Village Trustees Approve Change in Zoning Law

By CASPAR EWIG
COOPERSTOWN

The Village of Cooperstown Board of Trustees enjoyed an active meeting on Monday, June 26, touching on many issues and including two public hearings.

The public hearing to approve Proposed Local Law No. 3, a change in the definition of “short-term rental” as used in the village zoning law, revealed uniform agreement for the proposed change.

The new definition of short-term rental states that it must be incidental to the residential use of the property. However, both Chip Northrup and Celia Oxley, who spoke at the hearing, and Wendy Smith and Beth Glynn, who submitted letter comments, were of the opinion that the amendment did not go far enough and that the zoning law should be amended to strengthen the definition of “residential” by requiring more than the 30-day occupancy which is presently part of the definition.

The proposed law was approved unanimously.

The second public hearing—held to receive comments on the village’s application for various grants to be submitted pursuant to the Consolidated Funding Application process—did not draw any comments. Thus, the Board of Trustees decided to withdraw the proposed applications for Pioneer Alley improvements and downtown revitalization and to proceed with four other applications.

One of the applications in progress is for funds to authorize a study of ways to limit the intrusion of storm waters into the sewage system and another to proceed with the installation of “smart” water meters that would detect inadvertent water usage. In addition, the village will apply for funds to construct the design already approved for improvement of Lakefront Park at the end of Pioneer Street. The Board of Trustees will also seek funding to update the watershed management plan for Otsego Lake and its environs. The original plan was formulated in 1998 and updated in 2007, and is due for further revisions.

Trustees considered an inquiry from a manufacturer to construct four electric vehicle fast charging stations, to replace the two slow chargers presently installed in the Doubleday Field parking lot. Such a construction would use five existing parking spaces, which might result in loss of income but would provide a benefit to a growing sector of the public. Because the installation would require construction, there was opposition from some trustees, but it was decided to encourage the provider to present plans to the board for further consideration.

Related to the issue of parking, trustees called for a public hearing on Monday, July 24 to raise the parking fines from $35.00 to $45.00.