A D.C. preservation group and two local golfers are asking a federal judge to stop the Trump administration from closing much of East Potomac Park on Nov. 15. This is the latest development in an ongoing legal battle over the future of its historic public golf course.
The D.C. Preservation League, along with residents Dave Roberts and Alex Dickson, filed a motion Thursday asking for a temporary restraining order to stop the closure. They are asking for a 14-day delay while the court considers legal action.
The National Park Service plans to close East Potomac Park south of Buckeye Drive, including the golf course, because of safety concerns involving a deteriorating seawall along the Potomac River.
Attorneys representing the plaintiffs argue the closure is another step toward carrying out President Donald Trump’s plan to replace the existing golf courses with a championship-style course designed by golf architect Tom Fazio.
In the 42-page filing, the plaintiffs question the government’s safety justification, pointing out that there have been problems with the seawall for years. They argue that the National Park Service addressed the troubled areas by installing fencing rather than closing the park entirely. The filing also notes that federal officials have not announced when repairs would begin.
The plaintiffs argue that shutting down the park before completing historic preservation and environmental reviews would violate federal law. But the concerns go beyond the golf courses.
According to the filing, the proposed redesign would replace the park’s three existing golf courses and could possibly eliminate parts of Ohio Drive and Hains Point that are used for biking, fishing, picnicking, running and walking.
The legal challenge follows an Oct. 26 ruling by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes that stopped additional tree removal at the East Potomac Golf Course without court approval. That ruling came after crews removed approximately 430 trees from the property earlier in October.
Reyes also ordered the federal government to provide 10 business days’ advance notice before making irreversible changes to the park.
The administration has maintained that the planned closure is necessary because of safety hazards as it relates to the seawall. Federal officials have also said National Links Trust, the nonprofit operating the golf course, will stop operations there by Nov. 15.
President Trump has publicly announced plans on social media to begin rebuilding the course on that date, with the expectation that the redesigned course would reopen in approximately 15 months.
The plaintiffs argue that closing the park now could allow construction to move forward before the public has an opportunity to weigh in on the environmental and historical consequences.
“Once the Course is closed and construction begins, that possibility is gone,” attorneys wrote.
The court scheduled a hearing on the emergency motion for Friday, Nov. 13, two days before the planned closure.
The federal government must file its response by Monday, Nov. 9. The plaintiffs have until Tuesday, Nov. 10, to reply.
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