President Donald Trump’s plan to build a huge arch near Arlington National Cemetery was up for review Thursday and was met by protests.
The National Capital Planning Commission will evaluate the plan to build a 250-foot structure at Memorial Circle, intended to inspire patriotism.
A mini model of the proposed arch stood on a table as speakers made fiery comments about the project.
“I am horrified by how quickly the arch project is moving through the approval process in spite of strong public opposition and compelling reasons for halting this plan,” one woman said.
Outside the commission on 9th Street NW, protesters held signs reading “No arch” and simply “No!”
They said money to build the structure could be used for more pressing purposes.
The planning commission requested new details on the project, including information on the height of the project and whether it violates the federal Height of Buildings Act, which usually does not allow D.C. buildings to be built over 160 feet tall.
The commission’s chair, Will Scharf, who was appointed to the commission by Trump, pushed back against references to the height act, saying other structures, including the National Archives building, have been allowed to be built over the 160-foot limit.
“I believe, speaking personally, that the best reading of the law is that the Height of Buildings Act is not applicable to federal construction,” he said.
The Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing whether the arch poses a flight-path hazard, as the structure would be only about two miles from busy Reagan National Airport.
There also are questions about whether the arch would block views between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.
The commission said a final determination on potentially approving the arch will happen at a later date, which has not been set.
The Commission of Fine Arts already granted approval for the project after Trump made some modest design changes.
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