N.Y. Gen. Mun. Law § 504

§ 504. Site designation. An area shall be designated by the governing\nbody, or by the commission where so authorized to act by the governing\nbody, on its own initiative or on petition of the owners in fee of not\nless than fifty-one per cent of the land (excluding publicly owned land)\nor upon recommendation of the agency, upon a finding that such area is\nappropriate for urban renewal as defined in subdivision three of section\nfive hundred two of this article. Such designation may be accompanied\nby a recommendation of the commission as to the predominant reuse and\nsuch other planning criteria as it may deem appropriate for the general\nrenewal of the area.\n