An Act to authorize the Commissioner of the District of Columbia to enter into leases for the rental of, or to use or permit the use of, the space over and under streets and alleys in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes
PL 90-598 (S.1246), enacted 10/17/1968

1166 
PUBLIC LAW 90-598-OCT. 17, 1968 
[82 STAT. 
Public Law 90-598 
October 17, 1968 
AN ACT 
[S-1246] 
To authorize the ConiiaiHsioner of the District of (^>liimbia to enter into leases 
for the rental of, or to use or permit the use of, the space over and under streets 
and alleys in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and UonHe of Rej)resentatires 
of the 
District of 
United /States of America in Congrean aHuemhied. That this Act may be 
spac^ut^iiizati'on c-itecl as the "District of Columbia Public Space Utilization Act". 
Act. 
SEC. 2. As used in this Act— 
Defmitions. 
^-|^^ jl^^ t^vui "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the 
District of (^olumbia. 
(2) The term "District'" means the District of Columbia. 
(8) The term "airspace" means the space above and below a 
street or alley under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner. 
Airspace leases, 
i^^(._ 3^ j]^g Commissioucr, ill couformity with the comprehensive 
1
)
1 an for the National Capital prepared under section 4 of the National 
66 Stat. 785. 
Capital Planning Act of 1952 (40 U.S.C. 71c), ma;^— 
(1) enter into leases for the use of airspace in the District to an 
extent not inconsistent with the use, operation, and maintenance of, 
any street or alley; 
(2) use airspace for such public purposes as are authorized by 
law; 
(3) enter into agreements with the Federal Government for the 
purpose of receiving grants or other financial assistance under 
Federal programs in connection with the construction, use, or 
operation of any structure in airspace; and 
(4) enter into agreements with the Federal Government to 
enable the Federal Government to construct Federal buildings in 
the space above and below any street or alley, title to which is in 
the District. 
Private use 
g^c. 4. Any IcasB of airspace entered into under this Act shall 
provisions. 
, , 
"
^ 
^ 
provide^— 
(1) that such airspace shall not be used to deprive any real 
property not owned by the lessee of easements of light, air, and 
access; 
(2) for a clearance of at least fifteen feet between the recorded 
grade of a street or alley and the lowest portion of any structure 
(other than supporting columns) constructed over such street or 
alley; 
(3) that upon the expiration or termination of the lease of 
airspace the Commissioner may require (at the expense of the 
lessee or his successor in interest) the removal of any structure 
constructed or erected in such airspace and the restoration of 
such airspace to its condition prior to the construction or erection 
of such structure; 
(4) that all the rights, duties, terms, conditions, agreements, 
and covenants set forth and contained in such lease shall run 
with the abutting real property owned by the lessee and shall 
apply to the lessee, his heirs, legal representatives, successors, and 
assignees; 
(5) that the lessee shall, at his expense, record a copy of the 
lease in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of the District of 
Columbia; 
(6) for the payment of such rents and fees, and the posting of 
such bond or such other security, by the lessee, as the Commis-
sioner determines to be necessary or desirable; and 
(7) for such other terms and conditions as the Commissioner 
determines to be necessary or desirable. 
82 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 90-598-OCT. 17, 1968 
1167 
SEC. 5. The Coniniissioiier may execute a lease of airspace under this 
conditions. 
Act if— 
(1) the lessee of the airspace has a fee simple title to the real 
property abutting such airspace and the lease is for airspace which 
lies only within the frontages of such abutting real property which 
are directly opposite; 
(2) the Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia, after 
public hearing and after securing the advice and recommenda-
tions of the National Capital Planning Commission, has deter-
mined the use to be permitted in such airspace and has established 
regulations applicable to the use of such airspace consistent with 
regulations applicable to the abutting privately owned property, 
including limitations and requirements respecting the height of 
any structure to be erected in such airspace, offstreet parking and 
floor area ratios applicable to such structure, and easements of 
light, air, and access; 
(3) the lessee has submitted to the Commissioner, for his review 
and approval, plans, elevations, sections, a description of the 
texture, material, and method of construction of the exterior walls, 
and a scale model, of any structure to be erected in such airspace; 
(4) the Commissioner with respect to any structure proposed 
to be constructed in an area subject to the Act entitled "An Act to 
regulate the height, exterior design, and construction of private 
and semipublic buildings in certain areas of the National Capital", 
approved May 16, 1930 (D.C. Code, sees. 5-410 and 411), or the 
^^ stat. 356. 
