What's happening
This bill authorizes the transfer of state-owned land at 63 Babylon Turnpike, Freeport, to the village of Freeport for municipal use.
Why it matters
Enables local decision-making. By transferring ownership of the land to the village, Freeport gains direct control over how this significant property is developed or used, allowing for municipal projects that better reflect local priorities.
Potential for community improvement. The bill specifically allows Freeport to improve existing structures and use the land for general municipal purposes, which could mean new community centers, public spaces, or other services that benefit residents.
Safeguards public interest. The bill includes a reversion clause—if Freeport stops using the land for municipal purposes, ownership automatically returns to the state, preventing private sale or non-public uses that might not serve the broader community.
Economic and historical relevance. The property, previously used for military purposes and originally deeded by Freeport to the state in 1949, has the potential for redevelopment that could honor its history while contributing to local economic vitality and public utility.
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
Give State Land to Freeport
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 8
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.618
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Home rule request
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.86
- Substituted for A5406
- Referred to governmental operations
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–0
- Home rule request
- Advanced to third reading
Show 3 earlier actions
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.499
- Referred to investigations and government operations
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.
Give Freeport State Land
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Taylor Darling
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1665
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. BROOKS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations
AN ACT to authorize the commissioner of general services to transfer and convey certain unappropriated state land to the village of Freeport
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subject to the provisions of this act but notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the commissioner of general services is hereby authorized to transfer and convey to the village of Freeport, in consideration of one dollar and upon such other consideration as the commissioner may deem proper, the state land located at 63 Babylon Turnpike, Freeport, in the county of Nassau, known as the Freeport Armory, declared to be abandoned state land by the division of military and naval affairs.
§ 2. The lands authorized by section one of this act to be transferred and conveyed are as follows:
ALL that piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Village of Freeport, in the County of Nassau, State of New York, more particularly bounded and described as follows:
BEGINNING at a point where the easterly line of Lakeview Avenue is intersected by the southerly line of Hempstead-Babylon Turnpike and running from said Point of Beginning thence southeasterly along the southerly line of Hempstead-Babylon Turnpike about six hundred forty-six (646) linear feet to the land of the City of New York and the Long Island State Park Commission; thence running southwesterly and along the lands of the City of New York and along the Long Island State Park Commission two hundred (200) linear feet; thence running northwesterly and parallel with the southerly line of Hempstead-Babylon Turnpike about four hundred thirty (430) linear feet to a point which would be ten (10) feet easterly from the center line of the 18 inch diameter water main
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06868-01-9
S. 1665 2
tank header pipe; thence running northwesterly about fifty-eight (58) linear feet and parallel with the 18 inch diameter water main tank header pipe, to a point which would be about one hundred sixty-eight (168) linear feet southerly from the southerly line of Hempstead-Babylon Turnpike, when measured at right angles thereto; thence running southwesterly and ten (10) feet parallel with and northerly from the 12 inch diameter water main tank header pipe, when measured at right angles thereto, about one hundred seven (107) linear feet to a point in the easterly line of Lakeview Avenue; thence running northerly and along the easterly line of Lakeview Avenue about two hundred fifty-eight (258) linear feet to a point in the southerly line of Hempstead-Babylon Turnpike, the point or place of beginning, containing within said bounds about three (3) acres.
BEING the same lands described in a deed from the Village of Freeport to the People of the State of New York, dated June 13, 1949 and recorded in the Nassau County Clerk's Office on June 20, 1949 in Book 3857 of Deeds at page 384.
§ 3. The description in section two of this act of the land to be conveyed is not intended to be a legal description but is intended to identify the parcel to be conveyed. As a condition of the purchase, the Village of Freeport may submit to the commissioner of general services, for his or her approval, an accurate survey and description of the lands to be conveyed, which may be used in the conveyance thereof.
§ 4. The office of general services shall not transfer or convey the aforesaid land unless application in a form acceptable to the office of general services is made to the office of general services by the village of Freeport which application must be made within one year after the effective date of this act.
§ 5. Any lands transferred pursuant to this act shall be used for the purposes of the village of Freeport to utilize the subject property and improve the structures on the subject property for general municipal purposes, and upon termination of such use, title to the lands so transferred shall revert to the state of New York.
§ 6. 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 authorize the commissioner of general services to transfer and convey certain unappropriated state land to the village of Freeport
Purpose or general idea of bill
Provides the authorization to the Commissioner of General Services to do all things necessary to convey the state-owned Freeport Armory to the Village of Freeport, Nassau County.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Provides the Commissioner of OGS the power to declare certain state owned lands abandoned, and to convey such lands to the Village of Freeport, Nassau County, upon terms and conditions deemed proper.
Section 2: Provides general description of the state owned Freeport Armory that the Commissioner of OGS is authorized to abandon and convey.
Section 3: Provides that the description of the land in section two of this bill is not meant to be a legal description, and that, as a condi- tion of any conveyance, the Village of Freeport, Nassau County, may submit to the Commissioner of OGS a survey and description of the prop- erty.
Section 4: Provides that the Commissioner of OGS shall convey the prop- erty described in section two of this act only upon application by the Village of Freeport, Nassau County, that such take place. Any such application for conveyance of the property described in section two of this act must be made within one year of this act becoming law.
Section 5: Provides that the property transferred to the village of Freeport shall be used for general municipal purposes, and that upon termination of such use the property shall revert back to the state.
Section 6: Provides for an immediate effective date for this act.
Justification
The Freeport Armory was home to a National Guard unit, but has been without a permanent tenant since 2011. The property has suffered damage as a result of numerous natural disasters, and has most recently been leased as storage space of heavy equipment. This bill would allow for the property to be conveyed to the Village of Freeport and put to public use by the municipality.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
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.