The Committee of 100 on the Federal City, locally referred to as the Committee of 100, is a private, nonprofit membership organization which promotes responsible land use and planning in Washington, D.C., and advocates adherence to the L'Enfant Plan and McMillan Plan as a guide to city growth. It is one of the most influential private land use planning bodies in Washington, D.C.
About the organization The goal of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City is to promote responsible land use and planning in Washington, D.C. The Washington Post has characterized the committee's approach as conservative, which is to say desiring to maintain the status quo.Craig, Tim. "Committee of 100 Wants Klein, Tregoning Ousted." Washington Post. November 18, 2010. Accessed 2013-03-25. The committee believes its goals can best be achieved by adhering to the 1791 L'Enfant Plan and the 1902 McMillan Plan.DePillis, Lydia. "The Smart-Growth Set." Washington City Paper. September 3, 2010.Berg, p. 312-313. The committee is also strongly interested in historic preservation.
The group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its members are primarily white collar professionals, although not necessarily professionals involved in urban planning, real estate development, or architecture.MacGovern, p. 229.
The Committee of 100 is one of the oldest citizen-based urban planning groups in the United States. It is generally considered one of the most effective and highly influential private planning bodies in Washington, D.C.Robin, p. 29. Reporter Lydia DePillis, writing for the Washington City Paper said in 2010, "Thanks to their relentless advocacy, D.C. remains a walking-scale city, retaining many of the elements of a healthy urban environment..." The committee is credited with keeping superhighways from being built in the city, and for winning passage of the Washington Metro in the face of intense congressional opposition.Castro, Melissa. "The Committee of 100 on the Federal City, Founded in 1923, Could Be the City's Worst Nightmare or Its Ultimate Savior, Depending On Your Viewpoint." Washington Business Journal. May 27, 2011. Accessed 2013-03-25. But it has also been criticized as too wedded to the status quo. Washington City Paper reporter Lydia DePillis characterized it in 2011 as "crusty" for its vehement opposition to changeDePillis, Lydia. "Committee of 100 Honors Arena Stage, Streetcar Gadfly, More!" Washington City Paper. May 11, 2011. Accessed 2013-03-25. and its members as "civic worthies" for representing only wealthy, white residents.DePillis, Lydia. "Let It Grow." Washington City Paper. December 17, 2010. The Committee of 100 has strongly denied it is anti-development. Rather, it claims to merely want well-planned development.
Vision Awards In 2002, the Committee of 100 on the Federal City began awarding an annual "Vision Award". The award recognizes "innovations and lifetime achievement in planning and land use by individuals or organizations in the District. A guiding principle is that planners follow the vision of the McMillan Plan and the city's original planner, Pierre Charles L'Enfant, while responding to modern challenges." Nominees are suggested by the public, and the award is generally bestowed in June."Nominees Sought for Land Use and Planning Award." Washington Post. February 7, 2013.
Usually, anywhere from two to five Vision Awards are distributed. Additionally, one or two Lifetime Achievement Awards are also bestowed, as well as one Barbara Zartman Award for Planning and Zoning Advocacy. The Lifetime Achievement and Zartman awards are granted solely at the discretion of the Board of Trustees, and in some years no award is granted.
History On December 8, 1886, a group of businessmen residing in Washington's Northwest quadrant convened a meeting to appoint a "Committee of 100 Representative Citizens" to promote development of the city (then largely undeveloped woodlands).Hatcher, p. 73-74. Although formed to promote the needs of citizens only in the Northwest quadrant, the organization quickly broadened its organizational structure and promoted a plan for the entire city.Hatcher, p. 74. Its first meeting was May 16, 1887. this Committee of 100 disbanded in 1917.James, p. 79.
However, in 1922, Frederic A. Delano (uncle of Franklin D. Roosevelt) became president of the American Civic Association. Delano organized the Committee of 100 on the Federal City as a successor to the group which had disbanded in 1917, and became its first chairman.Gillette, p. 124. The Committee of 100 on the Federal City was founded in 1923. The Committee's goal was to support the 1791 L'Enfant Plan and the 1902 McMillan Plan for the development of the capital.Gillette, p. 125. One of its first legislative goals was to establish a parks and planning commission for the District of Columbia, which it achieved in 1924 when Congress created the National Capital Park Commission.
Delano stepped down as chairman at the end of 1944, and Owen Roberts, Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States, was appointed his successor."Roberts Named Chairman of Committee of 100." Washington Post. January 7, 1945.
