New York Consolidated Laws, Town Law - TWN § 263. Purposes in view

Such regulations shall be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan and designed to lessen congestion in the streets;  to secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other dangers;  to promote health and general welfare;  to provide adequate light and air;  to prevent the overcrowding of land;  to avoid undue concentration of population;  to make provision for, so far as conditions may permit, the accommodation of solar thermal, photovoltaics, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal electric, geothermal ground source heat, tidal energy, wave energy, ocean thermal, farm waste electric generating equipment as defined in paragraph (e) of subdivision one of section sixty-six-j of the public service law, and fuel cells;  to facilitate the practice of forestry;  to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks and other public requirements.  Such regulations shall be made with reasonable consideration, among other things, as to the character of the district and its peculiar suitability for particular uses, and with a view to conserving the value of buildings and encouraging the most appropriate use of land throughout such municipality.