S7538

The New York State Senate passed legislation authorizing the Village of Nyack to alienate and discontinue the use of certain parklands. Senate Print 7538, sponsored by Sen. Weber, passed on a roll call vote of 58-1, with only Sen. Fahy voting in opposition. The bill, which carried a home-rule message, takes effect immediately.

The New York State Senate passed legislation sponsored by Sen. Skoufis to overhaul village incorporation law, raising the minimum population threshold required to form a village from 500 to 2,000 residents. The bill, which passed 39-23 on a roll call vote, also eliminates landownership-based petitioning for village formation and requires financial analysis before incorporation referendums. Sen. Skoufis argued the changes address shortcomings in 19th-century law that have been "weaponized" by developers, citing an Orange County case where a landowner used incorporation law to circumvent local zoning decisions after being excluded from an annexation. He also referenced Mastic Beach on Long Island, where a village incorporated then dissolved years later due to financial unsustainability. Sen. Martins led opposition, arguing the statewide mandate would retroactively affect existing villages with fewer than 2,000 residents that have operated successfully for decades, and contending local communities should retain decision-making authority. Skoufis noted the Majority Leader worked with him on the issue for five sessions beginning in 2019.