Public Hearing Will Air Proposed Short Term Rental Criteria
Public Hearing Will Air Proposed Short Term Rental Criteria
The Great Valley Town Board, meeting July 11th, scheduled a public hearing for August 8th on a proposed zoning law amendment to address the high-priority need to govern short-term rental criteria.
Planning Board Chairman Chris Schena reported that a draft of the law would be available and discussed at the July 13th Planning Board meeting. If approved, the amendment will govern short-term rentals, such as Airbnb, but must first be finalized and aired at a public hearing that could take place as early as August.
Schena said the amendment was drafted with guidance from Town Attorney Peter Sorgi and Planner Sara Herman, who was hired by the Town on a contractual basis last month to assist in updating the Town's Comprehensive Plan. The amendment will be tailored for compatibility with current land use regulations in the nearby townships.
Schena said the Planning Board also expects to review applications this month for a minor subdivision and variance that would create space for handicap parking at a proposed wedding venue.
The Board then met Ashley Smith of Go Bike Buffalo, who had that day toured the area with Councilwoman Sandra Goode. Smith said her group is applying for grant funding to build a bike path through Great Valley as one connection in the proposed 80-mile Southern Tier Trail bike route. A bike path could be created along the Route 219 roadway ditch, raising, widening and then flattening the outside ditch bank through Great Valley.
Goode reminded the Board that it could link to the former Great Valley Youth Residential Center and its trail system. Smith offered to conduct a workshop to uncover the area's potential trail resources and get input from area youth.
Several Board members, including Town Supervisor Dan Brown, pointed to safety concerns for children biking along busy Route 219, but did not rule out participation in a grant effort.
The Board quickly signaled approval to apply to join National Grid's cost-sharing upgrade program to convert all the street lights in town to LED. The town's cost would be $3,342.10 but will reduce the cost of the town's electric bill, Brown said.
Brown said portions of the Town offices have been experiencing unexplained wiring outages that don't seem to affect the circuit breakers. The Board gave the go-ahead for LED Electric to troubleshoot the problem.
Councilwoman Becky Kruszynski reported a successful Youth Program reopening July 11th, with 11 children enrolled. The Youth Program was suspended during 2020 and 2021.
Rich Rinko said he has issued three building permits, two of them for trailers in the trailer park, and said three new applications recently submitted are still on his desk for review. He also reported he and Kruszynski met during the last month to discuss property maintenance issues in the town.
The Town Highway Department now owns a trailer for transporting the roller and Highway Superintendent Jack Harrington reported that the crew is graveling roads. In addition, a tractor, brush hog, York rake and fire engine have been consigned to Tietsworth Auction for a virtual auction beginning August 19th.
Under old business, Brown announced that the fence for the basketball court was expected to arrive later in the week. Meanwhile, Pengilly Corporation has passed along complaints from trailer park residents about noise from the new basketball court at night. Players light the court with car headlights, he said. The Town is investigating the matter and looking into how the ball court sounds are being amplified. The basketball court is not open after dark.
The Board then authorized the Supervisor to sign closing documents when they are finalized, to take over the Great Valley Youth Residential Center from owner Travis Baugh. Baugh's donation of the former detention camp may be delayed until August due to an issue involving mineral rights.
A citizen requested Harrington look into a potential hazard with a deep ditch at Howe Hill and Davis Roads. The matter was reported by a citizen who said the ditch is located where motorists may be traveling at high speeds.
The Board met briefly in an executive session to discuss matters of potential liability and revenue funding.
Afterward Brown told the Board he and Harrington transported six sets of soccer nets that were donated to the Town by the East Aurora Youth Commission, with the help of Town Attorney Pete Sorgi.
Board members thanked the Highway Department workers for their work on the landscaping around the Town Hall sign at the entrance and other work in the building's parking area.
The meeting was held in memory of Great Valley resident Cathy A. Beeles, who died June 18th.