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Bowser Administration Completes Chevy Chase Small Area Plan That Promotes More Affordable Housing

Friday, June 3, 2022

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The Bowser Administration, led by the DC Office of Planning (OP), has transmitted the Chevy Chase Small Area Plan to DC Council for adoption. The Small Area Plan guides government, private sector and community actions to bring new housing, retail, and community amenities to upper Connecticut Avenue NW.

"Mayor Bowser has assembled the most robust housing toolkit in the country, and with investment, intentionality and innovation, we will deliver more housing in all 8 wards. The Chevy Chase Small Area Plan brings a vision of equitable development and opportunities for all residents," said John Falcicchio, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development. "This plan aligns with our goal of 36,000 housing units by 2025 by creating more housing in high opportunity neighborhoods.”

In 2019, Mayor Bowser set a goal of 36,000 new housing units by 2025, with 12,000 of those units being affordable. The District went on to establish affordable housing goals by neighborhood -- the first jurisdiction in the country to do so. The Chevy Chase Small Area Plan is a key initiative in realizing the 2,000 affordable housing unit goal for the Rock Creek West Area, a part of the District which has yet to realize an equitable share of market rate and affordable housing. In June 2022, OP will continue advancing the District’s housing equity goals in Rock Creek West with the launch of two planning and community engagement initiatives on Wisconsin Avenue at Friendship Heights and Tenleytown, and on Connecticut Avenue at Cleveland Park and Woodley Park. The initiatives will result in urban design, preservation, and zoning guidance to support additional capacity for affordable and market-rate housing in these neighborhoods.

“The Chevy Chase Small Area Plan will catalyze housing and amenities like improved public spaces along Connecticut Avenue corridor, including a $24-million state-of-the-art library and a $17.5-million new community center that enable the delivery of affordable housing above” said Anita Cozart, Interim Director of OP. “We applaud leaders in the Chevy Chase community for coalescing around a forward-looking vision and urge Council action to adopt the small area plan.”

Once the Council adopts the Chevy Chase Small Area Plan, property owners can petition the Zoning Commission to enact zoning changes that are aligned with the small area plan, unlocking additional density permitted by the updated Comprehensive Plan for increased market rate and affordable housing.

The development of the Chevy Chase Small Area Plan centered on community engagement and resulted in a supportive resolution from Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3/4G. To view the final Chevy Chase Small Area Plan submitted to Council, please visit publicinput.com/chevychase. For more information about the DC Office of Planning, please visit planning.dc.gov.