1 2 _____ 3 Councilmember Trayon White Sr. 4 5 6 A RESOLUTION 7 _____________ 8 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 9 __________________ 10 11 To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to amend the Business 12 Improvement Districts Act of 1996 to permit the Mayor to approve a petition by the 13 Anacostia BID to expand its geographic area to include exempt real property owners. 14 15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 16 act may be cited as the “Anacostia Business Improvement District Emergency Declaration 17 Resolution of 2024”. 18 Sec. 2. (a) The Anacostia BID was established in 2012 as a resource to support a 19 thriving, clean and safe commercial district in the great Ward 8. 20 (b) Since its establishment, the BID has done a remarkable job to lead, enhance, 21 inspire and engage in smart growth and equitable development efforts that 22 revitalize and create an inclusive, thriving, sustainable, innovative and vibrant heart of the Ward 23 8 community. 24 (c) As the BID’s vision statement reads, the BID works in a collaborative as 25 opposed to competitive environment. 26 (d) As such, the BID currently counts as members two tax-exempt properties: 27 The 11th Street Bridge Park and the Barry Farms development. 28 (e) These tax-exempt properties are critical, government-supported projects, 29 which would benefit from receiving the BID’s services. 30 (f) However, the Business Improvement Districts Act of 1996 (Act) does not 31 permit the BID to expand its geographic area to include tax-exempt properties. 32 (g) Therefore, these properties cannot receive the direct benefit of the BID’s 33 services, including the installation of planter boxes, removal of weeds and high grass, 34 destination marketing, cleanliness services, incorporation into the Arts and Culture District, and 35 more. 36 (h) It is necessary to amend the Act to permit the BID to petition the Mayor to 37 include these properties in its geographic area so that the properties can receive services from 38 the BID. 39 Sec. 3. The Council determines that the circumstances enumerated in Section 2 40 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Anacostia Business 41 Improvement District Emergency Amendment Act of 2024 be adopted after a single reading. 42 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. 43