includedparts of Ward 1 along Georgia Avenue. The study showsthe location of existing bus shelters and as well as thosebus stops from New Hampshire Avenue to Barry Placethat warrant a shelter based on boarding data. Within thisboundary, a number of bus stops with a significant numberof boardings do not have bus shelters. In some instances,individual bus stops with observed boarding volumes inexcess of 400 passengers per day such as Irving/GeorgiaAvenue do not have shelters provided.

The frequency of service is generally very good along allof the study area bus routes, with 5-10 minute headwaysfor most bus routes during weekday peak hours, 10-20minute headways during weekday off- peak hours, and20-40 minute headways during the evenings and week-ends. However, the Metrobuses observed in the studyarea appear to be relatively crowded during both peakand non-peak travel periods.

Pedestrian

Pedestrian traffic is generally light to moderate along theGeorgia Avenue Corridor, with more pedestrian activity con-centrated around the Georgia Avenue-Petworth MetrorailStation and along blocks to the south of the station.

Parking

The Georgia Avenue Corridor currently contains both on-street and off-street parking within the study area.Approximately 220 on-street parking spaces and eight dif-ferent kinds of on-street parking restrictions exist alongGeorgia Avenue within the study area according to a recenton-street parking inventory performed by the DistrictDepartment of Transportation (DDOT).

There are several areas with unrestricted 24-hour, on-streetparking available, in addition to areas with one-hour, two-hour, and three-hour parking restrictions. Metered parkingrestrictions can be assets to local area businesses becausethey allow spaces to be more readily available to potentialcustomers. Some local business owners have expressedconcern that one-hour parking restrictions do not provideenough allowable parking time for some retail patrons.

Ward 4 residents who live near the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail Station and depend upon local on-street parking voiced concern that they have to competewith other Ward 4 District residents who live further awayand drive to and use the Metro. Although the Ward 4 resi-dents who drive from further away do legally utilize thelocal on-street parking near the Metrorail station, they nev-ertheless increase the competition for local on-street park-ing for nearby residents.

There are some small, private off-street parking lots locatedalong Georgia Avenue in the study area. These lots are gen-erally restricted for patrons of the commercial uses locatedalong Georgia Avenue, and not for general public use. Thereare currently no public off-street parking lots located withinthe study area. The largest parking lot is located at theSafeway grocery store and contains approximately 75spaces.

Transit

The Georgia Avenue Corridor study area is served directlyby Metrorail’s Green Line with the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail Station. This station connects the studyarea to major employment and population centers in theWashington metropolitan area, including: Downtown,Greenbelt and the Suitland Federal Center in suburbanMaryland. The station is located in the center of the studyarea and has good access, with station portals located onboth sides of Georgia Avenue, just north of the GeorgiaAvenue/New Hampshire Avenue intersection.

The transportation assessment presents a summary ofexisting transportation elements for the area:

• Traffic

• Parking

• Transit

• Pedestrian

• Bicycle

In addition, the assessment also focuses on some generaltransportation issues for the following two locations:

• Georgia Avenue/New Hampshire AvenueIntersection Vicinity

• Georgia Avenue/Kansas Avenue IntersectionVicinity

Existing transportation issues are identified based on com-munity concerns, as well as observations and analysis ofexisting conditions for the corridor.

Traffic

Georgia Avenue (Route 29), within the study area, is a 60-foot (curb to curb) arterial roadway with four travel lanesand two permanent parking lanes. The posted speed limiton Georgia Avenue is 30 miles per hour (mph), with trafficsignals located at approximately half of the study areaintersections.

The Georgia Avenue Corridor, due to its relatively good peakperiod traffic flow, is used during the morning and eveningrush periods as a commuter route into and out of the down-town core. The “Average Daily Traffic” (ADT) volume forGeorgia Avenue is approximately 22,000, within the studyarea.

Local area residents have expressed concern that traffictraveling along Georgia Avenue often appears to exceedthe posted 30-mph speed limit. Residents have alsoexpressed concern about excessive speeds on adjacentresidential streets in the area.


