Photo by Doug Duvall

This Thursday, a congressional committee will hold a hearing on an issue that provokes many local passions—whether or not to relax the longstanding height restriction on D.C. buildings.

The hearing, “Changes to the Heights Act: Shaping Washington, D.C. for the Future,” will include Harriet Tregoning, director of the D.C. Office of Planning, and D.C. CFO Natwar Gandhi, both of whom will speak on behalf of a proposal to allow buildings to exceed the existing 130-foot height limit.

On the other end, Laura M. Richards, a former member of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, will speak out against toying with the height restrictions. Marcel C. Acosta, executive director of the National Capital Planning Commission, will also be on hand, and in testimony submitted for the record argues that the height limits should largely be maintained. He cautiously offers that buildings outside the city’s federal core could grow taller, but even then warns of the impact it could have on D.C.’s character.

“Increasing building heights in District neighborhoods and communities beyond the L’Enfant City may have less impact on the character of the federal establishment. However, these changes should be assessed for their impact to Washington’s distinctive skyline, residential neighborhoods and their adjacent business districts. Allowing tall, private buildings along the edges outside of the L’Enfant City and around, what’s known as, the topographic bowl could degrade the public character of Washington’s skyline and increased height and density in residential areas could create new infrastructure demands on services such as roads, public transit, sewer and water,” he wrote in his testimony.

The hearing will take place at 1:30pm in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.

Marcel Acosta