CHESTER – Under current state law, county governments do not have a formal role in the review process for local annexations, unless an annexation would change a county boundary.
Legislation introduced by Assemblyman James Skoufis (D-99) would allow county planning departments to review these annexation petitions pursuant to existing law, a process that already exists for many municipal planning and zoning actions.
Following a complete review of the petition, the county would send a recommendation to municipalities. Should a municipality wish to override the county’s recommendation and proceed with their plan, a supermajority vote by each affected municipal board would be required.
“They very well could affect areas beyond just the immediate to be annexed property and have a regional impact,” Skoufis said. “And, as such this bill seeks to allow the counties and specifically the county planning departments, and that is important and we’ll get to that, to have a formal role in this process.”
Skoufis cited specifically, water and sewer issues and wrote that into the legislation.
The assemblyman acknowledged the measure is specifically precipitated by what is happening in and around Kiryas Joel.
Skoufis says Gov. Cuomo, a fellow Democrat, is wrong for vetoing the measure
Despite a petition of support, signed by 10,000 citizens, the bipartisan bill was vetoed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo last year. It was reintroduced by Skoufis, and Senator William Larkin (R-39), passed in both houses, and is once again back on Cuomo’s desk.
Joining Skoufis at a news briefing outside his Chester office were several local officials, attorneys and Dr. Gerald Benjamin, of SUNY New Paltz.
Benjamin, saying he was speaking for himself, accused the governor of a “double standard.”
“So here we have an acceptable act, constitutionally, that’s being vetoed on constitutional grounds and questionable acts constitutionally that are being pressed through that accommodate particular interests,” Benjamin said.
Goshen attorney Rick Golden explained the mechanics of the measure, noting that a municipality could not vote on an annexation until all material had been forwarded to the county and a response had been sent back to the municipality, or 30 days has elapsed.
