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Consents & Variances
Sikh Cultural Society, on Madison Ave, b/t 23rd & 26th Streets, on Saturday, April 25th.
WHEREAS, The United Sikh Cultural Society has applied for a permit to hold a street festival on Madison Avenue between 23rd and 26th Streets, on April 25th, 2009; and
WHEREAS, The applicant will apply to the Parks Department for a permit to use Madison Square Park; and
WHEREAS, The event is organized in conjunction with the Sikh Day Parade; and
WHEREAS, The applicant wants to install a stage occupying 10 feet between 23rd and 24th Street with amplified sound; and
WHEREAS, The applicant anticipates 8,000 visitors to the festival, and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five has expressed concerns that over the years the event has grown in popularity, drawing exponentially larger crowds, and has outgrown the area, and
WHEREAS, The applicants have worked closely and successfully with Community Board Five over the past several years to address concerns raised by residents and Community Board 5; and Community Board Five seeks long term, strategic and meaningful solutions to the issues surrounding these events; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five has alerted SAPO and the Parks Department (“City agencies”) to the situation and has vigorously urged the agencies to find the most suitable venue for the event, through a tripartite dialogue with the applicant, City agencies and Community Board Five with no success; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five recommends denial of the event until City Agencies engage in a productive tripartite dialogue with Community Board Five and the applicant to find the most suitable venue which allows the applicant to grow its festival; and be it further
RESOLVED, That Community Board Five urges City agencies, in addressing this issue, to consider any impact on religious, cultural and ethnic groups, or those celebrating their heritage, and in particular those groups that may have outgrown the current site since it was initially selected; and be it further
RESOLVED, That in the event the application is approved, Community Board Five requests the Parks Department raise the bond to $10,000, and to enforce the following stipulations requested by CB5, to which the applicant has agreed:
The above resolution passed by a vote of 27 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining.