November 8, 2024
Nyasha Smith
Secretary to the Council
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Dear Secretary Smith:
Today, I am introducing the “Department of Parks and Recreation Field Priority Access Amendment
Act of 2024”. Please find enclosed a signed copy of the legislation.
The District has one of the most active and robust youth recreational sporting communities in the
country. With it comes the ever-increasing challenge of field space and scheduling. Both the
Department of Parks and Recreation (“DPR”) and District of Columbia Public Schools (“DCPS”) have
field space that are in high demand when available, and often in competition with different age
groups as well as more selective, competitive teams across a wide range of sports.
One need only spend a few hours on a warm weeknight or weekend at The Fields at RFK to
understand the immense and impressive demand for those fields and to see the challenge
confronting the District. Multiple teams will divide up a single soccer field to ensure every kid gets
some exercise and learn more about being part of a team, but that ends up being a substandard
experience for the children. As a result, many sports leagues lose District families who opt to go to
Maryland or Virginia, where field space is not an issue and there are fewer cancelled games or lost
opportunities to reschedule following a rainout.
This bill is aimed at protecting and growing the youth sports leagues that serve all kids across the
District. First, the bill grants priority access during peak youth sports times for both practice and
games on DPR fields. Second, it creates a rubric in which DCPS school fields are made available
without creating an undue burden on school staff or putting at risk the use of those fields for school
teams and school events. Third, it puts in place protections to ensure these leagues are responsible
for maintaining the safety and quality of the fields and leaving them in as good shape as they are
found. Currently, DCPS fields are rarely made available to sports leagues without paying a significant
fee to use them on the weekends.
For sports leagues seeking access to either a DPR or DCPS field, priority access would be granted to
leagues that undergo the process of becoming a certified community-based youth sports
organization with DPR. To qualify, a sports league would need to guarantee it does not restrict
participation based on ability and that there is a process for ensuring low-income residents can play.
The organization would need to meet several administrative requirements to ensure compliance
with DCPS schools’ needs and re-certify regularly. Ensuring the cleanliness and security of the fields
would be a key part of retaining the permit.
Granting these community-based organizations priority access to DPR and DCPS outdoor sports
fields is a straightforward and impactful way to invest in their futures and provide opportunities to
keep them engaged. It also recognizes in a dense city like ours, there is only so much room to build
more fields, and we should look to get the most out the fields the District already maintains.
Sincerely,
Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6
Chairperson, Committee on Transportation & the Environment
1
______________________________ 1
Councilmember Charles Allen 2
3
4
5
A BILL 6
7
________ 8
9
10
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 11
12
_________________ 13
14
15
To amend An Act To vest in the Commissioners of the District of Columbia control of street 16
parking in said District to require the Department of Parks and Recreation to establish a 17
program with the District of Columbia Public Schools for use of DCPS outdoor fields by 18
certified, community-based youth sports organizations; to amend the Division of Park 19
Services Act of 1988 to require the Department of Parks and Recreation to create a new 20
permit program for outdoor field use by certified community-based youth sports 21
organizations in the District and lay out the requirements for the program; to amend the 22
Ensuring Community Access to Recreational Spaces Act of 2018 to reorder the priority 23
level of permitted uses for recreational spaces and make conforming changes; and to amend 24
Section 717.2 of Title 19 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to make 25
conforming changes. 26
27
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 28
act may be cited as the “Department of Parks and Recreation Field Priority Access Amendment 29
Act of 2024”. 30
Sec. 2. Section 6a of An Act To vest in the Commissioners of the District of Columbia 31
control of street parking in said District, effective July 1, 1898 (30 Stat. 570; D.C. Official Code § 32
10–137.01) is amended by adding a new subsection (d-1) to read as follows: 33
“(d-1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director of the Department shall 34
establish a program in partnership with the District of Columbia Public Schools (“DCPS”) to allow 35
for the use of DCPS outdoor athletic and recreational fields in every ward on evenings and 36
weekends, outside of the hours in which the fields are in active use by schools or the Department.”. 37
2
Sec. 3. The Division of Park Services Act of 1988, effective March 16, 1988 (D.C. Law 7-38
209; D.C. Official Code § 10-166 et seq.) is amended by adding a new section 2b to read as follows: 39
“Sec. 2b. Certified community-based youth sports organizations. 40
“(a) The Department of Parks and Recreation (“Department”) shall establish a Certified 41
Community-Based Youth Sports Organization program for the issuance of outdoor field permits, 42
which shall be determined and certified by the Department. 43
“(b) A certified community-based youth sports organization seeking a permit under this 44
program shall: 45
