COMPREHENSIVE. DESIGN PLAN
AND DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
* The Appendixes, starting on page 335, provide supporting information for the document, including estimated construction costs for implementing the alternative actions. The Glossary (page 396) defines terms used in this document, as well as terms with special meanings for environmental impact statements.
* the inconsistent use of designs and materials throughout the area, creating a haphazard appearance
* adverse effects on the dignity and visual quality of the White House and President's Park as a result of vehicles parking throughout the site, temporary structures (such as bleachers) that look out of place, and other activities that create a disorganized appearance
* not enough space or facilities, or facilities that are not of the right type or in the right location, to accommodate the changing functions of the Executive Office of the President
* a lack of privacy and indoor recreation space for the first family
* insufficient informational and educational programs and support facilities for visitors
* inadequate maintenance storage and equipment; poorly located and worn-out utilities
Alternatives, Including the Proposed Plan
SUMMARY
Planning Assumptions
* Comprehensive Design-Future designs and actions on the White House grounds and within President's Park will be in accordance with the significant elements of past landscape designs. Facilities and maintenance operations will reflect the dignity, significance, and history of the site and the presidency. Quality materials will be used to reflect the importance and dignity of the White House. Design Guidelines that have been developed for architecture, landscape architecture, design elements, s and temporary facilities at the White House and President's Park will be followed.
* Resource Conservation and Management -Cultural and natural resources will continue to receive high-quality care and protection. All federal agencies currently man-aging various cultural resource programs at the site will continue to do so. The National Park Service will cooperate with these agencies to foster the exchange of information and the development of cooperative approaches and programs for resource protection. All memorials established by legislation will be retained; no new memorials will be encouraged. All programs and facilities will be designed and managed in an environmentally sound manner.
* Home and Office of the President-The White House will continue to serve as the home of the president, and official functions will continue to be held at the White House and on its grounds. Safety and security for the president and the first family will not be compromised.
The White House will continue to serve as the Office of the President. Space for essential White House administrative and operational functions will be provided within or adjacent to the White House; existing spaces within the study area may be used. Staff parking on the Ellipse and adjacent roadways, East Executive Park, West Executive Avenue, and Hamilton, State, Jackson, and Madison Places will no longer be allowed in order to improve aesthetics and to reestablish the dignity and character of the site. Replacement parking with easy access to the White T louse will be provided.
Facilities will be provided for the news media to maintain direct access to the press secretary and staff so that journalists can provide coverage of, and maintain proximity to, the operations of the Office of the President
* Visitor Use and Services-The White House will continue to be open to the general public on a regular basis free of charge. To ensure adequate visitor orientation to the White House and President's Park and to provide ticketing and staging for White House tours, a visitor center and museum will be provided within easy access of the White House.
* Special Events-All First Amendment activities will be accommodated in compliance with current law. Special events of varying size, intensity, and significance will continue in the public portions of the study area and on the White House grounds.
SUMMARY
* Transportation -- The National Park Service will enter into discussions with local and regional planning agencies to comprehensively address traffic concerns in the Washington, D.C., downtown area. Madison, Jackson, State, and Hamilton Places will remain restricted to public vehicular traffic and will become pedestrian-oriented streets; no vehicle parking will be allowed on these streets, on the Ellipse roadways, or along the curb lanes surrounding President's Park ( I 5th Street, 17th Street, Constitution Avenue, and H Street). The use of mass transit by visitors and staff will be actively encouraged.
Proposed Plan
Summary Alternatives
The No-Action Alternative
SUMMARY
functions. Frequently used materials within the White House complex would be stored offsite and brought in as needed. Deliveries would be made at various surface locations. Facilities for the news media would remain in the west colonnade. Staff vehicles would be parked in currently used areas.
Alternatives 1, 2, and 3
Summary: Alternatives
Special Events. Criteria would be established for special events in President's Park (other
SUMMARY
than First Amendment demonstrations) under alternatives I and 2, similar to the proposed plan. Under alternative 1 all special events would have to be worthy of attendance by the first family and reflect the site's dignity. Existing special events on the Ellipse would be reduced in scale and duration, and they would be dispersed around the site to allow sufficient time for turf and garden areas to recover. Under alternative 2 a special events plaza, as described for the proposed plan, would be built in the Ellipse area. Under alternative 3 all special events currently held within President's Park would be moved to other sites within the metropolitan area.
Environmental Consequences
Impacts of the Proposed Plan
Summary: Environmental Consequences
national historic landmarks and districts would need to be mitigated through sensitive design. Traffic across the park on E Street would continue to intrude on views south of the White House.
Impacts on Archeological Resources - Excavations throughout the site would affect archeological resources? which would be mitigated through research, monitoring, and recordation.
SUMMARY
center, along with expanded interpretive pro-grams, would provide opportunities for people to learn more about the history of the presidency and first families, as well as the White House and President's Park.
Summary - Environmental Consequences
Impacts of the No-Action Alternative
SUMMARY
Impacts of Alternatives 1, 2, and 3
Summary Environmental Consequences
SUMMARY
Summary: Environmental Consequences
belowground corridor directly from the visitor center to the visitor entrance building for public tours of the White House would minimize any traffic conflicts for these visitors.
Summary:
westbound streets (which operate under capacity). However, westbound travel lanes on E Street would not provide enough additional traffic flow to improve the level of service on I Street.
