Attention STR operators: Register

Three letters — STR — immediately grab the attention of some Islanders as the debate on any aspect of the short-term rental law that took effect last summer continues.

STRs was briefly touched on by Town Board members at their Tuesday work session when Town Attorney Bob DeStefano Jr. asked a question about enforcement of the law: Should he, as town attorney, take action against those who fail to register the rental of their properties on a short-term basis when they are absent from the premises, or should he just get them to register.

The answer from board members is to improve the registration process, but if people are resisting registering, further action should be take.

Councilman Jim Colligan noted that the complaints received about noise and other problems in 2016 before there was a registration process were greater than those received in 2017 once the law was on the books.

“We don’t want to harden the law,” Mr. Colligan said. But the board wants those operating STRs to register and follow its requirements.

CRESCENT BEACH VENDORS
Resident Paulann Sheets told the board that she and her grandchildren had been asked to move from an area where the children were swimming to accommodate a water taxi service at Crescent Beach.

She said there were no ropes indicating a swimming area and asked about the vendors’ rights.
Police Chief Jim Read explained that vendors who apply for a license from the town to operate at the beach are allowed, but said he would see that swimming areas are clearly marked.

The chief explained that town officials preferred the water taxi service to bring people in large boats to shore instead of having the large boats coming to shore and posing greater safety issues.

At the same time, the board has indicated it will restrict the number of vendors who can operate at the beach and ensure they are all licensed.

In other work session matters, the Town Board:

• Will vote at its June 15 meeting to repeal a law that has resulted in lots being merged without notice to residents. The law has been on the books for years and people owning more than one lot were getting separate tax bills prior to a merger. But after consulting with the Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board, Mr. DeStefano said the conclusion was there was no simple way to fix the existing law and its presence on the books could void subdivisions that have been created. The consequences of repeal were believed to be minimum.
• Will undertake a study of how to deal with lots currently zoned AA to A1 when there is no longer any provision in the code for A1 zoning. Members of the ZBA and Planning Board who dealt with the lot merger law will offer advice about how to proceed.
• Asked Supervisor Gary Gerth to reach out to department heads to request they turn in requests for capital spending projects by the end of June since a committee is working to develop a capital spending budget.

Police Chief Jim Read has already indicated he would hope for either grant money or money from the capital budget for Homeland Security purposes that would be used to put cameras at both North and South ferries to track incoming and outgoing traffic and eventually cameras in other areas of the Island.