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Title 18: Parks
Chapter 1: Department of Parks and Recreation
§ 18-101 Department of parks and recreation; commissioner.
§ 18-102 Uniform force.
§ 18-103 Trees and vegetation; definitions.
§ 18-104 Trees and vegetation; jurisdiction.
§ 18-105 Trees under private or public ownership; care and cultivation.
§ 18-105.1 Trees, bushes and other vegetation obstructing a traffic signal or device.
§ 18-106 Tree planting; permission of commissioner of transportation.
§ 18-107 Replacement of trees.
§ 18-108 Public beaches; jurisdiction.
§ 18-108.1 Prohibitions on beaches.
§ 18-108.2 Vehicles prohibited on boardwalks.
§ 18-109 Setbacks along boardwalks and beaches.
§ 18-110 Public beaches; life-saving apparatus.
§ 18-111 Gifts of real and personal property.
§ 18-112 Restrictions on Eastern parkway, etc.
§ 18-113 Restrictions on Ocean parkway.
§ 18-114 Coney island oceanarium.
§ 18-115 Richmondtown exhibit.
§ 18-116 Garage in Lincoln Square Performing Arts Center.
§ 18-117 Perkins arboretum.
§ 18-118 Renting of stadium in Flushing Meadow park; exemption from down payment requirements.
§ 18-119 Queens Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
§ 18-120 Hall of science.
§ 18-121 High Rock Park Nature Conservation Center.
§ 18-122 Bicycle and tricycle areas in parks.
§ 18-123 Brooklyn Children's Museum in Brower Park.
§ 18-124 Art museum.
§ 18-125 Thomas Pell Wildlife Refuge and Sanctuary.
§ 18-126 Hunter Island Marine Zoology and Geology Sanctuary.
§ 18-127 Central Park Zoo; Flushing Meadow Zoo; Prospect Park Zoo.
§ 18-128 Renting of tennis stadium and center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
§ 18-128.1 Snug Harbor.
§ 18-128.2 Bryant Park.
§ 18-129 Fines for unlawful cutting of trees on department property.
§ 18-130 Ward's and Randall's islands; development into park.
§ 18-131 Posting of signs.
§ 18-132 Displaying a POW/MIA flag over public property.
§ 18-133 Adopt-a-park program.
§ 18-134 Annual report on non-governmental funding for parks.
§ 18-135 Requiring signage warning of heat dangers of playground equipment.
§ 18-136 Advisory committee for new surfacing materials.
§ 18-137 Representation on park conservancies.
§ 18-138 Locations of concessions in parks.
§ 18-139 Notification prior to planting of trees.
§ 18-140 Stormwater retention planting manual.
§ 18-141 Native biodiversity planting practices.
§ 18-142 Tree removal protocol.
§ 18-143 Report on parks department facilities.
§ 18-144 Annual report on park maintenance.
§ 18-145 Reporting on capital project expenditures in parks.
§ 18-146 Prohibitions in parks.
§ 18-147 Destruction of trees and property.
§ 18-148 Notification of tree removal.
§ 18-148.1 Cleaning playground equipment after pesticide exposure.
§ 18-149 Discounted recreation center fees.
§ 18-150 Defibrillators at youth baseball games and youth softball games and practices in parks.
§ 18-151 Street tree maintenance information posted online.
§ 18-152 Pedestrian access to park facilities.
§ 18-153 Notice of changes to capital projects.
§ 18-154 Bathing season for beaches and pools.
§ 18-155 Installation of bollards.
§ 18-156 Soil lead testing.
§ 18-157 Tree inspections and health assessments.
§ 18-158 Park and playground inspections.
§ 18-159 Diaper changing accommodations.
§ 18-160 Water safety instruction provided at no cost.
§ 18-161 Swimming pool assessment and location survey.
§ 18-162 Swimming lessons at indoor pools.
§ 18-163 Report on staffing and training at beaches and pools.
§ 18-164 Urban forest plan.
§ 18-165 Compost facilities in parks.
