Office of Zoning
       



Board of Zoning Adjustment

The Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) is an independent, quasi-judicial body. It is empowered to grant relief from the strict application of the Zoning Regulations (variances), approve certain uses of land (special exceptions), and hear appeals of actions taken by the Zoning Administrator at DCRA. The Board's five members consist of three Mayoral appointees, a rotating member of the District of Columbia Zoning Commission, and a designated representative of the National Capital Planning Commission. In cases where the Board is performing functions regarding Foreign Mission and Chancery applications, the composition of the Board shall consist of the three Mayoral appointees, the Director of the U.S. National Park Service or his designee, and the Executive Director of the National Capital Planning Commission.

The BZA members are as follows:

Public Hearings and Meetings are held primarily on Tuesday beginning at 9:30 a.m. at 441 4th Street N.W., Washington, DC 20001 in Room 220 South. Visit "How to Reach Us" on the DCOZ website for detailed directions.

Please note that Public Hearing Notices for all cases before the BZA are published in the District of Columbia Register.

The BZA Schedule and Agenda are available under the "Calendar" function of the DCOZ website.

Please Note that Public Hearing Notices for all cases before the BZA are published in the District of Columbia Register.

For more information on BZA see the links below:


Variances

BZA is authorized to vary or modify any part of the Zoning Regulations where, because of an exceptional situation, the strict application of the Zoning Regulations result in "exceptional practical difficulties or exceptional and undue hardship" upon a property owner. Such hardship may result from physical characteristics which make the property unique or difficult to use. To approve an application for a variance, the BZA would have to find that granting the request would not cause substantial detriment to the public good and would not be inconsistent with the general intent and purpose of the Zoning Regulations.

Special Exceptions

A Special Exception may be granted for a particular use of land or for a particular building. In general, a Special Exception is a conditioned permitted use in a particular zone district; that is, the use is permitted provided certain specific criteria are met. The Zoning Regulations set out standards for the BZA to consider when deciding whether or not a particular special exception use should be allowed.

Non-Conforming Uses

A Non-Conforming Use is an existing use of land or of structure that was once permitted under the Zoning Regulations, or that pre-existed the application of the Regulations, but which is no longer permitted under current Regulations. These uses may be continued but are controlled to a greater degree than uses normally permitted by the Zoning Regulations. The Zoning Regulations provide BZA the authority to allow the expansion of such uses under certain circumstances and to allow certain changes in the use itself. The substitution of uses may also be permitted.

Appeals

The BZA is authorized to hear cases where it is alleged that the decision of any administrative officer or body related to the enforcement or administration of the Zoning Regulations is incorrect.

Foreign Missions

Under the Foreign Mission Act of 1982, the location, expansion, or replacement of a chancery in certain mixed use areas of the city is subject to the review and possible disapproval of the BZA. Six criteria are applied when considering applications.


Accommodation of Persons with Special Needs [X]

District government agencies provide auxiliary aids/services or language interpretation/translation when and as necessary to ensure that communication with individuals with vision, hearing and speech disabilities and/or limited English proficiency is as effective as communication with non-disabled individuals and/or English-speaking individuals. Persons with disabilities and persons needing language interpretation to participate in hearings and meetings held by the Zoning Commission (ZC) or the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA), or to communicate with the DC Office of Zoning (DCOZ), should contact Sara Bardin at (202) 727-5372, sara.bardin@dc.gov, or visit the Office at 441 4th Street, NW Suite 200-S, Washington, 20001, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Please provide at least one week's notice to DCOZ to guarantee the best possible customer service.

Marc D. Loud [X]
Marc D. Loud
Chairman
(Term Expiration: September 30, 2009)

Marc D. Loud has served on the Board of Zoning Adjustment since 2007 and has served as Chairman since 2009. He is the Executive Director of Gateway Georgia Avenue Revitalization Corporation, an inter-jurisdictional non-profit community development corporation. Prior to joining Gateway in October 2002, Mr. Loud practiced general civil law with Loud & Loud, was Deputy Chief of Staff in the Executive Office of The Mayor and Manager of Agency Programs and Special Assistant in the Office of the City Administrator. He has numerous awards in Training and Community Service and is a Member of the D.C. Bar. Mr. Loud has a Juris Doctor degree from Howard University and a Bachelor of Arts/International Relations from San Francisco State University.

Shane L. Dettman [X]
Shane L. Dettman, AICP
NCPC Designee

Shane L. Dettman, AICP, has served on the Board of Zoning Adjustment since 2006. Mr. Dettman is an Urban Planner with the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). His projects at NCPC include the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, Monumental Core Framework Plan, South Capitol Street Urban Design Study, RKF Stadium Site Redevelopment Study, and the Comprehensive Plan for the Nation's Capital - Federal Elements. Prior to joining the NCPC, he was the GIS Program Manager for the Town of Orchard Park, New York. Mr. Dettman is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the American Planning Association. He holds a Master of Urban Planning and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Planning from the University of New York at Buffalo.

Meridith Moldenhauer [X]
Meridith Moldenhauer
Chairperson
District Resident Appointee
(Term Expiration: September 30, 2011)

Meridith Moldenhauer has served on the Board of Zoning Adjustment since 2009. A partner at the law firm of Griffin & Murphy, LLP, Ms. Moldenhauer practices in the areas of corporate entity formation, property investments and developments, zoning, and land use. She focuses on all phases of condominium conversions, including the purchase of land, loan financing, zoning, permitting, commercial leasing, and contracts and counsels clients on creating strategic programs to cultivate, manage, and maximize real estate investments. A member of the Bar of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, Ms. Moldenhauer has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Richmond School of Law, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgetown University, and attended Trinity College at Oxford University (Comparative Strategic Management Program).

Jeffery L. Hinkle [X]
Jeffery L. Hinkle

Jeffrey L. Hinkle, AICP, is an Urban Planner within the Urban Design and Plan Review Division of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC). While at NCPC, Mr. Hinkle has managed the development of multiple plans, research documents, and policy analyses including the annual Federal Capital Improvements Program, the Federal Workplace element of the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital, and the CapitalSpace initiative (a joint federal/District study of parks and open space within Washington, D.C.). Prior to joining NCPC in 2001, Mr. Hinkle worked as a senior facilities planner for the Chicago Transit Authority and a redevelopment specialist for the City of Scottsdale, Arizona. Mr. Hinkle is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the American Planning Association. He holds a Master of Public Policy from American University and a Bachelor of Science in Planning from Arizona State University.

Nicole Sorg [X]
Nicole Sorg
Vice-Chairperson
District Resident Appointee
(Term Expiration: September 30, 2010)

Ms. Sorg currently is the Business Development Director for Sorg Architects, a DC-based 40-person award-winning full-service architecture and planning practice. She simultaneously serves as the President of Building Block, a small business focused on sustainable architecture, design and LEED consulting. Prior to Building Block and Sorg , she was Art Consultant/President for Sorg Art Consulting, and Assistant Director for Numark Gallery. Ms. Sorg is affiliated with the Cultural Development Corporation, African Wildlife Foundation and the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Cornell University, a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Studio and a MFA in Studio (Film, Video, New Media) from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.