Senate Bill S1339A

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 1339--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            January 12, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  KLEIN  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
  Parks and Recreation --  recommitted  to  the  Committee  on  Cultural
  Affairs,  Tourism, Parks and Recreation in accordance with Senate Rule
  6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted  as
  amended and recommitted to said committee

AN  ACT to dedicate and designate Jerome Park as parkland of the city of
  New York, and to establish a working group for such  park  to  enhance
  use thereof

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Legislative  intent.  The  legislature  hereby  finds  that
Jerome  Park,  located around the Jerome Park reservoir, that is located
in the borough of the Bronx in the city of New York, has been  used  for
numerous  outdoor recreational and open space purposes for over a centu-
ry. Furthermore, such park has the potential to  incorporate  additional
urban  wildlife  sanctuary, outdoor recreational and open space uses for
the betterment of the local community. Through the  auspices  of  master
plans  authorized and approved by the parks and recreation department of
the city of New York and work by community groups  such  as  the  Jerome
Park  Conservancy  and  the Friends of Jerome Park, it is a sound public
policy and community benefit to advance the increased use of Jerome Park
for additional outdoor recreational and open space uses and to integrate
such park functions with the adjacently located Fort Independence  Park.
Going forward, key elements of the future design of the park should help
to  preserve its historic essence, reveal its potential as public space,
and link places and events with the park to the  surrounding  community.
Finally,  such future development of Jerome Park should frame the beauty
of the reservoir with a new layer of landscape and purpose.
  S 2. To achieve the legislative intent articulated in section  one  of
this act, all lands that are contained in Jerome Park, which are located

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02285-02-6
              

S. 1339--A                          2

in  or adjacent to block 3246, section 12 of the land map of the borough
of the Bronx, city of New York,  excluding  those  lands  that  are  the
reservoir  itself and lands bordering such reservoir shore line that are
a  distance  of ten feet from the outside border of such reservoir shore
line shall be dedicated and designated as parkland of the  city  of  New
York.
  S  3.  The borough president of the borough of the Bronx may assist in
convening a working group for Jerome Park that shall consist of communi-
ty stakeholders to establish an action plan  for  Jerome  Park  to  help
foster  increased  outdoor  recreational  uses,  such as hiking, biking,
nature studies, bird  watching  and  other  outdoor  recreational  uses;
enhance  community  enjoyment  of such park; and to preserve and enhance
open spaces contained within the park.  The working group may  identify,
recommend the design of and financing of capital projects to advance the
increased use of Jerome Park for increased outdoor recreational uses and
to  enhance  open spaces. Such capital projects may include, but are not
limited to, walking and bicycle  pathways;  athletic  fields  and  play-
grounds;  basketball  and  handball  courts;  table,  seating and picnic
areas; establishment of vista seating and viewing areas; related parking
areas for bicycles; and nature trails. Membership of such working  group
shall  consist of representatives of local civic and community organiza-
tions, Lehman College, local high schools, the state senator, member  of
assembly  and  city  councilman  representing  senate, assembly and city
council districts in which such park is located, the  parks  and  recre-
ation  department  of  the  city of New York, the department of environ-
mental protection of the city of New York, and other  community  leaders
and stakeholders such as youth, parent and senior citizen organizations.
  S 4. The working group for Jerome Park shall issue, on or before Janu-
ary 1, 2018, a report and findings to satisfy its charge to establish an
action plan for Jerome Park to help foster increased outdoor recreation-
al uses and community enjoyment of such park and to preserve and enhance
open spaces contained within the park. Such report and findings shall be
submitted  to  the Bronx borough president, the mayor of the city of New
York, the parks and recreation department of the city of New  York,  and
the  department  of environmental protection of the city of New York and
to the state senator and member of assembly who represent the senate and
assembly districts within which such park is located.
  S 5. After the issuance of such  report  and  findings,  such  working
group  shall remain in existence until January 1, 2023 to help implement
such action plan.  During this period of time, the working  group  shall
work with the state and city agencies to implement such action plan.
  S  6.  This act shall take effect immediately, except that section two
of this act shall take effect January 1, 2021.