What's happening
This bill requires Rye Country Day School to rent its athletic field and track to public recreation groups for at least 29% of usable hours annually.
Why it matters
Guarantees consistent public access. By requiring at least 29% of usable hours for public recreation groups, the bill ensures that community organizations will have reliable and predictable access to high-quality athletic facilities that might otherwise be reserved for private school use.
Moves from flexible agreements to enforceable standards. The amendment replaces a prior, negotiable shared-use agreement with a specific legal mandate, making Rye Country Day School’s obligations clearer and less subject to future renegotiation or reduction of public access.
Potentially broadens community benefit. The inclusion of any future recreation buildings in the rental requirement means the public could benefit from additional amenities built on the site, not just the field and track, increasing the long-term value to local residents.
Could set a precedent for private-public land deals. By attaching enforceable rental requirements to a private school’s use of former public land, this legislation might influence how similar property transfers are handled elsewhere, potentially increasing public access to private athletic facilities.
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Who cares
Rye Country Day School
The bill would condition the land transfer on a covenant requiring the school to offer public recreation groups rental access to the athletic field and track for at least 29 percent of usable hours each calendar year.
Public recreation groups
The bill would provide rental access to the field and track and an opportunity to rent any recreation buildings constructed on the parcel.
City of Rye
The bill would replace the requirement for a shared-use agreement between the city and the school with a rental-access covenant.
New York State Thruway Authority
Its authorization to convey the property to the school would become contingent on inclusion of the rental-access covenant.
Headline styles
Open School Fields to Public
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A8339
- Ordered to third reading cal.1644
- Referred to rules
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.
Open School Fields to Public
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Steven Otis
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6494
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 14, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MAYER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend chapter 498 of the laws of 2017 authorizing the New York state thruway authority to convey real property to Rye Country Day School, in relation to requiring the Rye Country Day School to make the athletic field and track available for rental to public recreation groups for a certain amount of time per year
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3 of chapter 498 of the laws of 2017 authorizing the New York state thruway authority to convey real property to Rye Country Day School is amended to read as follows:
§ 3. The authorization to transfer and convey the lands described in section four of this act shall [only be effective upon the condition that the city of Rye and the Rye Country Day School enter into an agreement, which shall provide for the shared use of such lands and improvements between the Rye Country Day School and the public. Such an agreement may be amended from time to time as may be agreed to by the City of Rye and the Rye Country Day School] be contingent upon the inclusion of a covenant providing that Rye Country Day School shall make the athletic field and track available for rental to public recreation groups for no less than twenty-nine percent of usable hours in the course of each calendar year and to provide opportunity for public rental of any recreation buildings that may be constructed on the parcel.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13361-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend chapter 498 of the laws of 2017 authorizing the New York state thruway authority to convey real property to Rye Country Day School, in relation to requiring the Rye Country Day School to make the athletic field and track available for rental to public recreation groups for a certain amount of time per year
Purpose or general idea of bill
To provide an alternative method of securing public use of a recreation parcel being sold by New York State to a not-for-profit school for recreational and educational uses.
Summary of provisions
Section three is amended to read as follows:
§ 3. The authorization to transfer and convey the lands described in section four of this act shall be contingent upon the inclusion of a covenant providing that Rye Country Day School shall make the athletic field and track available for rental to public recreation groups for no less than twenty-nine percent of usable hours in the course of each calendar year and to provide opportunity for public rental of any recre- ation buildings that may be constructed on the parcel. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
n/a
Justification
This legislation amends Chapter 498 of the Laws of 2017 which authorized the sale of state land to Rye Country Day School, a not-for-profit corporation chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York for recreational and educational use by the school and the public.
That legislation established a process for the school and the city to agree to a use plan for school and public use of the parcel. Discussions towards such a use plan have not been completed. To insure that the community, through school acquisition, retains the opportunity to secure the parcel for the benefit of school and public recreation groups contemplated in 2017 legislation, this measure provides an alternate method of assuring public use through the inclusion of a deed covenant by the school before transfer from the state can proceed. Utilization of this covenant will only be necessary if the city and school fail to come to agreement.
The twenty-nine percent of field and track time for public use included in the legislation matches the amount of time detailed in the proposal by the school which was the basis for their willingness to commit to a major capital program to acquire the parcel and develop the site at their cost.
Prior legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
n/a
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.