[Adopted 8-5-2008 by L.L. No. 30-2008 (Ch. 378, Art. II,
of the 1985 Code)]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The Commissioner of the Department of Parks, Recreation and
Conservation.
The Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation.
Buildings or structures under the jurisdiction of the Department
of Parks, Recreation and Conservation that are suitable for residential
use.
[Amended 9-6-2023 by L.L. No. 30-2023]
A.
The Department is hereby authorized to license parks facilities, as defined by § 643-12, subject to the requirements of this article and the approval of the Suffolk County Legislature, to the following persons and in the order of priority as follows:
(1)
A current full-time employee of the Suffolk County Department of
Parks, Recreation and Conservation.
(2)
A current full-time Suffolk County law enforcement officer.
(3)
A current full-time employee of the County of Suffolk.
(4)
A former full-time Suffolk County law enforcement officer.
(5)
A resident of the County of Suffolk who is a veteran of the United
States Armed Forces.
(6)
A resident of the County of Suffolk.
B.
If a licensee retires from County employment, leaves County employment
because of a disability, or changes from full-time to part-time County
employment, the licensee may continue to occupy the parks facility,
provided that he or she meets all other conditions set forth in this
article.
C.
The number and location of parks facilities suitable to be licensed
shall be determined jointly by the Commissioner and the Suffolk County
Parks Trustees. Once a list is established, parks facilities may be
added upon a joint determination of the Commissioner and the Suffolk
County Parks Trustees. A parks facility may be removed from the list
if it is determined by the Commissioner and the Parks Trustees that
it is required for another park purpose such as administrative or
operational space, museum use, or environmental stewardship program
management.
[Amended 9-6-2023 by L.L. No. 30-2023]
There is hereby established a Parks Housing Board ("Board"),
which shall be comprised of the following members:
A.
The Commissioner of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation,
or his or her designee, who shall serve as the Chairperson.
B.
The Commissioner of the Department of Public Works, or his or her
designee.
C.
The Director of the Historic Trust properties.
D.
The Director of the Division of Real Property Acquisition and Management,
Department of Environment and Energy, or his or her designee.
E.
The Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality Historic Trust
Committee, or his or her designee.
F.
The Chairman of the Suffolk County Legislature's Parks and Recreation
Committee, or his or her designee.
G.
The Presiding Officer of the Suffolk County Legislature, or his or
her designee.
H.
The Minority Leader of the Suffolk County Legislature, or his or
her designee.
I.
A representative of the Suffolk County Parks Trustees.
[Amended 9-6-2023 by L.L. No. 30-2023]
A.
A listing of all parks facilities available for license shall be
distributed by the Department on a periodic basis to all County employees
via an "All Employees Memorandum" and the Suffolk County Intranet.
The Department shall provide applications for occupancy upon request.
B.
The Division of Real Property Acquisition and Management's Appraisal
Review Unit shall prepare and recommend to the Parks Housing Board
updated appraisals to establish current license value for all parks
facilities that are available for license by the Department. Said
appraisals will include/consider the following:
(1)
A full interior inspection of the parks facility.
(2)
The current market for residential and commercial real estate on
Long Island.
(3)
The lack of insulation and other energy-efficient features within
the parks facility and any restrictions which prevent installation
of energy-efficient features.
(4)
Rental value and marketability of oil-heated parks facilities.
(5)
External factors, i.e., isolation, risk of vandalism, diminished
privacy, that affect the rental value of the facility.
C.
The Board may recommend to the Commissioner a license fee for a parks
facility that is below the appraised license value based on one or
more of the following factors:
D.
The Commissioner shall review the recommendations of the Parks Housing
Board and submit recommendations of applications and charges/license
fees for approval to the Suffolk County Legislature. The Commissioner
may recommend, and the Legislature may adopt, charges/license fees
below the appraised license value, based on the recommendation of
the Parks Housing Board and in accordance with the HUD-established
fair market rent for the Nassau-Suffolk Primary Metropolitan Statistical
Area based on bedroom size ("HUD-established fair market rent") if
the income of the applicant does not exceed 80% of the HUD-established
area median income limit for the Nassau-Suffolk Primary Metropolitan
Statistical Area adjusted by family size.
(1)
The Department of Economic Development and Planning shall certify
any licensee who may be eligible for license fee reductions as described
above prior to initial occupancy and may be certified annually thereafter.
Should the Department of Economic Development and Planning determine,
upon annual review, that the licensee is no longer eligible for the
reduced license fee, the Commissioner shall submit to the Legislature
for approval a new license fee.
E.
The Division of Real Property Acquisition and Management's Appraisal
Review Unit shall update the appraisal for any license of parks facilities
every two years, or upon the expiration of the license of said parks
facility.
[Amended 9-6-2023 by L.L. No. 30-2023]
A.
Licensees living in parks facilities equipped with individual meters
shall apply to the appropriate utility company for individual service
to be paid for directly by the licensee to the utility company.
B.
Licensees living in parks facilities which are not equipped with
individual meters shall pay a rate to be negotiated annually between
the licensee and the Commissioner, which negotiated rate shall include,
at a minimum, automatic increases in license fees equivalent to the
percentage increase in utility company rates calculated on at least
an annual basis, and based on standard square-foot form and increased
annually.
C.
Any licensee using or occupying such parks facilities shall be responsible
for the payment of all of his or her own utility charges (heat, gas,
oil, telephone, water, electricity, etc.) and shall provide evidence
of insurance to the County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation.
In addition, licensee shall pay for each nonstructural repair to their
unit.
D.
Agreements entered into pursuant to authorization under this article
shall list each person residing in the parks facility, and each such
license agreement shall be revised to list any changes to persons
residing in parks facility, as the case arises. Failure to disclose
such information shall be a ground for termination of the license
agreement and removal of the licensee from the parks facility.
[Amended 9-6-2023 by L.L. No. 30-2023]
This article shall apply to all licenses, license renewals,
and license modifications affecting parks facilities entered into
by the County of Suffolk on or after the effective date of this article.