Act entitled An Act to regulate the height, exterior design, and 
construction of private and semipublic buildings in the George-
town area of the National Capital", apj^roved September 22, 1950 
(D.C. Code, title 5, ch. 8), has submitted to the Commission of 
E'!c.*code°5'-80i 
Fine Arts for its review and recommendations, plans, elevations, to s-so?. 
sections, a description of the texture, material, and method of 
construction of the exterior walls, and a scale model, of any such 
structure; and 
(5) the Commissioner, with respect to any structure proposed 
to be constructed over space utilized or to be utilized for the con-
struction and operation of the subway of the Washington Metro-
politan Area Transit Authority, has submitted to the Authority 
for its review and recommendations the plans, elevations, sections, 
and a scale model of any such structure. 
SEC. 6. The District shall not pay the cost of any removal or relo-
cation of publicly or privately owned facilities in a street or alley in 
connection with the construction of a structure in airspace leased 
under this Act. No such facilities may be removed or relocated unless 
the Commissioner has approved all arrangements for such removal 
or i-elocation. 
SEC. 7. Zoning laws and regulations and other laws and regulations re ^ulauoni^"^^ ^"'^ 
applicable to the construction, use, and occupancy of buildmgs and 
premises, including building, electrical, plumbing, housing, health, 
and fire regulations, shall be applicable to structures constructed in 
airspace. 
SEC. 8. (a) For the purposes of this Act, airspace and structures ta^tfon^""'"' ^"'^ 
constructed or erected in airspace shall be deemed to be real property 
and shall be liable to assessment, taxation, and water and sewer service 
charges by the District from the beginning of the term or period of 
such lease. For the purposes of real property assessments and taxation, 
the value of airspace, other than any structure constructed or erected 
1168 
PUBLIC LAW 90-598-OCT. 17, 1968 
[82 STAT. 
Exemptions. 
56 Stat. 1089. 
Trust fund 
account. 
Structure 
78 Stat. 600. 
Regulations. 
Penalty. 
Prosecution. 
Notice of vio-
lation. 
in airspace, shall be its fair market value. No tax or assessment shall 
be levied with respect to airspace or structures in airspace— 
(1) occupied exclusively by the Federal Government or the 
District government, or 
(2) occupied and used by one or more organizations which, 
under section 1 of the Act entitled "An Act to define the real 
property exemption from taxation in the District of Columbia", 
approved after December 24, 1942 (D.C. Code, sec. 47-801a), 
are exempt from real property taxation. 
SEC. 9. (a) Except as provided by subsection (b), all collections, 
including rents and fees, received by the District under this Act shall 
be deposited in the Treasury of the United States in a trust fund, 
from which may be paid, in the same manner as is provided by law for 
other expenditures of the District, such expenditures as are necessary 
to carry out the purposes of this Act, including necessary expenses 
connected with the operation, maintenance, and disposition of prop-
erty coming into the possession of the District by reason of a default 
under a lease entered into under this Act. The unobligated balance in 
such trust fund in excess of $100,000 as of the end of any fiscal year 
shall be deposited in the Treasury to the credit of such special funds 
or the general fund of the District in such proportions as the Com-
missioner may determine. 
(b) Taxes (including payments in lieu of taxes), special assess-
ments, and sanitary sewer and water service charges shall be deposited 
directly to the respective funds to which such revenues are normally 
deposited. 