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§ 18-146 Prohibitions in parks.
   a.   Penalties. In accordance with subparagraph (ii) of paragraph 9 of section 533 of the charter, the violation of any provision of this section shall be a misdemeanor punishable by not more than 20 days imprisonment or by a fine of not more than 1,000 dollars. Any person who violates this section shall, for the first violation, also be liable for a civil penalty of not more than 5,000 dollars, and for the second or any subsequent violation committed within a twelve month period, for a civil penalty of no more than 10,000 dollars, which may be recovered in a proceeding before the office of administrative trials and hearings pursuant to section 1049-a of the charter. For the purposes of this subdivision, the term "first violation" means any number of violations issued during a single incident. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the department from promulgating additional rules concerning activities within the scope of this section; provided that except as specifically provided in this section, violation of such additional rules shall be subject to penalties in accordance with subparagraph (i) of paragraph 9 of section 533 of the charter rather than this section.
   b.   Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the civil penalty limitation in relation to noise set forth in section 24-270 shall govern where applicable.
   c.   Offenses. The prohibitions set forth in this subdivision shall apply to public parks and to all property under the charge and control of the department.
      1.   Failure to comply with lawful order. No person shall fail, neglect or refuse to comply with the lawful direction or command of any member of the police department, peace officer, park supervisor or such person's superior, lifeguard, or department employee under the command of the parks enforcement patrol division.
      2.   Pollute waters. No person shall throw, drop, allow to fall, or discharge into or leave in, or otherwise introduce into the waters within the jurisdiction of the department, including pools and bathing areas, or any tributary, brook, stream, sewer or drain flowing into said waters, any substance, liquid or solid, gas, or other item which may or will result in the pollution of said waters.
      3.   Unlawful dumping. No person shall engage in unlawful dumping. For purposes of this subdivision "unlawful dumping" shall mean suffering or permitting any dirt, sand, gravel, clay, loam, stone, rocks, rubble, building rubbish, sawdust, shavings or trade or household waste, refuse, ashes, manure, garbage, rubbish or debris of any sort or any other organic or inorganic material or thing or other offensive matter being transported in a dump truck or other vehicle or conveyance to be dumped, deposited or otherwise disposed of.
      4.   Aviation. No person shall voluntarily bring, land or cause to alight within or upon the jurisdiction of the department, any airplane, hot air balloon, parachute, hang glider, or other aerial craft or device, that endangers any person or property, except that certain areas may be designated appropriate landing places for medical evacuation helicopters. For the purposes of this subdivision "voluntarily" shall mean anything other than a forced landing caused by mechanical or structural failure of the aircraft or other aerial device.
      5.   Explosives, firearms and weapons. No person shall bring into or have in his or her possession any firearms, slingshots, firecrackers, missile propelling instruments or explosives, including any substance, compound or mixture having properties of such a character that alone or in combination with other substances, compounds or mixtures, propel missiles, explode or decompose to produce flames, combustion, noise, or noxious or dangerous odors; provided that this subdivision shall not apply to: a sworn member of the uniformed force of the police department, whether on or off-duty; persons in the military or other service of the United States who are in pursuit of official duty or duly authorized by federal law, regulation or order to possess the relevant firearm or other item; persons in the military service of the state of New York when on duty and duly authorized by applicable regulations to possess the relevant firearm or other item; police officers as defined by subdivision 34 of section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law, if not otherwise specified by this subdivision, when on duty; or peace officers as defined by section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law, when on duty. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to prohibit the proper use of cigarette lighters, matches or of charcoal lighter fluid in proper containers in picnic grills where permissible pursuant to the rules promulgated by the commissioner.
      6.   Animals, nests and eggs. Except pursuant to a permit for trapping issued by the department, no person shall molest, chase, harass, injure, wound, trap, hunt, shoot, throw missiles at, kill or remove any animal, any nest, or the eggs of any amphibian, reptile or bird, or, otherwise harm or intentionally take actions that could reasonably harm any animal, nest, or such eggs. Further, no person shall knowingly buy, receive, have in his or her possession, sell or give away any such animal or egg taken from or killed within the jurisdiction of the department including any zoo area.
      7.   Failure to control animals. No person owning, possessing or controlling any animal shall cause or allow such animal to be unleashed or out of control in a manner prohibited by the rules of the department.
