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The Office of Planning (OP) is gearing up for an eventful fall, as we reach a number of critical milestones on our most important work. The DC Council is scheduled to hold its final vote on the Framework Element of the Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) on October 8th. OP is now able to move forward with the amendment process, so on October 15th, Mayor Bowser will release to the public the remaining 24 elements and two maps. In preparation for that, OP has released a report that summarizes the results of the DC2Me Values Survey and engagement we conducted earlier this year. As we work hard to produce an amended Comp Plan that represents all DC residents, we are excited find that the most important concepts in the Comp Plan align with the values most important to residents. You can read more about the DC Values Report below.
Also, on October 15th, Mayor Bowser will release housing production targets by planning area. The Mayor challenged everyone to think differently and find innovative solutions to housing affordability when she announced a bold housing production target of 36,000 housing units by 2025, with 12,000 affordable to low-income residents. She followed this up by signing a Mayor’s Order on housing in May that directed multiple agencies to work together to determine how to equitably reach these goals. The Housing Framework for Equity and Growth is a partnership effort between OP and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the report is our first response to her challenge. It analyzes how our housing and affordable housing are distributed and includes housing targets by planning area. The report kicks off a series of reports and releases that includes both analyses and policy changes, including updates to the Comp Plan.
This month, I am also excited to share a new umbrella initiative for our numerous Public Life Initiatives, which include several studies, guides, and projects. These efforts all support a vibrant public life in DC to promote health, safety, civic engagement, economic opportunity, and connected communities. The latest addition to the Public Life portfolio is the Tenleytown Public Life Study.
Stay tuned as future newsletters promise to be full of updates and planning news. Please feel free to share with others, who can sign up here. In addition, you can follow our work on Twitter at @OPinDC.
Sincerely,
Andrew Trueblood
Director, DC Office of Planning
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Public life is what people create when they connect with each other in public spaces—the streets, plazas, parks, and city spaces between buildings. Public life is about the everyday activities that people naturally take part in when they spend time with each other outside their homes, workplaces, and cars.
The District of Columbia is fortunate to have a wealth of park spaces, squares, and pedestrian-friendly streets that provide opportunities for a vibrant and rich public life. As the District grows, ensuring that all groups and people can enjoy public life in our shared spaces is an important part of achieving an inclusive city.
View this storymap to learn how OP is working toward a vibrant public life in DC to promote health, safety, civic engagement, economic opportunity, and connected communities.
The Tenleytown Public Life Study was recently released and addresses the question: how is the Tenleytown-AU Metro Station area performing as a place for people? The Study produced ten findings and six strategies to improve the public spaces in the area for enhanced public life.
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Over the past three years, Mayor Bowser and the DC Office of Planning (OP) have collected community input to understand what residents care about most as the District continues to thrive, grow, and prosper. Eight DC values – accessibility, diversity, equity, livability, opportunity, prosperity, resilience, and safety – express the essence of what makes DC home for a diverse, inclusive community.
Earlier this year, OP initiated the DC Values campaign as an important step to re-engage with the public and provide a bridge between previous public engagement and the release of the remaining chapters of the Draft Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) on October 15, 2019. The DC Values campaign engaged over 3,000 residents, through an online survey and a series of outreach activities, with the goal of collecting feedback to help guide OP through the remainder of the Comp Plan Amendment process.
The survey asked residents and stakeholders which values resonated most for them and which values should be the highest priorities for amending the Comp Plan. Overall, each of the values resonated with respondents, but Livability, Safety, and Equity were considered to be the top priorities by respondents.
The complete DC Values Report includes an explanation of how the values relate to the Comp Plan, a timeline and review of the Comp Plan Amendment process, and a detailed breakdown of survey results and respondents by Ward and length of residency.
For more information about the Comp Plan, please visit plandc.dc.gov.
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The Community Conversation on Housing was a citywide event hosted by the DC Office of Planning (OP) and DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to share information about the Housing Framework for Equity and Growth, report on the results from a resident survey examining the current distribution of affordable housing in the District, and explore the connection between health and housing.
The two-hour event was structured to share information about the District’s goal to build 36,000 new residential units by 2025, with 12,000 of those units affordable to low-income households, and facilitate conversation from the community on our approach. Community members in attendance participated in small group conversations facilitated by OP, DHCD, and partner agency staff. Small groups reflected on the connection between health, housing, and high opportunity areas and the results from the distribution of affordable housing survey.
You can still join the conversation! Through Friday, October 4th, head to our website to view the live recording of the Community Conversation and access links to surveys that cover the topics discussed in the small group breakout groups.
Check out the detailed event summary and view photos from the event.
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The DC Office of Planning (OP) welcomes Anita M. Cozart as the new Deputy Director of Community Planning and Design. Cozart is a racial equity advocate with years of experience in transportation, land use and equitable development both nationally and in Washington, DC. Cozart brings her skills to the agency as it is in the process of amending the Comprehensive Plan with a focus on equity.
Read more about Anita Cozart in the Press Release OP issued on September 30th.
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In our July newsletter, we announced that the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities (CAH), in partnership with OP, was seeking artists for Playable Art DC, a creative play and placemaking project designed to create interactive works of art that are bold, exciting and playful, inspire imagination, build social skills, and are enjoyed by youth and adults.
Community-based panels have selected finalists who will design unique, site-specific installations. Playable Art DC installation sites are Kennedy Street (Ward 4), Anacostia Library (Ward 8), and Greenway Neighborhood (Ward 7).
Attend the community input sessions to learn more about the projects, meet the finalists and inform the artists about your community. Each site has three finalists who are eager to hear from the residents of that community.
Kennedy Street Community Input Session
Monday, October 7, 2019| 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Emery Heights Community Center, 5701 Georgia Avenue, NW
Playable art will be designed for the small grassy area at the intersection of 5th Street and Kennedy Street, NW.
Register for Kennedy Community session
Anacostia Library Community Input Session
Tuesday, October 8, 2019 | 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Anacostia Neighborhood Library, 1800 Good Hope Road, SE
Playable art will be designed for the plaza at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library, at 1800 Good Hope Road, SE.
Register for Anacostia Community session
Greenway Neighborhood Community Input Session
Thursday, October 10, 2019 | 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Kimball Elementary School, 3375 Minnesota Avenue, SE
Playable art will be designed for the small triangle park at the corner of Minnesota Avenue, 34th Street and D Street, SE.
Register for Greenway Community session
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Housing survey respondents had clear preferences for which areas of the District should provide more affordable housing. View full survey results.
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