ALBANY, NY — Home Rule Bill A08014/S07184, sponsored by Assemblyman Steve Otis and State Senator Shelley Mayer passed in the New York State Assembly in the waning hours of the legislative year early this morning by a vote of 132-27.
The Bill is expected to be signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo and become law.
A08014/S07184 “authorizes the city of New Rochelle, county of Westchester to alienate and discontinue the use of certain parklands, in furtherance of an economic development interest of the state and/or city of New Rochelle.”
The Home Rule Request made public with the release of the New Rochelle City Council Agenda late Friday afternoon. The City Council Resolution, adopted Tuesday by a 5-2 vote, “authorizes the appropriate officers of the City of New Rochelle to sign a Home Rule Request for the enactment of Senate Bill No. S7184 and Assembly Bill No. A8014 authorizing the conveyance and alienation of certain land in furtherance of an economic development interest of the State and/or City of New Rochelle”.
The “interest” is the development of the Echo Bay waterfront and the parcel described in the Home Rule Bill is the New Rochelle Armory Property. The purpose is to get the parkland alienation issue out of the way before the developer, Pratt Landing Partners, moves forward any further with the project.
New York State Supreme Court Justice Charles D. Wood, on April 21, dismissed a lawsuit brought against the City of New Rochelle, New York State and Twinings Properties/Pratt Landing Partners by two veterans on grounds that the various causes of action were either premature, without merit or foundation or barred.
Among the six causes of action, Wood found that as New York State or the Legislature must approve any development plans for the Armory that would in any way alienate its use as parkland it was premature to bring an action against New York State.
This count in the lawsuit is no longer premature, so further litigation appears all but certain at this point.
RELATED:
New Rochelle Seeking New York State Home Rule Request to Alienate Parkland for Armory Property
FLASHBACK: June 27, 2010
FLASHBACK: June 28, 2010
Home Rule Armory Bill “Dead for 2010”
This is a good way ahead to ensure that the veteran community of New Rochelle is one step closer to having space made available for a veteran service organization. While there may be some rancor on the “what” or “who” will be the VSO in the building it is important to keep focus on ensuring that they provide needed services for the veteran community that actually matter.