Section 239 of General Municipal Law requires that certain municipal zoning actions be referred to the County planning agency.  The purpose of this referral is to ensure that inter-community and/or county-wide considerations are included in the review.  Actions requiring referral include new zoning laws, amendments to existing zoning laws, variance requests, special use permits, and site plan reviews, if the property is located within five hundred (500) feet of a state or county road, a municipal boundary, or certain other criteria. 

     The complete text of General Municipal Law Sections 239.l and m is attached and may be downloaded by clicking on the highlighted words.

     The 239 Referral Form which should be used by municipalities when referring actions to the County is also available by clicking the highlighted words.

     New York State law now permits municipalities and County Planning Agencies to enter into agreements which exempt certain actions from the County review procedure. If your municipality is interested in discussing the exemption option, please contact the Planning Department.