Review Authorities

The Commission exercises authority over chancery development on federal land pursuant to two legislative enactments – the International Center Act and The Foreign Mission Act.

The International Center Act

82 Stat. 958, 959 96 Stat. 101

(Act of October 8, 1968, Pub. L. No. 90-553, sec. 4, 82 Stat. 958, 959 (1968), as amended by Pub. L. No. 97-186, sec.4, 96 Stat. 101 (May 25, 1982))

The act authorized the creation of the International Chancery Center on a federally owned parcel of land in Northwest Washington, DC bounded by Connecticut Avenue, NW; Van Ness Street, NW; Reno Road, NW; and Tilden Street, NW. The act authorized the Secretary of State to subdivide the parcel of land into individual lots and to lease individual plots to foreign governments and international organizations for chancery and headquarter development respectively. The act also authorized the Commission to review and approve the location, height, bulk, number of stories, and size of and provision for open space and off-street parking in and around proposed buildings.

The Foreign Missions Act

22 U.S.C. § 4306

(22 U.S.C. § 4306)

The Foreign Missions Act governs the location and development of chanceries in the District of Columbia. Pursuant to the Foreign Missions Act, chanceries located on private property are subject to review by a specially constituted District Board of Zoning Adjustment known as the Foreign Mission Board of Zoning Adjustment. Chanceries located on federally owned land, other than those at the International Chancery Center, which are regulated in accordance with the International Chancery Act, are subject to review by NCPC.

Both entities must evaluate chancery development in accordance with six enumerated criteria contained in the act. A Memorandum of Agreement between NCPC and the U.S. Department of State/Office of Foreign Missions outlines the review process and criteria by which the Commission must evaluate applications for chancery development on federal land at the Foreign Missions Center. This center is located on a portion of the former Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Northwest Washington, DC.

The Foreign Missions Center Agreement

Memorandum of Agreement MOA Amendment

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the U.S. Department of State/Office of Foreign Missions and the National Capital Planning Commission codified how review of chancery development would occur at the new foreign mission enclave to be located on a portion of the old Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital in Northwest Washington, DC. The new chancery enclave was named the Foreign Missions Center. The center was developed for use by foreign diplomatic missions as individual chancery sites. The underlying property for each chancery will remain in federal ownership, and the Department of State intends to lease sites to foreign countries on a long term basis. Under the MOA, the Commissioner will conduct the sole review of each proposed chancery using the six decision-making criteria contained in the Foreign Missions Act.