Washington, DC · Title 11 DCMR (2016 Zoning Regulations)
Permits high density mixed use development with ground floor retail in the vicinity of Washington Navy Yard
Development standards in SEFC-1
We don't hold published dimensional standards for this zone yet — see the ordinance link below for the authoritative table.
Permitted uses in SEFC-1
AllowedAll uses permitted as matter-of-right in R, RF, and RA zones, and all MU-Use Group F matter-of-right uses (unless required as special exception in §518 or prohibited by §519) MU-Use Group G inherits full R/RF/RA and MU-Use Group F baseline; Subtitle U §517.1(a)
AllowedHealth care facility (up to 6 persons cared for, up to 8 persons including supervisors/staff) Number of persons being cared for shall not exceed 6; Subtitle U §517.1(b)
AllowedPet grooming establishment Subtitle U §517.1(c)
AllowedTemporary surface parking lot accessory to the Ballpark (specified Squares only) Permitted on Squares 603, 605, 657, 660-662, 662E, 664, 665, 700, 701, 882 and specified lots in accordance with Subtitle C §718; Subtitle U §517.1(d)
Not AllowedAny use first permitted in PDR zone Subtitle U §519.1(a)
Not AllowedAnimal care and boarding (except pet grooming, veterinary office/hospital, or veterinary boarding hospital) Subtitle U §519.1(b)
Not AllowedCar wash as principal use Subtitle U §519.1(c)
Not AllowedCarting, express, moving, or hauling terminal or yard Except cooperative central delivery/pick-up system solely for businesses in area; Subtitle U §519.1(d)
Not AllowedChemical manufacturing, storage, or distribution Subtitle U §519.1(e)
Not AllowedDrive-through operation (principal or accessory) Subtitle U §519.1(f)
Not AllowedEnameling, plating, or painting as principal use (except artist's studio) Subtitle U §519.1(g)
Not AllowedFirearms retail sales establishment (principal or accessory) Subtitle U §519.1(h)
Not AllowedGasoline service station Subtitle U §519.1(i)
Not AllowedAny industrial use prohibited in PDR zone Subtitle U §519.1(j)
Not AllowedMassage establishment as principal use Subtitle U §519.1(k)
Not AllowedMaterial salvage Subtitle U §519.1(l)
Not AllowedOutdoor advertising or billboard as principal use Subtitle U §519.1(m)
Not AllowedOutdoor material storage Subtitle U §519.1(n)
Not AllowedPacking or crating operations as principal use Subtitle U §519.1(o)
Not AllowedParking lot (except Ballpark temporary surface parking per §517.1(c)) Subtitle U §519.1(p)
Not AllowedSexually-oriented business establishment Subtitle U §519.1(q)
Not AllowedSmelting or rendering Subtitle U §519.1(r)
Not AllowedIMPORTANT: In SEFC-1, BZA special exceptions from MU-Use Group G are NOT permitted (§237.3) Subtitle K §237.3 explicitly prohibits BZA special exception uses from MU-Use Group G in SEFC-1. Only Zoning Commission-approved uses per §237.4 are permitted beyond matter-of-right uses.
ConditionalBuildings/structures with M Street SE frontage or seeking additional density/height (Zoning Commission approval required) Zoning Commission review and approval required per §241-242 standards; architectural design, site plan, landscaping, and sidewalk treatment must be of superior quality; Subtitle K §237.4(a)
ConditionalAutomobile rental agency (no exterior automobile storage area) Zoning Commission approval required; no exterior automobile storage area; Subtitle K §237.4(b)
ConditionalDental lab Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(c)
ConditionalDepartment store Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(d)
ConditionalHotel Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(e)
ConditionalInternational organization Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(f)
ConditionalLibrary Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(g)
ConditionalInstitutional, religious (including parsonage, vicarage, rectory, Sunday school, related programs) Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(h)
ConditionalEducation, private and public (including trade school) Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(i)
ConditionalEducation, college/university Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(j)
ConditionalEntertainment, assembly, and performing arts Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(k)
ConditionalMedical care Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(l)
ConditionalAutomobile, truck, or motorcycle accessory sales (including installation) Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(m)
ConditionalGas station Zoning Commission approval required; Subtitle K §237.4(n)
ConditionalTemporary parking lot or garage as principal use (maximum 5-year approval, renewable) Zoning Commission approval required; principal use at or above grade; max 5-year approval period, renewable by Zoning Commission; Subtitle K §237.4(o)
"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?
Zone rules are the starting point — the answer for a specific property also depends on lot
size, overlays, existing improvements and site conditions. Run a free address lookup to see
what applies to one property.
Every development standard on this page shows where it came from. Figures cited to a section are quoted from Title 11 DCMR itself and verified word for word against the code text. Figures linked to an official zoning GIS record come from the DC Office of Zoning's own mapped zoning data, which is dated and re-queryable but is a summary of the code rather than the code — where a standard is banded or recently amended, the ordinance text governs. Anything we cannot source is shown as “not recorded” rather than filled in. Use permissions follow Subtitle U.