District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill B26-0161 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
2	2	The John A. Wilson Building
3	3	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
4	4	Washington, D.C. 20004
5	5	1
6	6	Statement of Introduction
7	7	Planning Actively for Recreational upKeep so Neighborhood Resources Elevate
8	8	Communities (PARKSNREC) Amendment Act of 2025
9	9
10	10	February 28, 2025
11	11	Today I am proud to introduce the Planning Actively for Recreational upKeep so Neighborhood
12	12	Resources Elevate Communities (PARKSNREC) Amendment Act of 2025, along with
13	13	Councilmembers Brooke Pinto, Robert C. White, Jr., and Wendell Felder. This legislation would
14	14	require the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to provide transparency and predictability
15	15	in the agency’s capital improvement plan (CIP). Like the Planning Actively for Comprehensive
16	16	Education Facilities Amendment Act of 2016, which governs the District of Columbia Public
17	17	Schools CIP, the PARKSNREC Act will provide stability to District communities by requiring
18	18	the Mayor to include investments according to facility need and expected community growth,
19	19	provide full-funding cost estimates for projects, and fund projects throughout the 6-year CIP.
20	20	DPR operates and manages 14 indoor aquatic centers, 23 outdoor pools, 4 children’s pools, and
21	21	34 splash parks. It has over 100 playgrounds and over 200 small parks that vary in size. Many of
22	22	these community assets are significantly underutilized because they require repair and
23	23	refurbishment and often do not include features and activities that allow residents and children
24	24	with disabilities to fully participate. Current practice for directing capital investments is not
25	25	based on a standard that predictably prioritizes need among recreation facilities, and information
26	26	about the location, type, and availability of inclusive playgrounds is minimal. The PARKSNREC
27	27	Amendment Act seeks to address these issues.
28	28	This legislation will complement DPR’s Ready2Play Master Plan, which DPR initiated in 2020
29	29	to provide guidance on creating a unified District park system, promote climate-resilient and
30	30	environmentally sustainable parks and recreational facilities, improve DPR’s programs, and
31	31	facilitate customer care that is transparent and responsive to residents’ needs. Ready2Play’s
32	32	strategic goals include creating an ADA transition plan that prioritizes sites for future ADA
33	33	compliance work on a five-year cycle, aligning with updates to the Master Plan. However, it
34	34	does not fully address the need for recreational facilities to meet other federal accessibility
35	35	standards, such as those outlined in the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 and Sections 504 and
36	36	508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
37	37	The PARKSNREC Amendment Act of 2025 will improve transparency, predictability, and
38	38	accountability for DPR facilities by:
39	39	Christina Henderson Committee Member
40	40	Councilmember, At-Large Human Services
41	41	Chairperson, Committee on Health Facilities
42	42	Transportation and the Environment COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
43	43	The John A. Wilson Building
44	44	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
45	45	Washington, D.C. 20004
46	46
47	47
48	48	2
49	49	• Requiring DPR to publish a real-time list of inclusive parks and playgrounds on their
50	50	website, and to notify residents in real time when these facilities are unavailable.
51	51	• Requiring DPR to develop a recreation facility CIP and submit it to the Mayor beginning
52	52	in 2027 for inclusion in the District’s CIP, to ensure that recreation facilities upkeep and
53	53	improvements are consistent with the DPR master facilities plan and the needs of the
54	54	community.
55	55	• Requiring DPR and the Department of General Services to annually survey recreational
56	56	facilities condition, develop standardized recreational designs for citywide
57	57	implementation.
