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Consents & Variances

March 2013, Joint Consents & Variances and Parks Committee

2013 Applications for the Annual Post-Parade Events in and around Madison Square Park.

At the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of Community Board Five on Thursday, March 14, 2013, the Board passed the following resolution by a vote of 34 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:

WHEREAS, The entities listed below ("Applicants") have submitted applications to hold post-parade events in Madison Square Park and on certain streets surrounding the park, causing the closures of Madison Avenue between 23rd and 26th Streets; 24th and 25th Streets between Park and Madison Avenues; and 26th Street between Park and 5th Avenues; with the exception of the Persian Day Parade, which would cause the closure of Madison Avenue between 25th and 26th Streets;

• Persian Day Parade, on Sunday, April 14^th, 2013
• Sikh Cultural Society, on Saturday, April 27, 2013
• Philippine Independence Day Council Inc., on Sunday, June 2^nd, 2013
• Federation of Indian Association, on Sunday, August 18^th, 2013
• Pakistan Day Festival, on Sunday, August 25^th, 2013
• Muslim Foundation of America, Inc., on Sunday, September 22^nd, 2013; and

WHEREAS, There is long-standing precedent for these events, some of which have been held for decades; and

WHEREAS, Applicants have worked with Community Board Five, as well as the Street Activity Permit Office (SAPO) and the Madison Square Park Conservancy (MSPC), to alleviate any issues from past events, including on-site meetings with representatives of CB5 and MSPC two weeks prior to each respective event to work out operational details and anticipate any concerns; and

WHEREAS, Each applicant has signed a Statement of Compliance acknowledging their understanding and acceptance of CB5's Policy on Madison Square Park Large Events; and

WHEREAS, Each applicant has provided a detailed layout map of their event, including emergency lane clearance requirements, plans for sanitation, security, and cell phone contact information for day-of communication to respond to any immediate concern, all of which has been submitted to SAPO; and

WHEREAS, Each applicant has agreed to set the volume level of their amplified sound system by 2:00 p.m. the day of their event, in coordination with SAPO and MSPC, in order to restrict any increase of volume levels later in the event; and

WHEREAS, Each applicant has agreed to notify the residential buildings surrounding the park one week prior to their event; and

WHEREAS, In the case of the Pakistan Day Parade, the Applicant has been put on notice that their failure to adequately manage sanitation and amplified sound levels at the event in 2012 has resulted in heightened scrutiny for this year's event, with the explicit understanding that failure to fully comply this year with CB5's Policy on Madison Square Park Large Events will result in an automatic denial of their event in the future, as per CB5 and SAPO's policies not to support any event after material non-compliance for two consecutive years; and

WHEREAS, Each applicant has exhibited good faith efforts in continuing to improve the execution of their event, including multiple meetings and correspondence with CB5 for planning purposes; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the 2013 applications for the annual Post-Parade Events in and around Madison Square Park.