NY S06494

Allows residents of towns, cities, villages, or counties to circulate petitions to dedicate property as parkland, with the property either publicly owned or privately owned with the owner's sworn consent to permanent parkland conversion.

Requires petitions to contain signatures from enrolled voters of the jurisdiction where circulated, with signature thresholds ranging from 5 percent of enrolled voters or a fixed minimum (500-5,000 depending on jurisdiction type), whichever is less.

Mandates that signatures be collected within 120 days, and upon certification of sufficient signatures, the board of elections must place the referendum on the next general election ballot.

Upon voter approval of the referendum, the board of elections must notify the town, city, village, or county clerk of the parkland dedication, which then becomes dedicated consistent with New York's public trust doctrine.

Permits parkland dedicated through this process to be transferred only through an act of the state legislature, consistent with the public trust doctrine.