What's happening
This bill authorizes five Suffolk County towns to jointly create and manage the Peconic region tourism marketing district.
Why it matters
Enables coordinated tourism marketing and promotion. By allowing five towns to jointly run sales, marketing, and public relations campaigns, the bill aims to attract more visitors, especially in slower seasons, potentially boosting local businesses and jobs.
Requires collaboration and shared governance. The towns must agree on a management structure, funding allocations, and decision-making processes, meaning the district's operations will reflect shared local priorities rather than a top-down mandate.
Creates a management board with direct stakeholder input. The district’s board must include local business owners, tenants (with tourism marketing experience), and representatives from each town, ensuring that those affected by tourism policy have a say in its direction.
Provides flexibility and local control. The towns can dissolve the district if a majority of property owners and assessed value support it, and all assets must stay within the participating towns for tourism promotion, ensuring local benefits and accountability.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Create Peconic Tourism District
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to local government
- 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 Peconic Tourism District
In Assembly Committee · Local Governments · Sponsor Fred Thiele
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 6040 A. 7702
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
May 10, 2017
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments
AN ACT authorizing the towns of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold in the county of Suffolk to establish a tourism marketing district to be known as the Peconic region tourism marketing district
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the towns of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold in the county of Suffolk shall be authorized to establish a tourism marketing district pursuant to the provisions of this act. Said district shall be known as the "Peconic region tourism marketing district".
§ 2. Except as provided in this section and to the extent such provisions are not inconsistent with the purposes of this act, the provisions of article 19-A of the general municipal law relating to business improvement districts shall apply to such tourism marketing district.
§ 3. The provisions of section 980-c of the general municipal law shall not apply to the tourism marketing district established pursuant to this act. In lieu of section 980-c of the general municipal law, the local legislative powers related to such tourism marketing district shall be those granted by section four of this act.
§ 4. Upon establishment of a tourism marketing district pursuant to the provisions of this act, the participating towns, through their governing bodies, shall collectively have authority to exercise the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10194-01-7
S. 6040 2 A. 7702
following powers with respect to such district, subject to the provisions of this act and the cooperative agreement entered into pursuant to section six of this act: (a) to establish sales and marketing programs and activities designed to attract visitors to the district, including the creation and management of cooperative programs for properties within the district, (b) to establish communications and public relations activities and services to build greater awareness of district businesses and the district as a tourism destination, especially during off-peak and shoulder seasons, (c) to partner with local, state, and federal authorities to promote the expansion of public transportation to, from, and within the district, (d) to pursue grants that benefit properties within the district, (e) to allocate revenues within the district for use in specific tourism promotion efforts, (f) to pay administrative costs and operation of the district, and (g) to establish any other tourism marketing activities which benefit the purposes of the district.
§ 5. The provisions of section 980-n of the general municipal law shall not apply to the tourism marketing district established pursuant to this act. In lieu of section 980-n of the general municipal law, the cooperative operation and management of the tourism marketing district shall be governed by section six of this act.
§ 6. The district established pursuant to this act shall be deemed to be a municipal cooperative district and the provisions of this section shall apply to the cooperative operation and management of the tourism marketing district.
(a) The 5 towns may collectively enter into, amend, and terminate an agreement for the operation and management of the tourism marketing district, in accordance with this act and the district plan.
(b) Any such agreement shall be approved by each participating town by a majority vote of its governing board, and may contain provisions relating to the rights and responsibilities of the respective towns, a method for equitably allocating costs and other matters, consistent with this act, as may be reasonably necessary and proper to effectuate the cooperative operation and management of the district. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed as authorizing the participating towns to issue joint indebtedness.
(c) The towns shall designate a single cooperative district management association which shall be known as the Peconic region tourism marketing district management association. Such cooperative district management association shall have the same powers and duties as provided in section 980-m of the general municipal law.
(d) The board of directors of such district management association shall be composed of representatives of owners and tenants within the district, provided, however, that not less than a majority of its members shall represent owners. Members of the board of directors shall have at least 5 years of experience in regional tourism marketing in the Peconic region. The number of such representatives of owners and tenants shall be in an equitable proportion as determined by agreement of the participating towns. The board shall include, in addition, a member from each participating town appointed by the governing body of each participating town.
(e) The district authorized by this act may be dissolved by local law adopted by each of the 5 towns, upon its own motion, or upon the written petition of: (1) the owners of at least fifty-one percent or more of the total assessed valuation of all benefited real property included in the boundaries of the district; and (2) at least fifty-one percent of the
S. 6040 3 A. 7702
owners of benefited real property within the area included in the district. The towns shall request and consider the recommendations of the district management association concerning any proposed dissolution; provided that if the association has not submitted recommendations to towns within 60 days after the request therefor, the towns may adopt any such proposed dissolution without considering such recommendations. In the event of dissolution, all assets of the district shall revert to the towns to be apportioned as agreed to by the towns and utilized solely for tourism promotion in each respective town. A certified copy of the order of dissolution shall be filed with the state comptroller at Albany, New York.
§ 7. Severability. If any provision of this act or the application thereof shall for any reason be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder of this act, but shall be confined in its operation to the provision thereof directly involved in the controversy in which the judgment shall have been rendered.
§ 8. 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 authorizing the towns of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold in the county of Suffolk to establish a tourism marketing district to be known as the Peconic region tourism marketing district
Purpose
To establish the Peconic Region Tourism Marketing District.
Summary of provisions
Special act to authorize the towns of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold in the County of Suffolk to establish the "Peconic Region Tourism Marketing District" and provides that the participating towns, through their governing bodies, shall collectively have the authority to exercise specific powers with respect to such tourism marketing district.
Justification
The East End of Long Island is comprised of the towns of East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold in Suffolk County. This area has always been a popular tourist attraction. The beautiful beaches, bays, open spaces, farm fields, wineries, and farm-to-table restaurants provide unique recreational experiences for visitors and profitable economic opportunities for those who live and work on the East End.
This legislation would allow the five East End Towns to create a special tourism marketing district to be known as the "Peconic Region Tourism Marketing District." The Peconic Region Tourism Marketing District shall generally comply with Article 19-A of the General Municipal Law that relates to business improvement districts, but provisions relating to local legislative powers shall be adapted to focus on improvements that will restore or promote tourism activity. Further, the Peconic Region Tourism Marketing District shall be deemed to be a municipal cooperative district and sets forth provisions that shall apply to the local cooperative operation and management of the district.
Legislative history
2017: New Legislation
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
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.