2006 New York Code - Regional Advisory Committees.

 
  § 49-0209. Regional advisory committees.
    1.  There  are hereby established regional advisory committees in each
  of the department's regions to provide the department  and  office  with
  advice  and recommendations from the public on the implementation of the
  land acquisition programs of the department and office and in  order  to
  provide  the  public  with  information  regarding the activities of the
  department and office pursuant to this title.
    2. Each regional committee shall:
    a. recommend policies and priorities for protection of  lands  in  the
  region potentially eligible for state acquisition;
    b.  recommend  to  the  department  and  office  specific  studies  or
  assessments which would assist in the development  of  land  acquisition
  policies and priorities for the region;
    c.  establish  working liaison relationships with neighboring regional
  advisory  committees  where  such  liaison  will  further  overall  land
  acquisition objectives;
    d.  develop  guidelines  for  use  in  identifying  priorities of land
  acquisition and recommending specific parcels for possible  acquisition.
  Such guidelines may include:
    (i) the priority ranking of properties for the region;
    (ii)  the  degree to which an acquisition will help to meet a regional
  or statewide need;
    (iii) the future costs and benefits which may be associated  with  the
  project;
    (iv)  the economic impact on adjacent parcels, the community or region
  and the local governments therein; and
    (v) the ecological value of the project taking into account the  type,
  variety and relative scarcity of the resources therein.
    e.  advise  the  commissioners and the state land acquisition advisory
  council  annually  with  respect  to  plans  and  priorities  for  their
  respective  region, and communicate at such other times as may be needed
  to fulfill its responsibilities.
    f. review the state land acquisition plan prepared by  the  department
  and office pursuant to section 49-0207 of this title at least biennially
  and make recommendations regarding such plan as it affects the region.
    3.  Regional advisory committee members shall be knowledgeable of, and
  concerned with, the land preservation, conservation, historic, cultural,
  recreation and acquisition goals of this chapter.  No  employee  of  the
  department  or  office  shall serve on a regional committee. At any time
  that a member of a regional committee  has  or  may  have  a  direct  or
  indirect  financial  interest  in  or  resulting from the acquisition or
  decision not to acquire an interest in land pursuant to this title, such
  member shall not participate in any discussion or  deliberation  of  the
  committee concerning such acquisition.
    4.  A  regional advisory committee shall consist of at least thirteen,
  and not more than twenty-three members. Each county outside the city  of
  New  York  or  the  city  of  New York in the case of a county contained
  within the city of New  York  shall  appoint  members  to  its  region's
  advisory  committee in a manner designed to provide equal representation
  for all counties within a region on such committee,  provided  that  the
  total  number  of  local  government  appointees  to a regional advisory
  committee shall not exceed one-half of the committee's  membership.  The
  commissioners   shall   appoint  to  each  regional  advisory  committee
  additional members equal to one more than the total  number  of  members
  eligible  for appointment by local government. Each member of a regional
  advisory committee shall be a resident of that region, provided however,
  the commissioners may appoint to each regional advisory committee up  to
  two  members  who  are  not  residents  of  that  region.  Each regional
  committee shall  meet  as  it  may  deem  necessary  to  carry  out  its
  responsibilities.
    5.  Regional  committees  may  request  and  shall  receive  from  the
  department and the office such assistance and data as may be  determined
  reasonable for the proper execution of their responsibilities.
    6.  Regional  committees  shall be established no later than September
  first, nineteen hundred ninety, and shall make  initial  recommendations
  no   later   than  December  first,  nineteen  hundred  ninety,  to  the
  commissioners and the state land acquisition advisory council and  shall
  report at least biennially thereafter.