DC Council Bill Aims to Encourage More Constructive Relationships Near Construction Sites

• April 12th 2021

by Nena Perry-Brown

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Earlier this month, several DC Councilmembers introduced a bill intended to ease tensions around construction impacts in the city.

The Construction Management Agreement Amendment Act of 2021 would amend DC's construction code to require that permit applicants give notice to impacted neighbors about the scope of construction work and offer those neighbors the chance to enter into a "construction management agreement" 30 days before building permits are submitted. These new regulations would only apply to quadplexes or 1,000-plus square-foot commercial spaces that abut at least one house or two-unit property.

Standard construction management agreements would stipulate that the permit-seeker notify impacted neighbors, via certified mail, seven days prior to work beginning of any noise expected to exceed mandated maximums or any work that will be done outside of typical construction hours — or reimburse that neighbor for one night at a hotel. 

Also, the permit-seeker must reimburse impacted property owners who incur engineering expenses within 30 days of being notified. If an engineering report by a third party indicates that vibrations from the construction will exceed a maximum, the permit applicant will provide a vibration monitor for the impacted abutting property.

Applicants also wouldn't be able to seek a public space permit that would impact street parking for more than four weeks without the blessing of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission. A copy of any construction management agreements would also be filed with the pertinent government agency. Additionally, permit applicants who are issued three (down from five) stop work orders within a year will be denied new building permits for one year.

The bill, introduced by Charles Allen, Christina Henderson, Janeese Lewis George, Brianne Nadeau, Robert White and Chair Phil Mendelson, has been assigned to the Committee of the Whole.

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/dc-council-bill-aims-to-encourage-more-constructive-relationships-near-cons/18121.