TRANSPORTATION

Intersection of New Hampshire and Georgia Avenue

Quincy Street and Georgia Avenue


unusually complicated situation for motoristsbecause they have to watch five approaches tomake sure that they are clear of oncoming trafficbefore entering into the intersection. There is alsopoor sight-distance for vehicles entering into theintersection from the southbound approach of 9thStreet.

• Georgia Avenue/Varnum Street Intersection –There is a high volume of student-pedestrianswho cross Georgia Avenue when travelingbetween the residential area (located east ofGeorgia Avenue) and McFarland Middle Schooland Roosevelt High School (located to the west ofGeorgia Avenue). The Georgia Avenue/VarnumStreet intersection (currently unsignalized) islocated in close proximity, immediately north ofthe Georgia Avenue/Kansas Avenue intersection.

• 9th Street – 9th Street alternates between one-way and two-way, block-by-block, betweenGeorgia Avenue and Kansas Avenue, which canbe confusing to motorists unfamiliar with the area.

1 Source: DPW’s 2000 ADT Map

• Short blocks, with frequent curb cuts and intersec-tions, which present cyclists with frequent poten-tial vehicular conflict locations.

While there are less than desirable bicycle-riding condi-tions along Georgia Avenue in the study area, the arterialroadways and residential streets located immediately tothe east and west of the corridor form a relatively densegrid of roadways. Relatively light traffic volumes not onlymake this surrounding street network pleasant for biking,but the street network also provides good access to retailand employment centers throughout the District.

Kansas Avenue has striped bicycle lanes in both direc-tions for approximately a mile. There are also striped bikelanes located along 14th Street, NW, which is located twoblocks to the west of Georgia Avenue and links the studyarea to the Columbia Heights and Mt. Pleasant neighbor-hoods. There are signed official “on road” bike routeslocated along 8th Street, NW and 13th Street, NW, whichlink the study area to the Takoma section of Northwest,Washington, D.C. and to Silver Spring, Maryland.

Key Intersections

Georgia Avenue/New Hampshire Avenue IntersectionVicinity

The Georgia Avenue/New Hampshire Avenue intersectionhas long crosswalk distances across all of the intersectionapproaches. The intersection’s approaches are wider thanaverage because of the odd, non-90-degree angle atwhich New Hampshire and Georgia Avenues intercept. Inaddition, Georgia Avenue and New Hampshire Avenue areboth classified as “major arterial” roadways, and as aresult, are designed to accommodate relatively high trafficvolumes and relatively fast travel speeds, which furthercontributes to widened intersection approaches.

Georgia Avenue/Kansas Avenue Intersection Vicinity

The area located in the vicinity of the GeorgiaAvenue/Kansas Avenue intersection contains a fairly densenetwork of streets, which form several small, irregularlyshaped blocks. There are several traffic and pedestrian-related issues created by these small, abnormally-shapedblocks, which include the following:

• Kansas Avenue/Varnum Street/9th StreetIntersection – This 6-way intersection presents an

Approximately half of the Georgia Avenue intersections inthe study area are signalized, with several pedestrian-acti-vated signals located in the northern part of the studyarea. Many of the intersections have clearly visible, dou-ble-lined crosswalks and appear to have been recentlypainted. Though some pedestrian crosswalks are markedat unsignalized intersections, there are several that arenot clearly visible to drivers. In the 2004 DDOT ColumbiaHeights/Mount Pleasant Transportation study, pedestrianaccidents by intersection for the five-year period of 1997to 2001 from New Hampshire Avenue to Barry Placeshows several intersections with high rates of pedestrianaccidents. In some cases, the higher rates of pedestrianaccidents may be, in part, the result of higher levels ofpedestrian activity, but, in some cases, intersection designor operational issues may be contributing factors. Somelocations of particular concern include:

- Newton Place/Georgia Avenue

- Park Road/Georgia Avenue

- Morton Street/Georgia Avenue; and

- Lamont Street/Georgia Avenue

The Georgia Avenue/New Hampshire Avenue intersectionhas long crosswalk distances across all of the intersectionapproaches.

