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Distribution of Permits for Multi-Day Special Events in Flushing Meadows Corona Park

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Rule status: Adopted

Agency: DPR

Effective date: September 1, 2023

Proposed Rule Full Text
DPR-Proposed-Rules-Consolidated.pdf

Adopted Rule Full Text
Notice-of-Adoption-of-DPR-Rule-on-Flushing-Meadows-Corona-Park-Events.pdf

Adopted rule summary:

The Department of Parks and Recreation is adopting rules to change the application timeline for Special Event permits and to establish standards for the distribution of permits for multi-day special events in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Comments are now closed.

Online comments: 6

  • Marcha Johnson

    I agree with setting the proposed size limit for multi-day events in Flushing Meadows Park. In addition, I suggest a) that these events be located primarily in the park’s vast paved areas instead of on precious, vulnerable greenspace; b) that the fees which the city collects from such events as Gov Ball and the US Open go primarily to NYCParks which is chronically underfunded by regular funding sources, and c) that the fee amounts and where the money goes, be disclosed in a publicly transparent manner. These kinds of events have much greater impacts on use of the park than those which occur during the event, including closing off public spaces for parking and set up weeks before, and breaking down afterward. The recovery of living landscapes – especially lawns and soil- can take many months longer than the event. Thank you for listening.

    Comment added June 7, 2023 1:14pm
  • Y. Saavedra

    I agree with Marsha Johnson’s comments 100%: “As per MJ – agree with setting the proposed size limit for multi-day events in Flushing Meadows Park. In addition, I suggest a) that these events be located primarily in the park’s vast paved areas instead of on precious, vulnerable greenspace; b) that the fees which the city collects from such events as Gov Ball and the US Open go primarily to NYCParks which is chronically underfunded by regular funding sources, and c) that the fee amounts and where the money goes, be disclosed in a publicly transparent manner. These kinds of events have much greater impacts on use of the park than those which occur during the event, including closing off public spaces for parking and set up weeks before, and breaking down afterward. The recovery of living landscapes – especially lawns and soil- can take many months longer than the event.

    Comment added June 12, 2023 4:27pm
  • Mike tan

    Events always create traffic congestion. Improper of signage display could cause confuses of seniors ,,,, The entrance way clearly be open to avoid
    too many bystanders eating or smoking in it narrow path etc

    Etc, Etc

    Comment added July 4, 2023 10:17pm
  • Robert LoScalzo

    Date: July 6, 2023

    From: Robert LoScalzo

    To: NYC Department of Parks and Recreation
    Submitted via online portal at http://rules.cityofnewyork.us
    and via email to [email protected]

    Re: Comments on Proposed Rules re: Flushing Meadows Corona Park

    Dear NYC Department of Parks and Recreation:

    This writing and the attached PDF convey my comments concerning the Department’s proposed amendments and additions to § 2-08 of Chapter 2, Title 56 of the Rules of the City of New York (“Proposed Rules”), concerning Flushing Meadows Corona Park (“FMCP”).

    (1) Any new rules pertaining to FMCP must not prohibit events held on parkland leased to the NY Mets (or related entities) in the vicinity of Citi Field.

    FMCP encompasses land surrounding Citi Field stadium, located both north and south of Roosevelt Avenue (“Parkland Surrounding Citi Field”). The boundaries of this particular parkland are described within NYC Admin. Code § 18-118(c). Its surface is paved asphalt, and at times it is used as vehicular parking lots. The NY Mets organization or related entities (“NY Mets”) hold a lease to the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field, as authorized by NYC Admin. Code § 18-118.

    Pursuant to NYC Admin. Code § 18-118 and/or the lease, the NY Mets are entitled to make available the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field for various events. Numerous, popular year-round events are routinely held on that parkland, and most of them satisfy the definition of “Large FMCP Event” and/or “Multi-Day FMCP Event” set forth in the Proposed Rules. Examples of such events held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field include:

    • Rolling Loud New York
    • Amaze Light Festival
    • Men’s Health Urbanathlon
    • Electric Daisy Carnival
    • Living Social’s Glow-In-The-Dark 5K Run and Dance Party
    • Cirque du Soleil
    • Wheelchair Softball Tournament
    • Circus Hermanos Vasquez

    To appreciate the scope of these events, please see Attachment A, a series of photographs depicting such events, within the attached PDF.

