N.Y. Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law § 39.07: Commission purpose

§ 39.07 Commission purpose. The purpose of the commission is to

undertake all necessary actions to facilitate the creation of a Niagara

river greenway. The commission shall develop a plan and generic

environmental impact statement for the creation of the greenway designed

to enhance waterfront access, complement economic revitalization of the

communities along the river, and ensure the long-term maintenance of the

greenway. The plan shall:

1. Recommend the specific boundaries of the greenway within Erie and

Niagara counties;

2. Develop a specific vision for the greenway that focuses on linking

parks and conservation areas, creating a multi-use venue for the people

of the region, and enhancing the tourism potential of the region;

3. Include an inventory of existing park and other lands under the

jurisdiction of state agencies, public corporations and municipalities

which may contribute to the purposes of a greenway;

4. Identify such other lands that through acquisition, dedication or

redevelopment may contribute to the purposes of a greenway;

5. Identify existing plans and plans under development that can

contribute to the purposes of the greenway;

6. Conduct economic analyses of the costs to construct, maintain and

market the greenway as part of a strategy for implementation;

7. Consider how the region's industrial heritage can be celebrated and

reflected along the greenway;

8. Recommend how the greenway could be linked to upland and interior

communities in order to promote linkages to the river;

9. Consider how existing and proposed economic development activities

in proximity to the greenway can support and complement the greenway;

10. Recommend cooperative efforts with the province of Ontario and the

nation of Canada in furtherance of the objectives of this article;

11. Identify local, state, federal and private sources of funding that

could support the purposes of the greenway;

12. Evaluate local, state and federal laws and regulations relating to

the purposes of the greenway;

13. Identify ways for the commission to work cooperatively with

municipal, state and federal agencies, public and private corporations,

not-for-profit organizations, and private property owners and interests

to advance and complement the purposes of the greenway;

14. Recommend how portions of the greenway would be managed including

a plan for on-going operation and maintenance that would make the

greenway self-supporting; and

15. Include any other information, data and recommendations which the

commission determines is necessary to support the purposes of the plan.

Such draft plan shall be submitted to the commissioner of parks,

recreation and historic preservation within two years of the effective

date of this article. The commissioner may approve the plan, may return

the plan to the commission with recommendations for approval, or may

reject such plan. Prior to submission of the draft plan to the

commissioner, the commission shall hold at least one public hearing on

the draft plan in each county for which the plan is applicable. The

local legislative body of each city, town or village within the

boundaries designated by the draft plan must approve the plan following

the public hearing or hearings and before it is submitted to the

commissioner. A copy of the approved plan shall be provided to the

governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the

assembly.