S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
4282
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
March 19, 2013
___________
Introduced by Sen. LITTLE -- (at request of the Adirondack Park Agency)
-- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to
the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to applications for minor
and major projects before the Adirondack park agency
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraphs b and d of subdivision 2 of section 809 of the
executive law, as amended by chapter 428 of the laws of 1979, are
amended to read as follows:
b. [On or before fifteen calendar days after the receipt of such
application] WITHIN FIFTEEN DAYS OF THE RECEIPT OF AN APPLICATION, the
agency shall [notify] MAIL WRITTEN NOTICE TO the project sponsor by
certified mail DETERMINING whether or not the application is complete.
For the purposes of this section, a "complete application" shall mean an
application for a permit which is in an approved form and is determined
by the agency to be complete for the purpose of commencing review of the
application but which may need to be supplemented during the course of
review as to matters contained in the application in order to enable the
agency to make the findings and determinations required by this section.
If the agency fails to mail such notice within such fifteen-day period,
the application shall be deemed complete. If the agency determines the
application is not complete, the notice shall include a concise state-
ment of the respects in which the application is incomplete, AND A
REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. [The submission by the project spon-
sor of the requested additional information shall commence a new fifteen
calendar day period for agency review of the additional information for
the purposes of determining completeness. If the agency determines the
application is complete, the notice shall so state.] WITHIN FIFTEEN DAYS
OF THE RECEIPT OF THE REQUESTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THE AGENCY SHALL
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08961-01-3
S. 4282 2
MAIL WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE PROJECT SPONSOR BY CERTIFIED MAIL DETERMINING
WHETHER OR NOT THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE.
A notice of application completion shall not be required in the case
of applications for minor projects which the agency determines to be
complete when filed. Such applications shall be deemed complete for the
purposes of this section upon the date of receipt.
d. [Immediately upon] UPON determining that an application is
complete, the agency shall, except in relation to minor projects, cause
a notice of application COMPLETION to be published in the next available
environmental notice bulletin published by the department of environ-
mental conservation pursuant to section 3-0306 of the environmental
conservation law[, which publication shall be not later than ten calen-
dar days after the date of such notice]. The time period for public
comment on a permit application shall be stated in the notice of appli-
cation COMPLETION. The agency shall at the same time mail a copy of the
notice of application completion to the Adirondack park local government
review board and to the persons named in paragraph a of THIS subdivision
[two of this section], and invite their comments.
S 2. Paragraphs b, c, d and e of subdivision 3 of section 809 of the
executive law, as amended by chapter 428 of the laws of 1979, are
amended to read as follows:
b. In the case of an application for a permit for which no public
hearing has been held, the agency SHALL MAIL ITS decision [shall be
mailed on or before] WITHIN ninety [calendar] days or, in the case of a
minor project, WITHIN forty-five [calendar] days[, after] OF (I) THE
DATE the agency [notifies] MAILS the project sponsor [that the applica-
tion is complete] THE NOTICE OF APPLICATION COMPLETION or [after] (II)
THE DATE the application is deemed complete pursuant to the provisions
of this [section] SUBDIVISION.
c. In the case of an application for a permit for which a public hear-
ing has been held, the agency SHALL MAIL ITS decision [shall be mailed
on or before] WITHIN sixty [calendar] days [after] OF receipt by the
agency of a complete record, as that term is defined in paragraphs (a)
through (e) of subdivision one of section three hundred two of the state
administrative procedure act.
d. If the agency determines to hold a public hearing on an application
for a permit, the agency shall [notify] MAIL WRITTEN NOTICE TO the
project sponsor of its determination by certified mail [on or before
sixty calendar] WITHIN SIXTY days or, in the case of a minor project,
WITHIN forty-five [calendar] days [after] OF (I) THE DATE the agency
[notifies] MAILS the project sponsor [that] the NOTICE OF application
[is complete] COMPLETION or [after] (II) THE DATE the application is
deemed complete pursuant to the provisions of this [section]
SUBDIVISION. The determination of whether or not to hold a public hear-
ing on an application shall be based on whether the agency's evaluation
or comments of the review board, local officials or the public on a
project raise substantive and significant issues relating to any find-
ings or determinations the agency is required to make pursuant to this
section, including the reasonable likelihood that the project will be
disapproved or can be approved only with major modifications because the
project as proposed may not meet statutory or regulatory criteria or
standards. The agency shall also consider the general level of public
interest in a project. No project may be disapproved without a public
hearing first being held thereon.
