What's happening
This bill allows municipalities in New York to create, recognize, and enforce architectural districts to regulate design and preservation.
Why it matters
Empowers local communities to shape their environment. By allowing any resident to propose an architectural district, the bill gives individuals a direct voice in how their neighborhoods look and feel, potentially increasing civic engagement and responsiveness to local aesthetic or historical concerns.
Adds a new tool for design and preservation beyond zoning. Municipalities already use zoning and historic preservation laws, but this bill creates a distinct “architectural district” mechanism, letting communities focus specifically on design characteristics such as aesthetics, open spaces, and natural areas, even if they aren’t strictly “historic.”
Requires local government transparency and public input. The process mandates public hearings and notification to affected communities before any district is recognized, promoting community awareness, debate, and consensus-building about local development and preservation priorities.
Establishes clear enforcement responsibility. The bill obligates municipalities to designate a local agency or department to enforce the rules of any new architectural district, meaning these districts would have real regulatory authority—not just advisory status—potentially affecting property rights, development, and community character.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create Architectural Districts
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.391
- Referred to local government
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.574
- Referred to local government
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.
Create Architectural Districts
In Assembly Committee · Local Governments · Sponsor Edward Braunstein
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1531
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2017
Introduced by Sen. AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to the creation and recognition of architectural districts
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The article heading of article 5-K of the general municipal law, as added by chapter 354 of the laws of 1980, is amended to read as follows:
HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ARCHITECTURAL DISTRICTS
§ 2. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 119-ddd to read as follows:
§ 119-ddd. Architectural districts. In addition to existing powers and authorities to regulate by planning or zoning laws, historic preservation laws and regulations or by local laws and regulations for the creation of districts, the governing board of a municipal corporation is hereby empowered to:
1. Recognize and establish an architectural district or commission with such powers as are necessary to carry out all or any of the authority possessed by the municipal corporation for such creation, as the governing board deems appropriate.
2. Any resident of a municipal corporation may submit to the governing board of such municipal corporation a detailed plan setting forth architectural design characteristics such as, but not limited to, natural areas, aesthetics, and open spaces. Such plan shall include a rendering, drawing, or sketch prepared to specifications which shows the arrangement, layout and design of the proposed architectural district and shall be reviewed pursuant to subdivision three of this section.
3. Upon receipt of such plan, the governing board of such municipal corporation may hold a public hearing regarding a proposed creation and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01291-01-7
S. 1531 2
recognition of the architectural district with notice provided to the affected community.
4. After notice and public hearing by the governing board of such municipal corporation, regarding a proposed creation and recognition of an architectural district, such board may determine whether to recognize and establish such district and preserve the qualities it deems qualifies as such district.
5. The governing board of a municipal corporation in which an architectural district is created and recognized, pursuant to subdivision four of this section, shall designate the local agency or department that shall enforce the preservation of such district.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to the creation and recognition of architectural districts
Purpose
To allow for the creation and recognition of architectural districts statewide.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of this bill amends the article heading of article 5-K of the general municipal law to read as "Historic Preservation and Architectural Districts."
Section 2 amends the general municipal law by adding a new section 119-ddd which states that the governing board of a county, city, town or village is hereby empowered to recognize and establish an architectural district or commission with such powers as are necessary to carry out all or any of the authority possessed by the municipality for such creation, as the governing legislative body deems appropriate.
Subdivision 2 of this section allows any resident of a municipality to submit a detailed plan setting forth architectural design characteristics such as, but not limited to, natural areas, aesthetics, and open spaces within the community. These plans shall include a rendering, drawing, sketch prepared to specifications that shows the arrangement, layout, and design of the proposed architectural district and shall be reviewed pursuant to subdivision three of this section.
Subdivision 3 of this section states that after receiving such plan, the municipality may hold a public hearing regarding a proposed creation and recognition of an architectural district. After holding the hearing, the governing board of the municipality may determine whether to recognize and establish such district and preserve the qualities it deems qualifies as such district. Subdivision 4 of this section states that the governing board of the municipality in which an architectural district is created and recognized, pursuant to subdivision three of this section, shall determine the local agency or department that shall enforce the preservation of such district.
Section 3 states that this act shall take effect immediately.
Justification
Currently, neighborhoods can change their zoning to protect against overdevelopment or apply for historic district designation to protect the historic character of the neighborhood. Unfortunately, some neighborhoods have been unsuccessful in obtaining either type of protection due to the difficulty in getting an area zoned as a special district or because of the overly restrictive qualifications that are required for a historic district designation.
This bill would afford neighborhoods throughout the state an alternative path for maintaining the character of their neighborhood through a mechanism that is less stringent than is required to create special zoning districts or landmark designations. By allowing municipalities to establish architectural districts, residents will be given another opportunity to retain the unique architectural integrity of their community that would otherwise be lost to development.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
Minimal.
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.