58	58
59	59	I look forward to working with my colleagues and DPR to fully consider this legislation and
60	60	provide communities with recreation facilities that are timely renovated, reflective of community
61	61	need, and accessible to residents with disabilities. By establishing accessibility benchmarks and
62	62	improving equity and accessibility in the DPR CIP, we will vastly improve recreational facilities
63	63	and opportunities for all residents in the District of Columbia. 1
64	64	_____________________________ _____________________________ 1
65	65	Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Christina Henderson 2
66	66	3
67	67	4
68	68	_____________________________ _____________________________ 5
69	69	Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember Wendell Felder 6
70	70	7
71	71	8
72	72	9
73	73	A BILL 10
74	74	11
75	75	12
76	76	13
77	77	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 14
78	78	15
79	79	________________16
80	80	17
81	81	18
82	82	To amend An Act To vest in the Commissioners of the District of Columbia control of street 19
83	83	parking in said District to require the Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation 20
84	84	to notify residents in the event of the closure or removal of ADA-compliant and inclusive 21
85	85	playground and park infrastructure and to publish a list of ADA-compliant and inclusive 22
86	86	playgrounds and parks on the agency's website, to require the Department of Parks and 23
87	87	Recreation to adopt a multi-year Capital Improvement Plan and Budget in accordance 24
88	88	with the agency’s facilities planning document beginning in fiscal year 2027; and to 25
89	89	require the Department of General Services to develop a recreation facilities master plan 26
90	90	and specifications in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Recreation. 27
91	91	28
92	92	BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 29
93	93	act may be cited as the “Planning Actively for Recreational upKeep So Neighborhood Resources 30
94	94	Elevate Communities Amendment Act of 2025”. 31
95	95	Sec. 2. Section 6a of An Act To vest in the Commissioners of the District of Columbia 32
96	96	control of street parking in said District, approved July 1, 1898 (30 Stat. 570; D.C. Official Code 33
97	97	§ 10-137.01), is amended as follows:34
98	98	(a)New subsections (c)(3) and (c)(4) are added to read as follows:35 2
99	99	"(c)(3) The Department of Parks and Recreation (“DPR”) shall provide the public with 36
100	100	real-time information regarding the closure or removal of playground or park infrastructure 37
101	101	intended for residents with physical, sensory, cognitive, and other disabilities. 38
102	102	“(4) The Director shall publish a real-time list of inclusive and ADA-compliant 39
103	103	playgrounds and parks on DPR’s website, including the ward, address, description of the 40
104	104	playground, information or website links to sign up for the real-time updates required pursuant to 41
105	105	subsection (c)(4) of this section, and any other details the Director deems necessary.”. 42
106	106	(b)New subsections (f), (g), (h), and (i) are added to read as follows:43
107	107	"(f) Beginning in fiscal year 2027, the Director of the Department shall submit to the 44
108	108	Mayor for inclusion in the multiyear capital improvements plan required under section 444 of the 45
109	109	District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 800; D.C. Official 46
110	110	Code § 1-204.44), a recreation facility capital improvements plan (“recreation facility CIP”), 47
111	111	which shall include: 48
112	112	“(1) A description of DPR’s objectives to frame decisions within the recreation 49
113	113	facility CIP; provided, that these departmental objectives shall be revised each year to ensure 50
114	114	consistency with the DPR’s strategic plan, master facilities plan, recreation specifications, and 51
115	115	the needs of the community; 52
116	116	“(2) A description of the process and timeline used to develop the recreation 53
117	117	facility CIP, including community engagement; 54
118	118	“(3) A longitudinal and future analysis of neighborhood growth in areas 55
119	119	surrounding a facility, and the respective recreation facility capacity needs; 56
120	120	“(4) Recreation facility specific project recommendations on the timing and 57
121	121	funding for modernization of existing recreation facilities, new recreation facility construction, 58 3
122	122	and other recreation facility capital improvements planned for the next fiscal year and the 59
123	123	succeeding 5 fiscal years; 60
124	124	“(5) For each project identified pursuant to paragraph (4) of this subsection: 61
125	125	“(A) A description of the scope of work to be done, schedule of achieved 62
126	126	and projected major milestones, and an explanation for any delay in meeting projected 63
127	127	milestones; 64
128	128	“(B) A justification for the modernization, new construction, or other 65
129	129	capital improvements supported by a recreation specification, DPR’s facilities planning 66
130	130	document, neighborhood growth projections, facility condition assessment, and the assessment 67
131	131	of need for use as a recreation facility; 68
132	132	“(C) A full-funded cost estimate of improvements, except, that for projects 69
133	133	slated for modernization, new construction, or other capital improvements in years 4 through 6 of 70
134	134	the recreation facility CIP, it may include rough order of magnitude estimates of improvements 71
135	135	based on the required general design and longitudinal and future analysis completed pursuant to 72
136	136	paragraph (3) of this subsection; 73
137	137	“(D) A cost estimate of improvements planned for the next fiscal year and 74
