1. What is a master plan?
A master plan provides detailed direction for the redevelopment of a site like the RFK Stadium campus, including guidance for land use and zoning, and as well as the design of buildings, streets, parks, and open spaces. Guidelines factor in community needs and priorities, as well as relevant District goals or requirements for housing production, economic employment growth, expanded recreational opportunities, and environmental sustainability. It also identifies infrastructure investments and public services needed to support residents. During development of the master plan, residents are invited to share input to ensure the plan represents the community’s interests.
2. Why is a master plan needed for this site?
In January 2025, the federal government transferred the administrative jurisdiction of this site to the District government, which allows DC to guide development on the site. However, the campus’s land use is currently designated as Parks, Recreation, and Open Space, which would not permit new homes or community-serving businesses, and the whole site is without zoning. For new buildings to be approved and built, we need to change the site’s land use designation and establish zoning. The master plan will recommend new land use designations, zoning guidance, design guidelines for buildings and public spaces, and an upgraded street grid.
3. How can I provide feedback on the draft RFK Campus Master Plan?
First, stay informed about project updates, event details, and other information by and share your input by signing up for the RFK Redevelopment email listserv: https://ourrfk.dc.gov/page/engage
During the 45-day public comment period from June 24 through August 8, you can share formal feedback on the draft master in a number of ways.
- Submit comments using the online feedback form at OurRFK.dc.gov
- Email written comments to Alex Freedman, [email protected]
- Share in-person testimony at a public hearing session on August 1 from 10 am-2 pm at St. Coletta of Greater Washington (1901 Independence Avenue, SE)
For details about the public hearings and other pop-up events, check out https://ourrfk.dc.gov/page/rfkevents.
4. How is the feedback from the various public meetings and comments processed and incorporated into this plan?
From fall 2025 through spring 2026, the Project Management Team overseeing the master planning and NEPA processes conducted over 26 public engagements, including meetings, workshops, focus groups, and site walks, in addition to virtual versions of some events. Feedback collected at the earlier events was conveyed into updated designs presented at later workshops. Comments submitted in-person, online, and by email were coded and analyzed for trends, with special attention to issues that address historic inequities for the communities around the RFK Campus.
Content from past meetings is posted at https://ourrfk.dc.gov/newsroom, and a fuller analysis of master plan public feedback is included as an appendix in the draft master plan available for review online.
5. What is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)?
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to evaluate the environmental impacts of its actions and to involve the public in the decision-making process. During this process, the National Park Service and District partners analyze how development options may impact wildlife, water, air, quality, wetlands, and cultural resources. The findings will inform the master plan.
For the RFK campus, this process will ensure that:
- Development meets NEPA standards;
- Environmental and cultural resources are protected; and
- Public health and safety are prioritized during remediation and construction.
6. What will the future RFK campus include?
The scope of development for the site will be determined during the planning process, but it will:
- Reserve at least 30% of the entire 180-acre site for parks and public open space;
- Provide a mix of development uses, including housing, businesses, entertainment, and community amenities;
- Improve access to the Anacostia River for surrounding neighborhoods; and
- Reflect community needs and priorities while supporting environmental and economic goals.
7. Will new housing on the campus be affordable?
Yes, per DC Council legislation, at least 30% of all new housing across the campus needs to include dedicated affordable units. Specifically, half need to be set aside for families making up to 60% of the median family income ($65,824) and half need to be set aside for families making up to 30% of the median family income ($32,912).
8. How is the master plan looking at transportation systems throughout the campus?
The master plan will evaluate the site's road network and general connectivity to facilitate pedestrian safety and encourage multi-modal connections throughout the site. Other traffic analyses are being developed in parallel by WMATA and DDOT and will focus on more technical traffic impacts.
9. What improvements to public transit will be used to improve access to the site? Can public transportation replace the need for parking garages?
In late 2025, the WMATA Board approved $2 million for a two-year study to do initial planning for transportation infrastructure for the new RFK Stadium redevelopment, aimed at handling crowds for the future 65,000-seat Commanders stadium. The study is divided into three phases: Concept Design (expected in Spring 2026), Alternatives Development & Evaluation (expected in Summer 2026), and Engineering Feasibility & Constructability.
