800 OVERVIEW

800.1 This element addresses the future of parks, recreation, and open space in Washington, DC. It recognizes the important role parks play in recreation, aesthetics, health and wellness, neighborhood character, environmental quality, and resilience. The element also recognizes that parks have the potential to bring people together across social, economic, and racial divides. It includes policies on related topics, such as recreational facility development, the use of private open space, the creation of trails to better connect the District's open spaces and neighborhoods, and the support of resilience through the restoration of natural systems. Finally, this element includes policies and actions that support the delivery of equitable access, great spaces, and exceptional experiences.

800.1a Text Box: Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces in the District

Since the 2006 Comprehensive Plan, Washington, DC, has continued to enhance its parks, recreational, and open spaces. The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) now manages more than 900 acres of green space, 34 urban gardens and five partner urban farms, 375 parks, 12 dog parks, 95 playgrounds, 135 athletic fields, 336 courts, 76 recreation facilities, and 50 aquatic facilities and features. In 2018, Washington, DC, was ranked the third fittest city on the American Fitness Index and was ranked the fourth best park city.

800.2 The critical parks, recreation, and open space issues facing Washington, DC are addressed in this element. These include:

1. Coordinating and sharing stewardship between Washington, DC and the federal government on park and open space planning, design, and management to produce better outcomes for District residents;
2. Providing additional recreational land and facilities in areas of the District that are currently underserved and in newly developing areas, and improving access;
3. Maintaining, upgrading, and improving existing parks and recreation facilities as key features of vibrant neighborhoods in Washington, DC;
4. Increasing funding for capital improvements and operations through partnerships and creative strategies;
5. Fostering community health so that residents can seek healthier lifestyles regardless of income, ability, or employment;
6. Leveraging open space to support resilience, including flood mitigation, well-connected habitats on land and water, an increased tree canopy, and

strong ecosystems for wildlife; and

1. Designing parks, trails, and recreational facilities to improve the safety of staff and visitors.

800.2a

Text Box: Parks, Open Spaces, and Natural Resources

The Sustainable DC Plan envisions a District that has high-quality, well-connected habitats on land and water, and that provides strong corridors and ecosystems for wildlife. Washington, DC, will conserve and manage these natural resources to enhance biodiversity, control stormwater, reduce the urban heat island effect, become more resilient to changing climate conditions, and build people's connections to, understanding of, and appreciation for nature.

800.3

Washington, DC, is one of the few cities in the United States that was originally planned and designed around the framework of a park system. The L'Enfant Plan featured broad swaths of open land to frame iconic buildings and landmarks. Wide park-like boulevards were incorporated to preserve key views and vistas.

800.4

The 1901 McMillan Plan continued this legacy, using open space to accomplish social as well as aesthetic goals. The McMillan Plan made a conscious effort to extend the park system beyond the monumental core, connect existing parks with scenic roadways, and provide for the recreation and health of a growing population. The National Mall and Rock Creek Park that we know today are among that plan's legacies. Many of the early plans prepared by the National Capital Parks and Planning Commission (NCPC) placed a similar emphasis on improving the District's open spaces and parkways. Many of the District's parks and recreational facilities established during this time were racially segregated and developed to different standards.

800.5

These historic plans have resulted in more than 7,800 acres of permanent open space and parkland in Washington, DC, and one of the highest ratios of park acreage per resident in the country. Nonetheless, when Washington, DC achieved Home Rule and set about developing its first Comprehensive Plan, a Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Element was not included. This responsibility was left to the federal government. Today, 74 percent of Washington, DC's parkland is still managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and is not under the District's jurisdiction. The other 26 percent includes 10 percent managed by the District's Department of General Services (DGS) and DPR, and 16 percent managed by other entities, including DC Public Schools (DCPS).

800.6

Including a chapter on parks, recreation, and open space in the District elements of the Comprehensive Plan is important for a number of reasons:

1. First, the District itself owns approximately 950 acres of parkland, and there is a need for a coordinated set of policies for its management.

1. Second, access to quality parks and open space is a top priority for District residents—regardless of who owns the land. The fact that most of the District’s open space is federally controlled suggests that joint policy planning for these assets is essential.
2. Third, Washington, DC is changing, which means recreational needs also are changing. Policies are needed to make sure that new park and recreational opportunities are provided and existing parks are improved to meet the needs of a changing and expanding population.
3. Fourth, parks are essential to many of the goals expressed elsewhere in the Comprehensive Plan, including sustainability, resilience, improved public health, racial equity, and inclusion.

800.7 Parks are part of the foundation of what makes Washington, DC, a great place to live. They are where friends are met, and where people walk, play, and exercise. They contribute to personal wellness and the quality of the environment. They keep neighborhoods vibrant, enhance property values, and foster civic bonds. The policies in this element are aimed at sustaining parks as great public spaces while providing more equitable access to parks across the District. Achieving these outcomes requires different strategies for different neighborhoods. When investing in parks, District government and other stakeholders should consider a fair distribution, amount, and quality of parkland and facilities across the District—as well as other social factors, such as income and age, that may shape localized decisions in programming and design.

800.8 The Comprehensive Plan is supplemented by a more detailed set of planning documents for parks and recreation that address these issues, including master plans and a collaboration with the federal government, titled CapitalSpace. These companion plans establish bold visions for advancing the District’s parks and recreation goals, starting with an overarching master plan for parks (see text box entitled Parks Master Plan). In addition, the Sustainable DC Plan, completed in 2012 and updated in 2018, provides further guidance.

SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use

Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996, effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996, effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).