What's happening
This bill requires municipalities near major Metropolitan Transportation Authority hubs to conduct environmental impact reviews before adopting new zoning plans.
Why it matters
Directly addresses the potential strain on public transit. By requiring environmental impact reviews for new zoning near major transit hubs, the bill ensures that increased density or development won't overburden subway or bus systems—helping prevent crowding and service issues before they happen.
Links local planning to regional transit infrastructure. Municipalities must now consider not just local impacts, but also how new zoning and development will affect broader transportation networks, promoting more coordinated, sustainable urban growth.
May slow or complicate development in high-demand areas. The review process adds a layer of scrutiny and potential delay for projects near key transit nodes, meaning both developers and residents could see slower timelines for changes or improvements in these neighborhoods.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Environmental Reviews for Zoning
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
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 Environmental Impact Reviews
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
3601
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 11, 2019
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
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.
LBD03802-01-9
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 or general idea of bill
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 initi- ated.
Summary of specific 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 accessi- bility 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 immediate- ly.
Justification
Due to the increasing need of affordable housing in metropolitan areas, municipal zoning authorities, such as the New York City Planning Commis- sion, 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.
Prior legislative history
2015-2016: A.9543 (Referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commis- sions) 2017-18: A.3447
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.