      8.   Trespass. No person, unless authorized to do so, shall knowingly enter or remain in a building or other structure, or upon real property, which is fenced, barricaded or otherwise enclosed in a manner designed to exclude or otherwise discourage entrance by any unauthorized individual, or shall enter or leave the jurisdiction of the department except by designated entrance ways or exits.
      9.   Fee evasion. No person shall gain or attempt to gain admittance to department facilities or structures for the use of which charge is made without paying such charge.
      10.   Climbing. No person shall climb upon any statue or artwork not specifically intended for climbing purposes in a manner that damages or could reasonably damage such statue or artwork.
      11.   Dangerous roads. No person shall render dangerous any part of a road.
      12.   Unlawful exposure. No person shall appear in public in such a manner that one's genitalia are unclothed or exposed.
      13.   Unlawful commercial activity. No person shall engage in any commercial activity or commercial speech, except pursuant to a permit issued by the department.
      14.   Events without permits. No person shall hold or sponsor any event that significantly interferes with ordinary park use, as such interference is defined by rules of the department, without a permit issued by the department, or erect any structure, stand, booth, platform, or exhibit in connection with any event without a permit issued by the department.
      15.   Unauthorized vending. No person shall vend in a manner prohibited by the rules of the department.
      16.   Noise at night. No person shall play or operate any musical instrument or drum, radio, tape recorder or other device for producing sound in any park between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., except under the express terms of a permit issued by the department, provided that the department may vary the hours specified in this paragraph in a particular park or area by means of posting signs advising the public of the restricted hours applicable to such park or area.
      17.   Sound reproduction device. No person shall play or operate any sound reproduction device, as defined by the rules of the department, without a permit issued by the department and any other city agency or agencies with pertinent jurisdiction. This paragraph shall not apply to the regular and customary use of sound reproduction devices operated in full accordance with the rules of the department so as not unreasonably to disturb other persons in their permitted uses of the park, except that in areas designated by the department as "quiet zones," such regular and customary use of sound reproduction devices shall be prohibited. Signs shall be posted in all quiet zones advising the public of such prohibition. Use of radios and other sound reproduction devices listened to solely by headphones or earphones, and inaudible to others, is permitted in all areas.
      18.   Music or advertising noise without a permit. No person shall play or operate any musical instrument or drum or cause any noise for advertising or commercial purposes except under the express terms of a permit issued by the department.
      19.   Unauthorized commercial cinematic production. No person shall engage in filming or photography, where such activity is subject to the permit requirements of the mayor's office of film, theatre and broadcasting or any successor agency, except under the express terms of a permit issued by that office.
      20.   Dangerous transportation vehicles. No person shall operate a bicycle, motor vehicle, or similar vehicle in a manner that endangers any other person or property.
      21.   Boating. No owner or operator of a boat, vessel or dinghy shall violate rules of the department regulating the operation, docking, storage, maintenance or removal of such boat, vessel or dinghy, or the use or alteration of facilities connected with such activities.
      22   Unlawful fires. 
         (a)   No person shall kindle, build, maintain, or use a fire in any place in a manner prohibited by the rules of the department.
         (b)   No person shall leave, throw away, drop, or toss any lighted match, cigar, or cigarette, hot coals, or other flammable material within, on, near, or against any tree, building, structure, boat, vehicle or enclosure, or in any open area. This paragraph shall not apply to extinguishing a cigar or cigarette on a paved surface.
      23.   Unauthorized construction. No person shall perform or cause to be performed construction work of any kind or any work incidental thereto, including, but not limited to, construction staging, except pursuant to a permit issued by the department.
      24.   Unauthorized excavations. No person shall perform, cause, suffer or allow to be performed any excavations or similar activity that significantly disrupts park property within or adjacent to any park property without a permit issued by the department.
      25.   Area use restrictions. 
         (a)   No person shall engage in any toy or model aviation, model boating or model automobiling, or activity involving other similar devices except at such times and at such places designated or maintained therefor.
         (b)   No person shall roller skate, ski, skateboard, sled or coast or ride on any similar device outside areas designated and maintained for such use in a manner that endangers any other person or property.
         (c)   No person shall go upon the ice of any lake or pond in a manner prohibited by the department.
