BILL NUMBER:  S2453

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act requiring the commissioner of parks,
recreation and historic preservation to take a parcel of land through
the eminent domain procedure for a state park and community garden

 PURPOSE :

This bill would require the State Commissioner of Park, Recreation and
Historic Preservation to acquire the 237 Maple Street in Brooklyn by
eminent domain for the purpose of creating a state park and continued
community garden

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1: Legislative findings,
Location of site
Section 2: Effective Date

 EXISTING LAW :

No current law dealing with property located at 237 Maple Street in
Brooklyn

 JUSTIFICATION :

              

This property stood vacant and filled with trash from 1999 until 2012,
when neighbors banded together to clean it up. The next year the
community created a garden for vegetables and flowers, put in raised
beds, and planted food crops with the help of local high-school
students and many neighbors. The garden is the only entirely open,
multi-use green space in the neighborhood, except for Prospect Park,
three long blocks and nearly a mile away.

In 2014, the farmers installed a system of rain-barrels to divert
water from the city's storm-drain system. They initiated a composting
program, building three bins and inviting neighbors to bring us their
vegetable scraps. That program has succeeded so well that three bins
have now been emptied, yielding over 200 cubic feet of finished
compost for their beds, and are filling again with food waste diverted
from landfill (since there is no food-scrap pickup in the area).

The community built a garden storage shed from donated materials, with
a grant for the labor, which was guided by a master carpenter
instructing apprentices from around the city. This year with beds,
filled with clean, organic soil and fertilized with our own compost,
are producing an array of vegetables, herbs, strawberries, and other
edibles. As the produce ripens, they harvest it and offer it to anyone
who wants it. Every Sunday gardeners gather to plant, weed, water,
build, repair, or turn compost, and during the week other come in to
keep the beds moist and the compost cooking. They host regular
parties, barbecues, and a pumpkin smash after Halloween, to get those
jack-o-lanterns into the compost. Our gardeners range from children to
seniors, a diverse group, as the accompanying scrapbook will testify.

The Maple Street Community Garden has no gate. It is open to anyone at
any time. Many others use it besides the gardeners. Neighbors drop by
with food scraps. Children come in to play or swing from a rope on our
lovely old willow. They have chairs and benches in sun and shade; on a
nice day it's a delightful place to come relax and enjoy some green.
The garden is the only entirely open, multi-use green space in the
neighborhood, except for Prospect Park, three long blocks and nearly a
mile away.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

S. 6073 of 2015-16 Session

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

Fiscal Impact to the State to be determined by land acquisition cost
as well as there will be future costs to operate and maintain the
newly created park.

 LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.