The sidewalks along Georgia Avenue are four to six feetwide in some locations, and 10 to 12 feet in other area.The minimum recommended sidewalk width for streetswith significant street-oriented commercial activity is eightfeet. The minimum width of sidewalks with sidewalk cafesis typically 10 to 12 feet.

Bicycle

The following undesirable characteristics currently existalong Georgia Avenue within the study area, which makeGeorgia Avenue undesirable for bicycle use:

• Heavy traffic volumes;

• Relatively high traffic speeds;

• Limited room available between on-street, parkedcars and moving traffic; and


TRANSPORTATION

19

Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro Station at New Hampshire/Georgia Avenue Intersection

Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro Station


Public Realm

The construction of the Metro station resulted in the cre-ation of several opportunity sites at the intersection ofNew Hampshire and Georgia Avenue and the eliminationof the tree median in the center of New HampshireAvenue. Consequently, that intersection, even thoughlocated at a major transit hub, is one of the most difficultstreets to cross, moving in almost any direction. Theunfriendly nature of the pedestrian environment there isexacerbated as well by the large Metrobus staging areaon the west side of the street, making the street muchwider and resulting in an increase in the amount of time apedestrian needs to get from one side of Georgia Avenueto the other.

Few parks and public plazas exist along Georgia Avenuein the study area. The largest public park is located at theintersection of Kansas Avenue and Georgia Avenue in thenorthernmost section. The area adjacent to the Petworth -Georgia Avenue metro station provides for a an opportuni-ty for a community space of some dimension, connectedwith future development.

Most recent automobile-oriented development is one storyin height.

In general, the buildings of the project area are olderstructures, mostly built during the expansion of the citynorthwards in the 1920’s. The residential streets are char-acterized by long stretches of row houses, some withporches, some without, in a graceful rhythm. Some small-er structures were built to serve as retail establishment inthe corridor, but by far a larger portion of current retailbuildings are former residential row houses converted toretail use.

The shallow depth of the blocks lining Georgia Avenuealso limits parking opportunities in the corridor. Few sitesare large enough to service the parking demands theygenerate and recent years have seen the influx of auto-mobile-oriented “drive-in” businesses. Those businessesare found mostly in the Park View/Park Morton neighbor-hood area and have resulted in a streetscape without defi-nition and in general, poorer in quality as well.

The existing buildings are set close to the sidewalk withgenerally ten to twelve feet between the building facadeand the street curb. This narrow dimension contributes tothe vitality of the street life but also makes outdoor retail,such as seating for restaurants, almost impossible.

The Park Morton public housing complex, locatedbetween Park Road and Lamont Street on the east side ofGeorgia Avenue, is the only public housing complex in theproject area. It features garden-style apartment buildingsand is centered around a cul-de-sac street that eliminateda previous connection to Park Road to the east. The build-ings are center-hall apartment buildings of a characterdiverse from the surrounding context.

To the north, suburban-style development has also madeits impact felt, particularly with the development of severaldrive-in restaurants and gas stations on the west side ofGeorgia Avenue between Shepherd and Upshur Streets.Upshur Street itself is the location of an older retail streeteast of Georgia Avenue and connects to a former area oflight industry to the west. The Petworth Public Library islocated on that corner and is a valued public asset.

North of Buchanan Street the detached single-familyhouse becomes the predominant building type with thedisappearance of retail frontage. This area contrasts withthe row house neighborhoods to the south by havingfewer gaps in the street wall.

The study area for the Corridor Revitalization Plan forGeorgia Avenue is approximately 1.6 miles long. For themajor part of that length, older retail establishments devel-oped inside or in the front of small row houses character-ize the corridor. Residential neighborhoods comprisedmostly of row houses line either side of the avenue on agridded system of streets and blocks.

