This project was in 5C07 until January 2023; it is now in 5B06. As it is right on the border, both 5B and 5C (likely) have Great Weight in this case.
tl;dr
- A vacant lot sits at the corner of 22nd and Jackson Sts. NE; right where the two streets hit Rhode Island Ave. NE
- The church that owns the lot is seeking approvals for a mixed-use building on the site before selling it
- Latest designs are for 31 homes, 2,100 sq ft of retail, and 5 ground-floor structured parking spaces
- The project received a map amendment in October 2022, and now has a Board of Zoning Adjustment case to be heard 5/3/2023
- The case predominantly centers on rear clearance from the neighboring building by the same developer, 3200 22nd St. NE
- You can submit testimony on the BZA case! Instructions below.
Official Sources
This case has been heard by the Zoning Commission, and will subsequently be heard by the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA).
| agency | case | summary | next hearing | ANC status | case status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZC | 21-14 | seeking a map amendment to rezone the parcel to MU-4 (moderate-density mixed-use) from R-1-B (low-density residential) | N/A | 5/18/2022: 5C Resolution of Support passed 3-0-4 | 10/27/2022: Approval ordered 4-0-1 |
| BZA | 20872 | Additional zoning relief within the MU-4 zone | 5/3/2023 | 3/15/2022: 5B Resolution of Support passed 5-0-0 3/15/2022: 5C Resolution of Support passed 6-0-0 |
no action yet |
Some particularly interesting artifacts include:
- BZA Special Exception Application: this states the comprehensive case for this relief application, written on behalf of the applicant by land-use attorneys
Meeting History
| date | body | summary |
|---|---|---|
| 11/3/2021 | SMD 5C07 | Feldman Ruel briefed the SMD and addressed various community concerns and questions |
| 5/18/2022 | 5C full Commission | Feldman Ruel briefed the full commission, which voted in favor of a resolution of support |
| 2/22/2023 | SMD 5B06/5C07 joint | Feldman Ruel briefed attendees from both sides of the Commission boundary, in-person and virtually, and anddressed various community concerns and questions |
| 3/15/2023 | 5B full Commission | The Commission approved a form resolution supporting the BZA case |
| 3/15/2023 | 5C full Commission | The Commission approved a form resolution supporting the BZA case |
Background
The subject property is currently an empty gravel-covered lot owned by The New Macedonia Baptist Church. New Macedonia Baptist Church operated adjacent to it, in the church building at 3200 22nd St. NE, and used the vacant lot as parking and an outdoor event space. Both properties came to the church through mergers with other churches, and the church has now consolidated operations to a site in Southeast DC.
Both properties are being prepared for redevelopment. The church is no longer interested in occupying the building, and any kind of use would require substantial rehabilitation. The church has contracted with Feldman Ruel to have each property entitled for redevelopment and then sold. The proceeds will benefit the church, which will put it towards their continuing operations.
The church building itself, 3200 22nd St. NE, is planned to be residential only and has already received BZA approval as a separate case.
The Project
The gravel lot is planned to be mixed-use, with retail/restaurant spaces on the ground floor and residences on top. There was originally planned to be underground parking, but the parking has since been moved under the second floor.
2026 Jackson rendering, from the southeast (BZA update)
The current plans would include retail frontage buffered from the nearby detached houses on Jackson, along the corner abutting Rhode Island Ave. NE. It would include a possible sidewalk cafe within the footprint of the building (not in public space) along that corner. Parking garage access would be on 22nd St. NE, inbetween the retail and the planned homes in 3200 22nd.
2026 Jackson rendering, from the south (BZA update)
These plans have 31 homes, 2,100 square feet of retail, and 5 structured parking spaces. This makes it comparable to (but smaller than) 2027 Rhode Island Ave. NE (located on the other side of Rhode Island Ave. and just a little bit southwest). See the table for comparison.
| building | homes | sq. ft. retail | parking spaces |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Jackson St. NE | 31 | 2,100 | 5 |
| 2027 Rhode Island Ave. NE | 43 | 4,600 | 8 |
The Issues
ZC 21-14
The ZC case concerned changing the Zoning Map, which broadly determines what can be built where. After approval, the parcel changed from R-1-B (“predominantly developed with detached houses on moderately sized lots”), to MU-4 (“moderate-density mixed-use development”).
In this case, there is ample context to consider the switch, as the parcel moved from matching the zone of the parcels directly north and west of it, to matching the parcels along Rhode Island Ave. NE to the northeast and southwest.
2026 Jackson zoning in context, snapshotted from the official DC Zoning Map
Considerations for whether ZC should make this change included harmony with the Comprehensive Plan (and Future Land Use Map), community context, and infrastructure demands.
The map amendment carries an IZ+ stipulation, which raises the minimum affordable housing requirement slightly (likely to around 6 income-restricted units in the current plans).
BZA 20872
During the ZC hearing, the issues of parking, trash collection, and aesthetics were both mentioned as issues to be discussed during the BZA hearing, which Chair Hood referred to as “another bite at the apple.” There was some concern mentioned that the applicant could pursue a by-right development after receiving the map amendment; the applicants insisted this would be very difficult given the shape, size, and cost of the plot. Now that BZA 20872 is open, these will likely be discussed again.
The BZA case requests relief from two provisions, both centering on lot coverage to the rear to make up for building restriction lines on the Jackson and 22nd St frontage:
- reduction of the 15-foot rear yard requirement for the MU-4 zone
- reduction in the 40-foot window clearance; the building’s plans contain rear-facing windows less than 40 feet from the adjacent building at 3200 22nd St. NE
Community Action
Anyone can submit comments in support or opposition into the case record, to be considered by the BZA when judging the application. Commissioner Piekara or I would be happy to help regardless of your position, so feel free to reach out if you aren’t sure what to write. You may also choose to speak at the hearing, but you will have to submit written comments either way.
Submitting a Letter
To submit a letter:
- send before 4pm Tuesday 5/2/2023 to be sure it’s received in time
- email it to bzasubmissions@dc.gov
- include the case number (
BZA 20872) and address (2026 Jackson St. NE) in the subject - including some information about your proximity to the site, or residency within 5B06 if applicable, may help strengthen the weighing of your comments
A template to start might be:
Subject:Letter in (Support/Opposition) of BZA 20872, 2026 Jackson St. NE
To whom it may concern:
This letter of (support/opposition) is in regard to Board of Zoning Adjustment case 20872, relief from rear yard and rear window setback requirements.
I (do not) believe the BZA should reduce the requirements for rear clearance, because (reasons).
Very respectfully,
(your name)
(your address)
In The Media
There was a writeup about this project on The Hyattsville Wire, where it was covered together with the adjacent project at 3200 22nd.
