The National Capital Planning Commission gives preliminary approval to President Donald Trump’s 250-foot triumphal arch after an 8-1 vote, advancing the project while postponing a final decision to a later meeting.Commission staff had recommended lowering mezzanine and observation levels to comply with the Height of Buildings Act, but Chairman William Scharf, a Trump appointee, overruled staff advice and pushed the plan forward.Preservationists, architects, veterans and relatives of those buried at Arlington National Cemetery say the arch would obstruct the sightline to the Lincoln Memorial, generate construction noise that could disturb burials and dominate the National Mall.The proposal carries an estimated $1B cost and would be privately funded by
Donald Trump, while the Federal Aviation Administration will conduct an aeronautical study and
Congress may need to authorize any height exception.