Department of Parks and Recreation Field Priority Access Amendment Act of 2025

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February 3, 2025

Nyasha Howard
Secretary to the Council
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004

Dear Secretary Howard:

Today, alongside Councilmembers Brianne K. Nadeau, Zachary Parker, Brooke Pinto, and Robert C.
White, Jr., I am introducing the “Department of Parks and Recreation Field Priority Access
Amendment Act of 2025”. Please find enclosed a signed copy of the legislation.

The District has one of the most active and robust youth recreational sporting communit ies in the
country. With it comes the ever -increasing challenge of field space and scheduling . B oth 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, i t 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
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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 the se 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.

Please feel free to reach out to me or my Legislative Director, Antonio Nunes, with any questions or
for additional information.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6
Chairperson, Committee on Transportation & the Environment

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___________________________ ______________________________ 1
Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Charles Allen 2
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Councilmember Zachary Parker Councilmember Brooke Pinto 6
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Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 10
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A BILL 12
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 17
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To amend An Act To vest in the Commissioners of the District of Columbia control of street 22
parking in said District to require the Department of Parks and Recreation to establish a 23
program with the District of Columbia Public Schools for use of DCPS outdoor fields by 24
certified, community-based youth sports organizations ; to amend t he Division of Park 25
Services Act of 1988 to require the Department of Parks and Recreation to create a new 26
permit program for outdoor field use by certified community -based youth sports 27
organizations in the District and lay out the requirements for the program ; to amend the 28
Ensuring Community Access to Recreational Spaces Act of 2018 to reorder the priority 29
level of permitted uses for recreational spaces and make conforming changes; and to amend 30
Section 717.2 of Title 19 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to make 31
conforming changes. 32
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 34
act may be cited as the “Department of Parks and Recreation Field Priority Access Amendment 35
Act of 2025”. 36
Sec. 2. Section 6a of An Act To vest in the Commissioners of the District of Columbia 37
control of street parking in said District, effective July 1, 1898 (30 Stat. 570; D.C. Official Code § 38
10–137.01) is amended by adding a new subsection (d-1) to read as follows: 39
“(d-1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director of the Department shall 40
establish a program in partnership with the District of Columbia Public Schools (“DCPS”) to allow 41

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for the use of DCPS outdoor athletic and recreational fields in every ward on evenings and 42
weekends, outside of the hours in which the fields are in active use by schools or the Department.”. 43
Sec. 3. The Division of Park Services Act of 1988, effective March 16, 1988 (D.C. Law 7-44
209; D.C. Official Code § 10-166 et seq.) is amended by adding a new section 2b to read as follows: 45
“Sec. 2b. Certified community-based youth sports organizations. 46
“(a) The Department of Parks and Recreation (“Department”) shall establish a Certified 47
Community-Based Youth Sports Organization program for the issuance of outdoor field permits, 48
which shall be determined and certified by the Department. 49
“(b) A certified community -based youth sports organization seeking a permit under this 50
program shall: 51
“(1) Be a District -registered non-profit organization that is tax exempt under 26 52
U.S.C. § 501(c)(3), (4), or (6); 53
“(2) Serve at least 100% of youth under the age of 19, 75% of which are District 54
residents; 55
“(3) Not restrict participation based on ability; 56
“(4) Have a documented process to waive organization fees and uniform costs for 57
low-income families; 58
“(5) Have at least 75% of its leadership team, board of directors, or similar 59
governing body maintain a primary residence within the District; and 60
“(6) Have and maintain accident and general liability insurance. 61
“(c) Certified community-based youth sports organizations shall receive the same priority 62
when rescheduling following a weather-related cancellation as they would be allowed during the 63
initial permit application. 64

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“(d) The Department shall make available to certified community -based youth sports 65
organizations any necessary lighting and be responsible for the operation of field lighting as 66
necessary at District parks and recreational fields and DCPS athletic and recreational fields during 67
the following windows each week during a season at the same rate for non-profit entities: 68
“(1) For District parks and recreational fields, Monday through Friday from 4:00 69
p.m. to 9:00 p.m., or for a DCPS school during afterschool programs Monday through Friday from 70
6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and 71
“(2) Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 72
“(e)(1) DCPS may provide access to bathroom or locker room facilities or security services. 73
“(2) Certified community-based youth sports organizations shall: 74
“(A) Be responsible for the cleanup and disposal of all trash or debris related 75
to their activities; and 76
“(B) Leave the athletic and recreational field secured as requested by the 77
Department or DCPS. 78
“(3) DCPS shall not pass on associated costs for staffing, custodial, or security 79
services to certified community-based youth sports organizations. 80
“(f) DCPS may cancel any permitted activity with 30 days’ notice to the community-based 81
youth sports organization that conflicts with a DCPS activity on or at the outdoor athletic and 82
recreational field. 83
“(g) The Department may suspend or revoke the certification of a community-based youth 84
sports organization if: 85
“(1) More than 25% of the permits accepted are not used in a given sports season, 86
excluding postponements due to weather or unforeseen circumstances outside of the control of the 87
certified community-based youth sports organization; 88

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“(2) Any permit is transferred to or used by any other entity without the written 89
consent of the Department; 90
“(3) For a DCPS school permit, any violation of specific agreements relating to 91
cleanup, trash disposal, and securing the field after use; or 92
“(4) The certified community -based youth sports organization fails to remain in 93
good standing with the Department or meet other requirements that may be set by the Department, 94
DCPS, or other District agencies. 95
“(h) The Department shall require a certified community -based youth sports organization 96
to re-apply for certification annually.”. 97
Sec. 4. Section 3 of the Ensuring Community Access to Recreational Spaces Act of 2018, 98
effective February 22, 2019 (D.C. Law 22-210; D.C. Official Code § 38-431 et seq.), is amended 99
as follows: 100
(a) Subsection (a) is amended to read as follows: 101
“(a) School facilities shall be used according to the following order of priority: 102
“(1) Use of the school facility by the public school where the school facility is 103
located; 104
“(2) Use of the school facility by DCPS; 105
“(3) Community use at times designated by the Mayor; and 106
“(4) Use of the school facility by permit holders, including permits issued by the 107
Department of Parks and Recreation. 108
(b) Subsection (b)(2) is amended by adding a new subparagraph (B-i) to read as follows: 109
“(B-i) Certified community-based youth sports organizations;”. 110

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(c) Subsection (c) is amended by striking the phrase “school facility” and inserting the 111
phrase “school facility, except that custodial or security fees shall not be charged for the use of a 112
field” in its place. 113
Sec. 5. Section 717.2 of Title 19 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations is 114
amended to read as follows: 115
“If more than one (1) applicant is seeking a permit for the same permitted use or equipment 116
at the same time, the Department shall establish the following priority: 117
“(a) Department-sponsored activities; 118
“(b) Athletic programs organized by DCPS, District public charter schools, or the 119
DCSAA for competitive league play and not for intramurals; 120
“(c) Certified community -based youth sports organizations as recognized by the 121
Department and youth non- profit organizations, including schools, principally serving District 122
residents; 123
“(d) Non -profit partners such as Programmatic Partners, Park Partners, and 124
Collaborative Partners or designated organizations recognized by the Department in a written 125
agreement; 126
“(e) Adult non-profit organizations principally serving District residents; 127
“(f) Other organizations, groups, or individuals for private use that are based in the 128
District; and then 129
“(g) Others.”. 130
Sec. 6. Fiscal impact statement. 131
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact 132
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved 133
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 134

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Sec. 7. Effective date. 135
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 136
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30- day period of congressional review as 137
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 138
1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1- 206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 139
Columbia Register. 140