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Total Total
Alternative I Jobs Earnings*
* Metro Area 297-711 $6.9-16.6
* D.C. Area 58-140 $1.6-3.7
Alternative 2
* Metro Area 111 -870 $2.6-20.3
* D.C. Area 22-171 $0.5-4.6
Alternative 3
* Metro Area 105 441 $2.4-10.3
* D.C. Area 21-87 $0.5-2.3
* Earnings in millions of dollars.
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THE WHITE HOUSE AND ITS SETTING-1
PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE PLAN-5
Introduction-7
The Context for the Plan-12
Problems, Issues, and Concerns Considered in this Document-20
Relationship of this Document to Other Plans and Efforts-33
ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED PLAN-43
Overview of Alternatives-45
Planning Assumptions-46
Proposed Plan-49
No- Action Alternative-67
Alternative 1-72
Alternative 2-80
Alternative 3-88
Mitigating Measures Included in the Alternatives-95
Options Considered but Rejected-97
Comparison of Alternatives and Impacts-102
THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT-127
An Overview of the Site-129
Cultural and Natural Resources-135
Home and Office of the President-153
Visitor Use, Services, and Experience-160
Special Events and Demonstrations-169
Transportation-175 Socioeconomic
Environment-190
Site Management and Operations-196
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES-201
Impact Topics-203
Impacts of the Proposed Plan-205
Impacts of the No-Action Alternative-245
Impacts of Alternative 1-256
Impacts of Alternative 2-281
Impacts of Alternative 3-303
COMPLIANCE / CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION-323
Compliance with Laws and Regulations-325
Consultation and Coordination in the Development of the Plan-329
APPENDIXES-335
A: An Annotated Listing of Legislation Pertaining to the White
House and President's Park-337
B: A Summary of Significant Plans and Projects at President's
Park-342
C: An Inventory and Assessment of Structures and Memorials within
and adjacent to President's Park-350
D: Primary Interpretive Themes for the White House and President's
Park -361
E: Construction Techniques, Phasing, and Cost Estimates-366
F: Determination of Site Use Capacity-376
G: Planning Work Group Participants-378
H: Desired Futures-Media-382
I: E Street Diagrams-384
J: Letters of Consultation-393
GLOSSARY-396
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY-398
PREPARERS AND CONSULTANTS-403
INDEX-405
CONTENTS
Vicinity-8
Study Area-11
Existing Conditions-21
Proposed Plan-Aboveground-50
Proposed Plan-Belowground-51
No Action-68
Alternative 1-Aboveground-73
Alternative 1-Belowground-74
Alternative 2-Aboveground-81
Alternative 2-Belowground-82
Alternative 3-Aboveground-89
Alternative 3-Belowground-90
Historic Districts-138
Memorials / Monuments-140
White House Grounds: Commemorative Plantings and Gardens-142
Visitor Use and Services-165
1997 Pageant of Peace Layout-173
Special Events-174
Average Weekday Traffic Volumes-176
Street Levels of Service-A.M. Peak Hour-178
Street Levels of Service-Midday-179
Street Levels of Service-P.M. Peak Hour-180
Pedestrian Street Crossings-188
Project Area Zoning-195
Utilities-200
Contents
1: Summary of Alternative Actions-102
2: Summary of Impacts-112
3: Potentially Affected Historic Structures, Sites, and Districts
in and near President's Park-139
4: Fill and Underlayers in President's Park-144
5: Parking Supply for Staff in the President's Park Area-156
6: Numbers of Visitors on White House Tours-162
7: Special Events within President's Park ----- 170
8: Levels of Service on East / West Streets Adjacent to President's
Park ---- 177
9: Mode of Arrival for White House Tour Visitors-181
10: On-Street Parking Supply by Regulation and Location in President's
Park-183
11: Metrorail Stations-184
12: Weekday Pedestrian Volumes-186
13: Weekday Bicycle Volumes (Prior to the Closure of Pennsylvania
Avenue)-189 14:
14: Total D.C. General Fund Revenues, FY 1995 and 1996-192
15: Project Area Land and Improvements by Land Use Classification-193
16: Project Area Land and Improvements by Zoning Classification-194
17: On-Street Public Parking Eliminated-Proposed Plan-231
18: Projected Annual D.C. Revenue Losses from Parking Meters-Proposed
Plan-234
19: Projected D.C. Revenue Losses from Leased Parking Taxes-Proposed
Plan-234
20: Projected D.C. Revenue Losses from Vendors-Proposed Plan-235
21: Potential Vendor Revenue Losses-Proposed Plan-236
22: Construction-Related Impacts-Proposed Plan-238
23: Projected Annual D.C. Revenue Losses from Parking Meters-Alternative
1-275
24: Construction Impacts-Alternative 1-277
25: Projected D.C. Property Tax Losses-Alternative 2-296
26: Construction Impacts-Alternative 2-298
27: Projected D.C Revenue Losses from Leased Parking Taxes-Alternative
3-316
28: Projected D.C. Property Tax Losses-Alternative 3-317
29: Construction Impacts-Alternative 3-318
30: Actions Requiring Further Consultation under the 1990 Programmatic
Agreement-327
CFR-Code of Federal Regulations
FHWA-Federal Highway Administration
NCPC-National Capital Planning Commission
NEOB-New Executive Of floe Building
NEPA-National Environmental Policy Act
NPS-National Park Service
OEOB-Old Executive Office Building
OTS-Of floe of Thrift Supervision
PL-Public Law
SCS-Soil Conservation Service