Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Resolution
No. 566-1998, adopted by the County Legislature on June 19, 1998,
authorized the Commissioner of the County Department of Parks, Recreation,
and Conservation to construct dog runs for the use of families with
pet dogs within West Hills County Park and dog runs for the use of
families in such other separate County facilities as he or she may
deem pertinent and appropriate.
Section 3.
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the
effective date of this law.
Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Resolution
No. 566-1998, adopted by the County Legislature on June 19, 1998,
authorized the Commissioner of the County Department of Parks, Recreation,
and Conservation to construct dog runs for the use of families with
pet dogs within West Hills County Park and dog runs for the use of
families in such other separate County facilities as he or she may
deem pertinent and appropriate.
This Legislature determines that Local Law No. 17-2003 authorized
the construction of dog runs at Coindre Hall and West Hills County
Park in the Town of Huntington for use by families with pet dogs.
This Legislature also finds and determines that an impediment to the construction of a dog run at Blydenburgh County Park in the Town of Smithtown has arisen from a provision of Chapter 378 (now Chapter 643) of the Suffolk County Code which limits the ability of pet owners to utilize County parklands with their pets.
Section 3.
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the
effective date of this law.
Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Suffolk County
park rules and regulations do not permit dogs to be off-leash on County
parklands outside of authorized, fenced-in dog runs.
This Legislature further finds that the County of Suffolk is
working to make County parks more accessible to persons and families
that own dogs.
This Legislature also determines that efforts are under way
to identify suitable unfenced areas in County parks where dogs would
be allowed to run unleashed.
Section 3.
Applicability.
This law shall apply to actions occurring on or after the effective
date of this law.
Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that the County
of Suffolk has traditionally permitted County employees and other
persons to reside in buildings under the jurisdiction of the Department
of Parks, Recreation and Conservation ("Department").
This Legislature further finds that in some instances, persons
were permitted to live in County facilities and pay rent far below
fair market value. As a result, the County enacted Resolution No.
1250-2002, which required all tenants and licensees residing in County
park facilities to pay rent based on the fair market value of the
residence as determined by the Division of Real Estate.
This Legislature also finds that many of the buildings under
the jurisdiction of the Department are old, historic and, often, isolated
from population centers. When these buildings are vacant, they are
a magnet for vandals. Unfortunately, several vacant County-owned buildings,
including the historic Scully Estate in Islip, have been seriously
vandalized and damaged.
This Legislature also finds that as a result of the fair market
value policy imposed by Resolution No. 1250-2002, the rental prices
charged for County-owned facilities spiked and the number of vacant
parks buildings increased. As a result, the County's substantial investment
in historic and culturally significant buildings is threatened.
This Legislature further determines that Resolution No. 1250-2002,
while well-intentioned, has produced unintended negative consequences
that must be addressed.
This Legislature finds that the process established by Resolution
No. 1250-2002 is too rigid and that a new, more flexible and common-sense
approach must be adopted to ensure that the County's historic and
cultural heritage is preserved while providing for a reasonable level
of rental revenue.
Therefore, the purpose of this article is to establish a new
process to govern the rental of properties under the jurisdiction
of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation.
Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that this Legislature,
within Suffolk County Local Law No. 9-1980 which allowed Suffolk County
residents to remove wood from Parks that had either fallen down or
was cut down by authorized agents of the Department of Parks, Recreation
and Conservation, recognized that due to the increased cost of home
heating fuel, more and more Suffolk County residents have turned to
heating their homes by burning wood.
This Legislature finds that this statement is even truer today,
given the prolonged national recession, high unemployment, and the
continual rising cost of home heating fuel.
This Legislature also finds and determines that in some instances,
due in part to the increase of weather-related events which have caused
a high number of downed trees and tree limbs within Suffolk County
Parks, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation has had
to utilize staff and other resources to remove such wood and debris
at the expense of Suffolk County taxpayers.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend the Suffolk County
Code to eliminate the permit fee for the removal of firewood from
Suffolk County Parks in order to incentivize Suffolk County residents
to make such requests, which will have the dual benefit of helping
to relieve the financial burden on Suffolk residents in heating their
homes and assisting the Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation
in decreasing its costs for the removal of downed trees from Suffolk
County Parks.
Section 3.
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all requests for a permit to remove
firewood from Suffolk County Parks on or after the effective date
of this law.
Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that the County
of Suffolk was one of the first municipalities in the nation to prohibit
smoking in certain indoor areas open to the public.
This Legislature also finds and determines that the County has
placed restrictions on smoking because the effects of secondhand smoke
pose a serious threat to the health, safety and welfare of citizens
who do not smoke.
This Legislature further finds and determines that the dangers
of secondhand smoke are not limited to indoor smoking.
This Legislature finds that the County owns a number of parks
which provide residents with easy access to the beauty of nature and
recreational opportunities.
This Legislature determines that many smokers discard their
cigarettes on the ground when smoking outside, leaving unsightly litter
which detracts from other residents' enjoyment of County parks and
beaches and creates an environmental hazard as toxins from the cigarettes
break down and absorb into the surrounding land and water.
This Legislature further finds that in 2011, New York City banned
smoking at all City-owned parks and beaches.
This Legislature also determines that the County of Suffolk
should ban smoking at all County-owned and/or operated parks and beaches
in order to provide County residents with the highest levels of protection
from secondhand smoke and to preserve the cleanliness of County parklands.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to prohibit smoking in
any Suffolk County park or beach.
Section 3.
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the
effective date of this law.
Section 6.
Effective date.
This law shall take effect on the ninetieth (90th) day immediately subsequent to filing in the Office
of the Secretary of State.
Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that the County
of Suffolk is dedicated to protecting the health and safety of its
residents, and pays special attention to children's health.
This Legislature further finds and determines that so-called
"energy drinks" are very popular, particularly among young people.
This Legislature finds that these drinks contain very high levels
of caffeine, though the exact amounts are not disclosed by their makers
as nutrition information.
This Legislature finds that caffeine is not a source of energy
but a stimulant and, therefore, these beverages are more accurately
described as "stimulant drinks" and shall be referred to as such in
this law.
This Legislature finds that in addition to caffeine stimulant
drinks contain a variety of herbal supplements, vitamins and amino
acids, such as guarana, taurine, vitamins B6 and B12, yerba mate,
bitter orange, ginger, ginkgo, St. Johns Wort and ginseng.
This Legislature determines that consumption of stimulant drinks
can cause significant adverse health effects: aggravating heart conditions,
headaches, rapid heartbeat, nervousness, irritability, sleeplessness,
dehydration, abnormal heart rhythms and stomach upset.
This Legislature also finds that consuming stimulant drinks
can be particularly harmful to young people. Consumption of stimulant
drinks may interfere with medications prescribed for certain conditions,
including attention deficit disorder, allergies, asthma, and birth
control pills.
This Legislature notes that many stimulant drinks are labeled
by their own manufacturers as "Not Recommended for Children".
This Legislature further finds that given the health risks associated
with the consumption of stimulant drinks by minors, it is reasonable
and appropriate for the County of Suffolk to exercise its police powers
to prohibit the sale and distribution of stimulant drink products
at its own parks and beaches.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to prohibit the sale or
distribution of stimulant drinks to minors in County parks.
Section 3.
Exemptions.
A.)
This prohibition shall not apply to individuals
who bring stimulant drinks into a County park solely for personal
consumption.
B.)
This law shall not apply to persons operating a
concession in a County park who are expressly authorized by their
agreement with the County of Suffolk to sell or distribute stimulant
drinks.
Section 4.
Future Concession Licenses.
All concession licenses and license renewals entered into by
the Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation
on or after the effective date of this law shall contain a provision
barring the sale or distribution of stimulant drinks to persons under
the age of 18.
Section 5.
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the
effective date of this law.
Section 8.
Effective Date.
This law shall take effect on the sixtieth day following its
filing in the Office of the Secretary of State.
Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Suffolk County
is home to the largest population of veterans in New York State.
This Legislature also finds and determines that some veterans
have difficulties finding housing on Long Island.
This Legislature also finds that Suffolk County rents and leases
County-owned park properties to a number of qualified individuals,
preferring current and former County employees before any resident
in the County.
This Legislature also finds that veterans have served our country
with honor and through their service are uniquely prepared to secure
and look after County rental properties.
This Legislature further finds and determines that to help ease
the process of obtaining housing and capitalize on the unique skills
that veterans offer, Suffolk County should include veterans on the
preference list for renting County-owned park facilities.
Section 3.
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all rentals, leases, and licenses entered
into on or after the effective date of this law.
Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that Suffolk County
owns, operates and maintains thousands of acres of parkland for the
benefit of County residents and visitors.
This Legislature also finds and determines that presently, Chapter 643 limits the locations where individuals can smoke in County parks. However, this chapter does not include a definition of smoke or smoking.
This Legislature further finds and determines that other portions
of the Suffolk County Code address the issue of smoking and include
definitions, but are not expressly applicable to County park properties.
This Legislature finds that in the advent of electronic cigarettes
and the recent legalization of marijuana in New York State, the law
should be updated to include a definition for smoking which is consistent
with other portions of the Suffolk County Code and includes all necessary
activities to protect the health and safety of visitors to County
park properties.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend Chapter 643 of the Suffolk County Code to include a definition of smoke or smoking in County parks to clarify for visitors to parks properties the activities being regulated.
Section 3.
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the
effective date of this law.
Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that the County
of Suffolk has permitted County employees and other persons to reside
in buildings under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks, Recreation
and Conservation ("Department") by entering into license agreements
with the Department.
This Legislature further finds that multiple undefined terms are used interchangeably throughout Chapter 643, Article II, of the Suffolk County Code, including lease, license, rent and license fee.
This Legislature further finds that the nature of the agreements,
by which the Department permits eligible applicants to reside in parks
facilities, are license agreements, and not leases.
This Legislature further finds that the language of Chapter 643, Article II, should be updated to accurately reflect the nature of the agreements.
This Legislature further finds that with the adoption of Local
Law No. 30-2008, the Suffolk County Code was amended to establish
new procedures governing the licensing of those parks facilities available
for residential use to include the consideration of certain criteria
unique to parks facilities in the determination of fair market value
by the Division of Real Property Acquisition and Management-Appraisal
Review Unit.
This Legislature further finds that even with these considerations,
those facilities available for residential use are appraised at values
that may exceed the HUD-established fair market rent based on bedroom
size and household income ("HUD-established FMR") of the selected
licensee, which could result in these properties being out of financial
range for County employees and other eligible licensees, and result
in long-term vacancies of the facilities.
This Legislature further finds that pursuant to Resolution No.
769-2014, the Suffolk County Park Police were transferred to and incorporated
into the Suffolk County Police Department as Suffolk County Police
Officers. As a result of this action, the order of priority for the
licensing of parks housing should also be reversed to reflect this
change.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to amend Chapter 643, Article II, of the Suffolk County Code, to amend the language of the Code to accurately reflect the nature of parks housing, reflect the change in priority, to incorporate HUD-established fair market rent based on bedroom size and household income of the selected licensee into the licensing procedure, and to ensure appraisals remain up to date.
Section 3.
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all actions occurring on or after the
effective date of this law.
Section 1.
Legislative intent.
This Legislature hereby finds and determines that pursuant to
Section 1 of the County Charter, it is the established policy of Suffolk
County to conserve and protect its natural resources and the quality
of its environmental and natural scenic beauty.
This Legislature also finds the environment of Suffolk County
is defenseless, silent, and highly vulnerable to abuse, and thus requires
the actions of others to protect it.
This Legislature recognizes that the Suffolk County District
Attorney's Office, Sheriff's Office, and Parks Department, as well
as the Pine Barrens Law Enforcement Commission, State Police and State
Department of Environmental Conservation have unanimously advocated
for, inter alia, strengthening the laws and policies that ensure forest
conservation and restoration, creating incentives for environmental
stewardship, and investing in streamlined reporting channels.
This Legislature finds and determines that incentivizing reporting
can promote investigations into past illegal activities as well as
deter future illegal activities.
This Legislature also finds that increasing financial penalties,
especially among corporate actors, can both discourage pollution and
promote the lawful disposal of hazardous materials.
This Legislature is aware that the Town of Brookhaven landfill
has imminent plans to stop accepting construction and demolition debris,
a factor which may drive up illegal pollution in secluded areas of
the County.
This Legislature also finds and determines that the County Parklands
and Pine Barrens have been frequent targets for illegal dumping of
construction and demolition debris.
Therefore, the purpose of this law is to adopt penalties below
that bear a reasonable relationship to the severity of the environmental
violations and crimes and more directly correspond to current costs
of environmental remediation in light of recent developments in carting,
inflation, and consumer price indices since the last legislative action
in this regard.
Section 3.
Applicability.
This law shall apply to all activities and events occurring
on or after the effective date of this law.
