Cassadaga to review rental process
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OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen
Village of Cassadaga Trustee Dave Rowley said that reducing the number of Board meetings each month from two to one is "a good alternative" for the Village.
By BRADEN CARMEN
bcarmen@observertoday.com
CASSADAGA -- With most of the Village of Cassadaga's grant applications and discussions involving the Comprehensive Plan now being handled by the NY Forward Grant Committee, the Cassadaga Planning Board has been instructed to focus its energy on simplifying the renewal process for short-term rental properties in the village.
The Planning Board Chairperson is Nancy Wickmark, who was heavily involved in grant submissions for the village in recent years. But now that a committee is dedicated for that specific purpose, Wickmark and the Planning Board will now be working closely with Code Enforcement Officer Dan Delcamp and the Village Clerk's Office to look over the status of current short-term rentals in the village. The topic of short-term rentals garnered significant attention from residents as the Board at the time sought to regulate their presence in the area.
Wickmark said the direction makes sense because when the local law was initially introduced, it was the intention of the Village to review the short-term rentals and the law governing their operation periodically. Mayor Rudy Abersold said the goal is to not have the local law itself changed, but rather to make the renewal process easier to navigate. Abersold provided examples such as the $250 fee to re-submit short-term rental applications and the frequency of inspections required as topics to consider when evaluating the process.
The Village celebrated a successful beach program this summer under the leadership of Tammie Wichlacz, Beach Director and Deputy Village Clerk. Wichlacz reported well over 3,000 visitors to Cassadaga Beach this summer. She commended the efforts of the lifeguards and highlighted the end of season picnic, which she said was very well-attended. The residents of Cassadaga supported the beach program significantly through a can drive all summer long.
Following discussions between Abersold and Trustee Dave Rowley, the Village Board has decided to reduce the number of regular meetings each month from two to one. Starting in October, the Village Board will meet on the first Wednesday of each month. Additional meetings or workshops will be scheduled when necessary.
Abersold and Rowley made the decision in the interest of efficiency. Many nearby municipalities hold one meeting each month. "We feel, at this point, that it's a good alternative to having two meetings a month," Rowley said.