Judge temporarily blocks Trumps plan to redevelop East Potomac golf course in D.C.

The Trump administration cannot close East Potomac Park to the public for now, a federal judge in Washington ruled Saturday, dealing a blow to the president’s effort to renovate its golf course.The administration had previously announced plans to close what is effectively the entire area of East Potomac and Hains Point starting Sunday.But U.S.

District Judge Ana Reyes wrote that while litigation moves forward, the course, along with surrounding bike and walking paths, must remain open to the public “except for routine, temporary closures consistent with the Course’s historical operating practices, and except as needed to address articulated, imminent threats to public safety.”Reyes wrote that closing the park would “irreparably harm” the plaintiffs — the Washington, D.C., Preservation League — who regularly use the park.“It runs counter to the public interest in utilizing national parkland.And the Government has not plausibly identified any harm it would suffer from a temporary restraining order that preserves the status quo pending further proceedings,” Reyes wrote.Reyes’ order does not require the administration to continue operating the golf course, including features like the concession stand or pro shop, but does specify the administration “cannot use the absence of golf operations as a reason to exclude the public from the Course.”The administration had argued the park had to close for repairs, including a seawall that needs mending that they argued is an “imminent threat to public safety.” The judge expressed skepticism at the argument, noting the National Park Service’s speed to cut down 400 trees in the area — an action Reyes at the time called “bad faith.”“If public safety were at risk, NPS would have taken a step—any step—to address the safety issues it knew about.

Recall that within just ten days, NPS was able to plan, muster the resources and staff, and execute felling over 400 healthy trees.So NPS was not ...