Opinion ID: 2208658
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Special Exception Allowing GWU to Alter Its Campus Plan

Text: The BZA's order states that GWU qualifies as a university under the Zoning Regulations, and the Campus Plan approved by the Board in 1970 ... governs its development. BZA FF ¶ 3. The original campus plan [13] did not specifically provide for an extension to the Burns Building; consequently, GWU first had to obtain a special exception [14] to permit a change in its campus plan. The BZA's order recognized the need for a special exception and found justification for it: The proposed Addition is located within an area of the approved 1970 Campus Plan designated Medical School-Hospital. This use has been expressed in the Plan since at least 1970. GWU owned slightly over half of the site when the 1970 Plan was approved. Thereafter, it acquired the remainder. Further, the Illustrative Site Plan shows this site for an extended medical care center. Ambulatory care services are similar to the intent of the Illustrative Site Plan. Emphasis on short hospital stays has replaced the extended medical care centers. Thus, the spirit of flexibility provided in the Plan fits well with the proposed use. The Board notes that, as stated in the approved 1970 plan: The Campus Plan must, like a city plan, be expressed in terms of policies. A plan only in terms of specific building projects would be of limited value.... Therefore, the campus plan itself is in terms of locational and design policies. The Board finds that the proposed Addition is consistent with what is shown on the 1970 campus master plan. The 1985 Campus Plan contains no amendments which would materially affect this finding. BZA FF ¶ 25. This decision is consistent with the testimony and with an analysis of the original campus plan and its subsequent amendments. Although petitioners argue at length that the Addition might have been located elsewhere and that it is barely adequate as an ambulatory care center, they offer no persuasive reasons why the Addition is inconsistent with the campus plan. Thus there is no articulable argument that either the 1970 campus plan or the relevant regulation, 11 DCMR § 210, is incompatible with the Addition. Furthermore, the excerpt from the BZA's order which we have just quoted shows that this issue was specifically considered. We hold that the BZA's decision to grant this exception is consistent with the governing regulation and is supported by substantial evidence.