Whenever the President shall deem it necessary to subdivide any square or lot belonging to the United States within the City of Washington, not reserved for public purposes, into convenient building lots or portions for sale and occupancy, and alleys for their accommodation, he may cause a plat to be made by the Surveyor in the manner prescribed in this chapter, which plat shall be recorded by the Surveyor; and the provisions of this chapter shall extend to the lots, pieces, and parcels of ground contained in such plat as fully as to subdivisions made by individual proprietors.
D.C. Code § 1-1312