Welcome

Washington, DC and the surrounding region are full of important memorials, buildings, views, and spaces. The National Capital Planning Commission—the federal government’s central planning agency—seeks to preserve and enhance these treasures, how they relate to each other, and how people interact with them. Here are some of last year’s highlights.

Project Review

One of NCPC’s primary tasks is to review the design of federal development projects in the region. A focus is Washington’s monumental core, where many national icons and attractions are located. In 2018 the Commission implemented a more streamlined and efficient submission and review process.

Master Plan Review

This past year the Commission reviewed and provided feedback on several master plans for large federal campuses and military installations that will guide their development over 20-30 years. Three examples below are the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Food and Drug Administration's White Oak Campus, and Joint Base Andrews.

Other Projects

NCPC also reviews certain projects in Washington that are of interest to the federal government.
NCPC reviewed the District Department of Transportation’s Draft Small Cell Infrastructure Guidelines and provided comments regarding potential impacts to the monumental core and the area around the National Mall. NCPC accepted staff’s proposed map of allowable locations for small cell infrastructure in this area and requested that DDOT include it in their final guidelines. NCPC also supported the development of a new, high-quality standalone pole design.

The Commission approved plans to rehabilitate the historic Carnegie Library and transform it into an Apple store. Plans call for restoration of the building’s exterior and interior, improved landscaping, and a new central atrium.
Percentage of Projects by Location
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Washington, DC

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Maryland

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Virginia

Ongoing Initiatives

NCPC convenes federal and local agencies to address issues unique to the capital and advance shared interests.
This past year was an important one for the Pennsylvania Avenue Initiative, an effort to improve the avenue between the White House and the U.S. Capitol. The initiative’s executive committee established shared goals and development criteria that will guide short-term recommendations to improve operations and increase activities, as well as longer term physical and programmatic changes.

NCPC is leading the multi-agency Monumental Core Streetscapes Study to update the 1992 Streetscape Manual. The manual provides guidance on the appropriate design of items such as lamps and benches to all agencies that build and/or manage streetscapes around the National Mall. The update will also include a lighting plan for the monumental core.

To help facility planners better understand, and respond to, regional flood risks NCPC released a well-received flood risk management guide. This guide provides an overview of the different flooding types—river, coastal, and interior—and the various studies and tools that can be used to address them.


Comprehensive Plan

NCPC develops Federal Elements for the Comprehensive Plan for the Nation’s Capital. Its policies are the primary tool used by NCPC in its review of projects.
The Commission adopted an updated federal Parks & Open Space Element that reflected staff review/research and public and stakeholder input. Recognizing that federally managed lands are a significant component of the region’s parks and open space system, the element's policies encourage protection, enhancements and stronger connections.

New sections offer approaches to effectively adapt designed landscapes that consider changes in surroundings and use, as well as maintenance needs, while protecting important features. Guidance for nighttime lighting for federal parks and open spaces in the monumental core reinforces the prominence of the capital’s most important national symbols.

Parks & Open Space

Outreach

NCPC consistently involves the public in all aspects of the review process. One way we do that is to write blog stories that inform and provide more perspective on a particular topic.
Brutalist Federal Buildings
Banneker Park Connection
South Capitol Street
The Kennedy Center
The agency jumped into the blogging pool with a series of articles that provided an in-depth look at Washington-specific topics such as streetlight design and brutalist federal architecture, and updates on agency initiatives like the Banneker Park Connection and the South Capitol Street Corridor. A construction watch series provided the current status of NCPC-reviewed projects, including the REACH at the Kennedy Center and the Eisenhower Memorial.
About the Commission About the Staff FY 2018 Budget Info