Section 25-416. Existing districts

Any special improvement or assessment
  districts, or any business improvement districts established pursuant to
  article two-B of the general city law, or any districts having filed  an
  application with the state comptroller as provided in such article prior
  to  the  effective date of chapter two hundred eighty-two of the laws of
  nineteen hundred eighty-nine, shall be subject to the provisions of this
  chapter but shall not be required to comply with any provisions of  this
  chapter which are contrary to or more restrictive than those under which
  the  district  was  estab-  lished  or  proposed  to  be  established as
  evidenced by an application filed with the state  comptroller  prior  to
  the  effective  date  of  chapter  two hundred eighty-two of the laws of
  nineteen hundred eighty-nine. Any reference  to  article  two-B  of  the
  general  city law or any section thereof in any state or local law, plan
  or agreement shall be deemed to be a reference to article nineteen-A  of
  the general municipal law, or the appropriate provision of such article.