N.Y. General Municipal Law § 239-i: Regional comprehensive plans

§ 239-i. Regional comprehensive plans. 1. Content of a regional

comprehensive plan. The regional comprehensive plan may include the

following topics of significance at the level of detail adapted to the

special requirements of the region:

(a) general statements of goals, objectives, principles, policies, and

standards upon which proposals for the immediate and long-range

protection, enhancement, growth and development of the region are based;

(b) consideration of regional needs and the official plans of other

government units and agencies within the region;

(c) the existing and proposed intensity of land uses;

(d) consideration of agricultural uses, historic and cultural

resources, coastal and natural resources and sensitive environmental

areas;

(e) consideration of population, demographic and socio-economic trends

and future projections;

(f) the location and types of transportation facilities, including the

reuse of abandoned transportation facilities;

(g) existing and proposed general location of public and private

utilities and infrastructure;

(h) existing housing resources and future housing needs, including

affordable housing;

(i) the present and future general location of educational and

cultural facilities, historic sites, health facilities, and facilities

for emergency services;

(j) existing and proposed recreation facilities and parkland;

(k) the present and potential future general location of commercial

and industrial facilities;

(l) specific policies and strategies for improving the regional

economy in coordination with other plan topics;

(m) proposed measures, programs, devices, and instruments to implement

the goals and objectives of the various topics within the regional

comprehensive plan;

(n) all or part of the plan of another public agency;

(o) any and all other items which are consistent with the protection,

enhancement, orderly growth and development of the region; and

(p) consideration of cumulative impacts of development and other

issues which promote compliance with the state environmental quality

review act under article eight of the environmental conservation law and

its implementing regulations.

2. Preparation. The regional planning council may prepare a proposed

regional comprehensive plan and amendments thereto.

3. Environmental review. A regional comprehensive plan, and any

amendment thereto, is subject to the provisions of the state

environmental quality review act under article eight of the

environmental conservation law and its implementing regulations. A

regional comprehensive plan may be designed to also serve as, or be

accompanied by, a generic environmental impact statement pursuant to the

state environmental quality review act statute and regulations. No

further compliance with such law is required for subsequent site

specific actions that are in conformance with the conditions and

thresholds established for such actions in the generic environmental

impact statement and its findings.

4. Agricultural review and coordination. A regional comprehensive plan

and any amendments thereto, for a region containing all or part of an

agricultural district or lands receiving agricultural assessments within

its jurisdiction, shall continue to be subject to the provisions of

article twenty-five-AA of the agriculture and markets law relating to

the enactment and administration of local laws, ordinances, rules or

regulations. A newly adopted or amended regional comprehensive plan

shall take into consideration applicable county agricultural and

farmland protection plans as created under article twenty-five-AAA of

the agriculture and markets law.

5. Referrals. The regional planning council shall, prior to adoption,

refer the proposed regional comprehensive plan or any amendment thereto

to the collaborating municipal legislative bodies and planning boards

for review and recommendation.

6. Public hearings; notice. (a) In the event the regional planning

council prepares a proposed regional comprehensive plan or amendment

thereto, the regional planning council shall hold one or more public

hearings in each collaborating municipality and such other meetings as

it deems necessary to assure full opportunity for citizen participation

in the preparation of such proposed plan or amendment, and in addition,

the regional planning council shall hold one or more public hearings in

each collaborating municipality prior to adoption of such proposed plan

or amendment.

(b) Notice of a public hearing shall be published in a newspaper of

general circulation in each collaborating municipality at least ten

calendar days in advance of the hearing. Notice shall also be mailed to

the chief executive officer and the chairperson of the planning board of

each municipality at least ten days before such hearing. The proposed

regional comprehensive plan or amendment thereto shall be made available

for public review during said period at the office of the clerk of each

collaborating municipality, and may be made available at any other

place, including a public library.

7. Adoption. The regional planning council may adopt by resolution a

regional comprehensive plan or any amendment thereto.

8. Filing of regional comprehensive plan. The adopted regional

comprehensive plan and any amendments thereto shall be filed in the

office of the clerk of each collaborating municipality.

9. Effect of adoption of the regional comprehensive plan. All plans

for capital projects of another governmental agency on land included in

the regional comprehensive plan adopted pursuant to this section shall

take such plan into consideration.

10. Periodic review. The regional planning council shall provide, as a

component of such proposed regional comprehensive plan, the maximum

intervals at which the adopted plan shall be reviewed.