District Adopts Migratory Local Wildlife Protection Act

The District's Migratory Local Wildlife Protection Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24-337, the Law) became effective on March 22, 2023, and requires that building permit applications submitted on or after Jan. 1, 2025, must incorporate bird-friendly materials for specified projects. See also B25-0576, the Protecting Historic Homes Amendment Act of 2023 , which pushed the Law's implementation date from Oct. 1, 2024, to Jan. 1, 2025, to give the D.C. Department of Buildings (DOB) more time to issue implementing regulations.

Under the Law, building permit applications submitted on or after Jan. 1, 2025, for new construction – or for alterations involving the replacement of all or substantially all exterior glazing on commercial buildings, multi-unit residential buildings, institutional facilities, or District-owned or operated buildings – each façade of the exterior wall envelope and any exterior fenestration must be constructed with bird-friendly materials up to 100 feet above