Richmondville Town Board Considers Short-Term Rentals Law

RICHMONDVILLE — A new local law regulating short-term rentals should be adopted by the Town of Richmondville fairly soon.

At the Thursday, Feb. 12 meeting, the town board received a draft local law prepared by the town Planning Board after many weeks of hard work. Town Supervisor Jeffrey Haslun said board members will review the draft and likely set a date for a public hearing on the proposed local law at the March 12 meeting.

"We appreciate your efforts," Haslun told Planning Board Chairman Robert Reed, who attended the Feb. 12 meeting. "It (the local law) is needed."

A resolution passed by the Planning Board stated that in preparing and drafting the proposed local law, the PB "considered the town's rural and agricultural character, existing zoning regulations, public health and safety concerns, neighborhood impacts and the need for clear and enforceable standards."

It continued: "The proposed draft local law establishes a reasonable permitting framework and operational standards for short-term rentals, is consistent with the Town of Richmondville Zoning Law, and furthers the protection of the public health, safety and welfare."

Reed said that Schoharie County Director of Planning and Community Development Services Shane Nickle was a big help with the proposed short-term rentals local law and guided the Town Planning Board through the process. On another subject, Reed said the Town Planning Board's next focus will be simplifying the town's sign regulations.

In other news from the Feb. 12 meeting, Town Clerk-Tax Collector Maggie Smith thanked Deputy Clerk Joan Radliff and Highway Superintendent Brian Manchester for recently bringing many boxes of records over from the Village of Richmondville municipal building where they were being stored. The town now has much more storage space thanks to a recently-completed addition to Town Hall.

Manchester was also thanked for recently staying late to unload shelving for the new storage space.

"I would like to acknowledge Brian for all the extra stuff he does," Councilman George Horning said.

Manchester was quick to share credit with his crew, saying they also stayed late to help with the shelving.

"It's not just me, it's all the guys, a team effort," he said.

In his report, Manchester said the Highway Department has been busy clearing snow and treating roads this winter and used 1,398 gallons of fuel during their efforts. He added that the chassis for the town's new plow truck is in Albany and he will soon go out to inspect it.

The town is also in line to get a second new plow truck and Manchester said he was able to recently get an estimate of $125,000 for outfitting that second new truck. He added he's not been able to get a solid price estimate on the chassis for that truck because manufacturers can't really provide that kind of detail on a truck that's so far away from delivery.

Town board members seem generally satisfied with the way the Town Hall addition turned out and happy about the extra space, but Horning and Town Codes Officer Cliff Dorrough pointed out that the addition needs to as soon as possible be equipped with fire extinguishers.