SEC. 10. If, upon the expiration or termination of a lease of airspace 
under this Act— 
(1) the Commissioner determines that any structure con-
structed or erected in such airspace should be removed or such 
airspace should be restored to its condition prior to the construc-
tion or erection of such structure, and 
(2) the lessee or his successor in interest, upon the request of 
the Commissioner, fails, after a reasonable time, to remove such 
structure or to restore such airspace to its condition prior to the 
construction or erection of such structure, 
the Commissioner may remove such structure and restore such airspace. 
The cost of such removal and restoration shall be assessed sigainst the 
abutting ])roperties as a tax. Such ta,x shall be collected in the manner 
|)rescribed by section 6 of the Act entitled "An Act to authorize the 
Commissioners of the District of Columbia to remove dangerous or 
unsafe buildings and parts thereof, and for other purposes", approved 
March 1, 1899 (D.C- Code, sec .5-506), for the collection of amounts 
assessed as a tax under that Act. 
SEC. 11. (a) The District of Columbia Council shall, after public 
hearing, promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out 
this Act. 
(b) Any regulations promulgated under this Act may provide for 
the imjK>sition of a fine of not more than $800, or imprisonment of not 
more than ninety days, or both, for any violation of such regulations. 
Prosecution for violations of such regulations shall be conducted in the 
name of the District by the Corporation Counsel. 
(c) The Commissioner shall— 
(1) give any person violating a regulation promulgated under 
this Act notice of such violation, and 
82 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 90-598-OCT. 17, 1968 
1169 
(2) set a da.te by which such person shall comply with such 
regulation. 
Each day after such date during which there is a failure to comply with 
such regulation shall be a separate offense. 
(d) The Commissioner may maintain an action in the United States 
District Court for the District of Columbia to enjoin the continuing 
violation of any regulation adopted, under the authority of this Act, 
by the District of Columbia Council or by the Zoning Commission. 
SEC. 12. The Federal Government and District government are each 
^.^^tV^^.^!^'^„^:^' 
,
, 
, 
*^ 
, 
_ 
Structures, conai"" 
authorized, without regard to the requirements oi sections 4 through tions for erection. 
11 of this Act, to construct any structure in airspace, subject to the 
following conditions: 
(1) The government proposing to construct any structure in 
airspace shall have fee simple title to the real property abutting 
such real property. 
(2) The airspace to be occupied by such structure shall be only 
within the frontages of the real property abutting such airspace 
which are directly opposite, 
(3) The airspace to be occupied by such structure shall not be 
used to deprive any real property, not owned by the Federal Gov-
ernment or District government, of its easements of light, air, or 
access. 
(4) The construction of any such structure by the District gov-
ernment across a street or alley, the title to which is in the United 
States, shall be in accordance with an agreement between the 
Commissioner and the Attorney General of the United States, 
subject to such terms and conditions as the Attorney General and 
the Commissioner agree to include in the agreement. 
(5) Section 16 of the Act entitled "An Act providing for the 
zoning of the District of Columbia and regulation of the location, 
height, bulk, and uses of buildings and other structures and of the 
uses of land in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes", 
approved June 20, 1938 (D.C. Code, sec. 5-428), shall apply to 
52 stat. 802. 
the construction of any structure in such airspace hy the Federal 
Government and, to the extent required by subsection (c) of sec-
tion 5 of the National Capital Planning Act of 1952 (40 U.S.C. 
7ld(c)), to the construction of any structure in such airspace by 
the District government. 
(6) Plans for the construction of any structure in such air-
space by the Federal Government or the District government shall 
be subject to review^ by the National Capital Planning Commis-
sion in accordance with section 5 of the National Capital Planning 
Act of 1952 (40 U.S.C. 71d). 
