Norton Reintroduces Bill to Give D.C. Authority to Appoint All Members of Board that Deals Exclusively with Local D.C. Zoning -…

WASHINGTON, D.C. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today reintroduced her bill to give the District of Columbia the authority to appoint all members of the D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment (Board), except when the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to a chancery. Under current law, in general, the Board consists of a representative of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the D.C. Zoning Commission, each of whom may be a federal official, and three mayoral appointees, subject to D.C. Council approval. The Board has no authority over federal property.

Like every other jurisdiction in the United States, the District of Columbia should be free to set its own local land-use policies, Norton said. Even without statehood, we can change this leftover anomaly by completing the Home Rule Act. We face local issues, such as a growing population and economic development, that require local solutions. Land-use is a quintessentially local issue. The Board of Zoning Adjustment should be accountable to District residents and local elected officials.

When the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to the location, expansion, or replacement of a chancery, the Board consists of the Executive Director of NCPC, the Director of the National Park Service (or, if the President so designates, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services), and the three mayoral appointees. The bill does not change this composition.

Norton has introduced many bills this Congress to reduce the federal governments control over local District matters and to expand D.C. equality. This bill is the 16th in Nortons Free and Equal D.C. Series:

Nortons introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

on the Introduction of the District of Columbia Board of Zoning Adjustment

Home Rule Act

November 2, 2021

Ms. Norton. Madam Speaker.

Today, I introduce the District of Columbia Board of Zoning Adjustment Home Rule Act. This bill would give the District of Columbia the authority to appoint all members of the D.C. Board of Zoning Adjustment (Board), except when the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to a chancery. The Board issues special exceptions, or variances, to the regulations issued by the D.C. Zoning Commission (Commission). This bill does not alter the authority of the Board.

Like every other jurisdiction in the United States, the District should be free to set its own local land-use policies. As the District continues to contend with rapid population growth and economic development, it is more important than ever that the members of the Board are accountable to District residents and local elected officials.

Under current law, in general, the Board consists of a representative each from the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and the Commission, each of whom may be a federal official, and three mayoral appointees, subject to D.C. Council approval. The Board has no authority over federal property.

Under current law, when the Board is performing functions regarding an application by a foreign mission with respect to the location, expansion or replacement of a chancery, the Board consists of the Executive Director of NCPC, the Director of the National Park Service (or, if the President so designates, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior or the Administrator of General Services), and the three mayoral appointees. This bill does not change this composition.

This is an important step to recognize and increase home rule for the District, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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Norton Reintroduces Bill to Give D.C. Authority to Appoint All Members of Board that Deals Exclusively with Local D.C. Zoning -...