Supervisor Bill McKenna may issue an emergency order clearing a hurdle for short-term rentals already in the pipeline for approval. Some 100 of the 277 submitted applications were awaiting planning board public hearings because they required a special-use permit. Of the 277, 18 either withdrew or had their application denied.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, staff was limited and public hearings were reduced, so now the town is faced with a backlog. The 100 applications have already been vetted by building inspector Francis (Butch) Hoffman and planning staff, so the hearing is one of the few steps remaining necessary.
McKenna said he had the power to issue an emergency order due to the pandemic but would only do so if he is directed to by the town board and has the okay from the planning board.
The order wouldn’t in itself waive the public hearing requirement, but would give the planning board the authority to do so. McKenna said if he issues the order, he will also request the planning board take another look at the affected applications to make sure there were no issues.
The town board set a cap of 280 short-term rentals, with 75 of those being non-owner-occupied. With all the applications both approved and in the pipeline, there are about eight remaining permits available, assuming all the pending permits are approved.
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