(7) The construction of any such structure by the Federal Gov-
ernment or the District government shall be subject to the rec-
ommendations of the Commission of Fine Arts to the extent re-
quired by the Act entitled "An Act to regulate the height, exterior 
design, and construction of private and semipublic buildings in 
certain areas of the National Capital", approved May 16, 1930 
(D.C. Code, sees. 5-410 and 411), or the Act entitled "An Act 
^e stat. 366. 
to regulate the height, exterior design, and construction of private 
and semipublic buildings in the Georgetown area of the National 
Capital", approved September 22, 1950 (D.C, Code, title 5, chap-
ter 8). 
64 Stat, 903, 
'' 
D.C. Code 5,601 
66 Stat. 787, 
to 5-807. 
1170 
PUBLIC LAW 96-599-OCT. 17, 1968 
[82 STAT. 
Condemned 
Space. 
Capitol Grounds 
area, exemption. 
SEC. lo. If tlie Federal (xoveniiiient or the District ^overnnient 
brings an action to recover the use of airspace leased under this Act, 
the government having title to the street or alley over or under which 
such airspace is located shall pay to the lessee of such airspace the 
fair market value of tlie remainder of his leasehold interest in such 
airspace. If the Federal Government recovers the use of airspace over 
or under a street to which it has title, the District government shall 
])ay to the P'ederal Government an amount equal to the rents and fees 
received by the District government for the rental of such airspace 
or an amount equal to the fair market value of the remainder of the 
leasehold interest in such airspace, whichever is smaller. 
SEC. M . This Act siiall not apply to airspace within the area in 
tlie District bounded on tlie north by G Street Northeast and North-
west, on the south by (x Street Southeast and Southwest, on the east 
by Eleventh Street Northeast and Southeast, and on the west by 
Tliird Street Southwest and Northwest. 
Approved October 17, 1968. 
October 17, 1968 
[S. 3615] 
Port of Cascade 
Locks, Greg. 
Land convey-
ance. 
Public Law 90-599 
AN ACT 
To authorize the Secretary of the Army to convey to the i)ort of Cascade Locks, 
Oregon, a certain interest in lands in the State of Oregon for municipal 
purposes. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatioes 
of the 
United States of America hi Congress assemhled, That the Secretary 
of the Army is authorized and directed to convey by quitclaim deed or 
other appropriate means to the port of Cascade Locks, Oregon, so much 
of the right, title, and interest remaining in the United States in and 
to the following described property as may be necessary to enable the 
port of Cascade Locks to convey such described property to the city 
of Cascade Ix)cks, Oregon, for use by such city as a sewage treatment 
plant site, such property being a part of a tract of land conveyed to the 
port of Cascade Locks pursuant to the Act of May 28, 1940 (54 Stat. 
225), on the condition that such tract be used for municipal park and 
dock purposes : 
Beginning at the center of section 12, township 2 north, range 7 east, 
Willamette meridian, in Hood River County, in the State of Oregon; 
thence from said center of section north 1,206.^^ feet to a point; 
thence east 126 feet to a point; 
thence south 203.5 feet to a point; 
thence south 41 degrees 15 minutes west 578.6 feet to a point; 
thence south 29 degrees 30 minutes east 60 feet to a point; 
thence south 29 degrees 45 minutes west 75 feet to a point; 
thence south 29 degrees 13 minutes west 58.51 feet to a point; 
thence south 40 degrees 00 minutes west 135.5 feet to a point; 
thence south 87 degrees 30 minutes west 100 feet to a point; 
thence south 34 degrees 15 minutes west 101 feet to a point; 
thence south 31 degrees 50 minutes west 100 feet to a point; 
thence south 30 degrees 20 minutes west 100 feet to a point; 
thence south 30 degrees 10 minutes west 1,090.8 feet to a point; 
thence north 59 degrees 50 minutes west 130.0 feet to the true 
point of beginning of the parcel of land herein described, said 
point being also north 30 degrees 10 minutes east 499.30 feet and 
north 59 degrees 50 minutes west 130,0 feet from a brass cap mark-