    These events are very well-suited to being held on the asphalt surface of this particular area of FMCP, and/or benefit from it. Moreover, by holding such events on the asphalt-paved Parkland Surrounding Citi Field, those events need not be held within the green areas of FMCP – thus preserving and not damaging the green areas, and not restricting public access to the green areas at any time during each event’s set-up, implementation, and tear-down.

    For those reasons, it is very important that any new FMCP rules not prohibit the above-described types of uses of the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field.

    However: I have read the Department’s “Statement of Basis and Purpose” for the Proposed Rules, and the Proposed Rules, and the full text of the existing § 2-08 of Chapter 2, Title 56 of the Rules of the City of New York which the Proposed Rules would amend. Although the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field is within FMCP, it is not possible for a layperson to discern whether the Proposed Rules, if implemented, will impact what can and cannot occur on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field; or whether the NY Mets will still be able to make available such parkland for large and multi-day events, pursuant to NYC Admin. Code § 18-118 and/or the lease.

    For example, the Proposed Rules include adding to § 2-08 a new § 2-08(w)(4)(A), which states:

    “A Multi-Day FMCP Event, subject to these provisions, may only be held in the Meadow Lake Area.”

    If that proposed new provision means that multi-day events may no longer be held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field, then I object to that proposed new provision and strongly recommend that it NOT be implemented. The Parkland Surrounding Citi Field must not be eliminated as a potential site for multi-day or large events, especially when many events are ideally suited to its paved asphalt surface, and when holding events there both prevents damage to green areas of FMCP that might otherwise host the same events, and does not restrict public access to green areas of FMCP during an event’s set-up, implementation, and tear-down.

    (2) Major League Baseball events are not the only types of events that should result in denial of a permit for a proposed simultaneous Large FMCP Event.

    Presuming that the Proposed Rules, if implemented, will not prevent the NY Mets from hosting events on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field pursuant to NYC Admin. Code § 18-118 and/or the lease, then if a large or multi-day event is scheduled to be held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field, the new rules should specify that the Department will not permit another simultaneous Large FMCP Event to occur.

    As currently drafted, the Proposed Rules would add a new § 2-08(w)(3)(A), which effectively denies a permit for a Large FMCP Event “during any time when the New York Mets (or any successor Major League Baseball (‘MLB’) team) have a game scheduled to occur, or during the time when another MLB event is scheduled to occur”; and a new § 2-08(w)(3)(B), which allows the Department to modify or cancel a permit granted for a Large FMCP Event “if the New York Mets (or any successor MLB team) has a regular-season game re-scheduled to occur during the time for which such permit was granted, or if the New York Mets (or any successor MLB team) has a post-season game that is scheduled to occur during the time for which such permit was granted”.

    Large events that are held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field can draw crowds equal to those that attend MLB games, and for longer periods of time than an MLB game. (See Attachment A (PDF) containing photographs depicting events held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field.) The potential for an event held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field to mutually interfere with a Large FMCP Event, if held simultaneously, is equal to or greater than the potential for an MLB event to mutually interfere with a Large FMCP Event.

    It makes little sense to specify within the Proposed Rules that a simultaneous MLB event will require, or justify, denying or canceling a Department permit for a Large FMCP Event, while not also specifying that if a large event is scheduled to be held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field, then that, too, will be a basis to deny or cancel a Department permit for a Large FMCP Event.

    I recommend that the Proposed Rules be revised, such that if a large event is scheduled to be held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field, it will be a basis to deny or cancel a Department permit for a proposed simultaneous Large FMCP Event (expanding the bases to deny or cancel permits set forth in Proposed Rules §§ 2-08(w)(3)(A) and (B), which currently pertain to denying or cancelling permits exclusively because of MLB events).

    (3) MLB and United States Tennis Association US Open events are not the only types of events that should result in denial of a permit for a proposed simultaneous Multi-Day FMCP Event.

    Presuming that the Proposed Rules, if implemented, will not prevent the NY Mets from hosting events on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field pursuant to NYC Admin. Code § 18-118 and/or the lease, then if a large event is scheduled to be held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field, the new rules should specify that the Department will not permit a simultaneous Multi-Day FMCP Event to occur.

