Legislation that would put more county oversight on large annexations like the 507 acres proposed for the Village of Kiryas Joel has passed in both houses of the state legislature and is headed to the governor’s desk for his action.

If he signs it, large annexations of property would go under the microscope by counties to make sure they does not negatively impact the rest of the county environmentally.

Officials of Kiryas Joel argued on Tuesday they are within the constitutional authority of local governments. They said the legislature’s bills “intrude on this local home rule right and authority” in violations of the state constitution.

The New York Conference of Mayors has come out opposed to the legislation sponsored by Democrat Assemblyman James Skoufis and Republican Senator William Larkin.

“We took the position we did strictly because of the bills’ statewide impacts and their potential to make the already difficult process of annexation that much harder for the 581 cities and villages we represent,” wrote NYOM Executive Director Peter Baynes in a letter to mayors across the state.

(Source: MidHudsonNews.com)