In its quest to build a 250-foot arch near the National Mall, the Trump administration is arguing that a longstanding law restricting building heights in D.C.does not apply — to the project or to any federal structures at all.The topic resurfaced at Thursday's meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission, the second federal body tasked with reviewing the arch.
The first, the Commission of Fine Arts — an aesthetic-focused panel packed entirely with Trump appointees — quickly approved the administration's incomplete design in May.The National Capital Planning Commission, in contrast, focuses on urban planning issues such as materials, placement and pedestrian safety.One of its three presidential appointees is Will Scharf, chair of the commission, who also serves as White House staff secretary and accompanied Trump on his trip to a NATO summit in Turkey this week.The planning commission voted 8-1 on Thursday to approve the preliminary site and building plans for the arch, with three members voting "present." After more than two hours of public comment in opposition, followed by minimal discussion, the panel left the project team with more questions to answer before its next meeting in early September, and a promise to revisit the height question then."I'm guessing that we're going to have a vigorous debate on this subject when this project next comes before the commission," said Scharf.At last month's meeting — when the commission cautiously advanced the project — Scharf planted seeds of doubt about whether the 1910 Height of Buildings Act applies to the arch, which would be built along the Arlington Memorial Bridge in Virginia."I believe, speaking personally, that the Height of Buildings Act is not applicable to federal construction," Scharf said, contradicting what he acknowledged was the "long-held" view of the commission he has led for the past year.The Department of the Interior seems to side with Scharf.
Ahead of Thursday's meeting, its Office ...