New Bike Policy Tops Parks Committee Meeting

By Katie McFadden

Community Board 14 committee meetings aren’t usually known to draw big public crowds, but last Thursday’s Parks and Public Safety Committee was an exception after NYC Parks’ proposed policy to ban bikes off of the boardwalk from Beach 73rd to Beach 108th starting Memorial Day weekend, was announced earlier in April. The Coastal Conservation Center on Beach 44th Street was packed on April 24, with locals eager to have their voices heard.

While the new bike policy was the hot topic, a few other issues were discussed including a new permit policy for the Beach 94th Amphitheater and the Beach 17th performance space, plus a look at summer planning.

“We had a conflict last summer over amplified sound permits at the 94th Amphitheater and 17th Street. The agency, with input from Community Board 14, has made amendments to the permit policy,” new NYC Parks Rockaway Administrator Elizabeth Walsack said. For events where more than 20 people will attend, the new policy would require applicants to apply at least 21 days before their event and a $25 application fee applies. NYPD and DEP will enforce noise complaints. Parks Enforcement Patrol will also be getting their own decibel readers. Sound must be no higher than 42dB where complaints come from. All amplified music must end by 9 p.m. at Beach 94th and 17th, and access to electricity will be cut off at 9 p.m. DJ events are limited to two weekend days a month, for no more than four hours. Movie nights are permitted to continue beyond 9 p.m., since they can’t begin until after sundown.

NYPD and DEP would enforce the policy, but PEP can write summonses if needed.  So far, they’ve received 95 applications for all events across both performance spaces this summer, but none have been approved yet until the policy is finalized. As far as live bands go, Parks said they could perform any day. The committee made a recommendation to limit all music events to five a month, restricting them to two small speakers and one subwoofer only. CB14 can discuss and make a motion in May.

Next, assistant Rockaway administrator Khalil Bratton discussed summer planning. Parks is installing mobimats, combing the beach, and addressing the sand on the boardwalk. Parks is starting to install mesh screening on rails to try to contain the sand. They received their first wave of seasonal staff. New staff will help with maintaining the bathrooms, maintaining the sand, cleaning trash corrals and more. Trash corrals are starting to be placed on the beach. They’ll also have 30 to 40 summer youth workers to help. Parks will hold a peninsula-wide volunteer day on May 10, in which the public can help clean up different areas.

Bratton said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be planting dunes in the fall. A question was brought up about three lifeguard chairs that were destroyed by people using the wood for bonfires. Bratton said they’re replacing them, but they come at a cost of $2 to $3K each. Asked about lifeguard hiring this year, Bratton said they’ve seen more people qualifying, but final testing for the job is ongoing, so the numbers are not yet known. Asked about beach access in piping plover areas that are typically closed to the public, Walsack said there is access at Beach 47th and Beach 52nd Street, and more areas can open as the birds leave.

Last was the discussion on the new boardwalk bike policy. Sarah Neilson, Chief of Policy in the Environment and Planning Division at NYC Parks, and Maya Dutta, a project planner in the same department, said they didn’t intend for the policy to hit the press before the meeting, calling it a “proposed idea.” Also, contrary to the messaging from the NYC Press Office, the policy would be in place after 10 a.m., not 9:30 a.m., so cyclists would be permitted to ride on the boardwalk from Beach 73rd to Beach 108th Street between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and would be banned after those hours between Memorial Day weekend and October 1.

They said this came in response to reports of clashes between pedestrians and cyclists, particularly amid the increase in e-bikes and scooters. In 2023, the Adams administration created an interagency task force, to develop NYC’s Electric Micromobility Action Plan to focus on safety, enjoyment and separating locations for pedestrians and bikes. Parks launched a pilot program for e-bikes and scooters citywide, which included the Rockaway boardwalk, and have been looking into how these devices impact greenways. Dutta and Neilson claim a survey was conducted and found that people on the boardwalk felt a “decreased sense of safety” due to these devices. So, they’ve been comparing the Rockaway boardwalk to those in Coney Island and Orchard Beach, which limit bike riding to 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the summer. They focused on the high-traffic areas of Beach 73rd to Beach 108th due to the concessions and came up with the policy of banning bikes from the boardwalk there and redirecting cyclists to the Shore Front Parkway bike lanes. Parks’ plans to increase signage instructing cyclists to utilize Shore Front and PEP officers will be detailed to these areas to enforce the policy and instruct cyclists to dismount their bikes and walk them or utilize Shore Front.

CB14 chairwoman Dolores Orr said since PEP typically staffs closed beaches to keep people out of the water, how many additional officers would it require to enforce the bike policy? Parks didn’t have an answer. Orr suggested banning bikes only on weekends and holidays. She also stressed that there needs to be better signage to indicate the rules and where the boardwalk bike lanes are. “People don’t know it’s a bike lane,” Orr said.

Committee member Karen Sloan-Payne asked if wheelchairs were exempt to which Parks said yes. John Cori said “absolutely not” to Parks’ proposed policy. “We need PEP to do a better job of enforcing the rules and have signage that’s in your face. Comparing us to other greenways, you’re talking about Shore Front, but DOT did a horrible job designing that. It’s a drop off lane and having people ride there is more dangerous. You say there’s a survey, has anyone heard of this survey?” Cori asked the room. Most replied “No.” “There’s little to no enforcement by PEP on e-bikes, mopeds and the spandex riders. It needs to be enforced. I created an example of how we can restrict people at the concessions. We just ask for better signage and better enforcement,” Cori said to loud applause.

Committee member David Rood-Ojalvo applauded Parks for wanting to improve safety but questioned the safety of the Shore Front lanes. He also suggested using Parks’ resources to crack down on those speeding and utilize cones to slow down those riders. “Cones do a better job than Parks officers trying to give tickets,” Rood-Ojalvo said. “You gotta get mopeds off the boardwalk.” Walsack responded saying, “With this proposal, if there are no bikes on the boardwalk, then you don’t have to worry about mopeds or electric bikes or scooters.” To this, another committee member, Zina Moriatti, said, “Instead of new rules, why can’t we enforce better what we already have?”

The discussion was opened to the public. Most agreed with what had been said. Some requested that Parks provide the statistics on boardwalk accidents. Others reiterated the dangers of riding on Shore Front during busy beach days as people park in the illegal spaces and unload their beach equipment in the lanes. Peggy Grennan said the boardwalk area in question only has 25 pedestrian crossing points, whereas the lanes on Shore Front have 58, which “more than doubles the collision opportunities.” Others said it’s a select few causing issues. “It’s the spandex crew that is racing. They need speed limits,” one person said.

A recommendation was made to continue to allow biking from Beach 73rd to Beach 108th, to increase enforcement by NYPD and PEP to crack down on e-bikes and motorbikes, and to create better markings and signage on the bike lanes, with extra enforcement directly around the concessions. The issue will be presented at the CB14 meeting in May.