District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B25-1035 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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11	11	November 8, 2024
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13	13	Nyasha Smith
14	14	Secretary to the Council
15	15	Council of the District of Columbia
16	16	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
17	17	Washington, D.C. 20004
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19	19	Dear Secretary Smith:
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21	21	Today, I am introducing the “Department of Parks and Recreation Field Priority Access Amendment
22	22	Act of 2024”. Please find enclosed a signed copy of the legislation.
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24	24	The District has one of the most active and robust youth recreational sporting communities in the
25	25	country. With it comes the ever-increasing challenge of field space and scheduling. Both the
26	26	Department of Parks and Recreation (“DPR”) and District of Columbia Public Schools (“DCPS”) have
27	27	field space that are in high demand when available, and often in competition with different age
28	28	groups as well as more selective, competitive teams across a wide range of sports.
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30	30	One need only spend a few hours on a warm weeknight or weekend at The Fields at RFK to
31	31	understand the immense and impressive demand for those fields and to see the challenge
32	32	confronting the District. Multiple teams will divide up a single soccer field to ensure every kid gets
33	33	some exercise and learn more about being part of a team, but that ends up being a substandard
34	34	experience for the children. As a result, many sports leagues lose District families who opt to go to
35	35	Maryland or Virginia, where field space is not an issue and there are fewer cancelled games or lost
36	36	opportunities to reschedule following a rainout.
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38	38	This bill is aimed at protecting and growing the youth sports leagues that serve all kids across the
39	39	District. First, the bill grants priority access during peak youth sports times for both practice and
40	40	games on DPR fields. Second, it creates a rubric in which DCPS school fields are made available
41	41	without creating an undue burden on school staff or putting at risk the use of those fields for school
42	42	teams and school events. Third, it puts in place protections to ensure these leagues are responsible
43	43	for maintaining the safety and quality of the fields and leaving them in as good shape as they are
44	44	found. Currently, DCPS fields are rarely made available to sports leagues without paying a significant
45	45	fee to use them on the weekends.
46	46	For sports leagues seeking access to either a DPR or DCPS field, priority access would be granted to
47	47	leagues that undergo the process of becoming a certified community-based youth sports
48	48	organization with DPR. To qualify, a sports league would need to guarantee it does not restrict
49	49	participation based on ability and that there is a process for ensuring low-income residents can play.
50	50	The organization would need to meet several administrative requirements to ensure compliance
51	51	with DCPS schools’ needs and re-certify regularly. Ensuring the cleanliness and security of the fields
52	52	would be a key part of retaining the permit.
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54	54	Granting these community-based organizations priority access to DPR and DCPS outdoor sports
55	55	fields is a straightforward and impactful way to invest in their futures and provide opportunities to
56	56	keep them engaged. It also recognizes in a dense city like ours, there is only so much room to build
57	57	more fields, and we should look to get the most out the fields the District already maintains.
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60	60	Sincerely,
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64	64	Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6
65	65	Chairperson, Committee on Transportation & the Environment
66	66	1
67	67	______________________________ 1
68	68	Councilmember Charles Allen 2
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72	72	A BILL 6
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74	74	________ 8
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77	77	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 11
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79	79	_________________ 13
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82	82	To amend An Act To vest in the Commissioners of the District of Columbia control of street 16
83	83	parking in said District to require the Department of Parks and Recreation to establish a 17
84	84	program with the District of Columbia Public Schools for use of DCPS outdoor fields by 18
85	85	certified, community-based youth sports organizations; to amend the Division of Park 19
86	86	Services Act of 1988 to require the Department of Parks and Recreation to create a new 20
87	87	permit program for outdoor field use by certified community-based youth sports 21
88	88	organizations in the District and lay out the requirements for the program; to amend the 22
89	89	Ensuring Community Access to Recreational Spaces Act of 2018 to reorder the priority 23
90	90	level of permitted uses for recreational spaces and make conforming changes; and to amend 24
91	91	Section 717.2 of Title 19 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to make 25
92	92	conforming changes. 26
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94	94	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 28
95	95	act may be cited as the “Department of Parks and Recreation Field Priority Access Amendment 29
96	96	Act of 2024”. 30
97	97	Sec. 2. Section 6a of An Act To vest in the Commissioners of the District of Columbia 31
98	98	control of street parking in said District, effective July 1, 1898 (30 Stat. 570; D.C. Official Code § 32
99	99	10–137.01) is amended by adding a new subsection (d-1) to read as follows: 33
100	100	“(d-1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director of the Department shall 34
101	101	establish a program in partnership with the District of Columbia Public Schools (“DCPS”) to allow 35
102	102	for the use of DCPS outdoor athletic and recreational fields in every ward on evenings and 36
103	103	weekends, outside of the hours in which the fields are in active use by schools or the Department.”. 37
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105	105	Sec. 3. The Division of Park Services Act of 1988, effective March 16, 1988 (D.C. Law 7-38
106	106	209; D.C. Official Code § 10-166 et seq.) is amended by adding a new section 2b to read as follows: 39
107	107	“Sec. 2b. Certified community-based youth sports organizations. 40
108	108	“(a) The Department of Parks and Recreation (“Department”) shall establish a Certified 41
