§ 49-0209 — Regional advisory committees

§ 49-0209. Regional advisory committees.\n 1. There are hereby established regional advisory committees in each\nof the department's regions to provide the department and office with\nadvice and recommendations from the public on the implementation of the\nland acquisition programs of the department and office and in order to\nprovide the public with information regarding the activities of the\ndepartment and office pursuant to this title.\n 2. Each regional committee shall:\n a. recommend policies and priorities for protection of lands in the\nregion potentially eligible for state acquisition;\n b. recommend to the department and office specific studies or\nassessments which would assist in the development of land acquisition\npolicies and priorities for the region;\n c. establish working liaison relationships with neighboring regional\nadvisory committees where such liaison will further overall land\nacquisition objectives;\n d. develop guidelines for use in identifying priorities of land\nacquisition and recommending specific parcels for possible acquisition.\nSuch guidelines may include:\n (i) the priority ranking of properties for the region;\n (ii) the degree to which an acquisition will help to meet a regional\nor statewide need;\n (iii) the future costs and benefits which may be associated with the\nproject;\n (iv) the economic impact on adjacent parcels, the community or region\nand the local governments therein; and\n (v) the ecological value of the project taking into account the type,\nvariety and relative scarcity of the resources therein.\n e. advise the commissioners and the state land acquisition advisory\ncouncil annually with respect to plans and priorities for their\nrespective region, and communicate at such other times as may be needed\nto fulfill its responsibilities.\n f. review the state land acquisition plan prepared by the department\nand office pursuant to section 49-0207 of this title at least biennially\nand make recommendations regarding such plan as it affects the region.\n g. review any community preservation project plans developed pursuant\nto section six-s of the general municipal law.\n 3. Regional advisory committee members shall be knowledgeable of, and\nconcerned with, the land preservation, conservation, historic, cultural,\nrecreation and acquisition goals of this chapter. No employee of the\ndepartment or office shall serve on a regional committee. At any time\nthat a member of a regional committee has or may have a direct or\nindirect financial interest in or resulting from the acquisition or\ndecision not to acquire an interest in land pursuant to this title, such\nmember shall not participate in any discussion or deliberation of the\ncommittee concerning such acquisition.\n 4. A regional advisory committee shall consist of at least thirteen,\nand not more than twenty-three members. Each county outside the city of\nNew York or the city of New York in the case of a county contained\nwithin the city of New York shall appoint members to its region's\nadvisory committee in a manner designed to provide equal representation\nfor all counties within a region on such committee, provided that the\ntotal number of local government appointees to a regional advisory\ncommittee shall not exceed one-half of the committee's membership. The\ncommissioners shall appoint to each regional advisory committee\nadditional members equal to one more than the total number of members\neligible for appointment by local government. Each member of a regional\nadvisory committee shall be a resident of that region, provided however,\nthe commissioners may appoint to each regional advisory committee up to\ntwo members who are not residents of that region. Each regional\ncommittee shall meet as it may deem necessary to carry out its\nresponsibilities.\n 5. Regional committees may request and shall receive from the\ndepartment and the office such assistance and data as may be determined\nreasonable for the proper execution of their responsibilities.\n 6. Regional committees shall be established no later than September\nfirst, nineteen hundred ninety, and shall make initial recommendations\nno later than December first, nineteen hundred ninety, to the\ncommissioners and the state land acquisition advisory council and shall\nreport at least biennially thereafter.\n