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A RESOLUTION
21-427
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
March 1, 2016
To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to authorize the Mayor to acquire and dispose of a portion of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center located at 6900 Georgia Avenue, N.W., to establish the Walter Reed Reinvestment Fund into which certain funds received in connection with the site shall be deposited, to establish the Walter Reed Redevelopment Fund into which certain possessory interest tax revenues shall be deposited, and to authorize the provision of grants by the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development in connection with the redevelopment and operation of the site; and to amend An Act To provide for the abatement of nuisances in the District of Columbia by the Commissioners of said District, and for other purposes to exempt the buildings on the site from vacant building registration requirements for a certain period of time.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Walter Reed Development Omnibus Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2016”.
Sec. 2. (a) There exists an immediate need to approve emergency legislation to authorize the Mayor to acquire and dispose of property located at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
(b) The legislation will facilitate the development of an approximately 60-acre land parcel bounded by Fern Street, N.W., to the north, Georgia Avenue, N.W., to the east, and Aspen Street, N.W., to the south. The parcel currently contains a number of historic buildings and will be developed into a mix of residential, office, retail, hospitality, nonprofit, educational, medical, arts, and green spaces. The property is currently owned by the federal government. The legislation will authorize the Mayor to purchase the land and immediately convey it to a master developer. The legislation will also establish 2 funds to collect revenue related to the site and reinvest it into the site.
(c) A permanent version of this legislation passed 1st reading unanimously on February 16, 2016 and will be considered by the Council on 2nd reading on March 1, 2016. Given the decision to approve the acquisition and disposition of the Walter Reed site, there is no benefit to further delay. Making the legislation effective sooner will enable to the development to move forward in a timely manner and without the risk of delay.
Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Walter Reed Development Omnibus Emergency Act of 2016 be adopted after a single reading.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
