DC's Comprehensive Plan

The Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan for short) is a long-range guide to how and where our city and neighborhoods will grow and redevelop. It addresses everything from land use, economic development, and housing, to the environment, transportation, and historic preservation.

The City Council approved a new Comprehensive Plan in December 2006, replacing an outdated version adopted back in 1984. The new Comprehensive Plan will ensure that we maximize the benefits of the new growth in our city.

The Comprehesive Plan:

• Guides our city's growth through transit-oriented development – directing new growth to Metro stations and major transit corridors encourages new residents to drive less, ride transit, walk and bicycle more and support local stores and services;
• Expands housing opportunities and choicesthrough Inclusionary Zoning and other important polices;
• Protects residential neighborhoods so that only compatible infill development occurs, enhancing the character of the existing community;
• Provides innovative traffic-reducing strategies that encourage less driving, and more walking, bicycling, carsharing and riding transit; and
• Creates better access to parks – ensuring all neighborhoods have access to safe, attractive parks.

The new Comprehensive Plan contains several elements, or areas of focus, including: