City Cast DC Should DC Get Rid of Its ANCs?
Mar 12, 2026
Wesley Sturhan, a writer on D.C. land-use and neighborhood change, argues that local review processes and neighborhood commissions slow development. He discusses procedural delays, real costs for small businesses, and how rules that once fit 1970s civic life now block growth. He compares looser permitting elsewhere and proposes faster reviews and clearer timelines to spur neighborhood evolution.
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ANCs' Vague Power Creates Costly Delays
- ANCs have vague statutory power that creates long review windows that act as de facto delays on projects.
- DC Code lets ANCs "weigh in with great weight" and agencies often pause 30–45 days for ANC review, stalling small businesses and projects.
Kitchen Cray's Expansion Killed By Review Delays
- Chef James Robinson's Kitchen Cray tried to convert a basement into a lounge but ANC review dragged the process so long the original business had to close.
- The lounge conversion became entangled in permitting and resubmission disputes that drained time and money from the small Black-owned business.
Historic Neighborhoods Stagnated Despite City Growth
- DuPont Circle added very little new retail and only modest multifamily growth over 25 years despite rising population.
- From 2000 to 2025 multifamily buildings rose from 344 to 371 (about one building per year), while retail buildings slightly declined.