PDR-1PDR-1 / Production, Distribution, and Repair, Low Density
Washington, DC · Title 11 DCMR (2016 Zoning Regulations)
PDR-1 is DC's lowest-intensity industrial zone, preserving land for production, distribution, and repair uses. Found in neighborhoods like Truxton Circle, Ivy City, and along the CSX rail corridor. DC's PDR land is scarce and under increasing pressure from residential and mixed-use conversion. No residential uses permitted. See the development standards for height and FAR.
Development standards in PDR-1
Maximum FAR
3.5
Maximum height
50 ft
Maximum lot coverage
70%
Max density
0 units/acre
Rear setback
12 ft
By-right FAR varies by building type: Industrial 3.5
Federal Heights Act (1910) limits apply: 90 ft on residential streets, 110 ft on commercial streets, 130 ft on Pennsylvania Avenue. These federal limits cannot be exceeded by any local zoning approval or PUD.
Development standards for this market are not yet checked against a committed copy of the ordinance. Use the ordinance link below as the authoritative source.
Permitted uses in PDR-1
AllowedAgricultural uses Subtitle U §801.1(a)
AllowedVeterinary hospital (with incidental boarding, pet grooming, and pet supply sales) May include incidental boarding of animals for convalescence, pet grooming, and sale of pet supplies, but not as an independent line of business; Subtitle U §801.1(b)(1)
AllowedAnimal Shelter Must use industry standard sound-absorbing materials; shall not be located within 25 ft. of a lot in R, RA, RF, RC-1, CG-1, or D-1 zone; outdoor runs and external yards permitted with conditions including no animals outdoors 8pm-7am, min 8 ft. solid fencing, max 3 animals at a time, no outdoor run within 200 ft. of residential use or residence zone; all animal waste in closed containers disposed of at least weekly; odors controlled by HEPA or equivalent filtration; must meet Standards of External Effects in Subtitle U § 804; Subtitle U §801.1(b)(2)
AllowedArts, design, and creation uses Subtitle U §801.1(c)
AllowedChancery Subtitle U §801.1(d)
AllowedCollege or university uses Subtitle U §801.1(e)
AllowedCommunity-based institutional facility Subtitle U §801.1(f)
AllowedDaytime care Subtitle U §801.1(g)
AllowedEating and drinking establishments Permitted provided no part of the establishment contains a live performance, night club, or dance venue; Subtitle U §801.1(h)
AllowedEducation uses, private and public Subtitle U §801.1(i)
AllowedEmergency shelter Limited to not more than four (4) persons, not including resident supervisors or staff and their families; Subtitle U §801.1(j)
AllowedFirearm sales uses No part of the establishment shall be located within 300 ft. of an R, RF, or RA zone; parks and recreation use; places of worship; public or private schools; or public libraries; Subtitle U §801.1(k)
AllowedGovernment uses, local and large scale Subtitle U §801.1(l)
AllowedHealth care Subtitle U §801.1(m)
AllowedInstitutional uses, general and religious Subtitle U §801.1(n)
AllowedLodging Subtitle U §801.1(o)
AllowedMarine Subtitle U §801.1(p)
AllowedMotor vehicle-related sales and repair Use must not be within 200 ft. of any R, RA, or RF zone or residential development; Subtitle U §801.1(q)
AllowedOffice Subtitle U §801.1(r)
AllowedParking Subtitle U §801.1(s)
AllowedParks and recreation Subtitle U §801.1(t)
AllowedProduction, distribution, and repair uses Subject to Standards of External Effects in Subtitle U § 804; excludes: acetylene gas manufacture; bone products manufacture; calcium carbide manufacture; curing/tanning/storage of hides; excavation or quarrying of rock for commercial purpose; fertilizer manufacture; manufacture or storage of ammunition/explosives/firearms/military equipment (except storage incidental to firearm sales); manufacturing/processing/mixing/storing/distributing concrete or asphalt or their materials; refining or manufacture of bituminous products other than asphalt; rubber products manufacture or treatment; slaughter or rendering of animals; steel furnace/blast furnace/bloom furnace/coke oven/rolling mill; Subtitle U §801.1(u)
Not AllowedAcetylene gas manufacture Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(1)
Not AllowedBone products manufacture Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(2)
Not AllowedCalcium carbide manufacture Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(3)
Not AllowedCuring, tanning, or storage of hides Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(4)
Not AllowedExcavation or quarrying of rock for commercial purpose Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(5)
Not AllowedFertilizer manufacture Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(6)
Not AllowedManufacture or storage of ammunition, explosives, firearms, or military equipment Explicitly prohibited; exception: storage of ammunition or firearms incidental to a firearm sales use is permitted; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(7)
Not AllowedManufacturing, processing, mixing, storing, or distributing concrete or asphalt, or the materials used to make concrete or asphalt Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(8)
Not AllowedRefining or manufacture of bituminous products other than asphalt Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(9)
Not AllowedRubber products manufacture or treatment Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(10)
Not AllowedSlaughter or rendering of animals Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(11)
Not AllowedSteel furnace, blast furnace, bloom furnace, coke oven, or rolling mill Explicitly prohibited as a PDR production, distribution, and repair use; Subtitle U §801.1(u)(12)
