Landscape Architect Articles

2016 ASLA Chapter Reports: Potomac ASLA Chapter12-06-16 | Feature

2016 ASLA Chapter Reports
Potomac ASLA Chapter

Dena Kennett, Potomac Chapter President (2015-2016)

Licensure Bill Introduced in D.C.
There is landscape architecture licensing in all 50 states, but not in D.C. Back in 2013, the Board of Architects and Interior Designers (BAID) contacted ASLA about its interest in licensing landscape architects in Washington, D.C. Julia Lent, ASLA government affairs managing director met with BAID, representatives from CLARB and Potomac Chapter representatives Claire Bedat (then chapter president) and Dena Kennett (2015-2016 chapter president) and Marsha Lea (now chair of the government affairs committee) to express support for the licensing effort.

A three-year collaboration between ASLA national, the ASLA Potomac Chapter and the D.C. Board of Architects and Interior Designers ensued. The Potomac Chapter and ASLA's advocacy efforts include reviewing and commenting on the draft language, conducting outreach to allied professional organizations, engaging a local lobbyist and leading multiple informational meetings with D.C. councilmembers and their staffs.

On June 21, 2016, Phil Mendelson, chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, introduced the "Regulation of Landscape Architecture and Professional Design Firms Act of 2016".

On June 21, 2016, Bill 21-790 ("Regulation of Landscape Architecture and Professional Design Firms Act of 2016") was introduced to the Council of the District of Columbia by its chairman, Phil Mendelson. The bill requires landscape architects working in Washington, D.C., to be licensed in the district, and firms located in D.C. to be registered as professional design firms. The legislation was developed through Sec. 2. Chapter 28 of Title 47 of the District of Columbia Official Code and is amended as follows:

"There is established a Board of Architecture, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture to consist of 9 members of whom 4 shall be architects licensed in the District, 2 shall be interior designers licensed in the District, 2 shall be professional landscape architects licensed in the District, and one shall be a consumer member. The Board shall regulate the practice of architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture.

"All professional design services solicited or provided by a professional design firm in the District shall be under the responsibility charge of a supervising architect, interior designer, or professional landscape architect who is licensed in the District.

"No person shall sign and stamp any professional design document on behalf of the firm except an architect, interior designer, or professional landscape architect licensed in the District."

After introduction, the bill was referred to the Council of the District of Columbia's committee on business, consumer and regulatory affairs. The next step is a hearing, likely this fall, at which ASLA and the ASLA Potomac Chapter and the mayor will testify. Passage of the bill and the mayor's signature must be completed prior to December 22 for the bill to become law in 2016.

Dena Kennett, Potomac Chapter president (2015-2016) explains the bill needs a hearing and a committee mark-up by December 22, the end of the current Council period. If the hearing is successful, the committee will vote to recommend the bill to the Committee of the Whole for consideration. If it were recommended, the bill would undergo a first vote by the Council. Any permanent bill must have two readings that are held at least 14 days apart. After both readings, the bill is transmitted to the mayor, who then has 10 business days to sign, veto or return the bill unsigned. Unless vetoed, the bill would be transmitted to the U.S. Congress for 30-day congressional review. After the 30-day congressional review, the bill becomes a law.

As seen in LASN magazine, December 2016.