[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Huntington 2-10-2015 by L.L. No. 14-2015. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Beautification Council — See Ch. 8.
Blighted property — See Ch. 156, Art. VII.
Public benefit incentives — See Ch. 157.
It is the intent of the Town Board to protect the health, safety and welfare of the Town by fostering renewal and by encouraging the use of public-benefit funds to supplement the general fund thereby adding to the economic soundness and stability of the community.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms and phrases shall have the meanings indicated:
It is the intent of the Town Board to protect the health, safety and welfare by fostering community renewal and by encouraging the abatement and elimination of blight throughout the Town and to use available public benefit funds to elevate, raise and lift up public properties to create a more positive influence and add to the economic soundness and stability of the community. The Town Board having enacted Chapter 156, "Blighted Property", requiring the owners of blighted properties to pay a registration fee to help foster revitalization and anti-blight efforts, finds that it is in the public interest to provide guidance and procedures for the administration and use of the Beautification Fund which will be supported by a portion of the blighted property registration fees, which Beautification Fund shall be deposited to a separate trust and agency account and carried forward, so that, all interest shall accrue to and remain a part of the Beautification Fund, which shall be used in accord with the purposes set forth herein.
A. 
There is hereby established a Beautification Fund Committee which shall consist of the Supervisor, the Comptroller, the Director of the Department of Planning and Environment, the Town Engineer, and the Chairman of the Town of Huntington Beautification Council, or any designated representative of a committee member. The Town Attorney or his or her designee shall serve in an advisory capacity as an ex-officio member of the Committee.
[Amended 7-12-2022 by L.L. No. 19-2022]
B. 
The Supervisor or his designee shall call and chair all meeting of the committee. Meetings may also be called at the request of any two Committee members and may be held as often as necessary.
[Amended 7-12-2022 by L.L. No. 19-2022]
C. 
The Committee shall collect data, conduct investigations and prepare reports or cause to have the same accomplished as may be deemed necessary to carry out the purpose of this article.
D. 
The Committee shall report its recommendations and any actions taken under this article to the Town Board.
E. 
The Committee may from time to time in accord with the Supervisor's grant/database process make applications for grants to county, state and federal agencies to obtain additional monies for the Beautification Fund, which shall supplement the One Thousand Five Hundred ($1,500.00) Dollars per blighted property allocated to this fund pursuant to Chapter 156 of the Town Code.
[Amended 7-12-2022 by L.L. No. 19-2022]
F. 
The Comptroller and Supervisor, or their designees, may jointly authorize expenditures from the Beautification Fund for amounts up to $10,000.00. Additionally, the Comptroller shall submit operating or capital budget requests for the Committee to the Supervisor.
[Amended 7-12-2022 by L.L. No. 19-2022]
G. 
The Committee shall have such other and further powers as may be necessary to implement and carry out the purposes of this article.
H. 
This Committee and the Beautification Fund provided for herein is separate and apart from and unrelated to the Beautification Council established pursuant to Chapter 8 of the Code of the Town of Huntington.
The Beautification Fund may be used for any of the following purposes, including but not limited to: the beautification of public space with the installation and maintenance of plants, grasses, shrubs, trees, paved areas, structures, walls, street amenities, benches, and other types of hardscape, markers, fencing, fountains, clock towers, and other architectural features including public art, green infrastructure for public places including public parking lots, roof tops, rain gardens, bioswales and other green water conservation devices which enhance the environment, the removal of graffiti, litter and the installation of public purpose signs which discourage graffiti, honor a historical event or which contain other public messages that are informational or improve the area where installed, the remediation of environmentally challenged public properties, so that, they can be returned to a beneficial use within the local community, surveys to determine property lines on public property to protect against encroachments, public fencing, the installation of lighting and video surveillance equipment in public places to discourage graffiti and other types of vandalism or violations that degrade the community and other uses of a like or similar nature.