Family definition prompts park vote delay

The Village of East Hills on Wednesday night delayed voting on revised park rules in order to clarify the definition of a family now that New York has legalized same-sex marriage.

All residents of owner-occupied homes are allowed to use the East Hills Park, but village regulations limit access for renters to families only. Current park rules describe tenant families as a husband, a wife and children.

The new language will include same-sex and heterosexual couples who are married, Village Attorney William Burton said.

New York's Marriage Equality Act went into effect July 24.

"We want to make sure [the rules] are absolutely consistent with the law and embrace the new changes," Burton said.

For renters to be allowed into the park, they must have signed a lease for one year or longer with the owner of a private residence. The lease must also say the homeowner has granted the tenant's family all the privileges the owner has to use the park, according to the village rules.

Other proposed changes to the rules affect guest fees, visitor passes and use of the water slide at the $17 million park, which opened in 2006 on the site of 50 acres formerly used by the Roslyn Air National Guard Base.

The revised rules are expected to come up for a vote in August, although a date has not been set, Burton said.

The District of Columbia and six states recognize same-sex marriage with New York being the most populous.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman earlier this week filed suit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan seeking to overturn the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as solely between a man and a woman.