Amenia Town Board to name a planning consultant

AMENIA — Town Board members are seeking a planning consultant to assist in drafting regulations for accessory dwelling units.
Acting on a request by the Housing Board, the Town Board voted to begin the process of collecting proposals from professional town planners with an interest in taking on the assignment.

The action was approved by unanimous vote of the town board at its regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 1.

An accessory dwelling unit, commonly known as an ADU, is a separate residence in addition to an existing home. Neighboring towns such as the Town of North East have adopted local laws that allow homeowners to build ADUs to promote housing development.

The planning consultant will assist Town Attorney Ian Lindars in creating a new local law that will define the requirements under which homeowners may create an ADU on their property. The consultant will also review existing zoning codes to provide clarification, and in particular, differentiate between an accessory apartment and an ADU. To further clarify the current zoning code, the consultant will be asked to coordinate current workforce housing provisions with the new ADU provisions as well as to assist Lindars with creating a local law to grant a tax exemption for properly established ADUs.

Proposals will be accepted until Thursday, Oct. 29.

2027 Town Budget process

With the 2027 local budget proposal process beginning soon, the Town Board has drafted a local law to allow for the possibility that the annual tax cap may need to be exceeded to increase tax revenues to meet expenses for the coming year.

The Town Board scheduled a required public hearing on the tax cap, scheduling it for Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m.

Property tax income may be less than is needed to meet expenses of providing for town services in view of expected increasing annual costs for necessities including insurance, supplies and fuel. The tax cap would limit the town to a 2% increase or an increase no more than the rate of inflation, noted Town Supervisor Rosanna Hamm.

“We can pass the local law, but it doesn’t mean we will exceed the tax cap,” Hamm explained, as the budget process is in the early stages.

Fountain Square Renovations—site survey

As recommended by Lindars, an effort is proceeding to gather input from those “stakeholders” who would have an interest in the project to renovate Fountain Square.

“It doesn’t hurt to reach out earlier rather than later,” said councilwoman Vicki Doyle, suggesting contacting the Enhancement Committee, the Veterans of Foreign Wars officials, the Bank of Millbrook, and any other organizations who have an interest in the central public area and its uses.

Doyle said input from those entities could bring valuable ideas.

Town Service Opportunities

Reminding residents of the rewards of stepping up and volunteering for community service, councilman Walter Dietrich urged residents to consider serving. Information on available board and committee vacancies can be found on the town website.

“A thriving town requires active participation from its citizens,” Dietrich said.

A related concern voiced by Dietrich was attendance at regularly scheduled meetings of the various town boards and committees. Both attendance and training requirements are codified within town regulations, Dietrich said. He asked that all chairpersons of local boards and committees review the attendance records of their members and comply with regulations by reporting to the Town Board before Dec. 1 any excessive absence or failure to complete training.