Property maintenance

The general property maintenance provisions in the current Town law are found in Section 5110 which covers the outdoor storage of junk and the detailed definition of junk.  It provides that

• No person shall cause or permit the outdoor storage of two or more un-registered or junk motor vehicle, junk appliance, junk lawnmower, junk motorized yard equipment, rubbish or debris on property owned by such person in such a manner that the said junk is visible from public roadways or abutting properties.

Section 5070b(C)(2), which covers outdoor storage for home businesses, requires all outdoor storge of materials and supplies to be screened from view and does not allow outdoor storage of materials or equipment in the front yard of the premises or less than fifty (50) feet from any property boundary.

Section 9010 prohibits junkyards, and the definition of “junkyard” is specific and detailed.

Special use permits

The current law provides for Special Use Permits generally in Sections 6000, 6010, 6020 and 6030.  Separate sections provide for 26 kinds of special uses that require permits.    The Zoning Officer forwards special use permit applications to the Planning Board which meets to consider each application.  The Zoning Officer does the paperwork after the Planning Board acts to either issue the permit or issue a rejection of the application.

Routine permits

Section 3010(A) of the current Town zoning law provides that the Zoning Officer may issue a zoning permit on his or her own authority for any use that requires a permit but does not require a special use permit or a variance under current law.  Basically, these uses left to the Zoning Officer are one and two family dwellings, agricultural uses, and accessory uses associated with one or two family or agricultural uses.  See Section 3010(B)

Citizen complaints

Complaints are covered by Section 8000 of the current Town zoning law which provides:

• Whenever a violation of this ordinance occurs, any person may file a complaint in regard thereto. All such complaints must be in writing and shall be filed with the Zoning Officer, who shall properly record such complaint and immediately investigate the [complaint and] report thereon to the town board.