Town Board
Board members Wapner and Eaton both said that they had not had sufficient time to read, discuss, and understand the text and implications of the proposed law. Wapner said that he would not be able to vote to approve the law until he understood it better. With a quorum of only three members, including Supervisor Collins and board members Angus Eaton and John Wapner, passage of the law would not be possible at the meeting. Board members Destiny Hallenbeck and Rick Werwaiss were not in attendance. In anticipation of the 9/5/24 public hearing, Collins, Eaton, and Wapner spent time after other board business was completed to review and discuss some of the legal definitions and some recommended changes in zoning law relating to mobile and manufactured homes.
The proposed law specifies that manufactured homes can be designated as single-family dwellings in zoning districts if “a manufactured home that is affixed to a permanent foundation and conforms with the identical development specification and standards, including general aesthetic and architectural standards, applicable to conventional, site-built single-family dwellings in the residential district in which the manufactured home is to be sited, shall be deemed to be a conforming single-family dwelling for purposes of the applicable local zoning law or ordinance.”
If the updated law passes, it would allow manufactured homes that meet these criteria to be sited outside of mobile home parks as single-family dwellings on lots that are consistent with local zoning specifications.
The law also lays out standards to modernize mobile home park regulations and includes some potential changes in the current zoning law. The intent of the new law is to bring the Town Code into compliance with NYS law.
Committee reports indicated the following news:
Parks and Recreation Chair Wapner announced that Crellin Park Day is scheduled for Saturday, 8/17/24 from 12 to 8 pm. Volunteers are still welcome to come to help with set-up and take-down of necessary infrastructure. Contact Recreation Committee member Betsy Winters Russell Bwintersrussell@gmail.com to volunteer any amount of time.
Supervisor Collins said the Traffic Safety Committee has received a first report on Chatham Police Department patrols targeting speeding and unsafe driving in the town. The CPD patrols have focused on monitoring traffic during commuter times, largely in the hamlets, and have made 47 traffic stops to date.
In his Town and County report, Collins noted that the town’s contractor responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the town’s 2023 short-term rental law has sent letters to noncompliant owners of STRs advising them of the legal requirement to apply for a permit to operate an STR in the Town of Chatham. This action resulted in a recent marked increase in applications for STR permits.
Collins also noted that he is working with the County Solid Waste Department to place the town’s battery recycling box at the Chatham Transfer Station, rather than at Town Hall, to increase convenience for residents to dispose of batteries.
The board passed the following resolutions:
To schedule a public hearing on a local law that would extend the temporary town–wide six-month moratorium on solar energy arrays for an additional six months. While the Solar Law Committee has met and deliberated on land use policies for solar installation, they are requesting additional time to generate an ordinance.
To approve agreements between the town and the Chatham Central School District to utilize soccer fields at Crellin Park and to approve the agreement between the Town and the Morris Memorial Association to utilize soccer fields at Crellin Park.
To utilize American Rescue Plan Act monies, in the amount of $3,743.00, to purchase a replacement camera and additional cameras at Town Hall to improve security at that site.
To utilize American Rescue Plan Act monies, in the amount of $6,950.00, to purchase and install automatic doors at town hall, along with up to $2000 for auxiliary infrastructure, in order to meet Americans with Disability Act criteria relative to accessibility of the facility.
To approve the submission of a grant application to the Justice Court Assistance Program for a maximum amount of $30,000.00 for the purpose of purchasing office equipment, supplies and HVAC equipment for the courtroom at the Tracy Memorial in the village.
To authorize competitive bidding for the installation of photovoltaics (solar system) on the Town Garage to decrease or eliminate the costs of electricity (currently approximately $10,000 per year) and to eliminate significant greenhouse gas reductions. According to Climate Smart Chair Eaton, the energy benefits of such an installation will significantly decrease the overall cost of electricity to the town. He noted that grants from NYS and the federal government will provide additional offsetting of the overall cost of the installation.
To authorize the use of the jointly owned municipal parking lot property in the Village of Chatham on Saturday, 10/5/24 from 11 AM to 9 PM by the Chatham Area Business Alliance for the annual OctoberFeast event.
Appointed citizen volunteers Linda Laurange, Ted Miner, and Gary Smith to the Communication Committee at the request of Committee Chair John Wapner.
Other actions:
In other action, the board tabled a resolution to approve the purchase and installation of fencing at the Crellin Park pedestrian entrance on Rte. 66. Board member Wapner asked for this delay until the board is able to view the matrix of projects currently in development by the Finance and Planning Committee, so that this fencing project can be considered for approval relative to other priorities.