§ 464. Incorporated associations of volunteer firefighters. 1. Except
as otherwise provided in subdivision two of this section, real property
owned by an incorporated association of present or former volunteer
firefighters, other than a business corporation, which is (a) actually
and exclusively used and occupied by such incorporated association or
(b) leased to the city, town, village or fire district in which the real
property is located and is actually and exclusively used and occupied by
such city, town, village or fire district for fire department purposes
or for the social and recreational use of the firefighters and residents
of the city, town, village or fire district, provided the rent under any
such lease does not exceed the amount of carrying, maintenance and
depreciation charges or (c) leased to the school district in which the
real property is located and is actually and exclusively used and
occupied by such school district for school district purposes, provided
the rent under any such lease does not exceed the amount of carrying,
maintenance and depreciation charges, shall be exempt from taxation, but
the total amount of the exemption to any one incorporated association
shall not exceed twenty thousand dollars.
2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this section,
real property owned by an incorporated volunteer fire company or fire
department created for the purpose of furnishing fire protection which
is (a) actually and exclusively used and occupied by such fire company
or fire department for public purposes or (b) leased to the city, town,
village or fire district in which the real property is located and is
actually and exclusively used and occupied by such city, town, village
or fire district for governmental purposes including but not limited to
the social and recreational use of the firefighters and residents of the
city, town, village or fire district provided the rent under any such
lease does not exceed the amount of carrying, maintenance and
depreciation charges or (c) leased to the school district in which the
real property is located and is actually and exclusively used and
occupied by such school district for school district purposes, provided
the rent under any such lease does not exceed the amount of carrying,
maintenance and depreciation charges, shall be exempt from taxation and
exempt from special ad valorem levies and special assessments to the
extent provided in section four hundred ninety of this chapter. In the
event that not all of the real property shall be used and occupied for
such purposes then exemption of the portion not so used shall be limited
to the exemption provided in subdivision one of this section.
3. The term "public purpose", as used in this section, shall mean land
and buildings, or portions thereof, used for
(a) housing, storage, repair and testing of fire department vehicles
and of equipment, appliances, devices, tools, protective clothing,
uniforms and supplies,
(b) receipt and dispatch of alarms,
(c) training, drills and instruction,
(d) generators, lockers, showers, custodial quarters,
(e) offices, company meetings, ready room,
(f) social and recreational use, other than for income producing or
business purposes, of both the firefighters and residents of the city,
town, village or fire district in which the real property is located.