    As currently drafted, the Proposed Rules would add a new § 2-08(w)(4)(C), which effectively denies a Department permit for a Multi-Day FMCP Event “during the period of the United States Tennis Association’s US Open Tennis Championship (‘US Open’) or one week prior to or after the US Open, including its qualifying matches. Event days will not be permitted to occur on dates when an MLB event is scheduled to take place at the stadium currently called Citi Field (‘Citi Field’), or on the date of any event having over 10,000 anticipated attendees and that is scheduled to use the Citi Field north lot for parking for such event”; and a new § 2-08(w)(4)(D), which allows the Department to modify or cancel a permit granted for a Multi-Day FMCP Event “if the New York Mets (or any successor MLB team) has a regular-season game re-scheduled to occur during the time for which such permit was granted, or if the New York Mets (or any successor MLB team) has a post-season game that is scheduled to occur during the time for which such permit was granted”.

    Large events that are held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field can draw crowds equal to those that attend MLB games or US Open events, and for longer periods of time. (See Attachment A (PDF) containing photographs depicting events held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field.) The potential for an event held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field to mutually interfere with a Multi-Day FMCP Event, if held simultaneously, is equal to or greater than the potential for an MLB or US Open event to mutually interfere with a Multi-Day FMCP Event.

    It makes little sense to specify within the Proposed Rules that a simultaneous MLB or US Open event will require, or justify, denying or canceling a Department permit for a Multi-Day FMCP Event, while not also specifying that if a large event is scheduled to be held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field, then that, too, will be a basis to deny or cancel a Department permit for a Multi-Day FMCP Event.

    I recommend that the Proposed Rules be revised, such that if a large event is scheduled to be held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field, it will be a basis to deny or cancel a Department permit for a proposed simultaneous Multi-Day FMCP Event (expanding the bases to deny or cancel permits set forth in Proposed Rules §§ 2-08(w)(4)(C) and (D), which currently pertain to denying or cancelling permits exclusively because of MLB and US Open events).

    (4) The Department should be prepared to further amend its FMCP rules, if Major League Soccer builds its planned 25,000-seat stadium across from Citi Field.

    The Proposed Rules address circumstances in which MLB events at Citi Field and US Open events at the United States Tennis Association center require, or justify, denying or canceling Department permits for Large or Multi-Day FMCP Events. My comments, above, recommend that large events scheduled to occur on Parkland Surrounding Citi Field should also require, or justify, denying or canceling Department permits for Large or Multi-Day FMCP Events.

    The Department should beware that Major League Soccer (“MLS”) has proposed, and the Adams Mayoral Administration endorses, constructing a 25,000 seat soccer stadium on Willets Point property located just east of Citi Field along 126th Street. That proposed project will undergo land use approvals during 2024, and the soccer stadium is due to open for MLS matches during 2027. (See https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/841-22/mayor-adams-vision-willets-point-transformation-generational-100-percent-affordable#/0)

    Although the property where the soccer stadium would be built is not parkland, that is irrelevant to an analysis of whether events held at the 25,000-seat MLS stadium should trigger the same denials or cancellations of Department permits for Large or Multi-Day FMCP Events, as will MLB events at Citi Field and US Open events at the United States Tennis Association center (and, as I recommend, large events held on the Parkland Surrounding Citi Field). The Department should be prepared to factor the MLS stadium’s impacts into its rules, upon the stadium’s approval.

    (5) There is no valid reason why permitted music events within FMCP must be amplified to outrageous levels that are heard, and felt, 3.5 miles away – and the Department’s rules should prohibit this.

    Adding a new subdivision (w) to the Department’s rules, dedicated exclusively to FMCP, is an opportunity to create a rule to ensure that communities surrounding FMCP will not suffer unnecessary and outrageous impacts caused by events inside of FMCP that the Department permits – namely, insanely loud music that is heard, and felt, 3.5 miles away.

    Recently, the Department permitted the 2023 Governor’s Ball music event to take place within FMCP on Friday June 9, Saturday June 10 and Sunday June 11. On all three of those evenings, I and numerous other residents heard, and felt, the music emanating from the Governor’s Ball event in FMCP – even though we reside 3.5 miles away from FMCP.

    I reside near the intersection of Utopia Parkway and 22nd Avenue, which is at the border between Whitestone and Bayside. Even at that distance from FMCP, the Governor’s Ball music penetrated house walls and vibrated window glass. I could still hear the music from Governor’s Ball in my basement, 3.5 miles from the source.

