Source: http://preservewoodbury.org/villagecreation.htm
Timestamp: 2019-10-21 07:18:15
Document Index: 665625336

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2', '§ 2', '§138', '§150', '§121', '§120', '§95', '§412', '§72', '§120', '§126', '§277', '§119']

Excerpted from: State of New York. Department of State. Local Government Handbook, 5th Ed. 'Albany: NYS Department of State. 2000
The Village Law governs the incorporation of new villages and the organization of most existing villages.
The 12 remaining charter villages are subject to this law only where it does not conflict with their respective charters.
A territory of 500 or more inhabitants may incorporate as a village in New York State, provided that the territory is not already part of a city or village. The territory must contain no more than five square miles at the time of incorporation, although it may be larger in land area if its boundaries are made coterminous with those of a school, fire, improvement or other district, or the entire boundaries of a town (Village Law, Article 2 is the Village Incorporation Law).
Within 10 days after the conclusion of the hearing the supervisor of the affected town must judge the legal sufficiency of the petition. If more than one town is involved and the supervisors cannot agree on a decision, their decision is deemed to be adverse to the petition. Any decision made is subject to review by the courts. If no review is sought within 30 days, the decision of the supervisor is final. If the supervisor decides against the petition, a new petition may be presented immediately. If the supervisor finds that the petition meets the requirements of the law or if the petition is sustained by the courts, a referendum is held within the proposed area no later than 40 days after the expiration of30 days from the filing of the supervisors' favorable decision, or the filing of a final court order sustaining the petition. Only those residing in the proposed area of incorporation and qualified to vote in town elections may vote in the referendum.
Where the proposed' area lies in one town, a majority of those voting is required in order to incorporate. Where more than one town is involved, an affirmative majority in the area proposed for incorporation in each town is required. If the required majorities are not obtained, then the question is defeated, and no new proceeding for incorporation of the same territory may beheld for one year. If a favorable vote is obtained, and there is no court challenge, the town clerk of the town in which the original petition has been tiled makes a report of incorporation. The report is sent to the Secretary of State, the State Comptroller, the State Office of Real Property Services, the county clerk and county treasurer of each county in which the village will be located, and the town clerks of each town in which the village will be located.
Upon receipt of the report, the Secretary of State prepares and files a Certificate of Incorporation. The certificate is also filed with the clerks of each town in which the village is located. The village is deemed incorporated on the date the report is filed with the Secretary of State. Within five days after the filing of the Certificate of Incorporation, the clerks of each town in which the village is located jointly appoint a resident of the new village area to serve as village clerk until a successor is chosen by the village's first elected board of trustees. Election of the board and mayor is held within 60 days of the appointment of the interim village clerk, except in instances where the new village embraces the entire territory of a town. In that case the election of village officers is held at the next regular election of town officials occurring not less than 30 days after the filing of the certificate of village incorporation.
VILLAGE INCORPORATION: THE FIVE WS, WHAT, WHY, WHERE, WHEN, WHO, AND HOW
In New York State, a village is a general purpose municipal corporation formed voluntarily by the residents of an area in one or more towns, to provide municipal services. When a village is created, its area still remains a part of the town where it is located, and its residents continue to be residents and taxpayers of that town.
There are currently 574 villages in New York State, which range in size from 50 to 50,000 people. The majority of villages have populations less than 2,500. Since 1948, 25 villages have been created. Three of those have since dissolved. Since 1961, eight villages have been created in the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County.
The last village incorporated in NYS was the Village of East Nassau, in Rensselaer County in 1998. The last on Long Island was the Village of West Hampton Dunes in 1993. Since 1960, five villages have been created on Long Island, one, Pine Valley, has since dissolved.
Villages are created for a variety of reasons. Generally, the population in a neighborhood or hamlet unites. over a particular need or issue, such as zoning and development; police and/of fire protection; water and sewer services; watershed concerns; traffic; code enforcement; environmental concerns. The issue is usually unique to the area.
Villages are formed all over NYS; generally in areas of growing and concentrated populations. Twenty percent of all the villages in the State -95-- are located on Long Island. In Nassau-County there are 64 villages; in Suffolk County there are 31. There is also a concentration of villages in Westchester (23), Rockland (19), and Orange (17) counties; Jefferson (20), Oneida (19) and Onondaga (15) counties; and Erie (16) and Chautauqua (15) counties.
