STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6415 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY April 6, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to requiring a public hearing to be held when land is proposed to be converted for public use The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new 2 section 96-aa to read as follows: 3 § 96-aa. Conversion of land for certain public use; public hearing 4 required. 1. In any municipality with a population of less than one 5 million, where the state or any organization is attempting to convert 6 land or property owned to public use for the purposes of, including but 7 not limited to trails, park areas and recreation areas, it shall be 8 required that the state or any such organization holds a public hearing 9 with the town board, planning board or zoning board of the municipality 10 in which such land proposed to be converted is located, to hold public 11 comment and allow for neighbors within a five-mile radius of the land 12 proposed to be converted and other members of the community to bring 13 forth and address any privacy or safety concerns. 14 2. When a hearing is scheduled pursuant to subdivision one of this 15 section, the municipality which is conducting such hearing shall provide 16 at least ten days' notice of such hearing to members of the community in 17 a clear and conspicuous manner on the municipality's website and shall 18 mail notice of such hearing to all properties within a five-mile radius 19 of the proposed location of the land to be converted. 20 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD10223-01-3