      26.   Exclusive children's playgrounds. No person shall enter any playground designated by sign as an exclusive children's playground unless such person is accompanied by a child, in accordance with rules of the department.
(L.L. 2016/070, 6/13/2016, eff. 6/13/2017)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2016/070.
§ 18-147 Destruction of trees and property.
Any violation of a department rule or regulation concerning the cutting, removal or destruction of any tree or concerning the destruction or abuse of other public property under the charge and control of the department, where such destruction or abuse results in significant damage or expense, shall be a misdemeanor punishable by not more than six months imprisonment or by a fine of not more than 15,000 dollars, or by both. Any violation of a rule or regulation concerning the unlawful cutting, removal or destruction of any tree or concerning the destruction or abuse of other public property, where such destruction or abuse results in significant damage or expense, shall also subject the violator to a civil penalty of not more than 10,000 dollars for each violation which may be recovered in a proceeding before the office of administrative trials and hearings pursuant to section 1049-a of the charter. Such proceeding shall be commenced by the service of a notice of violation returnable to such office pursuant to such section. The office of administrative trials and hearings shall have the power to impose the civil penalties prescribed herein in accordance with such section.
(L.L. 2016/070, 6/13/2016, eff. 6/13/2017)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2016/070.
§ 18-148 Notification of tree removal.
   a.   Not less than two days prior to commencement of temporary parking restrictions on any street or roadway or a portion thereof, for the purpose of removal of trees by the department, the department shall post notice of the effective date of such restrictions on such street or roadway, unless the planned work is to occur in accordance with other existing parking restrictions, such as alternate side parking regulations. Such notification shall include the effective date of such restrictions, the location of such restrictions and the estimated end date of such restrictions.
   b.   Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the department to provide notice of any temporary parking restrictions where such restrictions are required to commence immediately to preserve public safety.
   c.   Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the department to complete planned removal within the estimated end date of such restrictions.
(L.L. 2017/096, 5/30/2017, eff. 5/30/2017)
§ 18-148.1 Cleaning playground equipment after pesticide exposure.
   a.   As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
      Park playground equipment. The term "park playground equipment" means playground equipment which is located within a playground operated by or under the jurisdiction of the department, including those for which the department has an agreement with a conservancy or other not-for-profit organization with respect to operation of any aspect of a playground.
      Pesticide. The term "pesticide" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 17-1101 of this code.
   b.   Within 24 hours of the spraying of any pesticide by or on behalf of a city agency, the department shall clean all park playground equipment located less than the minimum distance from such spraying, as set forth in rule by the department of health and mental hygiene, at which such equipment will not be exposed to such pesticide.
(L.L. 2018/071, 1/19/2018, eff. 7/18/2018; Am. L.L. 2023/056, 5/12/2023, eff. 5/12/2023)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2018/071.
§ 18-149 Discounted recreation center fees.
   a.   Annual membership fees for each recreation center under the jurisdiction of the department shall be reduced for persons 62 years of age or older, veterans and persons with disabilities. Such reduced fees shall be no greater than 25 percent of the highest annual membership fee charged at such recreation center.
   b.   Annual membership for each recreation center under the jurisdiction of the department shall be free for persons between 18 and 24 years of age.
(L.L. 2016/018, 2/19/2016, eff. 6/18/2016; Am. L.L. 2017/133, 8/8/2017, eff. 8/8/2018; Am. L.L. 2023/103, 7/23/2023, eff. 9/21/2023)
§ 18-150 Defibrillators at youth baseball games and youth softball games and practices in parks.
   a.   Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
      Automated external defibrillator. The term "automated external defibrillator" means a medical device, approved by the United States food and drug administration, that: (i) is capable of recognizing the presence or absence in a patient of ventricular fibrillation and rapid ventricular tachycardia; (ii) is capable of determining, without intervention by an individual, whether defibrillation should be performed on a patient; (iii) upon determining that defibrillation should be performed, automatically charges and requests delivery of an electrical impulse to a patient's heart; and (iv) upon action by an individual, delivers an appropriate electrical impulse to a patient's heart to perform defibrillation.
