What's happening
This bill transfers control of the Woodlawn Preserve to the Albany Pine Bush preserve commission and adds Schenectady's mayor to the commission.
Why it matters
Expands the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. by adding Schenectady’s Woodlawn Preserve, increasing the size and ecological value of the managed land and potentially improving habitat connectivity and public access in both Albany and Schenectady counties.
Shifts management from local to regional oversight. , meaning decisions about the Woodlawn Preserve’s use, conservation, and development will now be made by the Albany Pine Bush preserve commission rather than the City of Schenectady, potentially standardizing conservation practices but reducing local control.
Increases Schenectady's representation. in regional environmental policy by adding its mayor to the commission, which could amplify the city's voice in long-term preserve planning, grant opportunities, and public engagement affecting both local residents and the broader Capital Region.
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Who cares
City of Schenectady Officials and Residents
They are directly affected as the city will discontinue the use of Woodlawn Preserve as parkland and transfer its control to the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission, impacting local land management and access.
Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission
The commission gains new responsibilities by acquiring the Woodlawn Preserve and will also have an expanded membership, including a new voting member (the mayor of Schenectady).
Environmental and Conservation Groups
Organizations focused on preservation and ecological management will care about the consolidation of preserve land and the governance changes, as these could influence conservation outcomes and public engagement.
- Likely concerns
Users and Advocates of Woodlawn Preserve
Local park users, recreation enthusiasts, and community advocates may be concerned or interested in how the shift in management affects the preserve's accessibility, programming, and conservation priorities.
Headline styles
Transfer Woodlawn Preserve Control
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 110
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to economic development
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
11735
IN ASSEMBLY
September 16, 2026
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Steck) -read once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the membership of the Albany Pine Bush preserve commission; and to authorize the city of Schenectady, county of Schenectady, to discontinue the use as parkland and transfer control of the Woodlawn Preserve to the Albany Pine Bush preserve commission;
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, the city of Schenectady, county of Schenectady, acting by and through its governing body, is hereby authorized to discontinue the use as parkland and transfer the lands known as the Woodlawn Preserve to the Albany Pine Bush preserve commission to be made part of the Albany Pine Bush preserve and to be under the control of the Albany Pine Bush preserve commission pursuant to the powers and duties of such commission as designated in article forty-six of the environmental conservation law.
§ 2. In the event that the city of Schenectady received any funding support or assistance from the federal government for the purchase, maintenance or improvement of the parklands set forth in section one of this act, the discontinuance and alienation of such parklands authorized by the provisions of this act shall not occur until the city of Schenectady has complied with any federal requirements pertaining to the alienation or conversion of parklands, including satisfying the secretary of the interior that the alienation or conversion complies with all conditions which the secretary of the interior deems necessary to assure the substitution of other lands shall be equivalent in fair market value and usefulness to the lands being alienated or converted.
§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 46-0105 of the environmental conservation law, as amended by chapter 167 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
1. The Albany Pine Bush preserve commission is hereby established in the department to be a body corporate and public and to consist of [eleven] twelve voting members who shall be as follows: the commission-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13666-02-5
er, the commissioner of the state office of parks, recreation and historic preservation, the mayor of the city of Albany, the mayor of the city of Schenectady, the town supervisors of the towns of Colonie and Guilderland, the chief executive officer of the county of Albany, the state director of the New York field office of the nature conservancy and four members to be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The four appointed private citizen members of the commission shall be by training, education, experience or attainment qualified to analyze or interpret or support matters relevant to the protection, maintenance and/or management of the Albany Pine Bush. Each of the [seven] eight ex-officio members may designate a representative to attend, in [his or her] such member's place, meetings of the commission and to act in [his or her] such member's behalf. The Governor shall designate the [chairman] chair. The term of office of the four private citizen members shall be four years. In the event of a vacancy occurring other than by the expiration of a member's term, such vacancy shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
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