TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY
PLANNING BOARD
TUESDAY, 10/20/2020, 7:00 PM
MEMBERS PRESENT: DICK JOHNSON GARY WINGER
PAT RICE JAMES GOODLING
PHIL STRAND WALTER GEIST
OTHERS PRESENT: Stephanie Gibbs, Dick Sena, Dale Robbins/Kelly Johnson
- PAT RICE OPENED THE MEETING AT 7:00 PM.
- DICK SENA, TOWN COUNCIL GAVE TOWN REPORT. (See 10/13/2020 Town Board Minutes)
- TRANSIENT LAW
- Rice said they tried to make recommendation that were innocuous as possible.
- Rice said the town had a hearing and the public showed up and had some issues.
- Sena said there were some people that appeared that were all for it and others that were not.
- Rice said the Town Board has referred it back to the Planning Board to take another look.
- Rice said the only thing they were trying to do is allow renting in the town, and have contacts incase of any issues. He said the point of this was not to put a bunch of restrictions.
- Sena thought that the concerns brought up were addressed in the draft the Planning Board came up with.
- Rice said that the complaints that were addressed such as parking and how many cars and the number of people were all things that the town cannot enforce.
- Goodling said that he felt that this law was completely unenforceable, and that we will create an incredible problem for the town unless we figure out how to enforce the law.
- Geist said we should check into what Ellery is doing.
- Sena said Mr. Lawson’s point was he needs something to follow when people call and complain. He said that Mr. Lawson is looking for contacts or someone to contact when there is a complaint. With out a law we cannot get that because right now it is not allowed in the town.
- Goodling asked if the code enforcement officer can give the permit for a rental then why can’t he revoke it instead of going through the zoning board?
- Warner asked if issuing the permit can be done by the clerk?
- Rice said he thinks the only thing they are trying to do is to get people to register to get more information, so they know who to contact incase of a complaint. He said their point was not to put a lot of regulations or rules for them to follow that the town cannot enforce anyway.
- Strand said he would like to see if other towns have a law that we can go by.
- Goodling said if we are in an agreement that it is completely unenforceable and that the goal is simply to have people register, why not just say that?
- Goodling asked why to concern ourselves with rules if we are not going to follow it.
- Goodling said he thinks section A, B, D, and G should be put in the law and be done if we do not need the rest. He questioned why the rest if it is just about enforcement if we are not going to be able to enforce it. He said if what we want is registration just say we want registration.
- Winger said other complaints are already listed in our zoning law such as parking and noise, so we do not need to list those items because we already have a law that takes care of it.
- Goodling asked what the problem was with making it a use by right?
- Rice said he believes they want to have some sort of contact and still want to get people to register.
- Goodling said he just does not like vague laws that you know you cannot enforce. He feels the town should make it just by right and require a permit.
- Rice said he recommends we push this off until next month to get Mr. Lawsons input.
- MOTION
- WINGER MOTIONED TO TABLE THE DISCUSSION TO THE NEXT MEETING. MR. GOODLING SECONDED. YES (6) NO (0)
Next regular meeting scheduled November 10, 2020 for at 7:00 P.M.
- MOTION
ON A MOTION MADE BY MR. GEIST, SECONDED BY MR. WARNER AND NONE BEING APPOSED, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 8:00 PM
Stephanie Gibbs
Deputy Town Clerk
