A federal planning commission gave preliminary approval Thursday to Donald Trump's plan for a 250-foot arch near the Lincoln Memorial, moving the controversial project forward despite fierce public objection and unresolved questions about whether federal height restrictions apply.
The National Capital Planning Commission voted 8-2 to approve the preliminary site and building plans for the structure, which would occupy a traffic circle at the Virginia end of the Memorial Bridge. One commissioner voted against it, and three abstained.
The arch would tower more than twice the height of the Lincoln Memorial and approach half the Washington Monument's elevation. Staff analysts recommended approval while suggesting modifications to comply with the Height of Buildings Act, but commissioners, led by chair Will Scharf, deferred deciding whether that law actually binds the federal government on this project.
Scharf noted that the Interior Department, which oversees the federal land involved, had submitted legal analysis arguing the height law "is not binding on the federal government." The commission has historically applied the statute in its approval process, but that interpretation now appears contested.
Dozens of public speakers testified against the arch at Thursday's meeting. Critics raised concerns about its proximity to Arlington National Cemetery, its disruption of the symbolic sight line between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington that commemorates post-Civil War reunification, and questions about traffic safety and pedestrian access. Some argued the project requires congressional approval, a position Trump rejects.
The arch represents one of several Trump initiatives to reshape Washington's appearance. Simultaneous with the planning vote, construction continued on a $400 million ballroom at the White House, where crews have begun stripping paint from the north entrance columns.
Scharf said a final vote could occur at the commission's September meeting. The design already received approval in May from the US Commission of Fine Arts, a separate federal agency that weighed in first.
Trump initially suggested the arch could be funded through corporate donations and private fundraising, but the White House has acknowledged some public money will support both the ballroom and the arch. A cost estimate for the arch has not been released.
Author James Rodriguez: "This vote shows how Trump's reshaping of the capital's skyline is moving ahead despite real architectural and symbolic concerns, and the height law question is far from settled."
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