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Q&A
Parks Commissioner explains recent changes to permitting rules
1:26:52
·
77 sec
Commissioner Susan Donoghue responds to concerns about permit cuts for night baseball leagues, explaining recent changes to the Parks Department's permitting rules.
- The department went through a process of changing rules for permits
- The changes aimed to give preference to non-profit and youth organizations in permitting
- Donoghue acknowledges that these changes have had ramifications for some groups
- The commissioner offers to look into the specific league mentioned by Council Member Avilés
- Avilés provides more details about the league's permit being cut from 8:00 PM to 11:50 PM to 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- The commissioner agrees to review the situation, recognizing the significant impact on the league
Susan Donoghue
1:26:52
I would have to look into the specific league that you're referencing.
1:26:56
We did go through a process, a rule change with our permits.
1:27:01
And with that rule change, what we looked to do was preference non profit and youth organizations in our permitting.
1:27:10
And so there were definitely changes that went into effect that have had ramifications for some.
1:27:16
I don't know the specific, but if you tell us the specific league, we're absolutely happy to look
Alexa Avilés
1:27:21
into Their permit was cut from eight to eleven fifty, which they had been for decades, to from eight to 10.
1:27:29
So an hour and fifty minutes for them is significant because they play every minute they can get.
Susan Donoghue
1:27:36
I'm sure.
Alexa Avilés
1:27:36
Yes.
1:27:37
Given that they've been doing this for decades, the math doesn't work with how much they're actually paying for the permits and how they can sustain a season with so much cut of playtime.
1:27:47
So I'd like to follow-up with you, but this is existential for them.
1:27:52
And the efficiency argument isn't one that seems to have been justified in a way that we could be like, okay, that's reasonable.
1:28:01
Because somebody's not standing outside waiting to flip on the switch.
Susan Donoghue
1:28:07
We're happy to take a look at it.
1:28:08
Absolutely.