Bill Text: NY A01265 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Amended


Bill Title: Authorizes certain municipal legislative bodies, including towns and villages, to enact local laws and ordinances providing for non-binding mediation of land use decisions.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 4-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-08 - referred to judiciary [A01265 Detail]

Download: New_York-2013-A01265-Amended.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        1265--A
                              2013-2014 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 9, 2013
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER, PALMESANO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of
         A.    RIVERA -- (at the request of the Legislative Commission on Rural
         Resources) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary  --
         committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and
         recommitted to said committee
       AN ACT to amend the general city law, the town law, and the village law,
         in relation to authorizing the use of mediation in land use decisions
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.  Section 20 of the general city law is amended by adding a
    2  new subdivision 39 to read as follows:
    3    39. TO PROVIDE BY LOCAL LAW FOR THE USE OF  VOLUNTARY  AND  NONBINDING
    4  MEDIATION PURSUANT TO GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM
    5  OR  SUCH  OTHER  PROCEDURE  AS  DETERMINED BY ITS LEGISLATIVE BODY. WHEN
    6  UTILIZING SUCH MEDIATION, THE APPLICANT AND  THE  LEGISLATIVE  BODY  MAY
    7  MUTUALLY AGREE, IN WRITING, TO STAY OR EXTEND THE STATUTORY TIME PERIODS
    8  FOR  REVIEW  OF  SUCH  APPLICATION, AND SAID AGREEMENT SHALL SPECIFY THE
    9  DATE ON WHICH THE STAY OR EXTENSION WILL END. THE LEGISLATIVE BODY SHALL
   10  MAKE SUCH WRITTEN AGREEMENT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC  BY  FILING  A  COPY
   11  THEREOF IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
   12    S  2.  Subdivision 3 of section 81-a of the general city law, as added
   13  by chapter 208 of the laws of 1993, is amended to read as follows:
   14    3. Assistance to the board of appeals.  (A) Such board shall have  the
   15  authority  to  call  upon any department, agency or employee of the city
   16  for such assistance as shall be deemed necessary and as shall be author-
   17  ized by the legislative body. Such department, agency or employee may be
   18  reimbursed for any expenses incurred as a result of such assistance.
   19    (B) THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MAY BE AUTHORIZED BY  THE  LEGISLATIVE
   20  BODY  TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF VOLUNTARY AND NONBINDING MEDIATION AS AN
   21  AID IN FOSTERING LAND USE DECISIONS, PURSUANT TO THE  GUIDELINES  ESTAB-
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD02517-03-3
       A. 1265--A                          2
    1  LISHED BY THE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM OR SUCH OTHER PROCEDURE AS DETERMINED
    2  BY THE LEGISLATIVE BODY.
    3    S  3.  Paragraph b of subdivision 14 of section 27 of the general city
    4  law, as amended by chapter 418 of the laws of 1995, is amended  to  read
    5  as follows:
    6    b.  The  planning  board  may  review  and  make  recommendations on a
    7  proposed city comprehensive plan or amendment thereto. In addition,  the
    8  planning  board shall have the full power and authority to make investi-
    9  gations, maps, reports,  and  recommendations  in  connection  therewith
   10  relating to the planning and development of the city as it deems desira-
   11  ble, providing the total expenditures of said board shall not exceed the
   12  appropriation  provided therefor.   THE PLANNING BOARD MAY BE AUTHORIZED
   13  BY THE LEGISLATIVE BODY TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF VOLUNTARY AND NONBIND-
   14  ING MEDIATION AS AN AID IN FOSTERING LAND USE DECISIONS, PURSUANT TO THE
   15  GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM OR SUCH OTHER  PROCE-
   16  DURE AS DETERMINED BY THE LEGISLATIVE BODY.
   17    S 4. Section 64 of the town law is amended by adding a new subdivision
   18  26 to read as follows:
   19    26.  MEDIATION.  IS  AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE BY LOCAL LAW FOR THE USE OF
   20  VOLUNTARY AND NONBINDING MEDIATION PURSUANT  TO  THE  GUIDELINES  ESTAB-
   21  LISHED  BY  THE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM OR OTHER PROCEDURE AS DETERMINED BY
   22  THE BOARD.  WHEN UTILIZING SUCH MEDIATION, THE APPLICANT  AND  THE  TOWN
   23  BOARD  MAY  MUTUALLY  AGREE, IN WRITING, TO STAY OR EXTEND THE STATUTORY
   24  TIME PERIODS FOR REVIEW OF SUCH APPLICATION, AND  SAID  AGREEMENT  SHALL
   25  SPECIFY THE DATE ON WHICH THE STAY OR EXTENSION WILL END. THE TOWN BOARD
   26  SHALL  MAKE  SUCH  WRITTEN AGREEMENT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC BY FILING A
   27  COPY THEREOF IN THE TOWN CLERK'S OFFICE.
   28    S 5. Subdivision 3 of section 267-a of the town  law,  as  amended  by
   29  chapter 248 of the laws of 1992, is amended to read as follows:
   30    3.  Assistance  to  board  of appeals.   (A) Such board shall have the
   31  authority to call upon any department, agency or employee  of  the  town
   32  for such assistance as shall be deemed necessary and as shall be author-
   33  ized by the town board. Such department, agency or employee may be reim-
   34  bursed for any expenses incurred as a result of such assistance.
