North East sets goals with comprehensive plan

NORTH EAST— The Comprehensive Plan Update Committee reviewed strategies to achieve its goals at its meeting on Monday, Nov. 19.

Led by planning consultant Nan Stolzenburg from Community Planning & Environmental Associates, the meeting was held in the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex. All members from the Millerton Village Board and the North East Town Board were present, save Councilman John Midwood. Additionally, two community members were in attendance.

The committee began by reviewing comments related to the goals it established at its last meeting: protecting the natural environment, ecosystems and open spaces in a resilient and sustainable way and recognizing and supporting community character. 

Throughout the discussion, members were given a chance to voice what changes they wanted to include in the goals and the strategies for achieving them. Reviewing ideas, they offered corrections to some of the plan’s language.

With regard to recognizing the village’s role as the primary center for commerce, culture and social interaction in the town, Committee Chairwoman Edie Greenwood talked about how the committee needs to encourage businesses to think about Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility.

Moving on to the next item on the agenda, the committee talked about developing strategies and actions to achieve a new set of community goals, including promoting a variety of housing alternatives to meet the needs of all residents; providing safe and efficient vehicular and pedestrian transportation networks, accessible and up-to-date communication technologies and public utility services; and encouraging accessible recreation, cultural and educational opportunities.

When discussing senior housing, the committee mentioned the elder cottage housing opportunity (ECHO) program. Greenwood said that implementation of this program has been problematic.

The committee then discussed the price ranges for housing in the area, particularly in relation to specific age groups. Committee member Ed Downey said he didn’t want to just have housing available for a particular age group, given the complications that might follow. 

“As our property values continue to escalate, it gets tougher and tougher for young people here,” said committee member Dale Culver.

Kish said he felt the senior housing problem is important enough to warrant a separate section in the plan, though he said he’d like to include a broader range of age groups to avoid creating a community where the majority of residents are over age 65.

As another housing option, the committee talked about the possibility of “tiny houses” and how some communities classify them as either mobile or permanent structures. Stolzenburg said the committee has the option of either highlighting regulations for tiny houses in the plan or making a decision at the meeting about which category of housing tiny houses fall into.

“I’m just encouraging you to offer some direction to clarify things in the code,” she said.

Committee member Mimi Ramos suggested it create a two-part plan that would outline how the community will address tiny houses and how the region’s outlook toward tiny houses might be influenced once a sewer system is established.

“I think tiny houses can be great,” Kish said. “I had not thought of them in terms of transient houses. If they are classified as transient houses, the question becomes where will they park?”

Ramos added that the committee should think about encompassing current definitions for tiny houses and where they might be allowed in the area. Ideally, Culver said the committee should include a variety of housing types, though he admitted it’s difficult to define different types of housing when they change frequently.

Regarding short-term and permanent rental housing, the committee discussed the concept of Airbnb, how it’s enhanced other towns in the region and any concerns related to how to regulate them. AirBnBs currently operate in both Millerton and North East.

“It seems like an opportunity for a very diverse group to get into town,” Culver said.

Culver said he felt Airbnb might provide more opportunities than currently offered, and Ramos added that the platform has the potential for bringing more people to town. 

Meanwhile, Kish said he thought about the impact Airbnb might have on long-term rental businesses. When Stolzenburg asked if the committee would like to establish a policy on the use of short-term rentals or expand on rental regulations, Culver recommended it explore the registration aspect of rental agreements in order to gather more data. Stolzenburg agreed that it would be wise for the committee to explore available options to find out what would and wouldn’t work.

In terms of providing safe and efficient vehicular and pedestrian transportation, the committee suggested taking into consideration the Village Pedestrian Plan. Stolzenburg suggested it use the plan as a guide to improve walkability in the village. Kish also suggested adding a type of bike-sharing program to the plan.

Toward the end of the meeting, Greenwood reported that the committee is dealing with its last three goals, which it plans to discuss further at its next meeting on Monday, Dec. 17. She added that the committee hopes to have a draft of the Comprehensive Plan finished sometime in January.

During public comments, Nick Leimbach, a resident of Lime Rock, Conn., asked if it is possible to have certain sections in town designated for bicyclists to use that wouldn’t present a danger to them or an obstacle to motorists. He also questioned affordable housing and whether there would be any tax benefit for residents when affordable housing becomes available. The committee replied that there is no tax benefit at this time.

“With the way the taxes are on some of these properties, it’s too high,” Leimbach said.

For more information on the Comprehensive Plan, go to the town of North East website at www.townofnortheastny.gov.