DC Office of Planning zoning regulations change proposal for R-4 for accessory dwelling units

Click on the link to read the * entire * Greater Greater Washington blog post.  I have only included a few paragraphs.

Since the residential portions of Bloomingdale are zoned R-4, we should pay attention to the discussions regarding R-4 (and not necessarily in R-1 through R-3).

Note that R-4 currently accommodates multiple dwelling units per lot. The discussion here is for dwelling units in separate buildings entirely, like separate garages (single story buildings) or carriage houses (multiple-story buildings).

Zoning update retreat on housing and parking gets a chilly reception from the DC Zoning Commision

by David Alpert   •   July 14, 2014

DC's Office of Planning (OP) may have backed down on some key provisions of the DC zoning update, but some members of DC's Zoning Commission, which has the final say on zoning, voiced skepticism about the recent changes at a meeting last week.  
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New, stricter hearing rules for accessory apartments don't go over well

One of the zoning update's significant policy changes would allow more people to rent out space in their basements, garages, or elsewhere. Today, that's illegal in the low-density residential zones (R-1 and R-2) and lower-density row house zones (R-3) like Georgetown.   In other row house areas like Capitol Hill (R-4), a rental unit can be in the main house but not in a garage or other external building.

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Last month, bowing to what OP's Joel Lawson called "vociferous concern" from some residents, OP proposed also forcing a special exception hearing for any accessory apartment in any external building in the R-1 through R-3 zones.  However, at the same time, planners also recommended allowing accessory apartments (by right inside the main building, by special exception outside) even for homes on lots that are smaller than the standard required lot size.

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What's next?

The commission "set down" OP's amendments for a hearing. According to Sharon Schellin of the Office of Zoning, they haven't picked a date yet, but it will likely be in early September.

On the accessory apartment and parking issues, where at least some commissioners didn't agree with the amendment, it'll still go to the hearing, but the hearing notice will essentially advertise two options, to go with OP's change but also not to. That's a choice with any of the amendments, but the notice will make clear that the commission may indeed not be taking OP's recommendation on this point.