NCPC to Study Relaxing D.C. Building Height Limits

In response to a formal request from Congress, the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) has agreed to study potential changes to D.C.'s Height of Buildings Act of 1910, a step that could result in the eventual change of the controversial law.

1 minute read

November 8, 2012, 2:00 PM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Acting on a request by House Government Reform and Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) to "help Congress and local leaders evaluate the case for expanding existing boundaries for vertical growth," the NCPC has agreed to commence a study of the law that has produced Washington D.C.'s iconic low-rise character, reports Ben Pershing. Debates flare up periodically about the potential modification of the Height of Buildings Act of 1910 [PDF],
which generally restricts buildings to a maximum height of 130 feet on commercial streets and 90 feet on residential streets.

As Pershing notes, opponents of the current height limitations argue that they have, "limited the city's tax base and
potential growth in areas like downtown, which is attracting more
workers and residents with little room to expand." Proponents see value in the city's  "much-praised skyline, with unobstructed views of monuments and other significant landmarks," and argue that the law encourages infill development and disperses growth. 

At Greater Greater Washington, David Alpert has compiled a more extensive list of the arguments for, and against, modifying the Act. 

 

Thursday, November 8, 2012 in The Washington Post

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

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.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

1 hour ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

2 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

3 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press