Two major diagonals, New Hampshire Avenue andKansas Avenue, pass through the northern part of thestudy area in Petworth, a residue of the city system ofdiagonal streets bearing state names. Both diagonals areprimarily residential in character, contrasting with the retaildevelopment that predominates Georgia Avenue. Theintersection of New Hampshire Avenue and GeorgiaAvenue is also the location of the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro Station and has become the transportationnexus of the study area.

Topographically, the avenue rises continuously from thestudy area adjacent to Howard University, flattens out fora stretch between Girard Street and Rock Creek ChurchRoad and then climbs again as it passes the GeorgiaAvenue-Petworth Metro Station to a crest at Allison Street.The northernmost part of the study area is generally flat.

Urban Design

The vast majority of lots facing Georgia Avenue are quiteshallow, averaging about 75' to 80' in depth. This is con-sistent with the row house origins of the area when lotswere platted throughout the city on similar dimensions.The subsequent transformation of those properties fromresidential to retail use has resulted in an increment ofvery small shops fronting Georgia Avenue with little flexi-bility to expand. Often those buildings have been expand-ed with a one-story addition to the front of the building,resulting in a very uneven streetscape. Many retail proper-ties never changed the residential configuration of thebuilding front, leaving in place the small set of steps lead-ing up to the front door.

Few buildings in the project area are taller that a standardthree-story row house. Some five- and six-story apartmentbuildings, such as the Paramont at the corner of Georgiaand Quincy Street, exist and are blended well into thestreetscape. Most of the storefronts added to the fronts ofrow houses are one story with the awkward bulk of the residential mass peering out the center of the block.


URBAN DESIGNAND PUBLIC REALM

Discontinuity of the street wall, vacant or abandoned groundlevel sites, narrow and inadequately landscaped sidewalks con-tribute to poorly defined public realm.


IV. CORRIDORSTRATEGIES

OverviewMarket Economics

Land Use and ZoningHousing

TransportationUrban Design and Public Realm

21


The following section presents the corridor strategies.These strategies are based on the corridor assessmentfor:

- Market Economics

- Land Use and Zoning

- Housing

- Transportation

- Urban Design/Public Realm

Many issues resulted from the corridor assessment thatnot only applied to one particular neighborhood area butrather applied throughout the study area. As a result, thissection proposes strategies to address the issues identi-fied in the corridor assessment sections. To learn moreabout these strategies with respect to each neighborhoodarea, refer to Section V: Neighborhood Areas – Issues &Recommendations.

IV. Corridor Strategies

OVERVIEW


- Link and build capacity of existing businessdevelopment programs to cater to specificneeds of businesses

- Restructure the Georgia Avenue FacadeImprovement Program to include technicalassistance to businesses

• Target public capital improvements towards proj-ects and locations that can encourage and lever-age other new private development. These publiccapital improvements include intersectionimprovements, streetscape, pedestrian safetymeasures, and public art.

To respond to the unique market opportunities and con-straints of the Georgia Avenue corridor, the followingstrategies are recommended:

• Encourage and assist development entities to tar-get blocks with high vacancies and underutilizedland, to foster property assemblage and acquisi-tion for redevelopment

• Encourage retail development that brings thedesired mix of quality neighborhood-serving busi-nesses and services

• Encourage office development in first and/or sec-ond floors of mixed-use buildings

• Encourage a mix of residential development alongthe corridor to absorb the five-year demand for1,605 new housing units. This residential develop-ment should be targeted in blocks that have highvacancies and/or underutilized properties and canbe assembled for acquisition and redevelopment

• Apply an Overlay Zone to stabilize and encourageredevelopment and to match current demand bytype, location, and building configuration

• Explore Main Street designation for the existingneighborhood business district along Ninth Streetand Upshur Street (east of Georgia Avenue)

• Explore and implement shared parking and pro-vide new small parking lots to serve strategicareas of the corridor

• Investigate and market incentives to assist exist-ing businesses and new investors:

