What's happening
This bill designates Jerome Park in the Bronx as official parkland and creates a working group to develop and enhance its recreational uses and open spaces.
Why it matters
Secures Jerome Park’s status as city parkland. , which can protect it from future non-park development and ensure it is managed for public recreational and open-space uses rather than other municipal or private interests.
Mandates a collaborative planning process involving local stakeholders. including community groups, educational institutions, elected officials, and city departments—to directly inform how the park is developed and used, giving local voices structured influence over park improvements.
Prioritizes enhancements for active and passive recreation. , such as trails, athletic fields, courts, picnic areas, and wildlife observation, potentially increasing access to green space and wellness opportunities in a dense urban area with limited parks.
Establishes accountability and a timeline. by requiring a working group to produce an action plan and progress report, and by setting a multi-year window for group activity, ensuring that planning leads to actual implementation and sustained attention to park improvements.
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Who cares
Jerome Park Conservancy, Friends of Jerome Park and local civic organizations
The bill would designate Jerome Park lands as city parkland, excluding the reservoir and a ten-foot shoreline buffer, and give local civic and community organizations seats on a working group to plan expanded recreation and open-space uses.
NYC Parks and Recreation and Department of Environmental Protection
Both agencies would have representatives on the working group and receive its action-plan report, with the group working with state and city agencies on implementation.
Lehman College and local high schools
Their representatives would help develop an action plan that could recommend pathways, athletic fields, playgrounds and nature trails.
Youth, parent and senior citizen organizations
These groups would be included among working-group stakeholders shaping recreational improvements and community enjoyment of the park.
Headline styles
Make Jerome Park Official Parkland
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 3993a
- Amend and recommit to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation
- Referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation
- Referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Protect Jerome Park as Parkland
In Assembly Committee · Tourism, Parks, Arts And Sports Development · Sponsor Jeffrey Dinowitz
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3993--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 1, 2017
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 Assembly, 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 century. 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.
§ 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.
LBD03437-02-8
S. 3993--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.
§ 3. The borough president of the borough of the Bronx may assist in convening a working group for Jerome Park that shall consist of community 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 playgrounds; 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 organizations, 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 recreation department of the city of New York, the department of environmental protection of the city of New York, and other community leaders and stakeholders such as youth, parent and senior citizen organizations.
§ 4. The working group for Jerome Park shall issue, on or before January 1, 2020, a report and findings to satisfy its charge to establish an action plan for Jerome Park to help foster increased outdoor recreational 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.
§ 5. After the issuance of such report and findings, such working group shall remain in existence until January 1, 2025 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.
§ 6. This act shall take effect immediately, except that section two of this act shall take effect January 1, 2023.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to dedicate and designate Jerome Park as park- land of the city of New York, and to establish a working group for such park to enhance use thereof
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to set in motion a public process by which most or all of what is known as Jerome Park can either become designated as park lands or lands that can be readily accessible to the general public for either outdoor recreational or open space uses or for use as an urban wildlife or nature sanctuary.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Legislative Intent: Jerome Park, located around the Jerome Park Reservoir has been used for numerous outdoor recreational and open space purposes for over a century. This area has the potential to incor- porate additional urban wildlife sanctuary, outdoor recreational and open space uses for the betterment of the local community. Master plans authorized by the New York City Parks and Recreation Department and work by community groups such as the Jerome Park Conservancy and the Friends of Jerome Park, has advanced the increased use of Jerome Park for addi- tional outdoor recreational and open space uses and to integrate such park functions with the adjacently located Fort Independence Park.
Read the full memo (863 words)
Section 2: To achieve the legislative goals articulated in this chapter, all lands that are contained in Jerome Park, excluding those lands that are the Reservoir itself and lands bordering the shoreline of such reservoir that are a distance of ten feet from the outside border of the shoreline of such Reservoir shall be dedicated and designated as park- land of the City of New York on January 1, 2023.
Section 3: The Bronx Borough President may assist in convening a working group for Jerome Park. Such working group shall consist of community stakeholders to establish an action plan for Jerome Park to help foster increased outdoor recreational opportunities, enhance community enjoy- ment 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, walk- ing and bicycle pathways; athletic fields, playgrounds; basketball & 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 repre- sentatives of local civic and community organizations, Lehman College, surrounding high schools, the local State Senator and Member of Assem- bly, the local City Councilman, the New York City Parks and Recreation Department, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and other community leaders and stakeholders such as youth, parent and senior citizen organizations.
Section 4: The working group for Jerome Park shall issue, on or before January 1, 2020, a report and findings to establish an action plan for Jerome Park to help foster increased outdoor recreational uses and
community enjoyment of such park and to preserve and enhance open spaces contained within the park.
Section 5: The working group shall remain in existence until January 2025 so that it may help implement a public access and park plan for Jerome Park. Such implementation period shall be before Jerome Park is designated as park lands after January 1, 2023 and before such date when such lands are not dedicated as park lands.
Justification
Jerome Park, located around the Jerome Park Reservoir, that is located in the Borough of the Bronx, has been used for numerous outdoor recre- ational and open space purposes for over a century. Further, such area 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 New York City Parks and Recreation Department and work by commu- nity groups such as the Jerome Park Conservancy and the Friends of Jerome Park, it is a sound public policy 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 Inde- pendence 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, link places and events with the park to the surrounding community. Further, such future development of Jerome Park should frame the beauty of the reservoir with a new layer of landscape and purpose. The purpose of this bill is to establish a time table and public process to bring either the entire Jerome Park to be designated parklands or to, the maximum extent possible, increase public access to this outdoor recre- ational and open space resource.
Legislative history
2014 - S. 7467 - Committed to Rules. 2015/2016 - S. 1339 - Advanced to Senate Third Reading Calendar
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately, except that section two of this act shall take effect January 1, 2023.
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