§ 1-05 Approval or Denial of Applications by the Street Activity Permit Office.
RCNY § 1-05
(a)The Director of SAPO shall take into consideration any recommendations or comments received from community boards and Pedestrian plaza partners, where applicable, or City agencies or other government agencies in determining whether to approve, approve with conditions, or deny a Street event permit application, Plaza event permit application or Open Culture event permit application. At any time during the review of an application for a street activity permit, Plaza event permit or Open Culture event permit, the Director of SAPO or Executive Director of CECM or his or her designee may require the submission by the Applicant of such additional information that he or she deems necessary to evaluate the application or the qualifications of the Applicant or to implement the requirements of these rules.
(b)The Director shall have the authority to deny an application, to condition the approval of an application, or to revoke a Street event, Plaza event or Open Culture event permit, based on the following: (1) Applicant's past or present failure to make payment of the processing fee; or (2) Applicant's past or present failure to make payment to, or reach satisfactory agreement with all agencies, (e.g., the Department of Sanitation regarding a clean-up deposit); or (3) Applicant's past or present failure to present proof that all necessary and proper licenses, permits, insurance or authorizations have been received; or (4) Applicant's past or present failure to make payment to, or reach satisfactory agreement with, SAPO regarding a Street event fee, Plaza event fee, or Open Culture Event fee; or (5) Applicant's past or present failure to comply with applicable laws or rules; or (6) Applicant's past or present failure to comply with a condition imposed on a permit issued previously to the Applicant; or (7) Applicant proposes activities that would be in violation of law, rule or regulation; violate subdivisions 1, 4, 5, 6 or 7 of § 240.00 of the Penal Law; or would otherwise present an unreasonable danger to the health or safety of the applicant, event participants or other members of the public or cause damage to public or private property; or (8) Applicant's past or present failure to provide the Director or Executive Director of CECM with any additional information which he or she has determined to be necessary to evaluate the application or the qualifications of the Applicant; or (9) Applicant for an Open Culture Event proposes activities that would violate the applicable guidelines for the Open Culture program.
(c)In addition to the provisions of subdivision (b) of this section, the Director shall have the authority to deny an application, condition the approval of an application or revoke a Street event permit, Plaza event permit, or Open Culture event permit on any or all of the following grounds: (1) The Police Department, the Fire Department, the Department of Sanitation, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Department of Buildings, the Department of Consumer Affairs, the New York City Transit, the Human Resources Administration, the Department of Finance, the Department of Investigation, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, or any other appropriate agency that received a copy of a Street event permit application or a Plaza event application for comment, has notified the Director of SAPO of its disapproval and the reasons therefor; or (2) the proposed activity, when considered in conjunction with other proposed activities, would produce an excessive burden on the community, City services or City personnel; or (3) the information provided on the application or forms or documentation required to be submitted is false, misleading, incomplete or inaccurate; or (4) approval of the application is not in the best interest of the community, City or general public for reasons that may include, but are not limited to, lack of good character, honesty, integrity or financial responsibility of the Applicant. If the Director determines that the application shall be denied on the ground that the Applicant lacks good character, honesty, integrity or financial responsibility, the Director shall notify the Applicant that the application has been denied and shall specify the reason for such denial. The Applicant may thereafter respond to the Director's determination and appeal such denial pursuant to the provisions of 50 RCNY § 1-06.
(d)For the calendar year 2026, the Director will deny applications for Street event permits for Street fairs not held in the calendar year 2025, provided however that the Director may, in his or her discretion, grant applications for new Street fairs that are no more than one block in length and one day in duration.
(e)All information pertaining to anticipated Vendors participating in a street fair must be submitted one week prior to the date of the event. If this information is not provided, the final permit may not be issued. This information must include the anticipated gross income received from Vendors, the number of spaces occupied by documented not-for-profit organizations, including but not limited to the applicant's organization, the number of spaces occupied by Vendors and the amount paid by both documented not-for-profit organizations and the Vendors. The applicant must affirm the accuracy of this information. Information reflecting the final attendance of Vendors that took part in the Street fair must be submitted one week after the event took place. SAPO may request additional documentation to verify the Vendor fees received by Applicant.
(f)The Director will deny applications submitted for Street event permits for any street fair, block party or other street activity requiring closure of a street located between 42nd Street and 50th Street and between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue in the borough of Manhattan. The Director must make reasonable efforts to find alternative locations for street fairs, block parties and other street activities that took place in this area during calendar year 2015.
(g)Notwithstanding anything in this section, this Director shall not deny an application for a Press Conference/Rally/Stationary Demonstration other than under paragraph 7 of subdivision b of this section or unless the requested time or location conflicts with another permit, in which case the applicant shall be offered an alternative time or location for the Press Conference/Rally/Stationary Demonstration. (Amended City Record 12/1/2015, eff. 12/31/2015; amended City Record 8/19/2016, eff. 8/19/2016; amended City Record 12/30/2016, eff. 12/30/2016; amended City Record 12/1/2017, eff. 12/31/2017; amended City Record 12/31/2018, eff. 12/31/2018; amended City Record 11/29/2019, eff. 11/29/2019; amended City Record 12/31/2020, eff. 12/31/2020; amended City Record 3/1/2021, eff. 3/1/2021; amended City Record 11/1/2021, eff. 11/1/2021; amended City Record 12/30/2022, eff. 12/30/2022; amended City Record 12/1/2023, eff. 12/31/2023; amended City Record 11/27/2024, eff. 12/27/2024; amended City Record 12/1/2025, eff. 12/31/2025)
