What's happening
This bill amends the Westchester County administrative code to allow the sale of small, non-park parcels and removes language about selling park buildings and materials.
Why it matters
Expands the county’s authority to sell small parcels. By specifically allowing the sale of parcels under two acres that are not being used as parks, the amendment could enable the county to more easily transfer surplus, unused land—possibly speeding up redevelopment or returning these properties to the tax rolls.
Removes a layer of restriction on non-park land sales. Previously, any property acquired for park purposes—even if not ultimately used as a park—faced stricter controls on disposition. This change distinguishes between actual parkland and small, unused parcels, making it less cumbersome for the county to sell the latter.
Eliminates explicit authorization to sell park buildings and materials. By striking language that allowed the Board of Acquisition and Contract to sell buildings, improvements, and materials from park lands, the bill could limit the county’s flexibility in liquidating assets from established parks, potentially preserving park infrastructure and reducing piecemeal divestment.
May impact local communities and park preservation efforts. The streamlined sale process for small, unused parcels could be seen as a way to optimize county resources, but it may also raise community concerns about transparency, oversight, or the potential for gradual erosion of public assets originally acquired for park purposes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Change Park Property Sale Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Signed chap.201
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 42–18
- Home rule request
- 3rd reading cal.994
- Substituted for S5041
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.286
Show 17 earlier actions
- Rules report cal.286
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to local governments
- Returned to assembly
- Died in senate
- Referred to local government
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Home rule request
- Advanced to third reading cal.170
- Reported
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Print number 5839a
- Amend (t) and recommit to local governments
- Referred to local governments
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.
Ease Park Land Sales
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Shelley Mayer
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5839--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 19, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN, ABINANTI, BUCHWALD, GALEF, OTIS, PRETLOW, SAYEGH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the Westchester county administrative code, in relation to the lease or sale of real property for park purposes
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 249.101 of chapter 852 of the laws of 1948, constituting the Westchester county administrative code, as added by chapter 679 of the laws of 1961 and renumbered by local law 8 of the laws of 1979, is amended to read as follows:
§ 249.101 1. Whenever the county shall have acquired jurisdiction or shall become vested with the title of real property for park purposes, it shall be lawful for the Board of Acquisition and Contract, upon the recommendation of the commissioner, to let for a period not exceeding five years any of such real property or portion thereof which may be within the bounds of the real estate so taken, and until the same is required for park purposes.
2. [The Board of Acquisition and Contract, upon the recommendation of the board, may authorize the safe of any building, improvement and other materials within the boundary line of the lands so taken and belonging to the county, which the board shall certify is not required for the purposes of this chapter, and the proceeds of such leases and sales shall be deposited with the Commissioner of Finance to the credit of the county.
3.] The commissioner shall have the right, subject to the approval of the County Board, to construct, reconstruct, complete, alter or repair any buildings or structures, or demolish or remove the same to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07859-02-9
A. 5839--A 2
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 249.111 of chapter 852 of the laws of 1948, constituting the Westchester county administrative code, as amended by local law 3 of the laws of 1962 and renumbered by local law 8 of the laws of 1979, is amended to read as follows:
1. [The] For parcels under two acres and not used as parks, the county, upon the recommendation of the board, is hereby authorized to sell and covey, by either public or private sale, any real estate which may have been acquired by purchase, condemnation or otherwise for park purposes, and which is determined by the County Board to be no longer required for such purposes, or to grant rights or interests in, over, under and across any real estate acquired for park purposes, such sale and conveyance or grant to be in accordance with the provisions of the County Charter and Administrative Code.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.