S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1304
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 9, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Cities
 
 AN ACT to amend the general city law,  in  relation  to  the  review  of
   construction plans by cities
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subdivision 24 of section 20 of the general  city  law,  as
 amended  by  chapter  742  of  the  laws  of 1979, is amended to read as
 follows:
   24. To regulate and limit the height, bulk and location  of  buildings
 hereafter  erected,  TO  REVIEW  AND  APPROVE  PLANS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR
 RECONSTRUCTION OF ANY STRUCTURE PROPOSED TO BE MADE WITHIN  ITS  BOUNDA-
 RIES  FOR  COMPLIANCE  WITH ANY CODES, RULES OR REGULATIONS, to regulate
 and determine the area of yards, courts and other open  spaces,  and  to
 regulate  the  density  of  population  in  any given area, and for said
 purposes to divide the city into districts.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER
 PROVISION  OF LAW, NO CITY SHALL BE PERMITTED TO ACCEPT CERTIFICATION OF
 DOCUMENTS FOR NEW OR NEWLY RECONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS  FROM  ARCHITECTS  OR
 ENGINEERS  AS  A  SUBSTITUTE FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF SUCH PLANS BY AN
 EMPLOYEE OR CONTRACTOR OF THE  CITY  WHO  IS  A  LICENSED  ARCHITECT  OR
 LICENSED  ENGINEER.  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  NO CITY EMPLOYEE OR CONTRACTOR
 SHALL REVIEW AND APPROVE ANY DOCUMENTS WHICH HE OR SHE HAS SUBMITTED  AS
 AN  ARCHITECT  OR  ENGINEER.  Such regulations shall be uniform for each
 class of buildings throughout any district, but the regulations  in  one
 or  more  districts may differ from those in other districts. Such regu-
 lations shall be designed to secure safety from fire,  flood  and  other
 dangers  and to promote the public health and welfare, including, so far
 as conditions may permit, provision for adequate light, air, convenience
 of access, and the accommodation of solar energy systems  and  equipment
 and  access  to  sunlight  necessary  therefor,  and  shall be made with
 reasonable  regard  to  the  character  of  buildings  erected  in  each
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD01041-01-7

 S. 1304                             2
 
 district,  the  value of land and the use to which it may be put, to the
 end that such regulations may promote public health, safety and  welfare
 and  the  most  desirable use for which the land of each district may be
 adapted  and may tend to conserve the value of buildings and enhance the
 value of land throughout the city.
   § 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.