[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Cortlandt 9-17-1991 as L.L. No. 2-1991. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to establish a multiyear planning program for capital projects. It is intended that capital projects be consistent with and supportive of the town's long-range plans and policies for providing services and programs to its citizens. The capital improvements program shall identify the town's needs for capital projects, prioritize those needs, identify financing methods and be coordinated with the annual budget. It is intended that the capital improvements program will provide a comprehensive and systematized long-range planning process for capital projects which will ensure that the town uses the most economical and efficient means of scheduling and financing capital projects.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CAPITAL PROJECT
Any of the following which exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.) in estimated cost:
A. 
Planning or engineering studies.
B. 
Any physical betterment or improvement, including its furnishings, machinery, apparatus or equipment.
C. 
Land or rights in land.
D. 
Any combination of Subsections B and C.
A. 
The Town Board shall appoint a Capital Improvements Committee, which shall consist of the following: the Town Supervisor, the Town Attorney, the Comptroller, the Director of Planning and the Town Engineer.
B. 
The Town Supervisor shall serve as Chairman of the Capital Improvements Committee and shall be responsible for calling at least four (4) meetings of the Committee during each year.
C. 
The duties of the Capital Improvements Committee shall be to review proposals for capital projects and recommend to the Town Board a five-year capital program and a one-year capital budget.
A. 
On or before May 1 of each year, the various department heads in the town shall submit to the Capital Improvements Committee on forms provided by the Committee a list of capital projects which are necessary or desirable to be constructed during the forthcoming six-year period. Included with the list shall be supporting data, including the following:
(1) 
A brief description of the project, including its location.
(2) 
Justification for the project.
(3) 
An implementation schedule, including the number of years and phasing.
(4) 
Plans and cost estimates, as available, including any feasibility studies, preliminary engineering data, reviews under the State Environmental Quality Review Act[1] and related information.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Art. 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law.
(5) 
The methodology used in developing cost estimates.
(6) 
Recommendations as to whether the costs of the project should be paid by the town at large or should be wholly or partly assessable against the benefited area and/or wholly or partly from the income to be derived from the operation of the project.
(7) 
An estimate of operating costs on the town budget for three (3) years following completion of the project.
(8) 
The recommended order in which the list of capital projects should be undertaken.
B. 
The Capital Improvements Committee shall review the information submitted and shall develop a capital improvements program. During the review, the Capital Improvements Committee shall meet with the Town Board at least once to ascertain budgetary conditions and shall meet with the Planning Board at least once to determine the compatibility of proposed capital projects with the town's Master Plan.
C. 
Prior to September 1 of each year, the Capital Improvements Committee shall transmit to the Town Board:
(1) 
A recommended capital improvements program, which shall be a plan of capital projects proposed to be undertaken during the ensuing five-year period.
(2) 
A recommended capital budget for the ensuing one (1) year. Such capital budget shall be for the first year of the five-year capital improvements program.
D. 
The capital improvements program and capital budget report shall give due consideration to the policies and plans of the town for providing services and programs, to the needs of the town as a whole for physical improvements, to the financial resources of the town and its ability to pay for the projects recommended and to the impacts of the projects on the town, such as development impacts, induced needs for additional projects and other impacts. The reports shall include the estimated costs, the proposed methods of financing and estimates of the effect, if any, upon the operating costs on the town budget within three (3) years following the completion of recommended capital projects.
The Town Board shall review the recommendations of the Capital Improvement Committee and shall, after review and revision, adopt a capital improvements program and a capital budget.
The capital budget adopted by the Town Board shall be included in the preliminary and final budget adopted by the Town Board.