Usually, but not always, a defining event spurs village incorporation. Maybe it's the enactment of new zoning
regulations by the town that adversely effect development in a particular area of the town. Or maybe it is a reaction to rampant commercial development in the town and its impact on a particular neighborhood Of hamlet.
No matter the reason, the opportunity to establish a village is available under NYS law. Specifically, Village Law Article 2.
Incorporation of a village is one of the few actions in New York State that can be undertaken solely on the initiative of residents without any discretionary interference or approval from other governing bodies at the state or local levels. While state law specifies certain procedures that must be followed, there is no authority for anyone but local residents to decide the question of whether to incorporate. However, once the village is formed, its structure and operation are matters that are regulated in nearly every respect by state law.
When a village incorporates, it remains a part of the town. All village residents continue to be entitled to vote in the town and take part in any services which are provided on a town•wide basis, and continue to be required to pay town taxes to support their share of the cost of such services (general government, recreation, library, etc.).
The major exceptions are services that are provided by the town through the operation of special districts." Any portion of a special district (such as sewer, water, fire, etc.) which falls within the area of the new village will cease to be a part of that district. Virtually all of the special district functions can be continued by contracting with the town, provided that both the village and the town can reach agreement. Where special district services are received by only a portion of the proposed new village, the village can set up special assessments to continue to provide funding for those services.
During the period of public discussion prior to an incorporation referendum. it is wise to actively seek out and consider the opinions of those who disagree with the activists who are promoting the formation of the new village. Formation of a new municipal government is a serious step. All participants should maintain a realistic, practical perspective while attempting to understand a very complex set of potential outcomes.
Village government is the only form of government that New York residents can incorporate and dissolve directly, by vote of the people. There are very few instances in which residents have the power to collect signatures on a petition ,and cause a referendum to be held.
2. The owners of more than -59% in assessed valuation of the real property in the territory assessed upon the last completed town assessment roll in which the territory is located.
(b) a description made with reference to existing streets and navigable waters or a combination of
same; or ,
• Within 20 days of petition filing, supervisor must post and publish notice of a public hearing upon petition .
• Public hearing must be held not less than 20 nor more than 30 days from posting and first publication of notice.
• Within 10 days after conclusion of hearing, supervisor must make a 'written determination as to the sufficiency of the petition.
• At least 10 days before the election, the town clerk must serve the supervisor with list of inspectors of election and the town board must designate alternate inspectors.
Post'-incorporation Time-Line
• Within 10 days of appointment the clerk. must post and publish a notice of election for mayor and four trustees arid appoint four inspectors of election.
While the village will be incorporated as of the date of the filing of the report of incorporation with the Secretary of State the incorporation will become effective on the following dates for the following purposes: .
• to hold meetings of the board of trustees (once board members are elected)
• to appoint a zoning commission
• to perform all acts and fulfill all requirements of Real Property Tax Law, Article 14, Title 2, entitled ~Levy and Collection of Taxes;"
to have and exercise all the rights, powers, duties, privileges and immunities granted villages by the Constitution or any other provision of law.
• The reasonably necessary expenses, including attorney fees, incurred in sustaining the petition in a proceeding brought under Village Law § 2-210, (review of decision) not exceeding $500.00 .
• The reasonably necessary expenses, including attorney fees, incurred in a proceeding brought to determine the validity or regularity of the election under Village Law § 2-224 where an election result against incorporation was set aside or an election result in favor of incorporation was sustained, flat exceeding $500.00.
If the first election is held on or after the first Monday in April and before the first Monday in October, the teffils of office of two of the trustees will expire at noon on the first Monday in April next succeeding the first election.
If the first election is held at any other time, the terms of office of two tr4stees will expire one year after the first Monday in April next succeeding the first election. The terms of office of the mayor and the other two trustees will expire at noon on the first Monday in April next succeeding the expiration of the terms of office of the first two trustees. The terms of office begin as soon as they have qualified as outlined below.
Within 10 days after appointment, the village clerk must post in at least six public places in the village and publish at least once in a newspaper of general circulation, a notice of the election including the time and place or the election, the hours of opening and closing the polls which must be from 12:00 noon to 9:00 p.m., and the offices and the terms to be filled.
