Chamber Submits Event Request to Village Board
Chamber Submits Event Request to Village Board
Taste of Ellicottville, Street Light Project, Noise Ordinances, Summer Parking and Other Topics Covered at July Meeting
The Village Board of Ellicottville came together on July 16th to discuss the latest developments within the area. Gathering at the Village Hall, discussions began at 6:00pm as Major John Burrell called the meeting to order.
Starting at the top of the agenda with good news, the Board began talks on the approval of the Department of Transportation (DOT) permit that was issued for the necessary work involved in the Street Light Project. The most up-to-date information on the project shared that the streetlight poles are in, and work will continue in early August to complete the project.
The Village was happy to announce that while the current accountant, Mary Villa has left Bridges & Horning, she will continue out her year in her current position. Once the year comes to an end, Mary will continue as the Village accountant but excitingly under her own company, Backwoods Accountant. Congratulations were made to her new business endeavor.
SHORT-TERM RENTALS: QUALITY OF LIFE DISCUSSION
Approved by the Board were the minutes of a Special Meeting that involved both the Town and Village of Ellicottville. The evening which took place on July 9th surrounded discussions on the combined arrangement of coverage, policy, and procedures regarding local law enforcement. With the agenda surrounding local law enforcement, added attendance beyond the Board included Jim Bouchard, Officer in Charge, Don Auge, Deputy Officer in Charge, and Deputy Lott, Cattaraugus County Deputy Sheriff.
Some of the main talking points of concern involved complaints about short-term rentals and noise violations. The community feels these issues have disrupted their quality of life as residents and are voicing for changes to be addressed. Both Mayor John Burrell and Town Supervisor Matthew McAndrew, along with fellow Board members expressed that they take these concerns very seriously and shared information on how to direct these difficulties. Major Burrell shared that the Village has now secured Village Prosecutor, Mark Byrne, who will be able to prosecute those in violation of local and state law. Supervisor McAndrew shared financial information on previous years’ costs and revenue among the Police and Court of Ellicottville to best inform those gathered. As a way to address the challenges of the situation, some strategies were presented to explore.
Resource allocation is a focus to explore within the Police Department. With over 53 miles to cover, “our force is doing their absolute best to attend to each issue at hand”, but it was expressed that more is needed in terms of coverage, whether that be added staffing or planning.
The Village and Town will be looking into the possibility of increasing permit costs for short-term rentals alongside extra enforcement to non-compliance from noise ordinances and occupancy violations. Both Town and Village attorneys will be working together to revisit the short-term rental laws for each municipality.
Added training will be made available for officers to stay current on local and state law regarding noise ordinance, short-term rentals, and code enforcements as well as working with Cattaraugus County DA.
Lastly recommended were for residents to reach out to local law enforcement - not local officials - to utilize the resources of the police department. Calls made directly to law enforcement are logged and provide the needed documentation for legal action to be made.
The Town and Village are committed to working together to address all concerns of their residents’ safety and well-being. It is with this information they hope to grow and provide the necessary means to enforce the highest standards. For those in need of ways to further their contact regarding these issues, the Town and Village have stared the Short-Term Rental Violation Complaint form under the Village Forms & Permits section at www.ellicottvillegov.com, as well as the non-emergency Police & Sheriff dispatch line at 716-938-9191
IN OTHER MATTERS…
Moving on in the Regular Meeting’s agenda, reports were presented and approved without issue throughout the Departments. The Financial report and Audit of Claims were accepted by the Village Board and the End-of-the-Year report is in the process of being released to the public within the next few weeks.
The Mayor’s report went on to acknowledge and discuss a few matters among the current state of bonds and banking. BAN (Bond Anticipation Note) money has been received by the Village and will stay local in the capital account at Five Star Bank. The funds will be used for necessary investments and improvements to future projects.
Within the developments of Special Events, a request came from the Chamber of Commerce to add alcohol tasting at the Taste of Ellicottville. The intension was for four vendors to serve various tasting samples throughout the event, but the request was denied by the Village Board. Taking into consideration the time needed to review the necessary information, insurance, and all other aspects, they did not feel they could approve the appeal but would like to revisit the idea for future years.
The Engineering Department welcomes the continued work of Mark Burr, PE, who will remain on an individual contract to assist the interim until the end of the year. To update the Board on some of the recent progress within the area, Mr. Burr shared that the commemorative bricks/pavers have been installed in the Village Park at the entrance to the skatepark, and the restrengthening of beam support for the grandstand has been completed.
Code violations have been made aware of business flags that go beyond the current Village guidelines. These banner-like advertisements are to be removed and the Board advises businesses to check within the code regulations before use to avoid infraction.
With summer events in full swing and seasonal tourism on the rise, the Village Board would like to remind residents and travelers alike to make use of the new Mill Street Parking lot, which provides free parking, EV chargers, and is only a short walk to the main streets of downtown Ellicottville.
The evening came to an end as Mayor Burrell called the Village Board meeting to adjourn. With discussions to resume on the third Tuesday of each month, you can always stay current by visiting www.ellicottvillegov.com.