Many federal facilities and grounds in the nation’s capital have open and accessible designs, serving as physical representations of our government and the country’s democratic ideals. However, after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the events of September 11, 2001, security needs were elevated and unsightly temporary solutions often restricted access to public space. NCPC has been at the forefront of developing guidelines to address security, urban design, and public access in a thoughtful and balanced manner. NCPC led early efforts to develop effective security approaches that also preserve the openness of Washington, DC’s public spaces and enhance the civic realm. Through planning, policymaking, and project review, NCPC continues to advance new approaches to achieve security and public space goals in the National Capital Region.
This element incorporates previous NCPC plans and guidance on perimeter security and public realm needs (described below) into the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital. It is the primary policy document used by NCPC to review project and master plan perimeter security proposals.
Established in 1995, the Interagency Security Committee (ISC) addresses continuing government-wide security for federal facilities. The ISC standards apply to all non-military federal facilities in the United States—whether government-owned, leased, or managed; to be constructed or modernized; or to be purchased.
Unified Facilities Criteria (UFCs) are developed by the Department of Defense (DoD) and apply to all military federal facilities.
NCPC, with the National Park Service and the United States Secret Service, sponsored a competition to redesign President’s Park into a secure, yet more attractive, accessible, and sustainable setting for the White House. This project remains in consideration.
Following the closure on E Street, NW on the south side of the White House, federal, and District agencies agencies studied ways to improve east-west through traffic across town and circulation in the area.
This study identified urban design and security concerns related to freight rail operations in Washington, DC, and proposed alternative route alignments for future study. The Capital Gateway rail improvements and other projects underway limit the applicability of this study.
This document provides technical information about the design of crashworthy barriers.
After September 11, 2001, federal facilities across the region submitted proposals to NCPC for temporary and permanent perimeter security projects. To provide consistent guidance to applicants and review staff, NCPC developed policies regarding security barrier design and placement. The 2003 Policy on Design and Review of Physical Perimeter Security Improvements and the 2005 National Capital Urban Design and Security Plan Objectives and Policies were NCPC’s official policies regarding security barrier design and placement until superseded by the adoption of the 2016 Urban Design Element.
NCPC, in coordination with the National Park Service and the United States Secret Service, initiated a redesign of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House to integrate permanent physical security features into an accessible and beautiful public space befitting of this iconic, historic location. This document summarizes the recommendations
Building on Designing for Security, this plan guided the design of contextually sensitive physical security features in Washington’s monumental core, and introduced a “kit of parts” for permanent physical security solutions. The first plan nationally to address the impacts of perimeter security in public space, it received the American Planning Association 2005 Current Topic – Safe Growth Award. Addendums were released in 2004 and 2005. This report was a joint product of the Interagency Security Task Force and NCPC.
In response to the unsightly security features erected after the Oklahoma City bombing, NCPC adopted this document in November 2001 to guide the design of future security features in Washington, DC. NCPC in partnership with the members of the Interagency Security Task Force prepared this report.
In 2001, NCPC established the Interagency Security Task Force (ISTF), comprised of federal and local government policy, security, and design professionals, to address the impact of building security on Washington’s monumental core. The ISTF stakeholders worked on many of the projects and plans listed above. The ISTF built understanding of emerging security requirements and approaches that met security needs while respecting Washington’s public spaces; prioritized federal security investments: and encouraged security planning at a precinct scale to provide coordinated approaches addressing the needs of multiple facilities. The ISTF is no longer active.