AllowedApartment unit for caretaker, watchman, or janitor employed on the premises Residential use limited to caretaker/watchman/janitor employed on the premises; Subtitle U §801.1(v)(1)
AllowedApartment unit integrated with and accessory to an artist studio Occupancy limited to the artist using the studio portion of the premises and the artist's household; Subtitle U §801.1(v)(2)
AllowedResidential dwelling existing on May 12, 1958 Any addition or enlargement shall not result in lot occupancy greater than 60%; Subtitle U §801.1(v)(3)
AllowedRetail uses Large format retail is excluded; Subtitle U §801.1(w)
Not AllowedLarge format retail Explicitly excluded from permitted retail uses; Subtitle U §801.1(w)
AllowedService uses If the use offers massage services, it must either be a licensed massage establishment under D.C. Official Code § 47-2811 or only offer massage services by professionally licensed massage therapists under Title 17 DCMR; Subtitle U §801.1(x)
AllowedTransportation infrastructure Subtitle U §801.1(y)
AllowedUtilities (basic) uses If the use is an electronic equipment facility exceeding 25% of gross floor area of a building on site: building shall not be located within 800 ft. of an established or planned Metrorail station, and shall not be located within 1,250 ft. of the edge of a river as measured at mean high tide; Subtitle U §801.1(z)
AllowedWaste incineration, including for conversion to energy Subject to Standards of External Effects in Subtitle U § 804; not permitted on any lot located in whole or in part within 100 ft. of a residential zone; Subtitle U §801.1(aa)
AllowedWholesale or storage establishment, including open storage Junk yards are excluded; Subtitle U §801.1(bb)
Not AllowedJunk yard Explicitly excluded from wholesale or storage establishment use; Subtitle U §801.1(bb)
ConditionalAnimal sales, care, and boarding uses not meeting the conditions of matter-of-right of Subtitle U § 801.1(b) Includes animal boarding, pet grooming, pet shops, veterinary boarding hospitals, and animal shelters. Must not abut residential use or zone. No external yards for keeping animals. Subject to BZA conditions.; Subtitle U §802.1(a)
ConditionalEating and drinking establishments with a live performance, night club or dance venue Must not abut residential use or zone. No external performances or amplification. No other such venue within 1,000 ft. of subject property. Subject to BZA conditions.; Subtitle U §802.1(b)
ConditionalEmergency shelter not meeting the conditions of Subtitle U § 801.1(j) Maximum 300 persons. No other emergency shelter within 1,000 ft. Must not be within 1,000 ft. of waste-related services use. Explicitly not permitted in PDR-3, PDR-4, or PDR-7 — PDR-1 is permitted.; Subtitle U §802.1(c)
ConditionalEntertainment, assembly, and performing arts uses Must not abut residential use or zone. No external performances or amplification. No live performance, night club or dance venue within 1,000 ft. Subject to BZA conditions.; Subtitle U §802.1(d)
ConditionalProduction, distribution, and repair uses involving excavation of clay, sand, or gravel for commercial purposes, or manufacturing, processing, mixing, storing, or distributing of concrete or asphalt Must meet Standards of External Effects (§ 804). No portion within 200 ft. of residential, parks, retail, office, institutional, or local government use or R/RF/RA zone. Subject to extensive siting, screening, landscaping, and operational conditions.; Subtitle U §802.1(e)
ConditionalRepair of automobiles (any devoted use), including body work, within two hundred feet (200 ft.) of a residential zone or residential development Explicitly applies to PDR-1 zones. Must meet Standards of External Effect (§ 804). All vehicles stored on-site, not in buffer/yard areas. No blocking of public rights-of-way. Lighting shielded from adjacent residential property.; Subtitle U §802.1(f)
ConditionalService uses not meeting the conditions of Subtitle U § 801.1(x) or whose principal use is the administration of massages Must not be objectionable due to effect on neighborhood character, noise, traffic, or other conditions. Subject to BZA conditions including possible hours limitations.; Subtitle U §802.1(g)
ConditionalUtilities (basic) uses not meeting the conditions of Subtitle U § 801.1(z) If use is an electronic equipment facility (EEF), BZA must consider impacts on neighborhood revitalization, streetscape vitality, pedestrian movement, economic development potential, and design appearance. Subject to BZA design and landscaping requirements.; Subtitle U §802.1(h)
ConditionalWaste-related service uses not permitted under Subtitle U § 801.1(aa), excluding hazardous waste Must meet Standards of External Effects (§ 804). Extensive conditions apply including truck access restrictions, on-site parking, screening, landscaping, and operational hour limits near residential zones. Solid waste handling facilities subject to additional requirements including full enclosure and potential rail access.; Subtitle U §802.1(i)
"Conditional" means the use generally requires a public hearing or special-exception approval — a very different timeline and risk profile from a by-right permit.
This is the zone. What about the parcel?
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Standards as recorded by ZoneScore: 11 DCMR Subtitle J (PDR zones), PDR-1
Development standards are derived from the DC Office of Zoning's published development-standards table and checked against Title 11 DCMR; use permissions follow Subtitle U.