For the purposes of this subchapter, the term:
(1) "Certificate of occupancy" means:
(A) A permanent certificate of occupancy; or
(B) A temporary certificate of occupancy which allows for the full operation of the intended residential or hotel purposes of the building for which the certificate of occupancy is issued.
(2) "Contribution period" means the period commencing on July 1, 2012, and ending on June 30, 2017.
(3) "Hotel" means a building which consists primarily of hotel rooms and related facilities and amenities.
(4)(A) "Income-producing property" means a building or portions of a building or other improvement that is open for business and is operated as a store, shop, restaurant, office space, or rental apartment.
(B) The term "income-producing property" shall not include:
(i) Common areas or public space, including building lobbies and plazas, in or appurtenant to a building or improvement which contains a use set forth in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph;
(ii) A residential condominium;
(iii) Cultural improvements or facilities; or
(iv) A hotel.
(5) "Owner" means an owner of real property or a lessee or user of real property subject to taxation under § 47-1005.01.
(6) "Project Developer" means Forest City SEFC, LLC, a District of Columbia limited liability company, its successors, or assigns.
(7) "Required occupancy" means at least 60% occupancy, calculated on a gross square foot basis.
(8) "Residential condominium" means a for-sale residential condominium; provided, that the term "residential condominium" shall not include any common or public space in or appurtenant to the for-sale residential condominium project of which the residential condominium is a part.
(9) "Substantial completion" means, with respect to a residential condominium, that:
(A) The inspecting architect for the residential condominium has certified in writing to the owner of, or lender for, the residential condominium that the residential condominium is substantially complete except for punch list items; and
(B) The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (or a successor agency) has issued a certificate of occupancy for the residential condominium.
(10) "Waterfront Park Benefit District" means the special assessment district established by § 47-895.22.
(Mar. 3, 2010, D.C. Law 18-105, § 7(b), 57 DCR 11.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
Law 18-105, the "Waterfront Park at the Yards Act of 2009", was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 18-299, which was referred to the Committee on Finance and Revenue. The bill was adopted on first and second readings on November 3, 2009, and December 1, 2009, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on December 18, 2009, it was assigned Act No. 18-243 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 18-105 became effective on March 3, 2010.
(a) There is established as a special assessment district the Waterfront Park Benefit District, which shall be comprised of the geographic area bounded by Isaac Hull Avenue, S.E., on the east, 1st Street, S.E., on the west, M Street, S.E., on the north, and the Anacostia River on the south, excluding the following:
(1) The DOT PILOT Area, as such area is defined in section 2(7) of the Southeast Federal Center Payment in Lieu of Taxes Revision Emergency Approval Resolution of 2007, effective July 10, 2007 (Res. 17-302; 54 DCR 7639).
(2) The pumping station of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority that is located east of 1st Street, S.E., at the eastern terminus of N Place, S.E.;
(3) The real property on which the building west of Isaac Hull Avenue, S.E., and south of Tingey Street, S.E., that is under the control and jurisdiction of the Department of the Navy is located; and
(4) The Waterfront Park.
(b) The Council finds that owners of lots within the Waterfront Park Benefit District will derive a special benefit from the operation of the Waterfront Park.
(Mar. 3, 2010, D.C. Law 18-105, § 7(b), 57 DCR 11.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For Law 18-105, see notes following § 47-895.21.
(a) There is levied during the contribution period a special assessment on each owner of real property in the Waterfront Park Benefit District in an annual amount equal to $.125 per gross square foot of:
(1) Each income-producing property in the Waterfront Park Benefit District that has achieved required occupancy;
(2) Each residential condominium in the Waterfront Park Benefit District that has achieved substantial completion; and
(3) Each hotel in the Waterfront Park Benefit District that has received a certificate of occupancy.
(b) If an income-producing property has not reached required occupancy on or before the 1st day of the contribution period, the amount of the special assessment imposed on that income-producing property for the contribution period shall be prorated on a daily basis, so that the special assessment shall be paid only for the portion of the contribution period which elapses after the income-producing property initially reached required occupancy.