- Create a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) dis-trict on Georgia Avenue, from Shepherd Streetto Park Road

- Develop a retail leasing and managementstrategy to recruit tenants and direct them tolandlords/property owners, and to providetechnical assistance to existing and prospec-tive retailers


MARKETECONOMICS

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Georgia Avenue Row Houses


The overlay zone for Georgia Avenue could restrict newuses deemed by the community as undesirable along thecorridor, such as used automobile lots and automobilerepair shops, and allow for increased FAR for buildingexpansion. These measures will help strengthen the eco-nomic vitality of the corridor for existing and new business-es, as well as serve the shopping needs of the surroundingneighborhoods.

Residential Uses

The most northern portion of the study area, the 4500block of Georgia Avenue—from Allison Street to BuchananStreet—is located in the R-4 Zone District. This is a rowhouse district that does not permit apartment buildings.However, four apartment buildings already exist in theblock. In the summer 2002, a property owner proposed tobuild a five-unit apartment building on a vacant lot in the4500 block. However, the Board of Zoning Adjustmentsdenied this application based on the existing R-4 ZoneDistrict. Currently, there is another development proposalto build a small apartment building. The R-5-B ZoneDistrict, a moderate density apartment zone, is recom-mended for the 4500 block, west and east sides. The R-5-B Zone District would bring the existing four apartmentbuildings into conformance, as well as allow the develop-ment of new moderate density apartment buildings.

The other existing uses in the block include row houses,semi-detached and detached dwellings, which would con-tinue as permitted uses within the R-5-B zone. Four one-story retail storefronts currently exist in the northwest cor-ner of the block. These uses are nonconforming under theexisting R-4 Zone District and would continue to be non-conforming uses in the new R-5-B Zone District.

Mixed Uses

Throughout the planning process, two key issues emergedregarding the land uses in the mixed-use Zone Districts,namely the C-2-A Zone District:

1. How to restrict undesirable uses and attract a bettermix of quality retail uses

2. How to strengthen existing businesses and propertyowners by allowing for business expansion andincreased Floor Area Ratios (FAR)

To address these issues, an overlay zone that wouldencompass properties located within the existing C-2-AZone District, will be created. An overlay zone is a toolused to preserve and enhance neighborhood shoppingareas by providing the scale of development and range ofuses that are appropriate for neighborhood shopping andservices. An overlay zone is mapped in combination withthe underlying Zone District, C-2-A; the underlying zoningdoes not change.


LAND USEAND ZONING


crime, thereby improving the quality of life.”CPTED strategies include:- Using landscaping and materials to deter crime

(for example, thorny shrubs and fencing)- Using landscaping materials that provide

unobstructed views- Using lighting along walkways and entryways- Creating a sense of ownership and private

space by designing symbolic barriers throughlandscaping (for example, changes in pavingstone patterns, changes in types of plantings,and use of hedges and fences)

Affordable Housing

In order to ensure that in the current strong housing mar-ket existing residents receive opportunities to acquireaffordable housing, the following policy recommendationsare provided. These initiatives can contribute toward cre-ating a vibrant, mixed income community, as well aspotentially make a significant contribution to providinghousing for the District of Columbia’s working families.

• Require inclusion of at least 20 percent affordablehousing units in all Request for Proposals forredevelopment of the National CapitalRevitalization Corporation’s (NCRC) propertiesthat include housing development.

• Encourage the Home Again program to acceleratedisposition of any eligible units existing in the proj-ect area.

• Alert/educate area residents to the availability ofincome-tax credits for very-low-income, long-termhomeowners whose property taxes increase fasterthan 5 percent per year. Note: The tax creditsenacted in the Housing Act of 2002, are designedto protect residents who have owned their homesfor at least seven years from being forced out oftheir homes by rising property values and realproperty taxes.

• Support the exploration of Inclusionary Zoningefforts throughout the City to require private resi-dential developers to provide a certain amount ofaffordable housing units in their development tohelp meet low-and moderate-income housingneeds.