138	138	the succeeding 5 fiscal years and a detailed explanation for any proposed increases over 10% 75
139	139	from the prior-year recreation facility CIP estimate; 76
140	140	“(E) The estimated cost of annual maintenance and operations of the 77
141	141	improved recreation facility; 78
142	142	“(F) The lifetime expenditure for the facility; 79
143	143	“(G) The name, address, and ward of each facility; 80
144	144	“(H) The type of recreation facility; 81 4
145	145	“(I) If the facility is not owned by DPR, a description of which agency and 82
146	146	jurisdiction has ownership; 83
147	147	“(J) A breakdown of project funding by agency and jurisdiction within the 84
148	148	proposed recreation facility CIP; 85
149	149	“(6) For capital improvement projects for small capital investments for which 86
150	150	funding is distributed to more than one facility, the recreation facility CIP shall include: 87
151	151	“(A) A proposed spend plan for the upcoming fiscal year, identifying 88
152	152	which recreation facilities will receive investments and the approximate value of investments; 89
153	153	“(B) A breakdown of the previous year’s expenditures for this project line 90
154	154	identifying recreation facilities that received investments, the value of the investments, and, if 91
155	155	spending deviated the previous year’s spend plan, an explanation as to why the investments did 92
156	156	not proceed as planned; and 93
157	157	“(C) If the facility is not owned by DPR, an explanation of which agency 94
158	158	and jurisdiction has ownership of the facility, the amount of money an agency or jurisdiction 95
159	159	provided for the project in the previous fiscal year, and has budgeted for the upcoming fiscal 96
160	160	year. 97
161	161	“(g) The Mayor shall submit the recreation facility CIP with funding for projects in all six 98
162	162	of the years for which the CIP covers to allow for adequate planning and community feedback. 99
163	163	“(h) For purposes of subsection (f) of this section, the term “recreation specification” 100
164	164	means a formal document or detailed description outlining the scope, objectives, design, 101
165	165	operational requirements, and cost estimates of recreational facilities and services and provided 102
166	166	offered by DPR which serves as the basis for budgeting, resource allocation, and compliance 103
167	167	with legal and community standards. 104 5
168	168	"(i) For the purposes of this section, the term “recreation facility” means all facilities 105
169	169	administered by DPR.”. 106
170	170	Sec. 3. The Department of General Services Establishment Act of 2011, effective 107
171	171	September 14, 2011 (D.C. Law 19-0021; D.C. Official Code § 10-551.01 et. seq.), is amended by 108
172	172	adding a new section 1031a to read as follows: 109
173	173	“Sec. 1031a. Recreation facilities master plan and specifications. 110
174	174	“(a) In collaboration with the Department of Parks and Recreation (“DPR”), the 111
175	175	Department shall conduct an annual survey to update information on the condition of each 112
176	176	recreational facilities administered by DPR, including whether each facility is compliant with the 113
177	177	Architectual Barriers Act of 1968, approved August 12, 1968 (82 Stat. 718; 42 U.S.C. § 4151 et 114
178	178	seq.), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, approved July 26, 1990 (104 Stat. 327; 42 115
179	179	U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1968 , approved September116
180	180	26, 1973 (87 Stat. 355; 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.). The survey results shall be disaggregated by 117
181	181	facility, made publicly available, and transmitted to the Council Secretary, to the Council 118
182	182	chairpersons with oversight jurisdiction over the Department and DPR, and the Office of the City 119
183	183	Administrator. 120
184	184	“(b)(1) Beginning on January 1, 2027, the Department shall, in collaboration with DPR, 121
185	185	develop recreation specifications for recreation facilities. 122
186	186	“(2) The recreation specifications shall include standardized designs for recreation 123
187	187	facilities, the number of which shall be determined by the Department. 124
188	188	“(c) Hearings for public comments and community feedback may be held at the 125
189	189	discretion of the Department and DPR. 126 6
190	190	“(d) The Department and DPR shall submit a document detailing the number and 127
191	191	description of the standardized designs developed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section to the 128
192	192	Council Secretary and to the Council chairpersons with oversight jurisdiction over the 129
193	193	Department and DPR by May 1, 2027. 130
194	194	“(e) For the purposes of this section, the term: 131
195	195	“(1) "Recreation facility” means all facilities administered by DPR. 132
196	196	“(2) “Recreation specification” means a formal document or detailed description 133
197	197	outlining the scope, objectives, design, operational requirements, and cost estimates of 134
198	198	recreational facilities and services and provided offered by DPR which serves as the basis for 135
199	199	budgeting, resource allocation, and compliance with legal and community standards.”. 136
200	200	Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement. 137
201	201	The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 138
202	202	impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 139
203	203	approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 140
204	204	Sec. 5. Effective date. 141
205	205	This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 142
206	206	Mayor, action by Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review as 143
207	207	provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 144
208	208	24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 145