e. If the agency has notified the project sponsor of its determination
to hold a public hearing, the sponsor shall not undertake the project
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during the time period specified in paragraph c of this subdivision. The
notice of determination to hold a public hearing shall state that the
project sponsor has the opportunity within fifteen days to withdraw his
application or submit a new application. A public hearing shall commence
[on or before ninety calendar] WITHIN NINETY days, or in the case of a
minor project, WITHIN seventy-five days, [after] OF THE DATE the agency
[notifies] MAILS NOTICE TO the project sponsor [that the application is
complete or after the application is deemed complete pursuant to the
provisions of this section] OF ITS DETERMINATION TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEAR-
ING. In addition to notice of such hearing being mailed to the project
sponsor, such notice shall also be given by publication at least once in
the environmental notice bulletin and in a newspaper having general
circulation in each local government wherein the project is proposed to
be located, by conspicuous posting of the land involved, and by individ-
ual notice served by certified mail upon each owner of record of the
land involved, and by mail upon: the Adirondack park local government
review board, the persons named in paragraph a of subdivision two of
this section, any adjoining landowner, to the extent reasonably discern-
ible from the latest completed tax assessment roll, and the clerk of any
local government within five hundred feet of the land involved. Public
hearings held pursuant to this section shall be consolidated or held
jointly with other state or local agencies whenever practicable.
S 3. Paragraph c of subdivision 6 of section 809 of the executive law,
as amended by chapter 428 of the laws of 1979, is amended to read as
follows:
c. At any time during the review of an application for a permit or a
request by a permit holder for the renewal, reissuance, or modification
of an existing permit pursuant to subdivision eight of this section, the
agency may request additional information from the project sponsor or
permit holder with regard to any matter contained in the application or
request when such additional information is necessary for the agency to
make any findings or determinations required by law. Such a request
shall not extend any time period for agency action contained in this
section, UNLESS THE AGENCY DETERMINES THAT SUCH RENEWAL, REISSUANCE, OR
MODIFICATION WOULD CONSTITUTE A MATERIAL CHANGE, IN WHICH CASE AT THE
AGENCY'S DISCRETION SUCH RENEWAL, REISSUANCE, OR MODIFICATION SHALL BE
TREATED AS A NEW APPLICATION WITH NEW TIME PERIODS. Failure by the
project sponsor or permit holder to provide such information may be
grounds for denial by the agency of the application or request.
S 4. Paragraph a of subdivision 7 of section 809 of the executive law,
as separately amended by chapters 428 and 578 of the laws of 1979, is
amended to read as follows:
a. A PROJECT AUTHORIZED BY A permit or certificate issued by the agen-
cy pursuant to subdivision five or six of this section shall [expire
within sixty days from the date thereof unless within such sixty-day
period such permit or certificate] NOT BE UNDERTAKEN UNLESS AND UNTIL IT
shall have been duly recorded in the name of the landowner in the office
of the clerk of the county wherein the project is proposed to be
located. Where a permit OR CERTIFICATE involves action in concert by two
or more landowners as described by paragraph c of subdivision ten of
this section, the permit OR CERTIFICATE shall be recorded in the name of
each landowner. ANY SUCH PERMIT OR CERTIFICATE, WHETHER OR NOT
RECORDED, SHALL BE EFFECTIVE AND SHALL BE ENFORCEABLE AGAINST ANY PERSON
UNDERTAKING THE PROJECT PERMITTED AND SUBSEQUENT LANDOWNERS.
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S 5. Paragraph b of subdivision 8 of section 809 of the executive law,
as added by chapter 428 of the laws of 1979, is amended to read as
follows:
b. A permit holder may make written request to the agency for the
renewal, reissuance, or modification of an existing permit. Such a
request shall be accompanied by sufficient information supporting the
request for the agency action sought.
(1) UPON RECEIPT OF SUFFICIENT INFORMATION, THE AGENCY SHALL MAIL
WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE PROJECT SPONSOR THAT SUFFICIENT INFORMATION HAS
BEEN PROVIDED.
