S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                   1470
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 9, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
   Parks and Recreation
 
 AN ACT to direct the commissioner of the office of parks, recreation and
   historic preservation to develop a plan for  the  reimplementation  of
   the barn grant program

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The commissioner of the office  of  parks,  recreation  and
 historic preservation is hereby authorized and directed to work with the
 state comptroller and the board of the natural heritage trust to develop
 a  plan  for  the reimplementation of the barn grant program of the year
 two thousand.
   § 2. The commissioner is directed to deliver a report to the chair  of
 the  senate  agriculture  committee within three months of the effective
 date of this act. The report shall make reference to previous audits  of
 the  former  program  and shall address the overall mandate of this act.
 The report shall address the following points:
   (a) the viability of giving funds as reimbursement for costs  incurred
 as opposed to giving funds up-front;
   (b)  ways to ensure grantees have access to appropriate legal counsel,
 or that grantees will be encouraged to seek legal counsel at all  stages
 of their grant;
   (c)  the possibility of requiring that grantees submit business plans,
 undergo an audit,  or  otherwise  demonstrate  the  viability  of  their
 venture as a condition of being awarded a grant;
   (d)  the  availability  of  resources within state agencies to perform
 title searches and evaluate deed records;
   (e) which, if any, private  title  search  companies  and  independent
 project  management  groups  have  already  been vetted by the office of
 general services;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD06755-01-7

 S. 1470                             2
 
   (f) the appropriateness of utilizing the national  heritage  trust  to
 receive  and  administer  grant  funds, particularly funds that might be
 given to private individuals and businesses.
   §  3.  The  report  shall also explore the viability of using multiple
 application tracks such as:
   (a) a strict reimplementation of the  barn  grant  program  using  its
 original  criteria;  projects  on  properties listed in, or eligible for
 listing in, the National Register of Historic Places;
   (b) projects that increase a facility's adaptability to extreme weath-
 er events;
   (c) projects that will maintain the distinct architectural features of
 a barn or outbuilding though they will repurpose the structure  to  meet
 the current needs of the associated farm's business plan, so long as the
 building would not be used for human habitation.
   §  4. The commissioner is encouraged to consult the National Trust for
 Historic Preservation's "Historic Barns: Working Assets for  Sustainable
 Farms" white paper for additional guidance.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.