NY S07181

Authorizes town boards to designate town highways with fewer than 400 average daily motor vehicles as "low-volume roads" and classify them into six categories: low-volume collector roads, residential access roads, resource/industrial access roads, agricultural land access roads, farm access roads, and recreation land access roads.

Permits towns to designate low-volume agricultural or recreational access roads with fewer than 50 average daily vehicles as "minimum maintenance roads" through local law after public hearing, with specified exclusions for farm access roads and roads serving year-round residences.

Requires towns to issue findings at least 45 days before a public hearing addressing traffic volume, property access, hazardous conditions, farm operation impacts, and maintenance standards developed with the town highway superintendent.

Mandates minimum maintenance standards be consistent with volume and type of traffic while permitting less frequent snow/ice removal, paving, and mowing; roads remain part of the town highway system and cannot be deemed abandoned solely due to minimum maintenance designation.

Allows property owners abutting minimum maintenance roads to petition for discontinuance or modification of standards, with towns holding a public hearing within 30 days of petition receipt; subsequent petitions by the same person cannot be filed within 24 months.