Senate Bill S1544

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Expands the membership of the board of standards and appeals to thirteen members

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Cities Committee

  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2017-S1544 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Senate Cities
Law Section:
New York City Charter
Laws Affected:
Amd §659, NYC Chart
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2011-2012: S6104
2013-2014: S320
2015-2016: S689

2017-S1544 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Expands the membership of the board of standards and appeals to thirteen members, with the eight additional members to be appointed, one each, by the borough presidents, public advocate, comptroller and city council.

2017-S1544 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S1544 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1544
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 10, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities
 
 AN ACT to amend the New York city charter, in relation to expanding  the
   membership of the board of standards and appeals to thirteen members
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Declaration of legislative findings and  intent.  Prior  to
 the  1991  revision  of the New York city charter and elimination of the
 board of estimate, zoning and special permit decisions made by the board
 of standards and appeals could be reviewed by  the  board  of  estimate,
 comprised of city-wide elected officials including the mayor, the presi-
 dent  of  the  city council, the comptroller and the borough presidents.
 The effect of this review process was to ensure that the public's  voice
 was  considered in this significant decision-making process. The charter
 revision did not continue the review authority of the board of  estimate
 on  zoning issues and such authority was not vested in any other body of
 elected officials. Thus the mayor retains sole appointment powers in the
 membership of the board of standards and appeals.
   This amendment to the charter adds eight  additional  members  to  the
 board  of  standards  and  appeals  to  be  appointed by the other major
 elected officials in city government,  the  borough  presidents,  public
 advocate,  comptroller and city council. This change introduces a neces-
 sary check on the board of standards and appeals' authority and  returns
 the public voice to the decision-making process in the area of zoning.
   §  2.  Subdivision  a  of section 659 of the New York city charter, as
 added by local law number 49 of the city of New York for the year  1991,
 is amended to read as follows:
   a.  There  shall  be  an  independent  board  of standards and appeals
 located within the office of administrative  trials  and  hearings.  The
 board  of standards and appeals shall consist of [five] THIRTEEN members
 to be termed commissioners, FIVE to be appointed by  the  mayor  [each],
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

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