SharePrinter-friendly versionSend by emailA TitleA TitleA Title A A A Ellen M. McCarthy* TabsetOverview Education Harvard University, MCP, (Department of City and Regional Planning), 1974 University of Maryland, BA, (Phi Beta Kappa, with high honors), 1972 Ellen M. McCarthy*Director of Planning and Land UseWashington, DC T 202.857.6455 E ellen.mccarthy@arentfox.com Download vCard Ellen McCarthy is the director of planning and land use for the firm. She has more than 35 years of experience in the planning field, with a focus on zoning, neighborhood planning, and historic preservation. Ellen feels that her past work in both the public and private sectors has provided insight into the needs of each side, and allows her to assist clients in designing projects and entitlement requests from the outset to increase the likelihood of efficient approvals, with minimal need for redesign, lengthy hearings and community conflict. She advises clients in all aspects of zoning and development review before the DC Zoning Commission, the Historic Preservation Review Board and the Board of Zoning Adjustment, including planned unit developments, re-zonings, variances, and special exceptions. She also assists clients with processes such as street and alley closings, antennas, roof structure reviews, downtown development district compliance and transfers of development rights, as well as federal land use, preservation, and environmental reviews. *Ellen is not a member of the legal profession. Previous Work Previously, Ellen was the director of planning and land use for a large US law firm. Prior to that, she served as the director of the District of Columbia Office of Planning, where she managed a 65-person team in providing a wide range of services for District of Columbia citizens. Her projects included completing the preparation and obtaining unanimous city council adoption of the first new Comprehensive Plan in 20 years, the re-engineering of the development review function, and the crafting of a strategy to revitalize dilapidated affordable housing projects into lively, mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhoods while retaining existing low-income residents. She also directed the integration of the Historic Preservation Office into the Office of Planning from the permitting department, revamping its financial accountability system, and oversaw planning efforts for the Anacostia Transit Station Area, Northeast Gateway, Shaw/Convention Center Area, NoMA, and Georgia Avenue, along with completion of new zoning for the Anacostia waterfront district, Mt. Vernon Triangle, H Street, and numerous large development projects. Professional Activities Ellen has been involved in several civic and professional organizations. She currently serves on the board of directors of Cultural Tourism DC, an umbrella organization of more than 200 arts and cultural organizations as well as many embassies. She also serves on the Zoning Revision Task Force, advising the Office of Planning on its ongoing total overhaul of the DC Zoning Regulations, and is co-facilitator of the Working Group on the Built Environment for the Mayor’s City-Wide Sustainability Initiative. She is a member of the Local Advisory Council of the Washington office of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). In addition, she co-chairs the Task Force on Public Policy and Regulatory Reform for the Washington effort of the Urban Land Institute’s Terwilliger Workforce Housing Initiative. Ellen served on the boards of directors of the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (low-income housing finance organization) the Housing Council of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, the DC Preservation League, and the Washington Architectural Foundation, as well as the Board of Trustees of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, and she was active in the Citizens Planning Coalition. She was elected president of the National Capital Area Chapter, American Planning Association, and co-chair of the Coalition for a Living Downtown. She also currently serves on the Steering Committee of Ward 3 Vision, a local organization organized to advocate for smart growth in upper northwest, DC. Publications, Presentations and Recognitions “Revitalizing Downtown DC,” Real Estate Review. Winter, 2009 “Center Cities,” Land Use in Transition, co-written with Richard H. Bradley and Gayle L. Berens “The Management and Organization of Ridesharing Programs,” Transportation Research Board Special Report, co-written with Richard Bradley, 1985 “The Role of Transit in Creating Livable Metropolitan Communities,” National Academy Press, l997 “Integration of Paratransit with Conventional Transit Systems,” Information Bulletin, The Urban Consortium, Public Technology, Inc. “Institutional Framework for Integrated Transportation Planning,” Information Bulletin, The Urban Consortium, Public Technology, Inc. “Transportation Planning and Impact Forecasting Tools,” Information Bulletin, The Urban Consortium, Public Technology, Inc. Manual for Planning and Implementing Priority Treatments for High-Occupancy Vehicles, co-written with Gary Hebert, Urban Consortium, Public Technology, Inc. For the American Public Transit Association: “An Analysis of the US Department of Transportation's National Transportation Policy,” 1975 For the World Congress on Transport Research for Social and Economic Progress: “A New Role of Transportation System Managers: Public Entrepreneurs,” Proceedings, World Congress on Transport Research for Social and Economic Progress, 1980 ULI Conference on Anchor Institutions as Catalysts for Urban Reinvestment – “Win-Win Approaches to University Development: a George Washington University Case Study ULI District Council Presenter – Urban Marketplace Conference Organizer – Session on Economic Development for Land Use Leadership Institute Society for College and University Planning – “A Case Study of the George Washington University Campus Plan Process” DC Building Industry Association “Repositioning Older Assets – Cost Effective Approaches to Adding Value” “Development Activity East of the River” “Trends in Retail” Bisnow – Moderator on panel on real estate issues Lectured for Classes at GU Law School, GU, GWU Real Estate Program, U MD Real Estate Program Cincinnati Town Hall Meeting – Presentation on the DC Comprehensive Plan Process National Building Museum – presentations for various programs including a forum on planning commissions and a session on Comprehensive Planning in the US Numerous presentations to smaller groups including the League of Women Voters, various community organizations, Leadership Washington, a private equity fund and others. Ellen has been recognized with an Entrepreneurial American Leadership Award by the Partners for Livable Communities, a national organization which promotes healthy, vibrant cities and towns; an Outstanding Performance Award from the US Department of Transportation; a Chapter Service Award from the National Capital Area Chapter of the American Planning Association; and was awarded a Fannie Mae Housing Fellowship to attend the John F. Kennedy School Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University. Life Beyond the Law Ellen is an active volunteer in community efforts, and enjoys biking with her husband, reading, gardening, and knitting. She especially enjoys visiting her two children at college. Newsroom Date Type Title 5 / 25 / 2012 Alert Arent Fox’s Director of Planning and Land Use, Ellen McCarthy, Interviewed in The Washington Post Discussing District’s Population Growth 10 / 10 / 2011 Media Mention Arent Fox Director of Planning & Land Use Ellen M. McCarthy discusses future of RFK Stadium with The Washington Post 4 / 4 / 2011 Event Richard Newman and Ellen McCarthy to Speak at the Urban Land Institute Policy and Practice Forum 3 / 24 / 2011 Event Ellen McCarthy and Kinley Bray to Present at DCBIA's "Repositioning Older Assets: Strategies That Add Value" 6 / 21 / 2010 Alert Arent Fox Secures Victory After Five-Year Struggle to Preserve Washington DC's Historic Tabard Inn 5 / 23 / 2010 Event International Council of Shopping Centers Spring Convention 12 / 10 / 2009 Event Fellows for Urban Land Institute's, Rose Center for Public Leadership in Land Use 12 / 7 / 2009 Event DCBIA Holiday Cheer reception 12 / 7 / 2009 Event Entrepreneurial Leadership Award 12 / 7 / 2009 Press Release Arent Fox’s Ellen McCarthy Honored by Partners for Livable Communities
