What's happening
This bill increases annual training requirements for municipal planning and zoning boards to five hours, including at least one hour on environmentally conscious planning.
Why it matters
Expands the scope and depth of mandatory training for local planning and zoning officials to include at least one hour focused on environmentally conscious planning. this covers climate law compliance, climate justice, conservation, sustainable building, and energy systems, indicating a policy push for climate-resilient, forward-thinking decision-making at the local level.
Specifically references New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). in the required training content, which means local officials will be better informed about statewide climate goals, related funding opportunities, and how to integrate these into community planning and land use decisions.
Exempts environmentally conscious planning training from the annual carryover cap. so officials can accumulate additional hours in this area without limit, potentially encouraging more extensive education on environmental topics than on other required subjects.
Standardizes training requirements across counties, towns, cities, and villages (except NYC). , which could lead to more consistent application of environmentally responsible planning principles throughout New York State, reducing disparities in climate literacy and sustainable practices among local boards.
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Headline styles
Require Green Planning Training
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to local governments
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 55–5
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.175
- Referred to local government
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to local governments
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 56–4
Show 5 earlier actions
- Amended on third reading 600a
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.563
- 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.
Mandate Green Planning Training
In Assembly Committee · Local Governments · Sponsor Sarah Clark
Full text
4 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
600--A Cal. No. 563
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government -reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, the general city law, the town law, and the village law, in relation to requiring certain municipal planning boards and zoning boards of appeals to receive environmentally conscious planning training
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (d) of subdivision 2 of section 239-c of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
(i) Each member of a county planning board shall complete, at a minimum, [four] five hours of training each year designed to enable such members to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a member in excess of [four] five hours in any one year, except for environmentally conscious planning training, may be carried over by the member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this paragraph. Such training shall be approved by the county and may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a regional or county planning office or commission, county planning federation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other similar entity. Training shall include at least one hour related to environmentally conscious planning, including, but not to be limited to, training to meet the goals of and compliance with the climate leadership and community protection act, including any grant and funding opportunities, farmland and natural resource conservation, climate justice, environmentally conscious site design, building material techniques and water
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02018-02-5
mitigation and energy systems best practices. Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom training.
§ 2. Paragraph a of subdivision 7-a of section 27 of the general city law, as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
a. Each member of the planning board of a city, except a city having a population of more than one million, shall complete, at a minimum, [four] five hours of training each year designed to enable such members to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a member in excess of [four] five hours in any one year, except for environmentally conscious planning training, may be carried over by the member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the legislative body and may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality, regional or county planning office or commission, county planning federation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other similar entity. Training shall include at least one hour related to environmentally conscious planning, including, but not to be limited to, training to meet the goals of and compliance with the climate leadership and community protection act, including any grant and funding opportunities, farmland and natural resource conservation, climate justice, environmentally conscious site design, building material techniques and water mitigation and energy systems best practices. Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom training.
§ 3. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 7-a of section 81 of the general city law, as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Each member of the board of appeals in a city, except a city having a population of more than one million, shall complete, at a minimum, [four] five hours of training each year designed to enable such members to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a member in excess of [four] five hours in any one year, except for environmentally conscious planning training, may be carried over by the member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the legislative body and may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality, regional or county planning office or commission, county planning federation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other similar entity. Training shall include at least one hour related to environmentally conscious planning, including, but not to be limited to, training to meet the goals of and compliance with the climate leadership and community protection act, including any grant and funding opportunities, farmland and natural resource conservation, climate justice, environmentally conscious site design, building material techniques and water mitigation and energy systems best practices. Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom training.
§ 4. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 7-a of section 267 of the town law, as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Each member of the board of appeals shall complete, at a minimum, [four] five hours of training each year designed to enable such members to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a member in excess of [four] five hours in any one year, except for environmentally conscious planning training, may be carried over by the member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the town board and may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality, regional or county planning office or commission, county planning federation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other similar entity. Training shall include at least one hour related to environmentally conscious planning, including, but not to be limited to, training to meet the goals of and compliance with the climate leadership and community protection act, including any grant and funding opportunities, farmland and natural resource conservation, climate justice, environmentally conscious site design, building material techniques and water mitigation and energy systems best practices. Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom training.
§ 5. Paragraph a of subdivision 7-a of section 271 of the town law, as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
a. Each member of the planning board shall complete, at a minimum, [four] five hours of training each year designed to enable such members to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a member in excess of [four] five hours in any one year, except for environmentally conscious planning training, may be carried over by the member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the town board and may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality, regional or county planning office or commission, county planning federation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other similar entity. Training shall include at least one hour related to environmentally conscious planning, including, but not to be limited to, training to meet the goals of and compliance with the climate leadership and community protection act, including any grant and funding opportunities, farmland and natural resource conservation, climate justice, environmentally conscious site design, building material techniques and water mitigation and energy systems best practices. Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom training.
