What's happening
This bill adds Orange County to the list of Hudson Valley counties eligible for community preservation fund programs.
Why it matters
Expanding eligibility to Orange County means more towns and cities can access funding for land conservation, water quality, historic preservation, and community character initiatives. Residents may see increased investment in parks, open spaces, and farmland protection.
The bill could help Orange County manage growth and development pressures by providing resources to preserve important community assets. This is especially relevant as the region faces increasing suburbanization and demand for housing.
Including Orange County aligns it with neighboring Hudson Valley counties, potentially enabling collaborative regional planning and preservation efforts. This can lead to more coordinated strategies for protecting natural resources and scenic landscapes across county lines.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Add Orange County to Preservation Fund
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Committed to local government
- Ordered to third reading cal.688
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Print number 6224b
- Amend and recommit to local government
- Referred to local government
- Print number 6224a
- Amend (t) and recommit 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.
Add Orange County Towns
In Senate Committee · Local Government · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6224--B
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 24, 2019
Introduced by Sens. METZGER, KRUEGER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee -- recommitted to the Committee on Local Government in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law and the tax law, in relation to the definition of designated community for community preservation funds
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 1 of section 6-s of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter 608 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
(d) "Designated community" means any town or city within the Hudson Valley counties of Putnam, Ulster, Orange or Westchester.
§ 2. Subdivision 11 of section 1560 of the tax law, as amended by chapter 608 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
11. "Designated community" means any town or city within the Hudson Valley counties of Putnam, Ulster, Orange or Westchester.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11757-06-0
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 and the tax law, in relation to the definition of designated community for community preservation funds
Purpose
To allow municipalities in Orange County to raise funds for community preservation
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Adds Orange County to the list of counties in the Hudson Valley eligible to raise funding for community preservation
Section 2: Effective Date
Justification
The Orange County legislature has passed a resolution in support of allowing its municipalities to raise money for the purpose of community preservation. Currently, Putnam, Ulster, and Westchester Counties have this authorization. This bill would allow funds raised to be used for establishment of (a) parks, nature preserves,or recreation areas; (b) preservation of open space; (c) preservation of lands of exceptional scenic value; (d) preservation of fresh and saltwater marshes or other wetlands; (e) preservation of aquifer recharge areas; (f) preservation of undeveloped beachlands or shoreline; establishment of wildlife refuges for the purpose of maintaining native animal species diversity, including the protection of habitat essential to the recovery of rare, threatened or end angered species; (h) preservation of unique or threat- ened ecological areas; (i) preservation of rivers and river areas in a natural, free-flowing condition; (j) preservation of forested land; (k) preservation of public access to lands for public use including stream rights and waterways; (1) preservation of historic places and properties listed on the New York state register of historic places and/or protected under a municipal historic preservation ordinance or law; (m) undertaking any of the paragraphs of this subdivision in furtherance of the establishment of a greenbelt; and (n) preservation of land which is predominantly viable agricultural land, or unique and irreplaceable agricultural land.
Prior legislative history
New Legislation
Fiscal implications
Potential increased revenue for municipalities
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.