County of Putnam
Local Law # 15 of 2011
(Passed at the Regular Full Mtg June 7, 2011)
APPROVAL/LOCAL LAW/AMEND ARTICLE 5-A/PUTNAM COUNTY CHARTER/ENTITLED
“DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION”
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the County of Putnam as follows:
Section1.
Article 5-A of the Putnam County Charter is hereby amended to read as follows:
§ 5-A.01 Department of Planning, Development and Public Transportation;
Commissioner.
There shall be a Department of Planning, Development and Public Transportation under
the direction of a Commissioner who shall be appointed by the County Executive subject
to confirmation by the County Legislature. The Commissioner shall serve at the pleasure
of the County Executive. The Commissioner shall hold the minimum of a Bachelor’s
Degree and shall be qualified for his or her position by training and experience including
administrative management, supervision of professional planners and of support staff
and shall have a minimum of eight (8) years of practical field experience in regional,
county or municipal planning. He or she shall have the power, within budgetary
appropriations, and in accordance with County policy, or as may be otherwise required
by law, to appoint and remove such staff as he or she deems to be necessary. The
Commissioner shall not hold any other public or political office, whether elected or
appointed, as long as he or she remains in his or her current position of County
employment. He or she, as well as all full time managerial employees in the department,
shall serve on a full time basis and shall not engage in any private practice nor be
employed in their field of expertise with the County by any private or other governmental
entity, except any such employee hired prior to December 31, 2010 may continue in any
private practice in their field of expertise until December 31, 2013 as long as they remain
in their current position of County employment.
§ 5-A.02. Commissioner of Planning, Development and Public Transportation: powers
and duties.
Except as otherwise provided in the Charter, the Commissioner shall have the power to:
(a) Conduct technical evaluation, prepare proposals, position papers, plans, letters,
memorandum and/or reports on County issues, programs and projects as
required by the County Executive;
(b) Administer Putnam County transit operations, including the coordination of public
transportation services with local, state, county and regional public transit
providers, the management of the County’s transportation operations and the
compliance with all federal and state laws and regulations related to public transit
operations as well as the program requirements of the New York Metropolitan
Transportation Council;
(c) Conduct and/or supervise the preparation of planning studies related to
comprehensive master planning regarding County development and the wise use
of resources in Putnam County including, but not limited to, transportation, land
use, open space, recreation, County facilities, farmland, natural and cultural
resources, public works, parks, demographic and socio-economic data and
ground water. Planning studies shall be transmitted to the County Executive for
submission to the County Legislature;
(d) Represents the County in dealings with various local, regional, state and federal
agencies as well as with the private sector regarding County resources and
planning, development and transportation matters;
(e) Prepare and update, as needed, a Comprehensive Croton System Water quality
Protection Plan (Croton Plan) as set forth in Section 18-82 of the Rules and
Regulations for the Protection, from Contamination, Degradation and Pollution of
the New York City Water Supply and its sources.
(f) Provide technical assistance, as required, with respect to the implementation of
the New York City Watershed Memorandum of Agreement and any other related
matter;
(g) Research available grant programs at the local, state and federal levels as well as
through other revenue sources and prepare all applications associated therewith
so as to obtain the available financial assistance for County programs;
(h) Plan and implement all bikeway trail projects;
(i) Exercise all the powers and duties prescribed by law for a county or regional
planning board, pursuant to General Municipal Law, Article 12-B, §239 (l) – (n);
(j) Assist the County Executive in executive planning including the preparation and
planning of the capital budget and capital programs;
(k) Administer all programs and projects conducted by the Soil and Water
Conservation District;
(l) Provide education and training programs in relation to transportation, planning,
development and the environment;
(m)Perform analyses of the U.S. Census data, which is conducted once every ten (10)
years, as member of the New York State Data Center Affiliate Program and provide
assistance to the public, not-for-profit agencies and other municipalities regarding
the Census and other data relevant to Putnam County;
(n) Review and prepare recommendations and comments on all municipal referred
projects involving the State Environmental Quality Review Act as well as prepare
all forms associated therewith on behalf of the County when necessary;
(o) Perform such other and related duties as may be required by the County
Executive; and
(p) Perform all the duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed by law.
Section 2.
This local law shall take effect forty-five (45) days after its adoption, subject to
referendum on petition in accordance with the provisions of Section 24 of the New York
State Municipal Home Rule Law.