§ 9-632.01 — Block party preauthorization application; expedited block party application.

District of Columbia § 9-632.01

• Jurisdiction: District of Columbia
• Title 9: Transportation Systems.
• Ch. 6A: Block Parties.

Text

(a) The Department shall create a block party preauthorization application and an expedited block party application and make it available for in-person pickup and online.

(1) Any District resident who is 21 years of age or older may submit a block party preauthorization application requesting that a street on which they live be designated a preauthorized block which, if approved, allows authorized residents to submit an expedited block party application requesting that the preauthorized block be closed for the purposes of holding a block party.

(2) In addition to the requirements for block party applications described in § 9-632(b)(2) , the block party preauthorization application:

(A) Shall include

(i) A list of District residents, accompanied by the residents' signatures, who are allowed to submit an expedited block party application for the block that the applicant is requesting be designated as a preauthorized block; and

(ii) A description of the means the authorized residents will use to close the streets; and

(B) May require any other information the Department deems necessary to consider the block party preauthorization application.

(A) The designation of a preauthorized block shall remain in effect for the purposes of requesting an expedited block party application for the following time periods:

(i) For block party preauthorization applications approved within one year after March 21, 2025, a preauthorized block shall be effective for 6 months after the date the block party preauthorization application was approved, or until the end of the calendar year during which the block party preauthorization application was approved, whichever occurs first; or

(ii) For block party preauthorization applications approved on or after the date that is one year after March 21, 2025, preauthorization shall be effective for one calendar year.

(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the Department may:

(i) Rescind the designation of a street as a preauthorized block for good cause, including noncompliance with the requirements of the permit; and

(ii) Require that an authorized resident submit a new block party preauthorization application for good cause, including changes to the characteristics of the preauthorized block.

(1) A District resident may submit an expedited block party application with respect to any preauthorized block for which they are an authorized resident.

(2) The expedited block party application shall, at a minimum:

(A) Be completed on the form provided by the Department;

(B) Specify the date and time of the closure;

(C) Include:

(i) A sworn statement that the authorized resident has posted or will post notice of the street closure, at least 72 hours before the date of the proposed street closure, in at least 4 locations on the preauthorized block; and

(ii) Photographs of the posted notices.

(1) A street closure conducted pursuant to an expedited block party permit shall:

(A) Not last longer than 12 hours; and

(B) End by 10:00 p.m.

(2) The Department may publish guidance on its website or issue rules limiting the physical length of block parties conducted pursuant to an expedited block party permit.

(e) An authorized resident may submit an expedited block party application for any day that is not prohibited by the Department in the block party preauthorization permit as described in § 9-633(b-2) and is:

(1) A weekend;

(2) A District of Columbia holiday;

(3) October 31; or

(4) A scheduled day off for all students during the District of Columbia Public Schools school year.

Legislative History

Oct. 23, 2012, D.C. Law 19-190, § 3a