The D.C. Zoning Commission will revisit a proposed text amendment to the District Zoning Code in April.

Daniel Warwick reports that the D.C. Zoning Commission is considering a text amendment to the Zoning Code that would amount to a downzoning of neighborhoods across the District by 25 percent.
"This all comes from a debate over how to define whether a partially below-grade story, often called an English Basement, is a 'cellar' or a 'basement' according to the zoning code," explains Warwick. "This matters because cellars do not count towards a measurement of the size of the building called 'Gross Floor Area,' while basements do."
The proposed change to the Zoning Code is under consideration now because "some developers were putting in low ceilings and piling up earth or even building planter boxes to turn basements into cellars."
Warwick reports on the proceedings at a recent hearing on the Office of Planning's proposal, where neighborhood groups presented their opinions on the proposed changes to the Zoning Code with regard to cellars. At that hearing, the Zoning Commission decided to continue the discussion on April 30. In the meantime, there's another article by Neil Flanagan on the subject from January 2018 that provides additional background and detail on the potential changes to the legal definition of cellars in Washington, D.C.
FULL STORY: DC’s Zoning Commission might downzone much of the city by redefining cellars

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)