(2) In the case of a request TO THE AGENCY FOR A MODIFICATION TO THE
PERMIT which does not involve a material change in permit conditions, OR
THE PROJECT, the applicable law, environmental conditions or technology
since the date of issuance of the existing permit, the agency shall [on
or before] WITHIN fifteen [calendar] days [after the receipt of a
request] OF THE DATE OF THE NOTICE PROVIDED PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPH ONE
OF THIS PARAGRAPH mail a written determination to the permit holder of
its decision [on] TO GRANT OR DENY the request. If the decision is to
deny the request, the permit holder shall be afforded an opportunity for
hearing and notice of such decision shall be given by the agency in the
next available issue of the environmental notice bulletin.
[(2)] (3) In the case of a request which may involve a material change
as described in subparagraph [one] TWO of this paragraph, the agency
shall [on or before] WITHIN fifteen [calendar] days [after the receipt
of a request] OF THE DATE OF THE NOTICE PROVIDED PURSUANT TO SUBPARA-
GRAPH ONE OF THIS PARAGRAPH mail a written determination to the permit
holder that the request shall be treated as an application for a new
permit.
If pursuant to subparagraph [one] TWO or [two] THREE of this para-
graph, the agency fails to mail a written determination to the permit
holder within such fifteen [calendar] day period, the provisions of
subdivision six of this section shall apply.
S 6. Paragraph c of subdivision 10 of section 809 of the executive
law, as amended by chapter 578 of the laws of 1979, is amended to read
as follows:
c. The project would be consistent with the overall intensity [guide-
line] GUIDELINES for the land [use area involved] INCLUDED IN THE
PROJECT. A landowner shall not be allowed to construct[, either directly
or as a result of a proposed subdivision,] more principal buildings on
the land included within the project than the overall intensity [guide-
line] GUIDELINES for [the given land use area in which the project is
located] SUCH LAND. [In determining the] THE land area upon which the
intensity guideline is calculated [and which is included within a
project, the landowner shall only include land under his ownership and
may include all adjacent land which he owns within that land use area
irrespective of such dividing lines as lot lines, roads, rights of way,
or streams and, in the absence of local land use programs governing the
intensity of land use and development, irrespective of local government
boundaries] MAY INCLUDE ALL LAND WITHIN THE PROJECT IN THE GIVEN LAND
USE AREA IRRESPECTIVE OF SUCH DIVIDING LINES AS LOT LINES, ROADS, RIGHTS
OF WAY, OR STREAMS AND, IN THE ABSENCE OF LOCAL LAND USE PROGRAMS
GOVERNING THE INTENSITY OF LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT, IRRESPECTIVE OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARIES. PRINCIPAL BUILDINGS PROPOSED AS PART OF THE
PROJECT SHALL NOT BE COUNTED IN APPLYING THE INTENSITY GUIDELINES
PROVIDED THAT: (1) EACH SUCH PRINCIPAL BUILDING SHALL CORRESPOND TO A
PERMANENT REDUCTION BY ONE PRINCIPAL BUILDING OF THE LAWFULLY AVAILABLE
S. 4282 5
DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY OF LANDS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE LANDS INCLUDED
IN THE PROJECT, THAT ARE IN THE SAME OR ANY MORE RESTRICTIVE LAND USE
AREA AND WITHIN THE SAME LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY; AND (2) NO SUCH
PROPOSED PRINCIPAL BUILDING SHALL BE LOCATED WITHIN ONE-QUARTER MILE OF
ANY LAKE, POND, NAVIGABLE RIVER OR STREAM. Principal buildings in exist-
ence within the [area included within a project, as such area is defined
by the landowner,] LAND OWNERSHIP PROPOSED FOR THE PROJECT shall be
counted in applying the intensity guidelines. [As between two or more
separate landowners in a given land use area the principal buildings on
one landowner's property shall not be counted in applying the intensity
guidelines to another landowner's project, except that two or more land-
owners whose lands are directly contiguous and located in the same
general tax district or special levy or assessment district may, when
acting, in concert in submitting a project, aggregate such lands for
purposes of applying the intensity guidelines to their lands thus aggre-
gated.] The area upon which the intensity guideline is calculated shall
not include (a) bodies of water, such as lakes and ponds, (b) any land
in the same ownership that is directly related to any principal building
in existence on August first, nineteen hundred seventy-three, which land
is not included in the project, and (c), in the case of any principal
building constructed after August first, nineteen hundred seventy-three,
any land in the same or any other ownership that was included within the
area of any previous project in order to comply with the overall inten-
sity guideline.
S 7. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all
applications received after it shall have become a law.