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Parks & Public Spaces

April 2021, Joint Transportation & Environment, and Parks & Public Spaces Committee

Applications for annual Post-Parade Events

Re:       Applications for annual Post-Parade Events in and around Madison Square Park from Sikh Cultural Society; Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc.; Federation of Indian Association; Pakistan Day Festival; and Muslim Foundation of America, Inc. for dates throughout 2021:

At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, April 08, 2021, the following resolution passed with a vote of 34 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:

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, As none of these events were able to take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Community Board Five maintains its position from the prior year in regard to the Applicants’ submitted event plans, with the understanding that there will continue to be guidance from public health authorities and New York State regarding regulations that will determine the ultimate size and other operational details of these events, and Community Board Five reserves the right to issue further comment accordingly; 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 Pakistan Day Festival, Applicant has been put on notice that their failure to adequately manage attendees’ parking violations in 2019, as well as one vendor who parked in front of a fire hydrant that was not moved when asked, 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 2022, 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 and SAPO to far more proactively consider alternative locations for these events in 2021; 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 events in 2019 were improved over prior years’ events, warranting Community Board Five’s approval; and

WHEREAS, As Applicants shared the concern that should they choose not to hold their event in 2021 due to public health concerns, that they might be penalized by SAPO’s rule that Applicants must hold their events annually in order to reserve their right to re-submit the following year, and in response, SAPO committed to not holding Applicants to that requirement in 2021; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, Community Board Five recommends approval of the applications for annual Post-Parade Events in and around Madison Square Park from Sikh Cultural Society; Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc.; Federation of Indian Association; Pakistan Day Festival; and Muslim Foundation of America, Inc. for dates throughout 2021.

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