Impact Overview
OVERALL, THE PROPOSED NEW LAW WILL ENTAIL:
- PROPERTY MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS: 68 new rules applied to all houses and yards;
- Intermittent stream and WETLANDS REQUIREMENTS which take land down to 1/10 acre out of productive uses;
- More powers for Zoning officers;
- No protection against lnvenergy's proposed GIANT 600 FT. WINDMILLS.
EXAMPLES OF IMPACTS TO HOMEOWNERS:
- All minimum sq. ft. requirements for residential buildings are gone. Restriction is now a percentage of lot size - generally 15%;
- In the hamlets, a big lot could support a very big multifamily dwelling;
- Tenants' rights impacts: New law gives tenants multiple new reasons not to pay rent while complaints are pending.
EXAMPLES OF IMPACTS TO FARMERS:
- FARM LAND: "All land must be kept free of dead vegetation including dying trees and accumulations of brush, shrubs, weeds."
- WETLANDS: Wetlands will be protected 50 ft. from the banks of any intermittent stream and 100 ft from any wetland. There is no fixed definition of "wetland".
- FARM STRUCTURES: All farm structures are covered by more than 50 new requirements on foundations, steps, walks, stairs, exterior peeling paint or loose shingles, broken glass, and more.
The Zoning Officer points out that New York State has similar laws on property maintenance and wetlands. And he points out that these very similar state laws could be applied to properties in the Town. True – the State can elect how and when to enforce its laws. And the Town might occasionally use these State laws. BUT, if language similar to these State laws is incorporated into the Town law, then the local law MUST BE ENFORCED by local authorities in the Town. That is a very different circumstance for property owners in the Town.