2023 New York Laws › AGM - Agriculture and Markets › Article 2-C - Community Gardens › 31-J - Community Gardens Task Force.

§  31-j.  Community  gardens  task  force.  1.  The commissioner shall
convene a community gardens task force to identify and develop  ways  to
encourage   state   agencies,  municipalities  and  private  parties  to
establish and expand community gardens and the activities  conducted  by
such gardens.
2.  The  task  force  shall be chaired by the commissioner, or by such
officer or employee of the department as  shall  be  designated  by  the
commissioner.   The   membership   of   the   task   force  may  include
representation  from  appropriate  state  agencies  and   members   that
represent existing community gardens, counties, cities, towns, villages,
school  districts,  other  special use districts, public authorities and
cooperative extension services.  Membership  of  the  task  force  shall
include at least two representatives from organizations dedicated to the
promotion, expansion or protection of community gardens.
3.  The  commissioner, may request the assistance of state agencies to
carry out the work of the task force.
4. (a) The goals of the task force may include, but  are  not  limited
to,  the  study,  evaluation  and development of recommendations: (i) to
encourage the establishment and expansion of community gardens by  state
agencies,  municipal  governments and private parties, (ii) to encourage
cooperation between the activities and operations of  community  gardens
and  provision  of  donated  food  to  local  voluntary  food assistance
programs for the poor and disadvantaged, (iii) to increase the  benefits
that  community gardens may provide to the local community in which they
are  located,  (iv)  to  encourage  cooperation   with   community-based
organizations  to  increase  the  opportunities  for seniors, those aged
sixty years of age or older, to participate in community gardens, (v) to
encourage the expansion of the production of fresh fruits and vegetables
in areas served by community gardens so that such fresh produce  can  be
consumed  locally  to help encourage healthier life styles and wellness,
and to help reduce the incidence of adult and childhood obesity, (vi) to
develop after  school  programs  that  establish,  maintain  and  expand
community  gardens, and (vii) to encourage the development and expansion
of community gardens in food deserts as defined in section  two  hundred
sixty of this chapter.
(b)  In  achieving  the  goals  of  the task force, the task force may
consider  recommendations  that:  (i)   encourage   the   execution   of
conservation  easements  by  state  agencies,  municipalities or private
parties to establish or protect community gardens,  (ii)  encourage  the
creation  of  mechanisms  to  transfer  development  rights  to  protect
community gardens or encourage  the  donation  or  lease  of  lands  for
community  gardens,  (iii) development of model zoning codes, local land
use  laws  or  other  municipal  policies  that  could   encourage   the
establishment  or  retention  of  community  gardens, and (iv) any other
activity to achieve the goals  deemed  appropriate  by  the  task  force
according to the provisions of this article.
5.  The  task  force  shall  submit  a  report to the governor and the
legislature on or before January first, two thousand twenty-three and on
or before January first of each fifth year thereafter on the  status  of
community gardens in New York state. Such report shall include:
(a) the number, nature and geographic location of community gardens;
(b)  a  description  of  the  costs, benefits and impacts of community
gardens;
(c)  an  assessment  of  the  successes,  failures  and  barriers   in
developing, maintaining and expanding community gardens;
(d) lists of funding sources available to develop and expand community
gardens along with the requirements for obtaining the funding;
(e) an assessment of the funding, requirements and barriers for double
the number of existing community gardens;
(f)  a  discussion  of  the goals outlined in subdivision four of this
section and a description of the steps and projects undertaken  to  meet
the goals for the task force as established in this section;
(g) an action plan for doubling the number of community gardens in the
state of New York;
(h)   recommendations   for   developing,  maintaining  and  expanding
community gardens in food deserts; and
(i) any other recommendations or  assessments  the  task  force  deems
appropriate for the report.
Between   report  due  dates,  the  commissioner  shall  maintain  the
necessary records and data required to satisfy such report  requirements
and  to  satisfy information requests received from the governor and the
legislature between such report due dates.