• By Stephen Staudigl
• February 07, 2025

NCPC Provides Feedback on Glen Echo Management Plan Amendment

At its Thursday, February 6, 2025 meeting the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) provided feedback to the National Park Service on the Glen Echo Management Plan Amendment. The master plan for the 0.9-acre park located in Glen Echo, Maryland would guide an increase in capacity for arts and cultural programming, special events, and future programs. Glen Echo Park is a National Register National Historic District, has approximately 350,000 annual visitors, and is co-managed by the National Park Service and Montgomery County, Maryland.

The plan offers two approaches to increase Glen Echo’s ability to host additional events and activities, which is needed because the park is at capacity for hosting them. Alternative 1 has less buildable area, more retention of existing buildings, and more retention of open space at the park’s center by locating new development around the perimeter. Alternative 2 provides more buildable area, has more potential impact on the woodland, less retention of existing buildings, restores some of the historic centralized development, and includes a new pedestrian connection between the park and the adjacent Clara Barton Historic Site parking lot.

Commissioners mentioned what a great community asset Glen Echo is and supported the plan’s goals to increase arts and cultural programming capacity and improve the visitor experience. They recommended that a draft Environmental Assessment (which will be part of the master plan) evaluate proposed impacts on land use, traffic and transportation, visitor experience, vegetation, water resources, wildlife, cultural and visual resources, and the cumulative effects. Potential program uses were not presented and Commissioners said that it was difficult to evaluate the alternatives without knowing them and requested that potential program uses be refined and the anticipated type(s) of development needed to accommodate them for each alternative be included in the next submission.

The Commission approved final site development plans submitted by the National Park Service, on behalf of the District Department of Transportation, for reconstruction of the Kenilworth Terrace Bridge and Anacostia Avenue Bridge located in Anacostia Park in Northeast Washington, DC. The Kenilworth Terrace Bridge spans Watts Branch and the Anacostia Avenue Bridge spans an Anacostia River outlet. Land adjacent to the bridges will be transferred from the National Park Service to the District of Columbia for the project. NCPC will review this transfer at a future date.

NCPC approved preliminary site development plans submitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in conjunction with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Offsite Roadway Improvements associated with future development of a new Currency Production Facility in Beltsville, Maryland. Improvements would be made on Edmonston Road (MD-201) and the intersection of Powder Mill Road and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (MD-295). Components include lane modifications, multimodal access features, signal upgrades, and pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure improvements. Commissioners appreciated that the current design includes improvements made from community input and noted that NCPC staff will continue to facilitate coordination between Prince George’s County, the City of Greenbelt, and the applicant.

The Commission heard two information presentations (no action is taken on information presentations). In the first, representatives from the District of Columbia Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) and Monumental Sports & Entertainment discussed planned improvements to the Capital One Arena located in downtown Washington, DC. DMPED discussed its central location in the city and the potential impact a renovated arena would have on downtown and the local economy. Monumental staff and their architects discussed the potential building redesign and public space improvements. NCPC anticipates reviewing the project plans this spring.

NCPC staff presented Proposed Amendments to Commission Bylaws and Delegations. The Bylaws would be amended to allow in-person, virtual, or hybrid meetings at the Commission’s discretion. The Delegations would be amended to prevent automatically elevating Delegated Items to open session presentations if any individual registers to testify. The Commission will be asked to approve these proposed amendments at its March 6 meeting.

Commission actions and related materials are available online.

The Commission approved two items on the Consent Calendar (no presentations were made). Unless otherwise noted, the projects are in Washington, DC.
1. Final site and building plans for the National Mall Carousel Site Improvements, 900 Jefferson Drive, SW. (8590)
2. Report to the Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia for Text and Map Amendments to Create the Navy Yard East Zone, 1000 O Street, SE. (ZC 23-27)

The Executive Director approved two items under authority delegated by the Commission. Unless otherwise noted, the projects are in Washington, DC.
1. Preliminary and final site and building plans for the St. Elizabeths West Campus Electric Vehicle Cart Shelter, 2701 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE. (8621)
2. Report to the Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia for the Text Amendment for the United Methodist Church Wesley Theological Seminary, 4500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. (ZC 24-09)