What's happening
This bill requires municipalities near major Metropolitan Transportation Authority hubs to conduct environmental impact reviews before adopting comprehensive zoning plans.
Why it matters
Requires local governments to assess the environmental impact of rezoning near major transit hubs. , ensuring that potential increases in population and development are matched by the capacity of transportation systems to handle more riders.
Shifts some planning responsibility to municipalities. , compelling them to proactively analyze whether their infrastructure can support growth, rather than assuming transit systems can absorb added demand.
Could slow or modify development near busy MTA stations. , as cities and towns may need to alter or delay zoning changes if environmental review finds that transit systems are insufficient for expected growth.
Aims to prevent transit overcrowding and related negative impacts (like pollution and congestion). by mandating a formal review process before allowing higher-density development near key transportation nodes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Environmental Transit Reviews
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Transit Hub Review
In Assembly Committee · Corporations, Authorities And Commissions · Sponsor Ron Kim
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1416
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 9, 2017
Introduced by Sen. AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to require an environmental impact review in certain instances
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, any municipality that is served by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and initiates a comprehensive zoning plan that is designed in relation to its proximity and accessibility to a transportation hub where more than 4 subway or bus lines converge shall conduct an environmental impact review subject to the provisions of the state environmental quality review act under article 8 of the environmental conservation law and its implementing regulations, to determine if such transportation systems can assimilate increased ridership.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01286-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to require an environmental impact review in certain instances
Purpose
To require any municipality served by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to conduct an environmental impact review to determine if transportation systems can deal with increased ridership when a new zoning plan designed on its relation to a transportation hub is initiated.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of this bill states that any municipality that is served by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and initiates a comprehensive zoning plan that is designed in relation to its proximity and accessibility to a transportation hub where more than 4 subway or bus lines converge shall conduct an environmental impact review subject to the provisions of the state environmental quality review act under article 8 of the environmental conservation law and its implementing regulations, to determine if such transportation systems can assimilate increased ridership.
Section 2 of this bill states that this act shall take effect immediately.
Justification
Due to the increasing need of affordable housing in metropolitan areas, municipal zoning authorities, such as the New York City Planning Commission, have undertaken comprehensive re-zoning to increase residential housing. This re-zoning is focused on areas where transportation lines converge to avoid having to construct costly parking spaces and to encourage the use of public transportation. It is imperative that prior to authorizing such re-zoning, municipalities must conduct studies on whether these transportation lines can support increased ridership as a result of the planned residential development.
This bill would require any municipality served by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that initiates a zoning plan designed on its relation to a transportation hub where more than 4 subway or bus lines converge to conduct an environmental impact review to determine if the transportation systems can deal with increased ridership.
Legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.