§ 239-I — Regional comprehensive plans

§ 239-i. Regional comprehensive plans. 1. Content of a regional\ncomprehensive plan. The regional comprehensive plan may include the\nfollowing topics of significance at the level of detail adapted to the\nspecial requirements of the region:\n (a) general statements of goals, objectives, principles, policies, and\nstandards upon which proposals for the immediate and long-range\nprotection, enhancement, growth and development of the region are based;\n (b) consideration of regional needs and the official plans of other\ngovernment units and agencies within the region;\n (c) the existing and proposed intensity of land uses;\n (d) consideration of agricultural uses, historic and cultural\nresources, coastal and natural resources and sensitive environmental\nareas;\n (e) consideration of population, demographic and socio-economic trends\nand future projections;\n (f) the location and types of transportation facilities, including the\nreuse of abandoned transportation facilities;\n (g) existing and proposed general location of public and private\nutilities and infrastructure;\n (h) existing housing resources and future housing needs, including\naffordable housing;\n (i) the present and future general location of educational and\ncultural facilities, historic sites, health facilities, and facilities\nfor emergency services;\n (j) existing and proposed recreation facilities and parkland;\n (k) the present and potential future general location of commercial\nand industrial facilities;\n (l) specific policies and strategies for improving the regional\neconomy in coordination with other plan topics;\n (m) proposed measures, programs, devices, and instruments to implement\nthe goals and objectives of the various topics within the regional\ncomprehensive plan;\n (n) all or part of the plan of another public agency;\n (o) any and all other items which are consistent with the protection,\nenhancement, orderly growth and development of the region; and\n (p) consideration of cumulative impacts of development and other\nissues which promote compliance with the state environmental quality\nreview act under article eight of the environmental conservation law and\nits implementing regulations.\n 2. Preparation. The regional planning council may prepare a proposed\nregional comprehensive plan and amendments thereto.\n 3. Environmental review. A regional comprehensive plan, and any\namendment thereto, is subject to the provisions of the state\nenvironmental quality review act under article eight of the\nenvironmental conservation law and its implementing regulations. A\nregional comprehensive plan may be designed to also serve as, or be\naccompanied by, a generic environmental impact statement pursuant to the\nstate environmental quality review act statute and regulations. No\nfurther compliance with such law is required for subsequent site\nspecific actions that are in conformance with the conditions and\nthresholds established for such actions in the generic environmental\nimpact statement and its findings.\n 4. Agricultural review and coordination. A regional comprehensive plan\nand any amendments thereto, for a region containing all or part of an\nagricultural district or lands receiving agricultural assessments within\nits jurisdiction, shall continue to be subject to the provisions of\narticle twenty-five-AA of the agriculture and markets law relating to\nthe enactment and administration of local laws, ordinances, rules or\nregulations. A newly adopted or amended regional comprehensive plan\nshall take into consideration applicable county agricultural and\nfarmland protection plans as created under article twenty-five-AAA of\nthe agriculture and markets law.\n 5. Referrals. The regional planning council shall, prior to adoption,\nrefer the proposed regional comprehensive plan or any amendment thereto\nto the collaborating municipal legislative bodies and planning boards\nfor review and recommendation.\n 6. Public hearings; notice. (a) In the event the regional planning\ncouncil prepares a proposed regional comprehensive plan or amendment\nthereto, the regional planning council shall hold one or more public\nhearings in each collaborating municipality and such other meetings as\nit deems necessary to assure full opportunity for citizen participation\nin the preparation of such proposed plan or amendment, and in addition,\nthe regional planning council shall hold one or more public hearings in\neach collaborating municipality prior to adoption of such proposed plan\nor amendment.\n (b) Notice of a public hearing shall be published in a newspaper of\ngeneral circulation in each collaborating municipality at least ten\ncalendar days in advance of the hearing. Notice shall also be mailed to\nthe chief executive officer and the chairperson of the planning board of\neach municipality at least ten days before such hearing. The proposed\nregional comprehensive plan or amendment thereto shall be made available\nfor public review during said period at the office of the clerk of each\ncollaborating municipality, and may be made available at any other\nplace, including a public library.\n 7. Adoption. The regional planning council may adopt by resolution a\nregional comprehensive plan or any amendment thereto.\n 8. Filing of regional comprehensive plan. The adopted regional\ncomprehensive plan and any amendments thereto shall be filed in the\noffice of the clerk of each collaborating municipality.\n 9. Effect of adoption of the regional comprehensive plan. All plans\nfor capital projects of another governmental agency on land included in\nthe regional comprehensive plan adopted pursuant to this section shall\ntake such plan into consideration.\n 10. Periodic review. The regional planning council shall provide, as a\ncomponent of such proposed regional comprehensive plan, the maximum\nintervals at which the adopted plan shall be reviewed.\n