Opinion ID: 2164332
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Recommendations of the Office of Planning.

Text: As required by the Zoning Regulations, 11 DCMR § 210.6 (1987), the District of Columbia Office of Planning (OP) reviewed the 1989 campus plan and filed written recommendations. Generally, OP recommended that the BZA approve the plan, subject to certain conditions. The Office initially stated, however, that it was not convinced that the location [of the law school] is the most appropriate one, and voiced reservations regarding its construction at that site. The Office expressed the concern that the proposed law school building, which would occupy 130,000 square feet, would be closer than any other University facility to a large number of single family homes. OP was of the opinion that it might be possible to find an alternate site on the campus to accommodate the physical needs of the law school. The Office deferred its final recommendation, however, until after the completion of the public hearings. The record was left open for the purpose of receiving OP's final report. In that report, submitted on November 5, 1989, OP provided no further information regarding its position on the law school. On December 6, 1989, the Office attempted to submit an additional report dated November 29, 1989. That submission, however, [did] not include any new material related to this case, and is merely a reiteration of our July 5 report. The Board declined to accept this most recent document. There is no indication in the record, however, that OP ever withdrew or modified its initial reservations about the proposed site.