Section 962. Empire zone development plan  


Latest version.
  • An empire zone development plan
      shall be submitted for approval with the commissioner and with the local
      empire zone administrative board, and shall demonstrate the  methods  by
      which  the  applicant intends to promote the development of new business
      and the expansion of existing business within the empire zone and  shall
      include, but shall not be limited to:
        (a) a statement indicating how empire zone designation would assist in
      the  revitalization  of  the  area  in which such zone is proposed to be
      located;
        (b) a description  of  the  method  by  which  industrial  development
      agencies  or  other public finance agencies shall grant a preference for
      allocation of private activity bonding authority for projects located in
      the proposed empire zone;
        (c) a description of proposals  for  infrastructure  improvements  and
      investments and a timetable for their completion;
        (d)  a statement identifying those local tax incentives proposed to be
      offered within the zone;
        (e) a description of a procedure  to  expedite  the  issuance  of  any
      required local permits or licenses;
        (f)  a  description  of other activities to be undertaken by municipal
      agencies,    business     entities,     not-for-profit     corporations,
      community-based  organizations  or any other persons, which are designed
      to promote private sector business investment and job development in the
      empire zone and a description of  the  job  training  or  job  placement
      services  to  be made available to empire zone residents in need of such
      training or services;
        (g) an inventory of real property located within the  proposed  empire
      zone  that  is  owned  by  a  municipality or the state and is currently
      unused by the municipality or the state;
        (h) a description of the business development programs and services to
      be  available  to  stimulate  the  creation  of  new  small  businesses,
      including new small minority and women business enterprises;
        (i)  a  description  of  efforts that will be undertaken to prevent or
      discourage the displacement of residents of the proposed empire zone;
        (j) a description of activities  designed  to  ensure  the  meaningful
      participation  of minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises in
      empire zone development activities;
        (k)  a  description   of   provisions   for   the   participation   of
      not-for-profit  and business corporations in the development of the plan
      and in strategies for implementation of the plan;
        (l) a description of the marketing strategy  to  be  employed  by  the
      applicant  to promote business development in the zone and the resources
      to be  committed  by  the  applicant  and  other  organizations  to  the
      implementation of such strategy;
        (m)  a  description of the method by which the applicant will evaluate
      the success of any activities to be undertaken in  the  proposed  empire
      zone,   provided,   however,   that   the   applicant  shall  take  into
      consideration the factors upon which the selection of the area was based
      in any evaluation;
        (n) a description of provisions for participation  and  allocation  of
      funds by the affected service delivery area private industry council and
      administrative   entity   established   pursuant  to  the  job  training
      partnership act (P.L. 97-300, as amended) to provide job training in the
      zone;
        (o)  a  statement  of  the  reasons  why  the  particular   geographic
      configuration of the zone was selected;
    
        (p)  a  description  of  the  structure  and  duties of the local zone
      administrative board to  be  established  within  each  empire  zone  as
      provided in section nine hundred sixty-one of this article;
        (q)   a  description  of  the  special  programs  to  be  operated  by
      educational institutions and other training  entities  in  the  area  to
      prepare  and  train  zone residents for employment by businesses located
      within and outside the zone;
        (r) a statement from the  appropriate  regional  economic  development
      council  setting  forth  the  specific  resources  to  be  allocated for
      business development in the zone;
        (s) a description of facilities for licensed and certified  child  day
      care  for the children of persons engaged in training for employment in,
      or employed in, the zone;
        (t) description of specific strategies  and  priorities  for  economic
      revitalization  of  the  zone  and  of  indicators to be used to measure
      performance against objectives;
        (u) a statement of human resource development  goals  for  the  empire
      zone and specific strategies for achieving them;
        (v)  a  description  of how the applicant will use zone designation to
      coordinate economic development programs  and  providers  at  the  local
      level to service the zone;
        (w)  a  description  of  the organizational actions to be taken by the
      local empire zone administrative board and zone administrative  entities
      to   implement   specified   business,   community  and  human  resource
      development goals and strategies;
        (x) a description of the financial commitments which the applicant  is
      prepared  to  make  to the zone, including, but not limited to, specific
      commitments for infrastructure improvements;
        (y) a description of how the local economic development  entities,  as
      described  in paragraph (xii) of subdivision (b) of section nine hundred
      sixty-one of this article will integrate its services to allow  for  the
      best possible economic development support for the zone;
        (z) any zone designated prior to the enactment of this paragraph shall
      submit  a  new development plan, as defined pursuant to this section, in
      conjunction with the  requirements  set  forth  in  subdivision  (d)  of
      section  nine hundred fifty-seven of this article which the commissioner
      shall approve or disapprove such plan within ninety days of submission;
        (aa) the development plan established pursuant to this  section  shall
      be  resubmitted  by  the  local  zone  administrative  board as economic
      conditions change within the zone, or when other factors trigger a  need
      for  a  change  in  the development plan as determined by the local zone
      administrative board;
        (bb) a description of specific strategies and  actions  taken  by  the
      local  empire zone administration board and zone administrative entities
      to integrate economic goals with the objectives of community  well-being
      and  environmental  protection, such as open space protection, that will
      promote new development patterns in order to take advantage of resources
      and  opportunities,  such   as   existing   public   sewer   and   water
      infrastructure,  without  compromising  the needs of future generations;
      and