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22 legislators file brief against N.Y.U. expansion

Conor Skelding
May 5, 2015

Twenty-two state legislators have filed a brief with the state's highest court supporting assemblywoman Deborah Glick's suit opposing New York University's expansion.

The amici curiae brief opposes an appellate department decision that found, against Glick, that gardens on vacant lands are not technically parks.

Glick appealed that decision to the Court of Appeals, which will begin hearing arguments on June 2.

(If the lots are parkland, they must be "alienated" by the legislature before they can be put to any other use. The city and N.Y.U. have argued that they are not parkland.)

"It is the Legislature that must determine whether to enact a law permitting a local government to alienate parkland, and, if so, on what conditions," the brief said. "The Appellate Division’s decision in this case diminishes the State’s authority over parkland and impermissibly reallocates that authority to the City."

The brief was signed by Brad Hoylman, Bill Perkins, Gustavo Rivera, Daniel Squadron, and Liz Krueger from the State Senate.

From the State Assembly, Harry Bronson, Ellen Jaffee, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Kevin Cahill, Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Victor ichardo, Barbara Lifton, William Colton, Catherine Nolan, Steve Englebright, Victor Pichardo, Steven Otis, Daniel O’Donnell, Michelle Schimel, Jo Anne Simon, Fred Thiele, and Keith Wright signed the brief.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges L.L.P. filed the brief pro bono.

Read the brief here:
http://bit.ly/1IcnQ22