The Maps That Explain D.C.'s Comprehensive Plan

Comprehensive plans can be big and unwieldy. Luckily for Washington, D.C., there are two maps that unlock of the plan's meaning.

1 minute read

November 18, 2016, 11:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


D.C. Comp Plan

District of Columbia Office of Planning / Comprehensive Plan - Generalized Policy Map

David Whitehead sifts through the 600 pages of the D.C. Comprehensive Plan and identifies the two maps that provide access to the plan's core ideas. 

"DC has a giant planning document called the Comprehensive Plan. Most of it is super dense and complicated, but its goal is to lay the foundation for many city-wide decisions, in particular decisions on land use," explains Whitehead. "Partially because of its size and obscurity, many people just focus on two maps that exist as part of the Comp Plan: the Future Land Use Map (FLUM), and the Generalized Policy Map."

Whitehead then digs into both of the two maps, illuminating the key ideas that will help guide an understanding of these already most accessible parts of the D.C. Comprehensive Plan.

But then, there's a caveat. According to Whitehead, "[t]here's one big issue with both of these maps: they tend to preserve the status quo—more specifically, the status quo of 2006, which is when the Comp Plan was created." Luckily, Whitehead reports that the D.C. Office of Planning is "organizing an effort to amend and update the Comprehensive Plan."

Wednesday, November 16, 2016 in Greater Greater Washington

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

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

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.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Two Rivian trucks charging at Rivian branded charging ports.

US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate

The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.

1 hour ago - CALmatters

Metal U.S. Geodetic Survey marker in stone in Arizona.

Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency

The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.

2 hours ago - Wired

Close-up of 10 mph speed limit sign.

Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law

Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.

3 hours ago - The Urbanist