Proposed Int. No. 47-A

By Council Member Cabrera

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to removing the off-street parking requirement for base station licenses

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

      Section 1.  Section 19-511 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as amended by local law number 51 for the year 1996, is amended to read as follows:

a. The commission shall require licenses for the operation of two-way radio or other communications systems used for dispatching or conveying information to drivers of licensed vehicles, including for-hire vehicles or wheelchair accessible vans and shall require licenses for base stations, upon such terms as it deems advisable and upon payment of reasonable license fees of not more than five hundred dollars a year. There shall be an additional fee of twenty-five dollars for late filing of a license renewal application where such filing is permitted by the commission.

b. [The operator of a base station shall provide and utilize lawful off-street facilities for the parking and storage of the licensed for-hire vehicles that are to be dispatched from that base station equal to not less than one parking space for every two such vehicles or fraction thereof. The commission shall establish by rule criteria for off-street parking which shall include, but not be limited to, the maximum permissible distance between the base station and such off-street parking facilities and the proximity of such off-street parking facilities and the proximity of such off-street parking facilities to residences and community facilities as defined in the zoning resolution of the city of New York. A license for a new base station shall only be granted where the applicant has demonstrated to the commission prior to the issuance of such license that off-street parking facilities sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this subdivision shall be provided.

c. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision b of this section, a license for a base station which was valid on the effective date of this section shall only be renewed upon the condition that within two years of such renewal the licensee shall provide off-street parking facilities as required by subdivision b of this section.

d.] (1) No license for a new base station shall be issued unless [the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commission that the applicant will comply with the off-street parking requirements of subdivision b of this section and] the commission finds that the operation of a base station by the applicant at the proposed location would meet such [other] criteria as may be established by the commission. Among the [other] factors which must be examined and considered by the commission in making a determination to issue a license are the adequacy of existing mass transit and mass transportation facilities to meet the transportation needs of the public any adverse impact that the proposed operation may have on those existing services and the fitness of the applicant. In determining the fitness of the applicant the commission shall consider, but is not limited to considering, such factors as the ability of the applicant to adequately manage the base station, the applicant's financial stability and whether the applicant operates or previously operated a licensed base station and the manner in which any such base station was operated. The commission shall also consider the extent and quality of service provided by existing lawfully operating for-hire vehicles and taxicabs.

(2) No license for a new base station shall be issued for a period of three years subsequent to a determination in a judicial or administrative proceeding that the applicant or any officer, shareholder, director or partner of the applicant operated a base station that had not been licensed by the commission.

(3) In its review of an application for a license to operate a new base station and in its review of an application to renew a base station license the commission shall also consider the possible adverse effect of such base station on the quality of life in the vicinity of the base station including, but not limited to, traffic congestion, sidewalk congestion and noise. In its review of an application to renew a base station license the commission shall also consider whether a determination has been made after an administrative proceeding that the operator has violated any applicable rule of the commission.

[(4) No base station license shall be renewed where it has been determined after an administrative proceeding that the applicant has failed to comply with the off-street parking requirements set forth in subdivision b of this section or as they may have been modified pursuant to subdivision h of this section.

e.] c.  A licensed base station shall at all times have no fewer than ten affiliated vehicles, except that a base station for which a license was first issued prior to January 1, 1988 and which at that time had fewer than ten affiliated vehicles or a base station which has an affiliation with a wheelchair accessible vehicle may have as few as five affiliated vehicles, not including black cars and luxury limousines.

[f.] d. Prior to the issuance of a license for a base station or the renewal of a valid base station license, the applicant shall provide to the commission a bond in the amount of five thousand dollars with one or more sureties to be approved by the commission. Such bond shall be for the benefit of the city and shall be conditioned upon the licensee complying with the requirement that the licensee dispatch only vehicles which are currently licensed by the commission and which have a current New York city commercial use motor vehicle tax stamp and upon the payment by the licensee of all civil penalties imposed pursuant to any provision of this chapter.

[g.] e. Upon receiving an application for the issuance of a license for a new base station or for the renewal of a license for a base station pursuant to this section, the commission shall, within five business days, submit a copy of such application to the council and to the district office of the council member and the community board for the area in which the base station is or would be located.

[h. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions b and c of this section, the commission may reduce the number of required off-street parking spaces or may waive such requirement in its entirety where the commission determines that sufficient lawful off-street parking facilities do not exist within the maximum permissible distance from the base station or an applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commission that complying with the off-street parking requirements set forth in such subdivisions would impose an economic hardship upon the applicant; except that the commission shall not reduce or waive the off-street parking requirements where it has been determined in an administrative proceeding that the applicant, or a predecessor in interest, has violated any provision of section 6-03 of the rules of the commission or any successor thereto, as such may from time to time be amended. A determination to waive or reduce the off-street parking requirements shall be made in writing, shall contain a detailed statement of the reasons why such determination was made and shall be made a part of the commission's determination to approve an application for a base station license.

i.] f. The determination by the commission to approve an application for a license to operate a new base station or for the renewal of a license to operate a base station shall be made in writing and shall be accompanied by copies of the data, information and other materials relied upon by the commission in making that determination. Such determination shall be sent to the council and to the district office of the council member within whose district that base station is or would be located within five business days of such determination being made.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.

TM/KET 3/14/16 5:39PM

Int. 724/2011

LS 378/2014