“(1) Be a District-registered non-profit organization that is tax exempt under 26 46
U.S.C. § 501(c)(3), (4), or (6); 47
“(2) Serve at least 100% of youth under the age of 19, 75% of which are District 48
residents; 49
“(3) Not restrict participation based on ability; 50
“(4) Have a documented process to waive organization fees and uniform costs for 51
low-income families; 52
“(5) Have at least 75% of its leadership team, board of directors, or similar 53
governing body maintain a primary residence within the District; and 54
“(6) Have and maintain accident and general liability insurance. 55
“(c) Certified community-based youth sports organizations shall receive the same priority 56
when rescheduling following a weather-related cancellation as they would be allowed during the 57
initial permit application. 58
“(d) The Department shall make available to certified community-based youth sports 59
organizations any necessary lighting and be responsible for the operation of field lighting as 60
3
necessary at District parks and recreational fields and DCPS athletic and recreational fields during 61
the following windows each week during a season at the same rate for non-profit entities: 62
“(1) For District parks and recreational fields, Monday through Friday from 4:00 63
p.m. to 9:00 p.m., or for a DCPS school during afterschool programs Monday through Friday from 64
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and 65
“(2) Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 66
“(e)(1) DCPS may provide access to bathroom or locker room facilities or security services. 67
“(2) Certified community-based youth sports organizations shall: 68
“(A) Be responsible for the cleanup and disposal of all trash or debris related 69
to their activities; and 70
“(B) Leave the athletic and recreational field secured as requested by the 71
Department or DCPS. 72
“(3) DCPS shall not pass on associated costs for staffing, custodial, or security 73
services to certified community-based youth sports organizations. 74
“(f) DCPS may cancel any permitted activity with 30 days’ notice to the community-based 75
youth sports organization that conflicts with a DCPS activity on or at the outdoor athletic and 76
recreational field. 77
“(g) The Department may suspend or revoke the certification of a community-based youth 78
sports organization if: 79
“(1) More than 25% of the permits accepted are not used in a given sports season, 80
excluding postponements due to weather or unforeseen circumstances outside of the control of the 81
certified community-based youth sports organization; 82
“(2) Any permit is transferred to or used by any other entity without the written 83
consent of the Department; 84
4
“(3) For a DCPS school permit, any violation of specific agreements relating to 85
cleanup, trash disposal, and securing the field after use; or 86
“(4) The certified community-based youth sports organization fails to remain in 87
good standing with the Department or meet other requirements that may be set by the Department, 88
DCPS, or other District agencies. 89
“(h) The Department shall require a certified community-based youth sports organization 90
to re-apply for certification annually.”. 91
Sec. 4. Section 3 of the Ensuring Community Access to Recreational Spaces Act of 2018, 92
effective February 22, 2019 (D.C. Law 22-210; D.C. Official Code § 38-431 et seq.), is amended 93
as follows: 94
(a) Subsection (a) is amended to read as follows: 95
“(a) School facilities shall be used according to the following order of priority: 96
“(1) Use of the school facility by the public school where the school facility is 97
located; 98
“(2) Use of the school facility by DCPS; 99
“(3) Community use at times designated by the Mayor; and 100
“(4) Use of the school facility by permit holders, including permits issued by the 101
Department of Parks and Recreation. 102
(b) Subsection (b)(2) is amended by adding a new subparagraph (B-i) to read as follows: 103
“(B-i) Certified community-based youth sports organizations;”. 104
(c) Subsection (c) is amended by striking the phrase “school facility” and inserting the 105
phrase “school facility, except that custodial or security fees shall not be charged for the use of a 106
field” in its place. 107
5
Sec. 5. Section 717.2 of Title 19 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations is 108
amended to read as follows: 109
“If more than one (1) applicant is seeking a permit for the same permitted use or equipment 110
at the same time, the Department shall establish the following priority: 111
“(a) Department-sponsored activities; 112
“(b) Athletic programs organized by DCPS, District public charter schools, or the 113
DCSAA for competitive league play and not for intramurals; 114
“(c) Certified community-based youth sports organizations as recognized by the 115
Department and youth non-profit organizations, including schools, principally serving District 116
residents; 117
“(d) Non-profit partners such as Programmatic Partners, Park Partners, and 118
Collaborative Partners or designated organizations recognized by the Department in a written 119
agreement; 120
“(e) Adult non-profit organizations principally serving District residents; 121
“(f) Other organizations, groups, or individuals for private use that are based in the 122
District; and then 123
“(g) Others.”. 124
Sec. 6. Fiscal impact statement. 125
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact 126
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 127
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 128
Sec. 7. Effective date. 129
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 130
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 131
6
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 132
1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 133
Columbia Register. 134