The Planning Board shall comply with the provisions of the State Environmental Quality Review Act under Article 8 of the Environmental Conservation Law (SEQRA) and its implementing regulations, and with New York State Town Law § 276.
The Planning Board may require that the subdivider include the short-form environmental assessment form (short-form EAF) as part of the sketch plan submittal. If the action is a Type II action, the subdivider shall not be required to submit further information. If the action is Type I or unlisted, the subdivider will be required to submit further environmental information in accordance with SEQRA requirements as part of the preliminary subdivision review application.
A. 
If the action is determined to be Type I or unlisted under SEQRA, the subdivider shall submit the SEQRA long-form environmental assessment form (EAF) as part of the preliminary plat submission.
B. 
The Planning Board shall mail a copy of the completed EAF and application for preliminary plat review to all other involved agencies, including the Adirondack Park Agency, if appropriate, notifying such agencies that within 30 days of the date the application and EAF were mailed, a lead agency must be designated. The Planning Board may indicate in such mailing its desire to be lead agency.
C. 
The Planning Board (if lead agency) shall determine the significance of the action and immediately notify all other involved agencies of its determination prior to the public hearing scheduled for the preliminary plat or, if the Planning Board deems it appropriate in order to receive more information on environmental issues, prior to its decision on the preliminary plat.
D. 
Receipt of a complete preliminary plat. A preliminary plat shall not be considered complete until a negative declaration has been filed or until a notice of completion of the draft environmental impact statement has been filed in accordance with the provisions of the State Environmental Quality Review Act.[1] The time periods for review of a preliminary plat shall begin upon filing of such negative declaration or such notice of completion.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Environmental Conservation Law § 8-0101 et seq.
E. 
If the Planning Board determines that an environmental impact statement (EIS) is required, it shall immediately notify the subdivider and all other agencies involved.
F. 
Because of the extended time required to prepare, submit, review and approve an EIS, the time frames for scheduling a public hearing and making a determination on the preliminary plat are suspended in order to comply with SEQRA time frames. See New York State Town Law § 276 and 6 NYCRR 617.1 et seq.