File #: Res 1890-2009    Version: * Name: Department of City Planning, pursuant to New York City Charter section 197-c, to commence the process to change the official New York City Map to designate Parks Department GreenThumb Community Gardens as City Parks.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Parks and Recreation
On agenda: 4/2/2009
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling on the Department of City Planning, pursuant to New York City Charter section 197-c, to commence the process to change the official New York City Map to designate Parks Department GreenThumb Community Gardens as City Parks.
Sponsors: Helen D. Foster, Charles Barron, Robert Jackson, Letitia James, Helen Sears
Council Member Sponsors: 5
Attachments: 1. Committee Report 6/24/09, 2. Hearing Testimony 6/24/09, 3. Hearing Transcript 6/24/09
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
12/31/2009*Helen D. Foster City Council Filed (End of Session)  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/24/2009*Helen D. Foster Committee on Parks and Recreation Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/24/2009*Helen D. Foster Committee on Parks and Recreation Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/2/2009*Helen D. Foster City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/2/2009*Helen D. Foster City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Res. No. 1890

 

Resolution calling on the Department of City Planning, pursuant to New York City Charter section 197-c, to commence the process to change the official New York City Map to designate Parks Department GreenThumb Community Gardens as City Parks.  

 

By Council Members Foster, Barron, Jackson. James and Sears

 

                     Whereas, GreenThumb Community Gardens play a vital role for New Yorkers who lack access to green spaces; and

                     Whereas, GreenThumb Community Gardens provide underserved neighborhoods with fresh fruits and vegetables, community building and after school activities for local children; and

Whereas, The existence of 114 of the more than 700 community gardens in New York were threatened with sale and destruction in 1998; and

Whereas, Although these community gardens were saved, the existence of many community gardens remains at risk; and

Whereas, Approximately 86 existing GreenThumb Community Gardens on 225 lots are currently under the jurisdiction of the New York City Parks Department; and

Whereas, Although pursuant to a September 17, 2002 agreement between the City of New York and the State of New York a protocol for the preservation and development of City-Owned GreenThumb Community Gardens was established, such gardens were not designated as city parks; and

                     Whereas, Although GreenThumb has been a program of the New York City Parks Department since 1995, the gardens lack the protection given to mapped City parkland including protection under the public trust doctrine; and

                     Whereas, Although GreenThumb Community Gardens are currently offered a small degree of protection, they deserve the protection given to mapped city parks, such as requiring state legislative authorization before such parkland may be alienated; and

                     Whereas, The mapping of GreenThumb Gardens as parkland is required to go through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, pursuant to section 197-c of the New York City Charter; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the Department of City Planning pursuant to New York City Charter section 197-c, to commence the process to change the official New York City Map to designate GreenThumb Community Gardens as City parkland, under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation.  

LF/GZ

LS #3725

3/26/09