• Explore strategic acquisition (through land swapsor joint ventures) by NCRC and/or the city toexpand affordable housing in the redevelopmentopportunity sites outlined in Section VI.

The housing strategy addresses the two key issues identi-fied in Ward 1 neighborhoods along Georgia Avenue: 1)housing rehabilitation and vacant & abandoned residentialproperties, and 2) the Park Morton Apartment Complex.The following strategies are recommended:

Housing Rehabilitation and Vacant &Abandoned Properties

• As a pilot project, establish a Targeted BlockInitiative (TBI) to focus financial and technicalresources in a neighborhood that contains a sig-nificant level of both deteriorated residential prop-erties and owner-occupied units. Homeownerswould receive assistance to make interior andexterior improvements to their homes, whichwould make a visible impact in the neighborhoodblock. The concept is that small-scale, but careful-ly chosen home improvements help prevent largerscale deterioration and signal that positive neigh-borhood change is taking place. This, in turn,would serve as a catalyst for residential improve-ments in other neighborhood blocks.

• Encourage the Home Again Initiative, adminis-tered by the Office of the Deputy Mayor forPlanning and Economic Development, to invento-ry and accelerate bundling of vacant and aban-doned properties located in and near the GeorgiaAvenue study area. This initiative works toimprove the city’s housing condition and increasesupply by converting abandoned properties intoquality, affordable housing.

Park Morton Apartment Complex

• Establish a Park Morton Task Force to address theissues surrounding the housing complex. The TaskForce should be led by the D.C. Housing Authorityand involve other District agencies and neighbor-hood stakeholders. The Task Force should exam-ine and implement short- and long-term sustainablechanges to address the social and physical chal-lenges of the apartment complex.

• Apply Crime Prevention through EnvironmentalDesign (CPTED) strategies to improve safety inthe apartment complex. CPTED is based on thepremise that “proper design and effective use ofthe physical environment can produce behavioraleffects that will reduce the incidence and fear of


HOUSING

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Washington, DC, Streetscape with a Variety of Housing Types


• Encourage local bicycle use through the addition ofmore bicycle racks in the commercial area.

Key Intersections

Georgia Avenue/New Hampshire Avenue IntersectionVicinity

The following enhancements could potentially create a morepedestrian-friendly environment at the intersection. Thebelow measures should be implemented using Federal andDDOT guidelines, where applicable.

• Install more visible crosswalks.

• Construct medians where appropriate.

• Possibly eliminate the southernmost bus bayalong the west side of Georgia Avenue in order tonarrow the pedestrian crossing.

• Study existing traffic signal timings to ensure ade-quate timing for pedestrian crossings.

• Install “countdown” pedestrian signals.

• Ensure existing street lighting provides for ade-quate pedestrian visibility.

Georgia Avenue/Kansas Avenue Intersection Vicinity

• Conduct a traffic and pedestrian improvementstudy to address safety and circulation issues atGeorgia Avenue/Kansas Avenue, including irregu-larly shaped blocks created by Taylor Street,Upshur Street, Varnum Street, and WebsterStreet, 9th Street and Iowa Avenue.

• Install new traffic and pedestrian safety controldevices where warranted.

potential problems and possible solutions for legalWard 4 parking near the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metrorail Station.

Transit

• Look for opportunities to extend Yellow Line servicenorth of the Mt. Vernon Square 7th Street-Convention Center Metrorail Station as a way toincrease the frequency of trains to the GeorgiaAvenue-Petworth Metrorail Station.

• Promote increased use of Metrorail through tran-sit-oriented development.

• Maximize use of Metrobuses by relocating busstops where appropriate, constructing new busshelters, and increasing bus capacity, where nec-essary.

• Study implementing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) orLight Rail Transit (LRT) service along the GeorgiaAvenue Corridor, as called for in a recentWMATA/DDOT (District Department ofTransportation) transportation study.