(c) If a residential condominium has not reached substantial completion on or before the 1st day of the contribution period, the amount of the special assessment imposed on the residential condominium shall be prorated on a daily basis, so that the special assessment shall be paid only for that portion of the contribution period which elapses after the residential condominium initially reached substantial completion.
(d) If a hotel has not received its certificate of occupancy on or before the 1st day of the contribution period, the amount of the special assessment imposed on the hotel shall be prorated on a daily basis, so that the assessment shall be paid only for the portion of the contribution period which elapses after the hotel initially received its certificate of occupancy.
(e) A consent to the levy of the special assessment filed by an owner, including the Project Developer, with the Recorder of Deeds shall bar all future actions by the owner and all future owners of the real property for which the consent was filed to challenge the levy of the special assessment, except as provided in subsection (g) of this section.
(f) The Project Developer and any subsequent owner of real property within the Waterfront Park Special Assessment shall provide notice to any buyer of real property in the Waterfront Park Benefit District of the levy of the special assessment, the filing of any consent to the levy, and the effect of the filing of the consent as described in subsection (e) of this section.
(g) The owner of real property subject to a special assessment under this subchapter may contest the amount of the special assessment (but not the authority to levy the special assessment) imposed on the real property by filing a written notice of appeal with the Chief Financial Officer not later than 60 days after the due date of the payment of the special assessment. The Chief Financial Officer shall promptly review the appeal and, if necessary, meet with the owner of the real property, consider written and oral evidence regarding the amount of the special assessment, and decide the appeal. If the result of the appeal requires the special assessment to be adjusted in favor of the owner of the real property, a cash refund shall not be made (except in the last year of the contribution period), but an adjustment shall be made to the next special assessment to be collected from that real property. No interest on the adjustment shall be due to the owner of the real property. This procedure shall be exclusive and its exhaustion by an owner shall be a condition precedent to any other appeal or legal action by the owner.
(h) If the Chief Financial Officer learns that real property subject to the special assessment has been omitted from the special assessment for any previous year of the contribution period, the Chief Financial Officer shall provide notice to the owner and shall collect the special assessment amount in arrears, including interest from the date the special assessment should have been paid; provided, that no real property that has escaped the special assessment shall be liable under this section for a period of more than 3 prior years of the contribution period.
(i) Special assessments under this subchapter shall be levied annually and shall be due on June 1. The Chief Financial Officer shall provide each owner of real property within the Waterfront Park Benefit District with an annual notice of the amount of the special assessment that is due. The owner shall have 30 days to pay the special assessment bill before the bill is due.
(j)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, an unpaid special assessment shall be subject to the same penalty and interest provisions as a delinquent real property tax under this chapter. A lien for an unpaid special assessment, including penalty and interest, shall attach to the real property in the same manner as, and with a priority immediately junior to, a lien for delinquent real property tax under Chapter 13A of this title. The unpaid special assessment shall be collected in the same manner, under the same conditions, and subject to the same penalty as unpaid real property taxes.
(2) If an interest or use on real property is subject to the special assessment because it is subject to taxation under § 47-1005.01, an unpaid special assessment on such an interest or use shall be subject to the same penalty and interest provisions as a delinquent tax imposed under § 47-1005.01 and the unpaid special assessment shall be collected in the same manner, under the same conditions, and subject to the same penalty as an unpaid tax imposed under § 47-1005.01.
(k) A special assessment imposed under this subchapter shall not be required to be certified for the purposes of Chapter 13A of this title.
(l) Each special assessment shall be made part of the public record.
(Mar. 3, 2010, D.C. Law 18-105, § 7(b), 57 DCR 11.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For Law 18-105, see notes following § 47-895.21.
The Chief Financial Officer shall deposit the special assessment revenues collected under this subchapter in the Waterfront Park Maintenance Fund established by § 10-1803.
(Mar. 3, 2010, D.C. Law 18-105, § 7(b), 57 DCR 11.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For Law 18-105, see notes following § 47-895.21.