Based on the initial concept design analysis approved by the WMATA board in early May 2026, WMATA staff recommended expanding the current station capacity and adding a new bus rapid transit line from Union Station to the RFK Campus (along H Street NW/Benning Rd) as the most viable options to pursue.
10. What traffic-related interventions could be implemented to minimize impact on residential neighborhood around the area?
A range of traffic and parking management strategies could be used to reduce neighborhood impacts on large event days, such as targeted street closures, temporary parking restrictions, traffic control officers, and enhanced parking enforcement. These strategies are typically organized through a Traffic Operations and Parking Plan (TOPP) with DDOT. The combined TOPP for Audi Field and Nationals Park, updated in February 2026, is a good point of reference: https://topp.ddot.dc.gov/pages/audi-field--nationals-park.
While the master plan does not determine specific enforcement measures, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process will evaluate transportation impacts and identify any required mitigation within the defined study area of the required Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The final EIS is expected to be published in Spring 2027.
11. How long will new development on the site take?
Like most large projects, the redevelopment of the RFK campus will occur in phases. The new stadium, parking structures, select new roads and sportsplex are scheduled to be completed by Summer 2030. We anticipate development of the residential and mixed-use districts around the site to occur between 2030 and 2040. The 2025 Council legislation approving the deal with the Commanders lays out a required 13-year timeline from the time zoning is approved for building out the parts of the campus where they have development rights. The remaining development does not have a firm timeline and will be dependent on District investment and market conditions.
12. What is the sequence for the planning and zoning of the RFK campus?
The District, led by the Office of Planning, is currently developing a master plan for RFK, which will identify an appropriate mix of land uses, development program, and zoning recommendations.
The District has also introduced legislation, the RFK Small Area Plan Amendment Act, which would allow zoning recommendations outlined in the master plan to update the current Future Land Use Map. This legislation would facilitate timely zoning and development of the RFK campus, an important step to allow for mixed-use development on the campus.
13. What is the RFK Small Area Plan Amendment Act?
The purpose of the RFK Small Area Plan Amendment Act is to allow changes to the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map (FLUM) to be proposed and approved for the RFK Campus as part of a small area plan process for the site. This bill is necessary to facilitate timely zoning and development of the RFK Campus, which cannot proceed until the FLUM covering the site is amended to allow mixed-use development. Under this bill, the FLUM could be amended in connection with the approval of the RFK campus small area plan.
14. What is happening with the DC Armory?
DC Armory has not announced any firm plans for changes to the site or how it will be managed in the future. The District is actively coordinating with the DC National Guard and Events DC to share information throughout the RFK Campus redevelopment planning process. The District will continue working closely with partners to understand what may be possible as planning progresses.
15. What is being done about the parking garages?
As part of a District‑funded transit study, WMATA found that more than half of stadium attendees (up to 38,000 people) could arrive by Metro rail and bus, but transit alone cannot serve the entire event‑day population even with major upgrades at the existing Stadium‑Armory station and a new high‑capacity bus connection to Union Station. To meet the needs of the roughly 25,000 attendees expected to arrive by car, the project includes about 6,000 parking spaces across two garages, while an additional 2,000 spaces will be provided in temporary surface lots located on future development sites. As those areas transition into mixed‑use districts, any replacement parking would be optional, allowing future decisions to respond to how multimodal travel patterns evolve over time. The design process for the two planned parking garages is anticipated to begin Summer 2026. The designs for the site will be reviewed by the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission.
16. How are you preserving heritage trees and parkland?
The District is committed to enhancing green spaces across the RFK Campus while following the federal requirement that at least 30% of the site consist of publicly accessible parks and open space. Under the District law passed by the DC Council, Heritage Trees within the 180-acre “Development Site” may be removed with payment of the required removal fee, while full protections still apply within the 200-foot buffer along the Anacostia River. The Commanders also voluntarily committed in a September 17, 2025 letter to preserving as many Heritage Trees as possible and planting new trees throughout the site. As plans progress, the District and its partners will assess tree impacts carefully and identify opportunities to preserve and strengthen the campus’s tree canopy and open spaces.