New York Assembly Bill A11337

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/11/26
• Refer: 5/11/26
• Report Pass: 6/4/26
• Refer: 6/4/26

Caption

Authorizes the county of Cortland to transfer ownership of Linear Park to Lime Hollow Nature Center, Inc.

Summary

This bill authorizes Cortland County to discontinue use of Linear Park and convey the county’s interest in the property to Lime Hollow Nature Center, Inc. for park and/or recreational purposes. The transfer is limited to the described 21.417-acre parcel in Cortlandville, which is identified as former railroad right-of-way land. The bill conditions the conveyance on the county dedicating an amount equal to or greater than the fair market value of the parkland toward acquiring new parkland or improving existing park and recreational facilities. It also requires that the land remain available to the general public, be maintained and operated for park purposes by Lime Hollow Nature Center, and revert to the county if it stops being used for those purposes. Any applicable federal parkland conversion requirements must also be satisfied before the transfer can occur.

Impact

The bill would change the status of county parkland in Cortland County by authorizing an alienation of public parkland and allowing title to pass to a nonprofit nature center, subject to statutory safeguards. It affects local government authority over parkland, public access obligations, replacement parkland or capital improvement requirements, and potential federal compliance if the land was acquired or improved with federal assistance. The measure would also impose a reversionary condition and ongoing park-use restrictions on the transferee.

Sentiment

The available record suggests a generally favorable or routine administrative posture toward the bill, as it was introduced by request, referred to the Committee on Local Governments, and advanced to the Assembly Floor Calendar without any recorded votes or committee debate in the provided materials. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments in the context indicates no documented controversy in the available record, though the bill’s safeguards reflect an effort to preserve public park benefits while allowing the transfer.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are the alienation of public parkland and whether the transfer adequately protects public access and replaces lost park value. Local parkland conversion bills often raise concerns about preserving open space, ensuring fair market-value replacement, and maintaining public use; here, those concerns are addressed by the replacement-land requirement, public-access mandate, and reversion clause. Any federal funding tied to the property could also complicate the transfer, since compliance with federal conversion rules would be required before the conveyance can proceed.