Friendship Heights council says Page Park was built without permits, vows ADA fixes and a project manager

A newly formed Friendship Heights Village parks and grounds committee reported June 9 that the village’s Page Park project was built without required permits, that the 2022 design is not compliant with federal accessibility law, and that the council voted to support hiring a project manager to navigate inspections and corrective work.

The committee chair, identified in the meeting as a council member serving as parks and grounds committee chair, told the council the “park design that was approved by the village council in 2022 was never ADA compliant,” adding, “The Americans with Disabilities Act isn't optional.” The chair also said the village had approved and signed a contract in 2022 “with an unqualified contractor for over $850,000 without having our village attorney review it first,” and that the park “was built without permits.”

The council’s report matters because Montgomery County’s Department of Permitting Services (DPS) issued a stop-work order after construction began, the committee said, and the village must now obtain preconstruction and other permits while working “backwards” to provide documentation normally prepared before building.

Committee members described steps already taken. The village received a DPS preconstruction permit in August 2024, though parts remain under review. The committee engaged a licensed architect, Adam Green, and engineering firm Azar Associates to prepare drawings addressing ADA work and stormwater management. The committee also named MTI Engineering as the third‑party inspector that DPS requires for pergola footers, anchor bolts and concrete work; MTI said it lacked sufficient engineering details to complete inspections. Subcontractor Sarah Stone provided additional information about footings and concrete thickness, and the inspector asked to consult directly with Chris Allen, a DPS supervisor, to resolve the outstanding questions.

At the meeting the parks and grounds committee said it has met with the village attorney and with DPS, committed to monthly DPS updates and clarified who on staff will communicate with county staff to avoid information gaps. The committee voted to hire a project manager with engineering experience “to represent the village and who can manage all the moving parts of this project, deal with DPS, draft RFPs, evaluate bids, oversee the contractors, and keep us informed.” The council later “went on record” to support the committee’s recommendation and directed the village manager to initiate the search; a second was recorded and the chair said the vote was unanimous.

Committee leaders acknowledged unknowns: they do not yet know when the park will open, what inspections may reveal, or what the final cost will be. They committed to a fully ADA‑compliant finished park and to ongoing public updates, including an updated Page Park project page on the village website.

The committee indicated it has excavated three test locations for inspections and is tracking steps needed in a detailed spreadsheet. Village staff said conversations with two prospective project managers were scheduled for the days following the meeting.

Residents and council members asked for ways to submit questions; the committee asked residents to send inquiries to the village email so committee members can respond. The committee also thanked Montgomery County staff for personal engagement and said the county’s director of parks services has been “personally committed to seeing the park get open.”

The committee’s immediate actions are targeted at completing required DPS submittals, supplying MTI Engineering and DPS with clarifying engineering details, and bringing on a project manager to coordinate inspections, contractors and permitting. The council did not set a reopening date at the meeting.