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Parks & Public Spaces
Application from the Taiwanese American Association of New York for Passport to Taiwan, a cultural festival in Union Square Park on Sunday, May 24th, 2015 from 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.
At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, May 14, 2015, the following resolution passed with a vote of 37 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining, 1 present but not entitled to vote:
WHEREAS, The Taiwanese American Association of New York ("Applicant") has submitted an application to conduct Passport to Taiwan, a cultural festival to be conducted in the North Plaza of Union Square Park on Sunday, May 24, 2015 between the hours of 12:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M., requiring set-up to begin at 7:00 AM, and dismantling and clean-up to be completed by 8:00 P.M.; and
WHEREAS, The festival will feature performances, presentations, arts and crafts, foods, children's workshops and art installations celebrating Taiwanese heritage in conjunction with Taiwanese American Heritage Week, designated by Congress in 1999; and
WHEREAS, The festival site will be identical to past years' events and will include a stage truss and several canopied booths, with signage to be limited to individual vendor booths, and a strip of signage on the truss below the stage identifying a handful of participating sponsors, with the size and impact of signage identical to past years' events and satisfying the concerns of Community Board Five; and
WHEREAS, The festival will be free of charge and open to the public; and
WHEREAS, Amplified sound will be used sporadically throughout the festival, but no later than 5:00 P.M., and with a series of small short-throw speakers and no sub-woofers; in response to community concerns, Applicant agreed to work with Union Square Partnership to set a maximum volume level for amplified sound; and
WHEREAS, Applicant has arranged for their own clean-up personnel and the implementation of recycling stations, and will pay Parks Department staff overtime to assist with any additional needs; and
WHEREAS, Applicant is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, has agreed to make a donation to the Union Square Partnership, and has reduced their carbon footprint from past events by using generators that run on recycled cooking oil; and
WHEREAS, 2015 will mark the event's fourteenth year in New York, and there are no concerns or complaints that have been received by Community Board Five or the Union Square Partnership; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Community Board 5 recommends approval of the application from the Taiwanese American Association of New York for Passport to Taiwan, a cultural festival in Union Square Park on May 25th, 2015 from 12:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.