National Capital Planning Commission: Difference between revisions

The '''National Capital Planning Commission''' ('''NCPC''') is a [[United States government|U.S. government]] executive branch agency that provides [[Urban planning|planning]] guidance for [[Washington, D.C.]], and the surrounding National Capital Region. Through its planning policies and review of development proposals, the Commission seeks to protect and enhance the resources of the U.S. national capital.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ncpc.gov/about/ |title="About NCPC" |access-date=2024-02-28 |archive-date=2024-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227211551/https://www.ncpc.gov/about/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The 12-member commission includes three [[President of the United States|presidential]] appointees, of which one must be from Virginia and one from Maryland, the [[List of mayors of Washington, D.C.|mayor of Washington, D.C.]], the chair of the [[Council of the District of Columbia]], two mayoral appointees, and the chair of the [[U.S. House of Representatives|House]] and [[United States Senate|Senate]] committees with review authority over the District. Other commission members include the heads of the three major land holding agencies, which are the [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]], the [[United States Department of the Interior|Department of the Interior]], and the [[General Services Administration]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ncpc.gov/about/commission/ |title="NCPC Commission Members" |access-date=2024-02-28 |archive-date=2024-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227211527/https://www.ncpc.gov/about/commission/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Commission is supported by a professional staff of planners, architects, urban designers, historic preservation officers, among others.

[[United States Congress|Congress]] established the "National Capital Park Commission" in 1924 to acquire parkland for the capital in order to preserve forests and natural scenery in and about Washington to prevent pollution of Rock Creek and the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, and to provide for the comprehensive development of the nation's park system. Two years later, Congress renamed the agency the "National Capital Park and Planning Commission" and gave it the additional responsibility of comprehensive planning for the Washington region. Among its early members was [[Clarence C. Zantzinger]], a Philadelphia architect.<ref name="philabuildings">{{cite web |url=http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar_display.cfm/23460 |title=Zantzinger, Clarence Clark (1872 - 1954) |publisher=Philadelphia Architects and Buildings |access-date=September 13, 2013 |author=Tatman, Sandra L. |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029211642/http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar_display.cfm/23460 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[District of Columbia Home Rule Act|Home Rule Act]] of 1973 gave some of the Commission's local planning authority to the District of Columbia government. The Commission remains the planning authority for federally-owned land and buildings in the region. In addition, NCPC plays an advisory role to the District in certain land use decisions.<ref name=history/>

NCPC often works in partnership with other federal and District agencies such as the [[National Park Service]], [[United States Commission of Fine Arts|U.S. Commission of Fine Arts]], District Office of Planning, and [[District of Columbia Department of Transportation|District Department of Transportation]].