The Shawangunk Town Board has introduced a new local law that it hopes will spark more business opportunities along the Route 52 corridor between the hamlets of Walker Valley and Pine Bush.

There will be a public hearing on Introductory Local Law No. 4 on May 19.

The law would enact certain amendments to the Town of Shawangunk’s zoning code and map to expand uses along the corridor.

If approved, the local law would provide additional locations for a variety of retail, service and other small businesses in the western portion of the town.

Permitted businesses will be allowed in existing structures or new structures with no more than a 3,000-square-foot blueprint.

More than 25 acceptable businesses are listed in the local law including banks, bakeries and food stores, business and professional offices, family day care centers, farmers’ markets, hardware stores, liquor or wine stores and tattoo parlors.

Local Law No. 4 would align with the goal to “actively encourage and expand opportunities for the development of taxable non-residential uses in a manner consistent with the Town’s rural community character,” according to the Town of Shawangunk’s 2020 Comprehensive Plan.

“We’re trying to encourage business along that corridor,” Supervisor John Valk said. “We don’t get a lot of business there, but who knows in a year or two.”

In other business, the board voted 5-0 to approve a local law for Lot Line Adjustments. This comes after adopting a local law for Accessory Dwelling Units two weeks ago.

A third proposed local law on regulating Short-Term Rentals is still under consideration by town officials.

“That’s much more controversial,” Valk said. “It’s a very lucrative business.”

Though there is no timeline for voting on the Short-Term Rental local law, Valk said the board is anxious to get it on the books due to the influx of Airbnbs in the Town of Shawangunk.

Valk said it is imperative to have fire inspections done at the growing number of short-term rentals in the town.

“There’s more of them in our town than we really know,” he said.

Lot line adjustment

While the proposed short-term rentals’ local law drew a lot of public comment at several public hearings, there was little discussion about the local law on Lot Line Adjustments that was approved by the board.

According to the now adopted Lot Line Adjustment Local Law No. 3, its intent is to “establish procedures and requirements for allowing lot line adjustments and natural subdivisions in the Town of Shawangunk in a manner that streamlines the planning review process, and to properly provide for the health, safety and welfare of the general public.”
By streamlining the process, the law is also intended to minimize costs to landowners.

The board voted 5-0 to approve a mowing bid from King Hill Farm to mow the Walker Valley Schoolhouse property.

Police Committee

Following the meeting, Councilman Brian Amthor announced the appointments to the new Police Advisory Committee. The newly renamed committee replaced the former Police Reform and Reinvention Committee, which was tasked with coming up with recommendations to improve the Town of Shawangunk Police Department.

New committee members are former chairman Leif Spencer, Maybrook Police Chief Arnold “Butch” Amthor, Councilman Robert Miller, Shawangunk Police Chief Gerald Marlatt, Rebecca Montello, Paul Mader, Richard Barnhart, Brian Devincenzi and Stan Segren.

Brian Amthor is the new chairman.

Brian Amthor said the committee’s first meeting is scheduled for April 26.

“We got the agenda out to the members,” Amthor said. “We’re looking forward to getting it going.”

Amthor said the committee will sift through the recommendations made by the original committee and discuss the possibility of implementing new policies.

The original 12-member committee met more than a dozen times and presented the board with a 34-page document last year.

The panel’s only recommendation that has been adopted by the board was a “right to know” policy on June 3, 2021. That policy states that when Town of Shawangunk police officers stop anyone on the street or during a traffic stop they must produce their name, rank, police department and the reason for the interaction.

The original committee was formed in response to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order 203 requiring every municipality to review its police procedures following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police on May 25, 2020.