Franklin Lakes September 7, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 Council sets rules for use of borough fields by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Borough Council has adopted an ordinance that establishes the approvals that must be obtained before any group can use the recreation fields in the borough. The ordinance amends a section the borough code relating to the priority of the use of the fields by groups, the procedure to follow to file a permit application, and the issuance of a permit. According to the existing code pertaining to the use of recreation fields in the borough, permits for field or facility use are issued according to the category or group in which an organization or event is placed. There are five groups. Under the new ordinance, all permits for the use of Municipal Field, Tommy John Field, the Pulis Avenue Field, and the McBride Field must be issued by the recreation and parks director, and applications for all field use must be on a form approved by the Recreation and Parks Committee. This rule does not apply to Group I users, who are those participating in activities directly sponsored by the Franklin Lakes Recreation and Parks Department, including day camps, after-school programs, day programs, special events, and seasonal sporting activities. The applications must be submitted to the recreation and parks director at least 30 days prior to field use, except for applications for tournaments and camps and similar uses, which must be submitted at least 90 days prior to field use. No permits will be issued unless these requirements are met. Generally, games have priority over the use of the fields for practice. Requests for the use of fields by those in Group IV and Group V must be submitted to the recreation and parks director and approved by resolution of the borough council. When reviewing an application, borough officials will consider certain factors, including, but not limited to, wear and tear on the field, scheduling conflicts, provision of sufficient parking for the event, and whether the event benefits the Franklin Lakes community. Group IV includes private groups comprised of borough residents or businesses located in the borough who request the use of facilities on an occasional basis when space is available. At least 50 percent of the host group’s participants must live or work full-time in Franklin Lakes. Group V includes privately-operated programs. Borough facilities can be made available to organizations, camps, leagues, or groups for the purpose of providing recreational services to youths or adults. This group includes instructional activities that extend beyond one day and for which a separate fee or tuition is charged. Group II includes teams in established leagues that are independent organizations that have been established to serve the recreational interests of the participants. That group also includes Group II A, which consists of teams with borough residents being (continued on page 22)