(Washington, DC) – In response to a number of requests for a “nuts and bolts” discussion of the planning and development review process, the DC Office of Planning (OP) today kicked-off a series of briefings for the District’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners.

“ANC Commissioners play a crucial role in determining how our neighborhoods take shape,” said Harriet Tregoning, director of the Planning Office. “So it is critical they have the tools they need to participate in the development process and be effective advocates for the residents of their communities.”

There are more than 280 ANC commissioners representing Single Member Districts across the city’s eight wards. About 40 percent of the current commissioners were elected last fall. ANCs are given “great weight” by the Zoning Commission when it is considers development applications in their respective districts. ANCs played a particularly important role in providing neighborhood feedback while the Planning Office drafted the District’s new Comprehensive Plan.

During the briefings the Planning Office will discuss:

• How planning works in the District of Columbia
• How planning gets coordinated with other city agencies
• How planning efforts engage the community
• The ANCs’ role in key planning processes (i.e. small area plans, planned unit development proposals, historic preservation review)

Date	Time	Address
Tues. June 19	12:30 pm to 2:30 pm	Chinatown Community Cultural Center, 616 H St. NW
Wed. June 20	6:30 pm to 8:30 pm	Shepherd Park Branch Library, 7420 Georgia Ave. NW
Sat. June 23	10:30 am to 12:30 pm	441 4th St. NW, Room S 1107
Mon. June 25	6:30 pm to 8:30 pm	Orr Elementary School, 2200 Minnesota Ave. SE

If you have questions, please contact Jill Diskan at the Office of Planning (202) 442-7628 or jill.diskan@dc.gov.
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