The Committee of 100 on the Federal City has been involved in numerous campaigns (pro and con) regarding buildings, roads, memorials, parks, and other architectural and planning features of Washington, D.C. Although the organization was less active in the 1960s than in the previous three decades, it became more active in the 1970s and 1980s. Among the campaigns it was involved in were: The 1949 opposition to the East Capitol Street Bridge."Massachusetts Ave. Bridge Favored by Planning Head." Washington Post. December 10, 1949. Opposition in the 1950s and 1960s to construction of the Inner Loop freeway system in downtown D.C."Grant Assails Highway Plan of City Heads." Washington Post. April 24, 1952; Lyons, Richard L. "Belt Route Called 'Park Destruction'." Washington Post. February 27, 1955; Lindsay, John. "Loop Relocation Danger to Plaza." Washington Post. October 26, 1956; "Use of Parks For Roads Is Opposed." Washington Post. March 29, 1958; Stern, Laurence M. "Inner Loop Battle Hides Value to City." Washington Post. October 29, 1961; Kornberg, Warren. "Freeway's Foes Take New Tack." Washington Post. December 29, 1961; "Construction Delay in Highway Plans Urged by Citizens." Washington Post. April 26, 1962; Eisen, Jack. "Freeways Are Called Highways for Whites." Washington Post. September 15, 1966; Eisen, Jack. "Foes Unsheath New Legal Weapon to Fight North Central Freeway Link." Washington Post. October 12, 1966; "Freeway Halt Is Ordered." Washington Post. February 16, 1968. The 1955 effort to preserve the Old Patent Office Building."Committee Protests Razing Plan." Washington Post. December 17, 1955. Opposition in the 1950s and 1960s to placing the proposed National Arts and Cultural Center on the National Mall.Barthelmes, Wes. "Planners Spurn Mall Site for Culture Center." Washington Post. May 2, 1958; "Mall Site Again Favored For Arts Center Here." Washington Post. May 27, 1958; "Civic Group Seeks to Shift Location of Cultural Center." Washington Post. February 15, 1964; Eisen, Jack. "JFK Center On River Site Backed Anew." Washington Post. May 9, 1964; "Committee Opposes Change in Site of JFK Center, Votes to Trim Its Size." Washington Post. May 21, 1964. The 1959 effort to preserve the marble columns removed from the East Front of the United States Capitol building.Carberry, James. "Committee of 100 Urges Congress to Enshrine 24 East Front Columns." Washington Post. January 10, 1959. Opposed in 1963 the proposed dam at the Great Falls of the Potomac River.Chapman, William. "Potomac Dam Plan Blasted at Hearing." Washington Post. September 5, 1963. Preservation of the historic structures on Lafayette Square in 1961.Bednar, p. 107; Jackson, Luther P. "Old Lafayette Sq. Restoration Sought." Washington Post. November 30, 1961. Supported the 1966 Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority interstate compact."Committee of 100 to Join Foes of Transit Compact." Washington Post. January 19, 1966. Opposed in the late 1960s and early 1970s the proposed Three Sisters Bridge.Eisen, Jack. "Suit Filed to Block 3 Sisters." Washington Post. October 4, 1969; Eisen, Jack. "3 Sisters Appeal Rejected." Washington Post. March 28, 1972. Opposed in the early 1980s the underground location for the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art.Hodge, Paul. "Underground Art Museums Opposed." Washington Post. December 4, 1980; Hodge, Paul. "Underground Museums Approved." Washington Post. January 9, 1981. Opposed the demolition of the Greyhound Bus Terminal at 1100 New York Avenue, and supported its preservation into the facade of the new building."Greyhound, Gone to Dogs." Roll Call. October 9, 2012. Opposed in 1984 the Techworld office building development near Mount Vernon Square.Swallow, Wendy. "NCPC Staff Urges Rejection of Techworld." Washington Post. November 3, 1984; Bredemeier, Kenneth. "Techworld Plan for D.C. Comes Under Fire." Washington Post. November 27, 1984; Bredemeier, Kenneth. "Techworld Seeks Easing of Conditions." Washington Post. July 28, 1985; Bredemeier, Kenneth. "Panel Cool to Techworld Concessions." Washington Post. August 2, 1985; Bredemeier, Kenneth. "Techworld to Be Built." Washington Post. August 10, 1985; Feinberg, Lawrence. "Battle Looms Over Techworld Project." Washington Post. January 31, 1986; Lewis, Nancy. "U.S. Suit Sets Off a Flurry of Litigation on Techworld." Washington Post. March 29, 1986; Sherwood, Tom. "Techworld Encounters New Woes." Washington Post. September 26, 1986. Opposed in 1987 the proposed glass skylight addition to the Postal Square Building.Precious, Tom. "Plan for Old Post Office Rejected." Washington Post. June 20, 1987; Precious, Tom. "Building Plan For Post Office Is Rejected." Washington Post. November 6, 1987. Opposed in 1993 the construction of a children's theme park on Kingman Island.Wheeler, Linda. "Federal Parkland Transferred to D.C." Washington Post. January 8, 1993. Opposed in 1993 the proposed destruction of parkland at Kingman Island to build additional parking lots for RFK Stadium.Kovaleski, Serge. "Small Coalition Aims to Sink Stadium Plan." Washington Post. June 17, 1993. Opposed in 2000 the siting of the National World War II Memorial in the center of the National Mall.Wheeler, Linda. "WWII Memorial's Site in Middle of Mall Is Under Attack." Washington Post. June 6, 2000; Wheeler, Linda. "Lawsuit Filed to Derail WWII Memorial." Washington Post. October 3, 2000; Miller, Bill. "Groups Seek Injunction on WWII Memorial." Washington Post. February 16, 2001.
One of the Committee of 100's most influential chairmen was Charles David Grinnell. A worker with an electrical firm, Grinnell became involved in the committee's efforts in the 1960s and 1970s to stop construction of the Inner Loop. When the District of Columbia achieved home rule on January 1, 1975, the city established Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) to empower local citizens on a wide variety of zoning, planning, and other issues. Grinnell became the first chair of his local ANC. Grinnell was elected chair of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City in 1983 and served until 1987. As chairman, he opposed the construction of Techworld and pushed for the restoration of Glover-Archbold Park."Charles D. Grinnell." Dover-Sherborn Press. November 8, 2012; McDonough, Megan. "Charles D. Grinnell: Volunteer, Activist." Washington Post. November 14, 2012.