{"id":683,"date":"2024-10-25T00:02:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-25T00:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/?p=683"},"modified":"2026-04-19T17:38:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T17:38:24","slug":"update-on-the-op-office-of-development-review-and-zoning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/2024\/10\/25\/update-on-the-op-office-of-development-review-and-zoning\/","title":{"rendered":"Update on the OP Office of Development Review and Zoning"},"content":{"rendered":"
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We have finally found out who will be representing the Mayor and Office of Planning and their application to remap the entire 2-acres at 1617 U Street from MU4 Zoning (5 floors) to MU10 Zoning (10+ floors).\u00a0
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The next hearing is on January 29, 2024 (new date)<\/em>, find out more here: https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/testify\/<\/a><\/b><\/div>\n
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Mr. Jonathan Kirschenbaum (replacement for Steve Cochran), Office of Planning, Development Review and Zoning, Development Review Specialist who was recently assigned to OZ Case 23-02.<\/a>
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Mr. Kirschenbaum’s biography is here: https:\/\/planning.dc.gov\/node\/1334741<\/a><\/div>\n
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As to what the Development Review and Zoning office does, here is a description from OP\u2019s website:\u00a0 https:\/\/planning.dc.gov\/page\/development-review-and-zoning<\/a><\/div>\n
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Development Review and Zoning<\/h1>\n
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The Development Review Division of the DC Office of Planning (OP) assesses plans that are generally large, complex, and precedent-setting in their potential to change the character of an area. While development is viewed as the economic engine of the District, protecting the integrity of neighborhoods is equally important. The Development Review Division encourages growth in a way that is sensitive to the needs and values of neighborhoods.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The email below is what Mr. Kirschenbaum wrote to a Save DC Public Land supporter: <\/i><\/div>\n
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———- Forwarded message ———
\nFrom: Kirschenbaum, Jonathan (OP)<\/b> <Jonathan.Kirschenbaum@dc.gov<\/a>><\/span>
\nDate: Tue, Oct 17, 2023 at 9:27 AM
\nSubject: RE: Proposal to Rezone 1617 U\/1620 V Sts NW – Questions regarding housing units
\nTo: Hossain Mousavi <hmousavi018@gmail.com<\/a>>
\nCC: Lawson, Joel (OP) <joel.lawson@dc.gov<\/a>>, Steingasser, Jennifer (OP) <jennifer.steingasser@dc.gov<\/a>><\/div>\n
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Dear Mr. Mousavi,<\/span><\/p>\n

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Thank you for your email. I recently inherited this case and will be reviewing the record. We plan to provide a supplemental report ahead of the public hearing and will address any information that may need to be further analyzed, updated, or provided. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Best regards,<\/span><\/p>\n

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Jonathan Kirschenbaum<\/span><\/p>\n

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From:<\/b> Hossain Mousavi <hmousavi018@gmail.com<\/a>>
\nSent:<\/b> Sunday, October 15, 2023 7:11 PM
\nTo:<\/b> Kirschenbaum, Jonathan (OP) <Jonathan.Kirschenbaum@dc.gov<\/a>>
\nCc:<\/b> Arlene Feskanich <feskanicha@gmail.com<\/a>>; Hossain Mousavi <hmousavi018@gmail.com<\/a>>
\nSubject:<\/b> Fwd: Proposal to Rezone 1617 U\/1620 V Sts NW – Questions regarding housing units<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Mr. Kirschenbaum:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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My name is Hossain Mousavi.\u00a0 I am a DC resident who lives on Seaton St NW, directly across from the Third District Police Station at 1620 V St NW<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Your name was given to me by Joe Lawson as the replacement for Steve Cochran, who retired, and as the person who could answer some questions I had on OP\u2019s Setdown Report for OZ Case 23-02.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I had originally directed a question to Daniel Lyons in DMPED about the number of affordable housing units cited as possible in OP\u2019s Setdown Report, but was informed that your office, the Office of Development Review and Zoning, is the correct office to ask.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Please see my email to Mr. Lyons below for the questions I had pertaining to the \u00a0\u201c200\u201d affordable units cited in OP\u2019s report, and why there appears to be such a discrepancy between OP\u2019s number and DDOT\u2019s estimate of total number\u00a0of units at this site.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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As you might imagine, I and most of my neighbors are extremely concerned about OP\u2019s proposal to radically upzone this parcel of publicly owned land and double the height and density of what currently exists in the surrounding area.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I appreciate your assistance and response.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Hossain Mousavi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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1701 Seaton St NW<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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From:<\/b> Hossain Mousavi <hmousavi018@gmail.com<\/a>>
\nSent:<\/b> Thursday, September 7, 2023 1:35 PM
\nTo:<\/b> Lyons, Daniel (EOM) <Daniel.Lyons@dc.gov<\/a>>
\nCc:<\/b> Hossain Mousavi <hmousavi018@gmail.com<\/a>>
\nSubject:<\/b> Re: Proposal to Rezone 1617 U\/1620 V<\/a> Sts NW – Questions regarding housing units<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Mr. Lyons,<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Thank you for your response.\u00a0 I am happy to know that the RFP for the redevelopment of 1617 U St NW<\/a> has not been released yet.\u00a0 But has it been drafted yet?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I\u2019m assuming that some criteria have already been set.\u00a0 And I\u2019m also assuming that some developer plans have already been considered since the OP Setdown Report\u2019s \u201cApplication-in-Brief\u201d states that a rezoning to MU-10 would permit \u201cover 200 affordable housing units\u201d.\u00a0 How was this number arrived at?\u00a0 Through consultation with potential developers?\u00a0 Or does OP have a regular formula it uses to calculate this number of units?\u00a0 And what is the size of these potential units?\u00a0 Does the count include larger 2 and 3 bedroom units for family occupancy, or just single person efficiencies?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Am I also correct in assuming that 200 affordable housing units on this site would mean about 650 market rate units, as well?\u00a0 The Setdown Report does not address this.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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One more question: \u00a0the DC Department of Transportation estimated that a maximum of 408 residential units could be constructed on-site if the rezoning to MU-10 is granted.\u00a0 In paragraph 2 of the \u201cTransportation Analysis\u201d section of DDOT\u2019s memo to DC\u2019s Zoning Commission dated May 5, 2023, DDOT stated:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIt is estimated that a maximum of 408 residential units with 65,000 SF retail could be constructed on-site if the rezoning to MU-10 is granted, as compared to approximately 156 dwellings and 40,000 SF retail under the existing MU-4.\u201d \u00a0 <\/i><\/p>\n

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https:\/\/app.dcoz.dc.gov\/Exhibits\/2010\/ZC\/23-02\/Exhibit462.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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That appears to be a huge discrepancy from OP\u2019s Setdown Report estimate of what would amount to over 850 units (200 affordable + 650 market rate, if the 30\/70% rule is applied).\u00a0 Do you know why there is such a difference in estimated housing unit numbers?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Thank you for your attention, Mr Lyons.\u00a0 I look forward to your assistance in helping me sort out the housing unit portion of OP\u2019s proposal for redevelopment of 1617 U St NW<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Respectfully,<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Hossain Mousavi<\/p>\n

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We have finally found out who will be representing the Mayor and Office of Planning and their application to remap the entire 2-acres at 1617 U Street from MU4 Zoning (5 floors) to MU10 Zoning (10+ floors).\u00a0 \u00a0 The next hearing is on January 29, 2024 (new date), find out more here: https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/testify\/ Mr. Jonathan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1617u"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/dkirschbaum.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=683"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/683\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":817,"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/683\/revisions\/817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savedcpublicland.org\/the1617project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}