National Capital Planning Commission

The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) is a U.S. government agency that provides planning

Urban planning

Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....

guidance for Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

and the surrounding National Capital Region. Through its planning policies and review of development proposals, the Commission seeks to protect and enhance the extraordinary resources of the national capital.

The 12-member commission includes three presidential

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

appointees, of which one must be from Virginia and one from Maryland, the mayor of Washington, D.C., the chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia

Council of the District of Columbia

The Council of the District of Columbia is the legislative branch of the local government of the District of Columbia. As permitted in the United States Constitution, the District is not part of any U.S. state and is instead overseen directly by the federal government...

, two mayoral appointees, and the chairmen of the House and Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

committees with review authority over the District. Other commission members include the heads of the three major land holding agencies, which are the Department of Defense

United States Department of Defense

The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

, the Department of the Interior

United States Department of the Interior

The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...

, and the General Services Administration

General Services Administration

The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...

. The Commission is supported by a professional staff of planners, architects, urban designers, historic preservation officers, among others.

History

Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

established the "National Capital Park Commission" in 1924 to acquire parkland for the capital in order to preserve forests and natural scenery in and about Washington to prevent pollution of Rock Creek and the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, and to provide for the comprehensive development of the nation's park system. Two years later, Congress renamed the agency the "National Capital Park and Planning Commission" and gave it the additional responsibility of comprehensive planning for the Washington region. The 1952 Capital Planning Act gave the commission its current name and the responsibility for preservation of important natural and historic sites in the area.

The Home Rule Act

District of Columbia Home Rule Act

The District of Columbia Home Rule Act is a United States federal law passed on December 24, 1973 which devolved certain congressional powers of the District of Columbia to local government, furthering District of Columbia home rule...

of 1973 gave some of the commission's local planning authority to the District of Columbia government. The commission remains the planning authority of federally owned land and buildings in the region. In addition, NCPC plays an advisory role to the District in certain land use decisions.

Responsibilities

NCPC operates under many laws and authorities that guide the agency’s work. These include the National Capital Planning Act, Height of Buildings Act of 1910, Commemorative Works Act, District of Columbia Zoning Act, Foreign Missions Act, International Centers Act, NEPA

National Environmental Policy Act

The National Environmental Policy Act is a United States environmental law that established a U.S. national policy promoting the enhancement of the environment and also established the President's Council on Environmental Quality ....

, Home Rule Act

District of Columbia Home Rule Act

, and the Capper Crampton Act.

NCPC principle responsibilities include:

Urban Design and Plan Review - NCPC’s core work is the review of federal development projects in the region. The Commission reviews plans and projects ranging from commemorative works to new or renovated federal office buildings. Through its work, NCPC ensures that federal development meets the highest urban design standards and complies with Commission policies, including the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital: Federal Elements. NCPC also reviews District of Columbia public projects, proposed street and alley closings, and Zoning Commission
Planning and Zoning Commission
A Planning and Zoning Commission is a local elected or appointed government board charged with recommending to the local town or city council the boundaries of the various original zoning district and appropriate regulations to be enforced therein and any proposed amedments thereto and shall...

actions, as well as private development in the Pennsylvania Avenue Historic District
Pennsylvania Avenue
Pennsylvania Avenue is a street in Washington, D.C. that joins the White House and the United States Capitol. Called "America's Main Street", it is the location of official parades and processions, as well as protest marches...

.
Comprehensive Planning - When creating NCPC, Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

charged the agency with preparing a “comprehensive, consistent, and coordinated plan for the National Capital.” The Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital: Federal Elements serves as a blueprint for long-term development through its policies on issues including transportation, preservation and historic features, parks and open space, and foreign missions. The District Elements of the Comprehensive Plan are developed under the auspices of the Mayor of the District of Columbia and are subject to NCPC review prior to adoption by the District's City Council
Council of the District of Columbia
The Council of the District of Columbia is the legislative branch of the local government of the District of Columbia. As permitted in the United States Constitution, the District is not part of any U.S. state and is instead overseen directly by the federal government...

. Preparing long-range comprehensive plans is one of NCPC's missions mandated by Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

. The major comprehensive plans for the National Capital Region are the L'Enfant Plan
Pierre Charles L'Enfant
Pierre Charles L'Enfant was a French-born American architect and civil engineer best known for designing the layout of the streets of Washington, D.C..-Early life:...

and the McMillan Plan
McMillan Plan
The McMillan Plan was an architectural plan for the development of Washington, D.C., formulated in 1902 by the Senate Park Improvement Commission of the District of Columbia which had been formed by Congress the previous year.-United States Park Commission:...

