§ 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.

g. review any community preservation project plans developed pursuant
to section six-s of the general municipal law.

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.