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Parks & Public Spaces

March 2018, Joint Transportation & Environment, and Parks & Public Spaces Committee

2018 Applications for Post-Parade Events on Madison Avenue between 24th and 26th Streets, 26th Street between Madison Avenue and Park Avenue, and in Madison Square Park:

WHEREAS, The entities listed above ("Applicants") have submitted permit applications to the Parks Department and the Street Activity Permit Office (SAPO) to hold post-parade events in Madison Square Park and on certain adjacent streets as noted above, causing those streets' full or partial closures; and

WHEREAS, Over the course of several years, Applicants have worked with Community Board Five, in coordination with SAPO and the Madison Square Park Conservancy (MSPC), to improve their events operationally and alleviate any issues from prior years’ events; and

WHEREAS, Each Applicant has signed a Statement of Compliance acknowledging their understanding and acceptance of Community Board Five’s Policy on Madison Square Park Large Events and each of its required operational commitments and restrictions; and

WHEREAS, Each Applicant has provided a site map of their event, including emergency lane clearance requirements, as well as plans for sanitation, security, amplified sound, and cell phone contact information for day-of point persons to respond to any immediate concerns, all of which have been shared with SAPO; and

WHEREAS, Each Applicant has agreed to set the volume level of their amplified sound system by 2:00 p.m. on the day of their event, in coordination with SAPO and MSPC, and commits to no further increase of volume levels past that time; and

WHEREAS, Each Applicant has agreed to notify the residential buildings surrounding the park at a minimum of one week prior to their event, and to conduct on-site meetings with MSPC two weeks prior to their event to work out operational details and anticipate any concerns; and

WHEREAS, In the case of the Sikh Cultural Society, Applicant commits to the sufficient marking of fire hydrants and placing of fire extinguishers as part of their operational plan; additionally, Applicant has been put on notice that their failure to adequately manage food safety concerns in 2017, as cited by the Department of Health, has resulted in heightened scrutiny for this year's event, with the explicit understanding that failure to fully comply this year with Community Board Five's Policy on Madison Square Park Large Events could result in an automatic denial of their event in 2019, as per Community Board Five's and SAPO's policies not to support any event after material non-compliance for two consecutive years; and

WHEREAS, In the case of the Pakistan Day Festival, Applicant has been put on notice that their failure to adequately manage the prohibited sale of goods on parkland in 2017, and poor sanitation conditions on sidewalks during and after the event, have resulted in heightened scrutiny for this year's event, with the explicit understanding that failure to fully comply this year with Community Board Five's Policy on Madison Square Park Large Events could result in an automatic denial of their event in 2019, as per Community Board Five's and SAPO's policies not to support any event after material non-compliance for two consecutive years; and

WHEREAS, Community Board Five continues to question the appropriateness of these large events and their detrimental impact on the Flatiron neighborhood, including the considerable impact on Madison Square Park in seasonal months of park usage; and we implore NYPD, SAPO and all Applicants to actively consider alternative locations for these events in 2019; and

WHEREAS, Despite Community Board Five’s longstanding concerns about the impact of these large events on Madison Square Park and the area around it, Applicants are in full compliance with Community Board Five’s Policy on Large Events in Madison Square Park, have exhibited good faith efforts in continuing to improve the execution of their events, including multiple meetings and correspondence with Community Board Five for planning purposes, there is long-standing precedent for them, some of which have been held for decades, and all events in 2017 were improved over prior years’ events, warranting Community Board Five’s approval; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the following 2018 applications for annual Post-Parade Events in and around Madison Square Park: Persian Parade NYC, Sikh Cultural Society, Philippine Independence Day Council Inc., Pakistan Day Festival, Federation of Indian Association, and Muslim Foundation of America, Inc

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