.
Signature Planning - NCPC proactively develops long-term plans for the capital city and the region. NCPC’s signature plans focus on a variety of issues including developing well-designed perimeter security
Bollard
A bollard is a short vertical post. Originally it meant a post used on a ship or a quay, principally for mooring. The word now also describes a variety of structures to control or direct road traffic, such as posts arranged in a line to obstruct the passage of motor vehicles...

, ensuring that all quadrants of the city benefit from the federal presence, meeting 21st-century transportation challenges, and planning for future memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....

s and museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...

s. Its most recent signature plans include the Monumental Core Framework Plan, adopted in April 2009 and CapitalSpace, a joint open space plan between NCPC, the Government of the District of Columbia and the National Park Service. In addition, the Circulator Bus
DC Circulator
The DC Circulator is a bus system in Washington, D.C. The system is a public-private partnership between the District of Columbia Department of Transportation, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and DC Surface Transit, Inc., operated by First Transit.The concept of a separate...

was a direct product of NCPC planning and advising.
Federal Capital Improvements Program - Each year, federal agencies submit to NCPC their proposals for capital improvements
Capital Improvement Plan
A Capital Improvement Plan , or CIP, is a short-range plan, usually four to ten years, which identifies capital projects and equipment purchases, provides a planning schedule and identifies options for financing the plan...

in the coming six years. NCPC reviews these projects and advises the Office of Management and Budget on which projects should move forward. Through the Federal Capital Improvements Program, NCPC helps set the federal government’s development priorities.

NCPC often works in partnership with other federal and District agencies such as the National Park Service

National Park Service

The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...

, U.S. Commission of Fine Arts

United States Commission of Fine Arts

The United States Commission of Fine Arts , established in 1910 by an act of Congress, is an advisory agency of the Federal government.The CFA is mandated to review and provide advice on "matters of design and aesthetics", involving federal projects and planning in Washington, D.C...

, District Office of Planning, and District Department of Transportation

District of Columbia Department of Transportation

The District of Columbia Department of Transportation is an agency of the government of the District of Columbia which manages and maintains publicly-owned transportation infrastructure in the District of Columbia...

Key planning initiatives

As part of its long-range planning responsibilities, NCPC produced a visionary blueprint for the nation’s capital. The 1997 plan Extending the Legacy: Planning America's Capital for the 21st century redefines Washington's monumental core and encourages the location of new museum

Museum

A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...

s, memorial

Memorial

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....

s, and federal office buildings in all quadrants of the city.

The Memorials and Museums Master Plan advances the vision for Washington's monumental core expressed in NCPC's Extending the Legacy. It identifies 100 potential sites for future museum

Museum

s and memorial

Memorial

s and provides general guidelines, siting criteria, and implementation strategies.

The Monumental Core Framework Plan: Connecting New Destinations with the National Mall received unanimous approval from the Commission during its April 2009 meeting. The plan, a joint product of NCPC and the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts

United States Commission of Fine Arts

, aims to create vibrant and accessible destinations in the federal precincts surrounding the National Mall

National Mall

The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...

. It plans to reclaim Washington's waterfront, especially the Anacostia waterfront

Anacostia River

The Anacostia River is a river in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States. It flows from Prince George's County in Maryland into Washington, D.C., where it joins with the Washington Channel to empty into the Potomac River at Buzzard Point. It is approximately long...

.

CapitalSpace is the first comprehensive planning analysis of Washington’s parks and open space in almost 40 years. The 2009 plan is a joint initiative of NCPC, the National Park Service and the District of Columbia. The six "big ideas" of the CapitalSpace plan includes linking Fort Circle Parks, improving playfields, enhancing center city parks, improving public schoolyards, enhancing natural areas and transforming small parks.

International activities

Representing the United States capital, NCPC is a founding member of Capitals Alliance, an international forum of planners and designers in capital cities around the world.

NCPC also hosts multiple international delegations every year from planners to academia to visitors.

Public participation

Commission meetings are open to the public. In addition, the public may comment on NCPC plans and activities.

External links

National Capital Planning Commission
"American Institute of Architects project is backed by the National Capital Planning Commission", Washington Business Journal
"Restoring the National Mall", Federal Times