---
kind: "section"
citation: "40 U.S.C. § 8721"
title: "40"
title_heading: "Public Buildings, Property, and Works"
number: "8721"
heading: "Comprehensive plan for the National Capital"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/40/8721"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Public Buildings and Works"
  - "Part D — Public Buildings, Grounds, and Parks in the District of Columbia"
  - "Chapter 87 — Physical Development of National Capital Region"
  - "Subchapter III — Planning Process"
---

# §8721. Comprehensive plan for the National Capital

- (a) **Preparation and Adoption by Commission.—** The [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2) Planning [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) shall prepare and adopt a comprehensive, consistent, and coordinated plan for the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2). The plan shall include the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1)’s recommendations or proposals for federal developments or projects in the [environs](/usc/40/8702.md?p=1) and District elements of the comprehensive plan, or amendments to the elements, adopted by the Council of the District of Columbia and with respect to which the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) has not determined a negative impact exists. Those elements or amendments shall be incorporated into the comprehensive plan without change. The [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) may include in its plan any part of a plan adopted by any [planning agency](/usc/40/8702.md?p=4) in the [environs](/usc/40/8702.md?p=1) and may make recommendations of collateral interest to the agencies. The [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) may adopt any part of an element. The [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) shall review and may amend or extend the plan so that its recommendations may be kept up to date.
- (b) **Review by District of Columbia.—** The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall submit each District element of the comprehensive plan, and any amendment, to the Council for revision or modification, and adoption, by act, following public hearings. Following adoption and prior to implementation, the Council shall submit each element or amendment to the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) for review and comment with regard to the impact of the element or amendment on the interests or functions of the federal establishment in the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2).
- (c) **Commission Response to Council Action.—**
  - (1) **Period of review.—** Within 60 days after receiving an element or amendment from the Council, the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) shall certify to the Council whether the element or amendment has a negative impact on the interests or functions of the federal establishment in the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2).
  - (2) **No negative impact.—** If the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) takes no action in the 60-day period, the element or amendment is deemed to have no negative impact and shall be incorporated into the comprehensive plan for the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2) and implemented.
  - (3) **Negative impact.—**
    - (A) **Certification to council.—** If the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) finds a negative impact, it shall certify its findings and recommendations to the Council.
    - (B) **Response of council.—** On receipt of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1)’s findings and recommendations, the Council may—
      - (i) accept the findings and recommendations and modify the element or amendment accordingly; or
      - (ii) reject the findings and recommendations and resubmit a modified form of the element or amendment to the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) for reconsideration.
    - (C) **Findings and recommendations accepted.—** If the Council accepts the findings and recommendations and modifies the element or amendment, the Council shall submit the element or amendment to the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) for the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) to determine whether the modification has been made in accordance with the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1)’s findings and recommendations. If the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) does not act on the modified element or amendment within 30 days after receiving it, the element or amendment is deemed to have been modified in accordance with the findings and recommendations and shall be incorporated into the comprehensive plan for the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2) and implemented. If within the 30-day period the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) again determines the element or amendment has a negative impact on the functions or interests of the federal establishment in the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2), the element or amendment shall not be implemented.
    - (D) **Findings and recommendations rejected.—** If the Council rejects the findings and recommendations and resubmits a modified element or amendment, the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1), within 60 days after receiving it, shall decide whether the modified element or amendment has a negative impact on the interests or functions of the federal establishment within the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2). If the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) does not act within the 60-day period, the modified element or amendment is deemed to have no negative impact and shall be incorporated into the comprehensive plan and implemented. If the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) finds a negative impact, it shall certify its findings (in sufficient detail that the Council can understand the basis of the objection of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1)) and recommendations to the Council and the element or amendment shall not be implemented.
- (d) **Resubmission Deemed New Element or Amendment.—** Any element or amendment which the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) has determined has a negative impact on the federal establishment in the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2) which is submitted again in a modified form not less than one year from the day it was last rejected by the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) is deemed to be a new element or amendment for purposes of the review procedure specified in this section.
- (e) **Review, Hearings, and Citizen Advisory Councils.—**
  - (1) **Review.—** Before the comprehensive plan, any element of the plan, or any revision is adopted, the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) shall present the plan, element, or revision to the appropriate federal or District of Columbia authorities for comment and recommendations. The [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) may present the proposed revisions annually in a consolidated form. Recommendations by federal and District of Columbia authorities are not binding on the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1), but the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) shall give careful consideration to any views and recommendations submitted prior to final adoption.
  - (2) **Hearings and citizen advisory councils.—** The [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1)—
    - (A) may provide periodic opportunity for review and comments by nongovernmental agencies or groups through public hearings, meetings, or conferences, exhibitions, and publication of its plans; and
    - (B) in consultation with the Council, may encourage the formation of citizen advisory councils.
- (f) **Extension of Time Limitations.—** On request of the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1), the Council may grant an extension of any time limitation contained in this section.
- (g) **Publishing Comprehensive Plan.—** As appropriate, the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) and the Mayor jointly shall publish a comprehensive plan for the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2), consisting of the elements of the comprehensive plan for the federal activities in the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2) developed by the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) and the District elements developed by the Mayor and the Council in accordance with this section.
- (h) **Procedures for Consultation.—**
  - (1) **Commission and mayor.—** The [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) and the Mayor jointly shall establish procedures for appropriate meaningful continuing consultation throughout the planning process for the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2).
  - (2) **Government agencies.—** In order that the [National Capital](/usc/40/8702.md?p=2) may be developed in accordance with the comprehensive plan, the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1), with the consent of each agency concerned as to its representation, may establish advisory and coordinating committees composed of representatives of agencies of the Federal and District of Columbia Governments as may be necessary or helpful to obtain the maximum amount of cooperation and correlation of effort among the various agencies. As it considers appropriate, the [Commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) may invite representatives of the planning and developmental agencies of the [environs](/usc/40/8702.md?p=1) to participate in the work of the committees.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1219.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 8721(a) | 40:71c(a), (d). | June 6, 1924, ch. 270, § 4(a), (d), (e) (1st par.), as added July 19, 1952, ch. 949, § 1, 66 Stat. 785, 787; Pub. L. 93–198, title II § 203(c)(1), (2), Dec. 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 782. |
| 8721(b) | 40:71a(a)(3). | June 6, 1924, ch. 270, § 2(a)(3), (4), as added July 19, 1952, ch. 949, § 1, 66 Stat. 782; Pub. L. 93–198, title II, § 203(a), Dec. 24, 1973, 87 Stat. 779. |
| 8721(c), (d) | 40:71a(a)(4)(A)–(C). |  |
| 8721(e) | 40:71c(e) (1st par.). |  |
| 8721(f) | 40:71a(a)(4)(E). |  |
| 8721(g) | 40:71a(a)(4)(D). |  |
| 8721(h)(1) | 40:71a(a)(4)(F). |  |
| 8721(h)(2) | 40:71a(d). | June 6, 1924, ch. 270, § 2(d), as added July 19, 1952, ch. 949, § 1, 66 Stat. 783. |

In subsection (a), the text of 40:71c(a) (2d, 3d sentences) and reference to the National Capital Regional Planning Council are omitted as obsolete because the Council was abolished by section 1 of Reorganization Plan No. 5 of 1966 (eff. Sept. 8, 1966, 40:71b note). The words “from time to time” are omitted as unnecessary.

In subsection (e)(2), before clause (A), the words “in addition and at its discretion” are omitted as unnecessary.

In subsection (g), the words “from time to time” are omitted as unnecessary.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Termination of Advisory Committees

Advisory committees established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See section 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.