[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 42 (Monday, April 18, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 18, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               PREVENT A BLATANT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW

                                 ______


                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 18, 1994

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, today, I join the ranking minority member of 
the Committee on the District of Columbia, Mr. Bliley, in introducing 
legislation to stop a blatant and unquestionable violation of Federal 
law. Specifically, the current building designed for relocating the 
studios of WETA television station on the campus of George Washington 
University violates the 1910 Height Act. What we have found takes this 
controversy far beyond a matter of mere differing views of 
architectural technicalities, but rather illustrates a rather shrewd--
and nearly successful--attempt to sneak around longstanding Federal 
law.
  Simply, the issue is this: The original GW/WETA proposal clearly 
stated that their building was over 116 feet high and that the 
appropriate Height Act limitation was 130 feet. There are numerous 
official documents from both the GW/WETA applicants and the District of 
Columbia government stating the building's height at more than 116 
feet. However, they had made an error because the maximum height 
allowed on this site under the Height Act is only 110 feet.
  When they discovered their error, instead of reviewing and 
redesigning the building, GW/WETA simply introduced an invisible roof. 
When the D.C. Zoning Administrator ruled that this nonsense failed 
compliance, the D.C. Zoning Commission allowed GW/WETA to submit a 
revised plan which simply added a solid line at 110 feet and labeled it 
``solid studio roof.'' No details were requested or required, and 
opponents were not allowed to ask questions about the revised plan, 
which was approved last week.
  The District of Columbia Zoning Commission and a misinformed National 
Capital Planning Commission have mistakenly approved construction of a 
building that exceeds the federally prescribed height limit for any 
structure placed at that location. I say misinformed NCPC because they 
were never told about the above history of the project. The applicants 
have never voluntarily disclosed these material facts. A manipulation 
of the original design involving redesignation of the roof is the most 
egregious, but not the only, attempt to evade the Height Act in the 
planned construction of the GW/WETA building.
  Our bill to prohibit the planned construction is not a case of 
improper interference with local regulation. Congress has intended for 
centuries to protect the unique skyline of our Nation's Capital from 
overzealous development. Protection of this city's skyline was, is, and 
will remain a matter of the Federal interest.
  In 1991, Congress acted to disapprove a D.C. City Council act that 
would have raised the height limit for a Pennsylvania Avenue 
Development Corporation building. The legislation we are introducing 
today similarly stops administrative action that would vitiate the 1910 
Act. And as guardians of that Federal interest, we are required to 
identify and guard against such assaults. No one is above the law.
  We intend to move this bill through to final passage expeditiously. 
We urge our colleagues to support us.

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