§ 239-h. Regional planning councils. 1. Legislative findings and\nintent. The legislature hereby finds and determines that:\n (a) Significant decisions and actions affecting the immediate and\nlong-range protection, enhancement, growth and development of the state\nand its communities are made by regional planning councils.\n (b) Regional planning councils serve as an increasingly important\nresource to the state and its localities, helping to establish\nproductive linkages between communities as well as with state and\nfederal agencies.\n (c) Through comprehensive planning and special studies, regional\nplanning councils provide focus on opportunities and issues best handled\non a broad geographic scale.\n (d) The development of a regional comprehensive plan can foster\ncooperation among governmental agencies in the planning and\nimplementation of capital projects. Similarly, regional comprehensive\nplans can promote intermunicipal cooperation in the provision of public\nservices.\n (e) Citizen participation is essential to the design and\nimplementation of a regional comprehensive plan.\n (f) The great diversity of resources and conditions that exist within\nand among regions requires consideration of such factors by regional\nplanning councils.\n (g) It is the intent of the legislature therefore, to provide a\npermissive and flexible framework within which regional planning\ncouncils can perform their powers and duties.\n 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this section and section two\nhundred thirty-nine-i of this article the term "municipality" shall mean\nany city, town, village or county.\n 3. Establishment of regional planning council. (a) Creation. Any\nmunicipal legislative body may collaborate with the legislative body of\na contiguous municipal legislative body to create a regional planning\ncouncil under this article. The legislative bodies of the municipalities\nparticipating in the regional planning council shall adopt by resolution\nan agreement setting forth the terms and conditions of such\ncollaboration. The regional planning council shall be considered an\nagency of a political subdivision or municipality for purposes of\nsections one hundred three, one hundred four and article eighteen of\nthis chapter, articles six and seven of the public officers law, and for\nthe purposes of eligibility for federal and/or state grants.\n (b) Membership. Membership and officers on such council shall be\nselected in a manner to be determined by the collaborating legislative\nbodies. In making such appointments, the collaborating legislative\nbodies shall include members from a broad cross section of interests\nwithin the region. Consideration should also be given to securing\nrepresentation by population size, geographic location and type of\nmunicipality. The terms of membership as well as the filling of\nvacancies on such council shall be determined by the collaborating\nlegislative bodies. The collaborating legislative bodies may also\njointly provide for the appointment of individuals to serve as\nex-officio members of the regional planning council. Said ex-officio\nmembers or their designees may participate in the deliberations of the\ncouncil, but shall not have voting privileges.\n (c) Membership of elected or appointed officials. No person shall be\nprecluded from serving as a member of a regional planning council as\nappointed by a collaborating municipal legislative body pursuant to this\nsection, because such member is an elected or appointed official of such\nmunicipality. A member of a regional planning council shall excuse\nhimself or herself from any deliberation or vote relating to a matter or\nproposal before such regional planning council which is or has been the\nsubject of a proposal, application or vote before the municipal board of\nwhich he or she is a member.\n (d) Training and attendance requirements. As a condition of\nappointment to the regional planning council, the collaborating
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