    The ridiculous impact of that music and the lack of recourse to do anything about it were discussed on social media by members of the We Love Whitestone civic association and other organizations representing Bayside and College Point. And, on each night of Governor’s Ball when we heard, and felt, the music from Governor’s Ball, the music stopped at the same time that Governor’s Ball was scheduled to end. We are certain that Governor’s Ball was the source of what we heard, and felt, on each evening that Governor’s Ball was held.

    It is absolutely unnecessary and unreasonable for any music event intended for an audience in front of stages within FMCP, to be amplified to such an outrageous degree that it is plainly heard, and felt, 3.5 miles away at the border between Whitestone and Bayside. A Department permit to hold a music event within FMCP must not also be a license to impose hour after hour of unwanted, high-decibel sound upon surrounding and distant communities spanning a large section of Queens, thereby ruining residents’ valuable weekend evenings. Yet, that is precisely what those in charge of Governor’s Ball have done.

    A new rule to address this problem is needed. Any Department permit that allows an event within FMCP should set a decibel limit for any noise or music to be produced during the event, and a permit should only be issued if event organizers agree to accept and enforce the decibel limit. Considering the number of Queens residents who would be negatively impacted if an event exceeds the decibel limit, the penalties for doing so should be very significant, and should include immediate revocation of the permit and cessation of the event.

    I am not an acoustics expert and therefore cannot recommend specific decibel levels as appropriate or not, but the Department should retain a qualified acoustics consultant to help determine a suitable rule.

    (6) Under the current permit regime, performers at permitted events may repeatedly use explicit and obscene lyrics that are not suitable for children, but are nonetheless audible by children or minors who are present in nearby areas of FMCP outside the fenceline of the event.

    The Department should be mindful of the fact that, unlike events held at indoor locations that confine the sound, events held at FMCP occur outdoors, and produce super-amplified sound that travels beyond the fenceline of the event (and even into surrounding communities located miles away, as discussed in item (5), above).

    The 2023 Governor’s Ball may be typical of the types of Large FMCP Events or Multi-Day FMCP Events that apply for Department permits. Many “artists” who perform at such events repeatedly use lyrics that are obviously explicit, vulgar, obscene, and not suitable for children.

    By way of example, from the list of “artists” who performed during the 2023 Governor’s Ball, I selected one at random named Pusha T. I then randomly selected one song by Pusha T, and obtained the lyrics (see Attachment B (PDF)). I encourage the Department to review those lyrics, to understand just how explicit and obscene the “artists” performing at FMCP with permission of the Department can be.

    I will not repeat the lyrics here, but suffice it to say that within the song’s opening section alone, I count:

    • 6 uses of the “F” word or variations thereof;
    • 4 uses of the “N” word;
    • 3 references to wishing death upon another person, or killing;
    • 1 reference to drug dealing; and
    • A variety of other profane words and expressions.

    On information and belief, these lyrics are representative of Pusha T’s entire repertoire, and are also typical of the repertoires of many of the “artists” who perform at Governor’s Ball and similar events that may seek permits for FMCP.

    In my opinion, it is disgraceful that any part of FMCP should be permitted to host an event that relies on, and promotes, such vulgarity and obscenity.

    If the Department will not deny permits to such events, then the least it can do is to acknowledge that music and lyrics are audible well beyond an event’s fenceline, and establish event rules to protect children and minors who are enjoying nearby areas of FMCP from hearing vulgar, explicit and obscene lyrics.

    * * *

    Respectfully submitted,

    Robert LoScalzo

    1 attachment (PDF containing Attachment A and Attachment B)

    Comment attachment
    Attachments_A-and_B_of_CommenterRobertLoScalzo.pdf
    Comment added July 6, 2023 11:26pm
  • Carmen Mirtsopoulos

    Put a noise level on these events. The music gets so loud it travels miles away.

    Comment added July 7, 2023 8:03am
  • Victor Rodriguez

    Most of this is about the rules behind jow event providers can use the space. Very little is mentioned about Park preservation. Since the city is setting the stage for these provisions I propose a rule that shines a light on park needs. For example if the Govs Ball promoted and paid for the fight against poison ivy in the park. Or sponser a dead tree removal. Even to create a conservatory like in central park but funded mainly by these types of events in the name of park conservation. The park would get trashed less and we can begin a culture of caring about the park by creating park benificial rules. Even something as simple as IDs on the trees as long as the park benifits and its visible.

    Comment added July 7, 2023 3:48pm