§ 6. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 7-a of section 7-712 of the village law, as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Each member of the board of appeals shall complete, at a minimum, [four] five hours of training each year designed to enable such members to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a member in excess of [four] five hours in any one year, except for environmentally conscious planning training, may be carried over by the member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the board of trustees and may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality, regional or county planning office or commission, county planning federation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other similar entity. Training shall include at least one hour related to environmentally conscious planning, including, but not to be limited to, training to meet the goals of and compliance with the climate leadership and community protection act, including any grant and funding opportunities, farmland and natural resource conservation, climate justice, environmentally conscious site design, building material techniques and water mitigation and energy systems best practices. Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom training.
§ 7. Paragraph a of subdivision 7-a of section 7-718 of the village law, as added by chapter 662 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
a. Each member of the planning board shall complete, at a minimum, [four] five hours of training each year designed to enable such members to more effectively carry out their duties. Training received by a member in excess of [four] five hours in any one year, except for environmentally conscious planning training, may be carried over by the member into succeeding years in order to meet the requirements of this subdivision. Such training shall be approved by the board of trustees and may include, but not be limited to, training provided by a municipality, regional or county planning office or commission, county planning federation, state agency, statewide municipal association, college or other similar entity. Training shall include at least one hour related to environmentally conscious planning, including, but not to be limited to, training to meet the goals of and compliance with the climate leadership and community protection act, including any grant and funding opportunities, farmland and natural resource conservation, climate justice, environmentally conscious site design, building material techniques and water mitigation and energy systems best practices. Training may be provided in a variety of formats, including but not limited to, electronic media, video, distance learning and traditional classroom training.
§ 8. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
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, the general city law, the town law, and the village law, in relation to requiring certain munici- pal planning boards and zoning boards of appeals to receive environ- mentally conscious planning training
Purpose
To make environmental concerns a core principle of planning and zoning for localities by requiring planning and zoning training for board members to include environmentally conscious training.
Summary of provisions
Section one amends section 239-C of the general municipal law to require each member of a county planning board to receive at least one hour of training on environmentally conscious planning.
Read the full memo (644 words)
Section two amends section 27 of the general city taw to require each member of a city planning board, except New York City, to receive at least one hour of training on environmentally conscious, planning.
Section three amends section 81 of the general city law to require each member of a city zoning board of appeals, except New York City, to receive at least one hour of training on environmentally conscious plan- ning.
Section four amends section 267 of the town law to require each member of a town zoning board of appeals to receive at least one hour of train- ing on environmentally conscious planning.
Section five amends section 271 of the town law to require each member of a town planning board to receive at least one hour of training on environmentally conscious planning.
Section six amends section 7-712 of the village law to require each member of a village zoning board of appeals to receive at least one hour of training on environmentally conscious planning.
Section seven amends section 7-718 of the village law to require each member of a village planning board to receive at least one hour of training on environmentally conscious planning.
Section eight states the effective date.
Justification
Planning and Zoning Boards across the state have an incredible responsi- bility to create the character of a community and ensure it's set up for success well into the future. These boards also play an important role in the state's achievement of the goals set forth in the Climate Leader- ship and Community Protection Act of 2019 (CLCPA), as the state cannot meet these goals without the help of local governments. Zoning, plan- ning, and permitting, typically decided by localities and their boards, will help shape New York's regenerative future and determine how we adapt to the effects of climate change over the long term. This work, however, is made more complicated by rapidly changing guidelines and expanding opportunities for state and federal funding and assistance in the climate leadership space.
The importance of training for board members has already been estab- lished in statute: over fifteen years ago, the state required four hours of training for planning and zoning board of appeals members to ensure a foundational base of knowledge and background information on the compli- cated workings of permitting and zoning. Serving on a zoning or plan- ning board was known then to require technical expertise and continued education, but the challenges and complexities added by the worsening climate crisis make an updated training necessary.
This bill will require all local officials serving on planning boards or zoning boards of appeal to receive at least one hour of environmentally conscious training per year. This continued education will help local planning and zoning boards make environmentally sound decisions to ensure communities are best prepared to respond to climate change's challenges and help guide the state in achieving the goals set forth by the CLCPA.
Legislative history
2024 - S8931, Passed Senate / Al 0239, referred to Local Governments
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.