109	109	Community-Based Youth Sports Organization program for the issuance of outdoor field permits, 42
110	110	which shall be determined and certified by the Department. 43
111	111	“(b) A certified community-based youth sports organization seeking a permit under this 44
112	112	program shall: 45
113	113	“(1) Be a District-registered non-profit organization that is tax exempt under 26 46
114	114	U.S.C. § 501(c)(3), (4), or (6); 47
115	115	“(2) Serve at least 100% of youth under the age of 19, 75% of which are District 48
116	116	residents; 49
117	117	“(3) Not restrict participation based on ability; 50
118	118	“(4) Have a documented process to waive organization fees and uniform costs for 51
119	119	low-income families; 52
120	120	“(5) Have at least 75% of its leadership team, board of directors, or similar 53
121	121	governing body maintain a primary residence within the District; and 54
122	122	“(6) Have and maintain accident and general liability insurance. 55
123	123	“(c) Certified community-based youth sports organizations shall receive the same priority 56
124	124	when rescheduling following a weather-related cancellation as they would be allowed during the 57
125	125	initial permit application. 58
126	126	“(d) The Department shall make available to certified community-based youth sports 59
127	127	organizations any necessary lighting and be responsible for the operation of field lighting as 60
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129	129	necessary at District parks and recreational fields and DCPS athletic and recreational fields during 61
130	130	the following windows each week during a season at the same rate for non-profit entities: 62
131	131	“(1) For District parks and recreational fields, Monday through Friday from 4:00 63
132	132	p.m. to 9:00 p.m., or for a DCPS school during afterschool programs Monday through Friday from 64
133	133	6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and 65
134	134	“(2) Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 66
135	135	“(e)(1) DCPS may provide access to bathroom or locker room facilities or security services. 67
136	136	“(2) Certified community-based youth sports organizations shall: 68
137	137	“(A) Be responsible for the cleanup and disposal of all trash or debris related 69
138	138	to their activities; and 70
139	139	“(B) Leave the athletic and recreational field secured as requested by the 71
140	140	Department or DCPS. 72
141	141	“(3) DCPS shall not pass on associated costs for staffing, custodial, or security 73
142	142	services to certified community-based youth sports organizations. 74
143	143	“(f) DCPS may cancel any permitted activity with 30 days’ notice to the community-based 75
144	144	youth sports organization that conflicts with a DCPS activity on or at the outdoor athletic and 76
145	145	recreational field. 77
146	146	“(g) The Department may suspend or revoke the certification of a community-based youth 78
147	147	sports organization if: 79
148	148	“(1) More than 25% of the permits accepted are not used in a given sports season, 80
149	149	excluding postponements due to weather or unforeseen circumstances outside of the control of the 81
150	150	certified community-based youth sports organization; 82
151	151	“(2) Any permit is transferred to or used by any other entity without the written 83
152	152	consent of the Department; 84
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154	154	“(3) For a DCPS school permit, any violation of specific agreements relating to 85
155	155	cleanup, trash disposal, and securing the field after use; or 86
156	156	“(4) The certified community-based youth sports organization fails to remain in 87
157	157	good standing with the Department or meet other requirements that may be set by the Department, 88
158	158	DCPS, or other District agencies. 89
159	159	“(h) The Department shall require a certified community-based youth sports organization 90
160	160	to re-apply for certification annually.”. 91
161	161	Sec. 4. Section 3 of the Ensuring Community Access to Recreational Spaces Act of 2018, 92
162	162	effective February 22, 2019 (D.C. Law 22-210; D.C. Official Code § 38-431 et seq.), is amended 93
163	163	as follows: 94
164	164	(a) Subsection (a) is amended to read as follows: 95
165	165	“(a) School facilities shall be used according to the following order of priority: 96
166	166	“(1) Use of the school facility by the public school where the school facility is 97
167	167	located; 98
168	168	“(2) Use of the school facility by DCPS; 99
169	169	“(3) Community use at times designated by the Mayor; and 100
170	170	“(4) Use of the school facility by permit holders, including permits issued by the 101
171	171	Department of Parks and Recreation. 102
172	172	(b) Subsection (b)(2) is amended by adding a new subparagraph (B-i) to read as follows: 103
173	173	“(B-i) Certified community-based youth sports organizations;”. 104
174	174	(c) Subsection (c) is amended by striking the phrase “school facility” and inserting the 105
175	175	phrase “school facility, except that custodial or security fees shall not be charged for the use of a 106
176	176	field” in its place. 107
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178	178	Sec. 5. Section 717.2 of Title 19 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations is 108
179	179	amended to read as follows: 109
180	180	“If more than one (1) applicant is seeking a permit for the same permitted use or equipment 110
181	181	at the same time, the Department shall establish the following priority: 111
182	182	“(a) Department-sponsored activities; 112
183	183	“(b) Athletic programs organized by DCPS, District public charter schools, or the 113
184	184	DCSAA for competitive league play and not for intramurals; 114
185	185	“(c) Certified community-based youth sports organizations as recognized by the 115
186	186	Department and youth non-profit organizations, including schools, principally serving District 116
187	187	residents; 117
188	188	“(d) Non-profit partners such as Programmatic Partners, Park Partners, and 118
189	189	Collaborative Partners or designated organizations recognized by the Department in a written 119
190	190	agreement; 120
191	191	“(e) Adult non-profit organizations principally serving District residents; 121
192	192	“(f) Other organizations, groups, or individuals for private use that are based in the 122
193	193	District; and then 123
194	194	“(g) Others.”. 124
195	195	Sec. 6. Fiscal impact statement. 125
196	196	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact 126
197	197	statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 127
198	198	October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 128
199	199	Sec. 7. Effective date. 129
200	200	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 130
201	201	Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 131
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203	203	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 132
204	204	1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 133
205	205	Columbia Register. 134