§ 31-J — Community gardens task force

§ 31-j. Community gardens task force. 1. The commissioner shall\nconvene a community gardens task force to identify and develop ways to\nencourage state agencies, municipalities and private parties to\nestablish and expand community gardens and the activities conducted by\nsuch gardens.\n 2. The task force shall be chaired by the commissioner, or by such\nofficer or employee of the department as shall be designated by the\ncommissioner. The membership of the task force may include\nrepresentation from appropriate state agencies and members that\nrepresent existing community gardens, counties, cities, towns, villages,\nschool districts, other special use districts, public authorities and\ncooperative extension services. Membership of the task force shall\ninclude at least two representatives from organizations dedicated to the\npromotion, expansion or protection of community gardens.\n 3. The commissioner, may request the assistance of state agencies to\ncarry out the work of the task force.\n 4. (a) The goals of the task force may include, but are not limited\nto, the study, evaluation and development of recommendations: (i) to\nencourage the establishment and expansion of community gardens by state\nagencies, municipal governments and private parties, (ii) to encourage\ncooperation between the activities and operations of community gardens\nand provision of donated food to local voluntary food assistance\nprograms for the poor and disadvantaged, (iii) to increase the benefits\nthat community gardens may provide to the local community in which they\nare located, (iv) to encourage cooperation with community-based\norganizations to increase the opportunities for seniors, those aged\nsixty years of age or older, to participate in community gardens, (v) to\nencourage the expansion of the production of fresh fruits and vegetables\nin areas served by community gardens so that such fresh produce can be\nconsumed locally to help encourage healthier life styles and wellness,\nand to help reduce the incidence of adult and childhood obesity, (vi) to\ndevelop after school programs that establish, maintain and expand\ncommunity gardens, and (vii) to encourage the development and expansion\nof community gardens in food deserts as defined in section two hundred\nsixty of this chapter.\n (b) In achieving the goals of the task force, the task force may\nconsider recommendations that: (i) encourage the execution of\nconservation easements by state agencies, municipalities or private\nparties to establish or protect community gardens, (ii) encourage the\ncreation of mechanisms to transfer development rights to protect\ncommunity gardens or encourage the donation or lease of lands for\ncommunity gardens, (iii) development of model zoning codes, local land\nuse laws or other municipal policies that could encourage the\nestablishment or retention of community gardens, and (iv) any other\nactivity to achieve the goals deemed appropriate by the task force\naccording to the provisions of this article.\n 5. The task force shall submit a report to the governor and the\nlegislature on or before January first, two thousand twenty-three and on\nor before January first of each fifth year thereafter on the status of\ncommunity gardens in New York state. Such report shall include:\n (a) the number, nature and geographic location of community gardens;\n (b) a description of the costs, benefits and impacts of community\ngardens;\n (c) an assessment of the successes, failures and barriers in\ndeveloping, maintaining and expanding community gardens;\n (d) lists of funding sources available to develop and expand community\ngardens along with the requirements for obtaining the funding;\n (e) an assessment of the funding, requirements and barriers for double\nthe number of existing community gardens;\n (f) a discussion of the goals outlined in subdivision four of this\nsection and a description of the steps and projects undertaken to meet\nthe goals for the task force as established in this section;\n (g) an action plan for doubling the number of community gardens in the\nstate of New York;\n (h) recommendations for developing, maintaining and expanding\ncommunity gardens in food deserts; and\n (i) any other recommendations or assessments the task force deems\nappropriate for the report.\n Between report due dates, the commissioner shall maintain the\nnecessary records and data required to satisfy such report requirements\nand to satisfy information requests received from the governor and the\nlegislature between such report due dates.\n