   35    (B) THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MAY BE AUTHORIZED BY THE TOWN BOARD TO
   36  PROVIDE  FOR  THE USE OF VOLUNTARY AND NONBINDING MEDIATION AS AN AID IN
   37  FOSTERING LAND USE DECISIONS, PURSUANT TO THE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED  BY
   38  THE  UNIFIED  COURT  SYSTEM OR OTHER SUCH PROCEDURE AS DETERMINED BY THE
   39  BOARD.
   40    S 6. Paragraph b of subdivision 14 of section 271 of the town law,  as
   41  amended  by  chapter  418  of  the  laws  of 1995, is amended to read as
   42  follows:
   43    b. The planning  board  may  review  and  make  recommendations  on  a
   44  proposed  town comprehensive plan or amendment thereto. In addition, the
   45  planning board shall have full power  and  authority  to  make  investi-
   46  gations,  maps,  reports  and  recommendations  in  connection therewith
   47  relating to the planning and development of the town as it seems desira-
   48  ble, providing the total expenditures of said board shall not exceed the
   49  appropriation provided therefor.  THE PLANNING BOARD MAY  BE  AUTHORIZED
   50  BY  THE  TOWN  BOARD  TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF VOLUNTARY AND NONBINDING
   51  MEDIATION AS AN AID IN FOSTERING LAND USE  DECISIONS,  PURSUANT  TO  THE
   52  GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE UNIFIED COURT SYSTEM OR OTHER PROCEDURE AS
   53  DETERMINED BY THE BOARD.
   54    S  7.  Subdivision 3 of section 4-412 of the village law is amended by
   55  adding a new paragraph 14 to read as follows:
       A. 1265--A                          3
    1    (14) MEDIATION. MAY PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF  VOLUNTARY  AND  NONBINDING
    2  MEDIATION  PURSUANT  TO  THE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE UNIFIED COURT
    3  SYSTEM OR SUCH OTHER PROCEDURE AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES.
    4  WHEN  UTILIZING  SUCH MEDIATION, THE APPLICANT AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
    5  MAY  MUTUALLY  AGREE,  IN  WRITING, TO STAY OR EXTEND THE STATUTORY TIME
    6  PERIODS FOR REVIEW OF SUCH APPLICATION, AND SAID AGREEMENT SHALL SPECIFY
    7  THE DATE ON WHICH THE STAY OR EXTENSION WILL END. THE BOARD OF  TRUSTEES
    8  SHALL  MAKE  SUCH  WRITTEN AGREEMENT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC BY FILING A
    9  COPY THEREOF IN THE VILLAGE CLERK'S OFFICE.
   10    S 8. Subdivision 3 of section 7-712-a of the village law,  as  amended
   11  by chapter 248 of the laws of 1992, is amended to read as follows:
   12    3.  Assistance  to  board  of appeals.   (A) Such board shall have the
   13  authority to call upon any department, agency or employee of the village
   14  for such assistance as shall be deemed necessary and as shall be author-
   15  ized by the village  board  of  trustees.  Such  department,  agency  or
   16  employee may be reimbursed for any expenses incurred as a result of such
   17  assistance.
   18    (B)  THE  ZONING  BOARD  OF  APPEALS MAY BE AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD OF
   19  TRUSTEES TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF VOLUNTARY AND NONBINDING MEDIATION AS
   20  AN AID IN FOSTERING LAND  USE  DECISIONS,  PURSUANT  TO  THE  GUIDELINES
   21  ESTABLISHED  BY  THE  UNIFIED  COURT  SYSTEM  OR SUCH OTHER PROCEDURE AS
   22  DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
   23    S 9. Paragraph b of subdivision 14 of section  7-718  of  the  village
   24  law,  as  amended by chapter 418 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read
   25  as follows:
   26    b. The planning  board  may  review  and  make  recommendations  on  a
   27  proposed  village  comprehensive plan or amendment thereto. In addition,
   28  the planning board shall have the  full  power  and  authority  to  make
   29  investigations,  maps, reports, and recommendations in connection there-
   30  with relating to the planning and development of the village as it seems
   31  desirable, providing the total expenditures  of  said  board  shall  not
   32  exceed  the  appropriation provided therefor.  THE PLANNING BOARD MAY BE
   33  AUTHORIZED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF  VOLUNTARY
   34  AND  NONBINDING  MEDIATION  AS  AN  AID IN FOSTERING LAND USE DECISIONS,
   35  PURSUANT TO THE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED BY THE UNIFIED  COURT  SYSTEM  OR
   36  SUCH OTHER PROCEDURE AS DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
   37    S  10. This act shall take effect on the first of July in the calendar
   38  year next succeeding the calendar year in which it shall have  become  a
   39  law, and shall not affect any local laws or ordinances providing for the
   40  mediation  of  zoning and planning decisions which were enacted prior to
   41  such effective date.
feedback