      Department. The term "department" means the department of parks and recreation or any successor of such department.
      Training course. The term "training course" means a course approved by a nationally-recognized organization or the state emergency medical services council in the operation of automated external defibrillators.
      Youth league. The term "youth league" means youth recreation sports leagues other than the public school leagues, including school leagues, little leagues, community based organization leagues, and unaffiliated leagues.
      Youth recreation. The term "youth recreation" means athletic activity with participants who are all 17 years old or younger, but includes grade school through high school athletic programs regardless of the age of the participants.
   b.   Subject to the provision of a sufficient number of automated external defibrillators and training courses by the department pursuant to subdivision c or subdivision m, a youth league using a ballfield under the jurisdiction and management of the department to play or practice baseball or softball, or any other youth league provided with an automated external defibrillator pursuant to this section shall:
      1.   make available an automated external defibrillator at every game and practice occurring at such field in which a team of such league participates; and
      2.   where practicable, ensure that there is at least one coach, umpire or other qualified adult who is present at each such game and practice who has successfully completed a training course within 24 months of every such game and practice.
   c.   The department shall provide to youth leagues subject to the requirements of subdivision b a sufficient number of automated external defibrillators and training courses at no cost to such leagues. Any defibrillator provided by the department to such a league shall be returned in satisfactory condition upon request of the department.
   d.   The department shall not issue a permit to a youth league for the use of a ballfield under its jurisdiction and management to play baseball or softball unless, for the duration of the season for which the permit is sought, such league certifies that it will comply with subdivision b.
   e.   Each league shall maintain records that it possesses a sufficient number of automated external defibrillators to meet the requirements of subdivision b for three years from the date such league receives the permit that was the subject of the application.
   f.   Any person who voluntarily and without expectation of monetary compensation renders first aid or emergency treatment using an automated external defibrillator that has been made available pursuant to this section, to a person who is unconscious, ill or injured, and any individual or entity that purchases or makes available an automated external defibrillator as required by this section, is entitled to the limitation of liability provided in section 3000-a of the New York state public health law.
   g.   Nothing contained in this section imposes any duty or obligation on any person to provide assistance with an automated external defibrillator to a victim of a medical emergency.
   h.   Nothing contained in this section affects the obligations or liability of emergency health providers pursuant to section 3000-b of the New York state public health law.
   i.   1.   The ballfield permit holder of any league that violates the provisions of subdivisions b or e shall receive a warning for a first violation, and shall be liable for a civil penalty of $500 for each subsequent violation, recoverable in a proceeding before any tribunal established within the office of administrative trials and hearings or within any agency of the city of New York designated to conduct such proceedings.
      2.   The ballfield permit holder of any league that violates the provisions of subdivision c shall be liable for a civil penalty of no more than $2,500 for each automated external defibrillator that is not returned in satisfactory condition to the department, recoverable in a proceeding before any tribunal established within the office of administrative trials and hearings or within any agency of the city of New York designated to conduct such proceedings.
   j.   No ballfield permit shall be issued to any youth league that has a past due outstanding penalty for a violation issued pursuant to paragraph 2 of subdivision i.
   k.   The provision of automated external defibrillators and training courses authorized by this section shall be limited to the appropriation of funds available for this program. To the extent the department anticipates that the number of automated external defibrillators and training courses requested by youth leagues will exceed the funds available, the department shall provide such defibrillators and training courses authorized by subdivision c on an equitable basis until such funds are exhausted.
   l.   The commissioner of the department shall promulgate any rules as may be necessary for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this section.
   m.   If the department has any undistributed automated external defibrillators remaining after complying with subdivision c of this section, the department may distribute such automated external defibrillators to any other youth league at no cost to such youth league. Any automated external defibrillator so distributed shall be returned in satisfactory condition upon request of the department.
(L.L. 2016/057, 5/10/2016, eff. 1/1/2017; Am. L.L. 2016/104, 8/31/2016, eff. 1/1/2017; Am. L.L. 2017/133, 8/8/2017, eff. 8/8/2018; Am. L.L. 2018/119, 6/23/2018, eff. 1/1/2019; Am. L.L. 2019/140, 7/27/2019, eff. 1/1/2020)
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