Village of Ellicottville in the Spotlight
Village of Ellicottville in the Spotlight
Following Public Hearing Centered Around Short-Term Rentals, Mayor Highlights Segment on WKBW; Gives Praise to Village Crews
Photos / Village of Ellicottville
A special evening occurred for the Village of Ellicottville as they hosted a Public Hearing in addition to their regularly scheduled Board meeting. The topics discussed included Cannabis Dispensary Zoning, Sewer Rate Increase, and the Short-term Rental Permit Fee increase.
Starting off with the Public Hearing, the Board welcomed residents, renters, and taxpayers of the Village to join in as they discussed the topics of concern. (It should be noted that the subjects of the Cannabis Zoning Regulation and Sewer Rate Increase were not open for discussion. They were, however, available to gauge the public’s interest.) It was agreed by the Board to drop the 200-foot Cannabis Dispensary setback pertaining only to retail.
There will be a 25% increase to the sewer rates, which ends up being an additional $5 a month. The quarterly rate was set at $60 and that will go up to $75 moving forward. For seniors that hold their permanent residence in the Village of Ellicottville, the increase will be from $30 to $37.50.
For the hot topic of Short-term Rentals… The Village is set to increase the permit fee for Short-term Rentals and while numbers have been thrown around, a decision has yet to be made. One of the key takeaways from the Public Hearing was to address the common concerns involving short-term rentals and that ultimately to better enforce these problems, an increase must be made to balance that cost. With over 50 people in attendance, and a dozen of those speaking about their experiences, the room reflected responsible residents and local short-term rental owners. They agree that some of the largest issues lie with non-local short-term rental owners that ignore Village laws and guidelines. In order to best enforce these issues, the Village will have to increase the permit price but has yet to determine what that amount will be. The Village Board will have a Special Committee Meeting on January 14th to further discuss the permit pricing and feedback they received. They would like to thank those who were present that took the time to show their genuine care for the quality of life in the Village of Ellicottville.
Moving on to the topics surrounding the regular meeting, the Board began discussions regarding the evening’s agenda. With plenty of positive points to share, Good News was brought to the floor.
A new Executive Director has been named for the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce. The Village Board congratulates Barb Pump on the position.
The news station WKBW aired a promotion highlighting Ellicottville, NY and all agreed that it was very well received.
A great start to the season, both ski resorts - Holiday Valley and HoliMont - were able to kick off their opening days with nearly perfect conditions. It brings a lot of excitement and of course visitors to the area who were ready to enjoy a fun filled day on the slopes.
Approval of the previous month’s meeting minutes went through without issue, as did the Financial Report. Next up we heard the Mayor’s Report which included an exciting announcement - the official appointment of Amy Hayward as Village Clerk and Treasurer. Congratulations to Mrs. Hayward to all that she has worked toward and continues to do to benefit the Village of Ellicottville!
The new sewer billings are ready to be mailed out starting this January and will be sent in the format of postcard. They will also include the dates for large garbage pickup in the Village.
All Department reports were presented to the Board and approved without issue. Some of the information shared included an engineering update on the completion of the Elizabeth Street Project. Locals have shared their positive feedback, and the Village now looks to add some additional signage to minimize trucks from using the residential street as a route.
The Engineering Department will also be conducting a parking analysis on the amount of parking spaces available and their usage within the business area of the Village.
High praise has come in for the Department of Public Works (DPW) as we recognize all their hard work in keeping the sidewalks clear and safe. They have had a very busy start to this winter season, and it has not gone unnoticed. As their efforts continue, we’d like to thank them for a job well done.
As the evening came to a close, Mayor John Burrell called the meeting to adjourn. They will reconvene in January to further discuss the needs of the Village of Ellicottville. Updates and announcements can always be found at www.ellicottvillegov.com.