# What This Bill Does

This bill changes who gets to make decisions about zoning in Washington, D.C. Right now, the Board of Zoning Adjustment—the group that decides whether buildings can be built or modified in certain ways—has members appointed by both the D.C. government and the federal government. This bill would give D.C. complete control over appointing all five board members, with the mayor making the appointments and the city council approving them. Essentially, it's about D.C. having more say over its own land use decisions rather than sharing that power with federal officials.

The one exception is when foreign embassies (called "chanceries") want to build or expand their buildings in D.C. In those cases, federal officials would still get a seat at the table. Specifically, one of the five board members would be replaced by someone from the federal government—either from the Defense Department, Interior Department, General Services Administration, or National Park Service, depending on what the President decides. Additionally, someone from the National Capital Planning Commission would also join the board for these foreign embassy cases. This makes sense because embassies involve national security and diplomatic concerns that go beyond local D.C. issues.

For most D.C. residents and businesses, this change means the city government would have more direct control over zoning decisions that affect neighborhoods, development, and land use. It's part of a broader push for D.C. to have more home rule—the ability to govern itself without federal interference. The changes would take effect 90 days after the bill is signed into law.