Senate Bill S9544

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9544

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act in relation to authorizing the empire state development corpo-
ration to pause, toll or temporarily halt the Columbia University Educa-
tion Mixed-Use Development Land Use Improvement and Civic Project Modi-
fied General Project Plan adopted by the empire state development
corporation on December 18, 2008

 
PURPOSE:

To allow ESDC the ability to hold parties to approved General Project
Plans (GPPs) accountable by specifically allowing them to pause, toll or
temporarily halt the Columbia University Education Mixed-Use Development
Land Use Improvement and Civic Project Modified General Project Plan
while it is reviewed by the State Attorney General for compliance.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

This bill allows ESDC the ability to pause, toll or temporarily halt the
              

Columbia University Education Mixed-Use Development Land Use Improvement
and Civic Project Modified General Project Plan while it is reviewed by
the State Attorney General for compliance.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The Empire State Development Corporation undertakes mega land use and
development projects, such as the Columbia Manhattanville Expansion,
through what is called a General Project Plan (GPP) process, which
results in a document that can be hundreds or thousands of pages long
spelling out the roles, responsibilities and scope of a land use plan.
However, it appears that after the GPP is approved there are no formal
mechanisms for ESDC to hold the parties to the agreement responsible for
living up to the terms of the agreement. Given the breath and scope of
the Columbia Manhattanville Expansion, and the lack of accountability,
ESDC must have the power to pause or toll this plan, and if they are
empowered to do so, the Attorney General is similarly authorized to look
into compliance issues.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.