Pedestrian

• Implement improvements to the GeorgiaAvenue/New Hampshire Avenue intersection,including “bulb-outs” and median installationsalong New Hampshire Avenue.

• Widen sidewalks along Georgia Avenue to allowoutdoor seating areas and functional walkingspace in front of future restaurants, shops, andcafe locations.

• Enhance visibility of pedestrian crosswalks alongGeorgia Avenue north of Kenyon Street,with markings and pedestrian crossing signs in themedian indicating a crosswalk is present.

Bicycle

• Study potential measures to improve the safety ofbicycle crossings across Georgia Avenue, whichcould include the installation of additional trafficsignals, where warranted.

The Transportation Strategies present improvement rec-ommendations for key transportation elements, including:

• Traffic• Parking• Transit• Pedestrian• Bicycle

In addition, recommendations are proposed for the follow-ing two locations:

• Georgia Avenue/New Hampshire AvenueIntersection Vicinity

• Georgia Avenue/Kansas Avenue IntersectionVicinity

(Note: Additional planning and engineering studies wouldneed to be conducted before implementing some of the rec-ommendations presented in this report.)

Traffic

• Examine opportunities to reduce speeds onGeorgia Avenue through traffic signalization,street-scaping, and roadway design modifications.

• Examine opportunities to reduce travel speeds onresidential streets through neighborhood trafficcalming measures.

Parking

• Explore development of small public parking lotsand/or shared parking to serve community usesand provide short to midterm parking throughoutthe corridor. Potential locations include:

- 3600 East- 3400 East- 2900 West- 2700 West

• Examine the use of on-street parking restrictionsto confirm that parking restrictions are compatiblewith adjacent land uses.

• Conduct a parking occupancy study to determine


TRANSPORTATION

Pedestrian Friendly Environment

Bus Shelter

Bike Rack Coil


• Strategically locate parking so that it is visuallyunobtrusive

Public Realm

• Create a more walkable, pedestrian friendly envi-ronment through public realm improvements tosidewalks, cross walks, and intersections, and bydiscouraging automobile-oriented, drive throughbusinesses

• Enhance the public realm through the creation ofpublic monuments and art celebrating AfricanAmerican history and culture

• Encourage some form of public green space orcivic space as new redevelopment projects areconstructed

The Georgia Avenue study area is the primary retail corridorfor several diverse neighborhoods. The overall urbandesign strategy focuses on development opportunities andpublic realm (i.e., the space between buildings, such asstreets and sidewalks) improvements that seek to enhancethese neighborhood areas and their unique character.

Urban Design

• Identify/characterize the study area by four neigh-borhood areas along the corridor

1. “Upshur” - Decatur Street to Shepherd Street

2. “Petworth-Metro” - Shepherd Street to OtisPlace

3. “Park View/Park Morton” - Otis Place to IrvingStreet

4. “Pleasant Plains” - Irving Street to EuclidStreet

• Maximize development around the GeorgiaAvenue-Petworth Metro Station

• Promote a mix of development projects ranging insize from large-scale mixed-use block redevelop-ments to small-scale infill developments andadaptive reuse projects

• For key Redevelopment Opportunity Sites (seeSection VI), enhance the overall streetscape andpublic realm by encouraging moderate densitydevelopment ( 3 to 6 stories)

• Diversify the housing stock by encouraging rede-velopment opportunities with multifamily buildingsfor families, senior citizens, and first-time homebuyers

• Increase the affordability of the housing stock byencouraging development opportunities with avariety of housing types

• Encourage green roofs in new development projects


URBAN DESIGNAND PUBLIC REALM

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Pedestrian Friendly EnvironmentPedestrian Friendly Environment Neighborhood Signage

Special Tree Boxes

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V. NEIGHBORHOODAREAS:

ISSUES ANDRECOMMENDATIONS

OverviewUpshur

Petworth-MetroPark View/Park Morton

Pleasant Plains

iii. corridor assessment comprehensive plan zoning land use … · 2015-03-06 · regulations and...

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