If the village includes part of a town special district, the proportion of the bonded debt incurred by the town will be assumed by the village. The apportionment of personal and real property belonging to the special district will be determined according to the relative assessed valuation of the property in that portion of the special district outside the village and that portion within the village. If, within six months of the village's incorporation, the town board and the village trustees are unable to agree on the proportion of debt and the apportionment of personal and real property, then the Supreme Court will determine the division and enforce an award in the same manner as a suit in equity brought by either of the parties.
Several sections of State Jaw require, in certain specific circumstances, certain town expenditures to be part-town charges. Refer to the section of law cited for specific guidelines.
• Building Inspection (Town Law §138)
• Police Department (Town Law §150)
• Joint Police Department (General Municipal Law §121-a)
• Refuse and Garbage Collection (General Municipal Law §120-w; Town Law Article 12 or 12-a)
• Youth Bureaus/Agencies/Programs (General Municipal Law §95 or 240; Executive Law §412
• Joint Town-Village Parking Garage (General Municipal Law §72-j (5))
• Joint Town-Village Public Docks (General Municipal Law §120-x)
• Joint Town-Village Hospital (General Municipal Law §126-a)
Village residents may be exempt from financing certain other town expenditures, at the
option of the town board: .
• Snow removal - Town Highway Budget, Item #4 (Highway Law §277) Municipal Cooperation Agreement (General Municipal Law §119-0
Required Public Officers: Mayor, four trustees, treasurer, and clerk. The Board of Trustees may, subject. to permissive referendum, increase or decrease the required number of trustees.
The Board of Trustees may consolidate the offices of assessor (an optional office), clerk and treasurer, or any two of the offices,
Village Officials and Employees - The appointment of all other village officials and employees, including building
inspector and code enforcement officers and village attorney, is discretionary. '
Planning Board - The village board is authorized to create a planning board and may provide for the referral of any municipal matter to the planning board for its review and report prior to final action. Additionally, the village board may establish a procedure for referral to the planning board of all applications for rezoning, variances and special use permits. The planning board can also have an advisory role in preparing and amending comprehensive plans', zoning regulations, official maps, long-range capital programs, special purpose control~ and compliance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). Further, the village board may grant the planning board such regulatory functions as control of land subdivision, site plan review and issuance of special use permits.
Zoning Board of Appeals ~ A village is required to establish a zoning board of appeals, if a local zoning law is enacted.
Real Property Assessment - A village may appoint an assessor or it may abolish itself as an assessing unit, requiring the town to assume this function. The village is not required to pay the town for this service.
Police - A village is authorized to establish a police department and to employ necessary personnel; establish a joint police department with other municipalities; or may contract with the town within which it is located for the provision of police services. In the absence of any of the foregoing, the town in which the village is located is responsible to supply police protection to a village, the extent and intensity of which is within the discretion of the town.
Fire - The Board of Trustees is authorized to create a volunteer or paid fire department.
Dog Control - The provision of a dog control officer is optional. unless a village has determined to issue dog licenses.
Trash Collection - Villages are authorized, but not required, to provide trash collection or to purchase land for the establishment of a public waste disposal site or plant and to operate the same. A village is authorized to contract with any other municipal corporation or public or private corporation or individual for the construction or operation of a resource recovery facility, for the processing of solid waste, or for a system at collection and disposal of municipal solid waste through resource recovery. A village is also authorized to contract with any other municipality for the use of a municipally operated public dump.
Sewage Treatment and Disposal - The Board of Trustees is authorized to establish, maintain and extend a sewage system.
Highways - The streets of a village are under the exclusive control and supervision of the Board of Trustees or another officer to who control is delegated by the Board. Repair and maintenance may be performed by the village, or the village may contract with another municipal corporation or private entity for services. The Board of Trustees is authorized to apportion the costs of the repavement of a street wholly ,at the expense of the village, wholly at the expense of the owners of the adjoining land, or partly at the expense of each. A village may also petition for the creation of a transportation improvement district.
Snow Removal• A village is authorized to provide for snow removal or to contract with the town within which it is located or with a private concern or individual.
Recreation -A village may establish a recreation commission to equip, operate, and maintain recreation centers.
Libraries - A village may organize and establish public libraries.
Private Contracts/Cooperative Contracts - Generally, a village may contract with a private entity or with another municipal corporation for the delivery of services.
Dissolution -If the Board of Trustees so decides, or by the filing of a petition, a village may be dissolved following a referendum on the issue.
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