Skoufis’ village incorporation bill could sink Seven Springs

A bill introduced Wednesday by state Sen. James Skoufis could derail a pending petition by Hasidic property owners to create a new village in Monroe by adding criteria to state law that could lead to the proposal’s rejection.

The legislation would amend the state’s simple standards for forming a village by requiring petitioners to show that their proposals serve “the overall public interest” and are consistent with the Comprehensive Plans of the towns in which they would be established. The only requirements now in state law are that petitioners gather enough signatures and that at least 500 people live in the area that would be incorporated.