Update of Town of Spafford local laws

Dear Spafford Property Owner:

In response to suggestions from Town residents, the Town Board is mailing this newsletter to all property owners to (a) summarize new, amended and other local laws, (b) explain new procedures for trash tags and policies at the transfer station, (c) explain the town-wide property tax revaluation, and (c) outline ways for interested citizens to stay informed about Town matters.

Summary of Local Laws (the full text of the laws is available on-line at: www.townofspafford.com)

#1-2022: Steep Slopes. To better protect our lakes from erosion and pollution, the Town Board added a new article to the Town Zoning Law to regulate "land disturbance" on steep slopes, i.e., lands having slopes of 15% or greater. "Land disturbance" includes any man-made change to the land surface that may result in erosion, including clearing, grading, excavating, filling, or paving. Cutting down trees in a steep slope area is considered land disturbance. On "Moderately Steep Slopes" (15% or more, but less than 25%} within the Skaneateles Lake or Otisco Lake zoning districts, or within 100 feet of a watercourse (creek, gully, etc.), the property owner must obtain approval from the Town Planning Board before making more than 1,000--square feet-of land-disturbance. Approval must be obtained before making land disturbance of 500 square feet or more on Very Steep (25% up to 40%} or Extremely Steep (40% or more) slopes. For land outside the Lake Districts and more than 100' from a watercourse, approval must be obtained for land disturbance of 3,000 square feet or more on Moderately Steep Slopes, and 2,000 square feet or more on Very Steep and Extremely Steep slopes. The law establishes procedures for obtaining Planning Board approval before the work begins.

#2-2022: Solar Energy. This law amends the Town's previous solar energy law. The amendment primarily addresses the concern to protect prime farmland in connection with commercial solar farms. The original law included regulations applicable to homeowners who want to install roof-mounted or ground-mounted solar systems; the 2022 amendment did not make significant changes to those rules.

#3-2022: Code Enforcement. NY State law required that Towns amend their regulations regarding the enforcement of its zoning law and building codes. The new law complies with this State mandate and updates the procedures for inspections by the Code Enforcement Officer and other Code Enforcement Personnel, including procedures for remote inspections. The law also updates and clarifies the requirements and procedures for obtaining building permits.

#1-2019: Brush, Grass, Rubbish and Weed Control. This law adopts standards for maintenance of residential yards and

areas within road rights of way. In general, such areas must be kept free of rubbish, and free of grass and weeds in excess of 10 inches tall.

#1-2017: Short-Term Rentals. Residential property owners who desire to engage in "short-term rentals" (i.e., rentals for a rental term of 120 days or less) must annually file a registration form with the Town and pay a $100 fee. The law is designed to minimize problems arising from weekly or other short-term rentals through Airbnb, VRBO or other on line vacation rental platforms. The law includes provisions on maximum occupancy, required septic system standards, and the like, and prohibits events (such as weddings, parties in excess of the number of occupants allowed, etc.) without a special-use permit.

#1-2016: Borodino Landing. In 2016, the Town adopted rules about the use of Borodino Landing. The Town Board has begun to consider amendments to the local law both to clarify the required procedures and to allow for easier enforcement. If you are interested in this topic, please keep your eye on the website and look at the Town Board meeting agenda each month.

New Transfer Station Regulations

The Town Board has increased the annual fee for a transfer station permit from $50 to $60. The actual cost of operating the transfer station is well in excess of the fees the Town receives from residents. Also, the Board has changed the renewal process. In the past, renewal dates were based on the month in which residents first obtained a permit. Commencing February 1, 2023, all permits will expire on January 31st of the following year. Permits may be obtained by mail or by stopping in at the Town Clerk's office. You do not need to renew your current permit before it expires, but you must renew it before you can use the transfer station after your current permit has expired.

NY law prohibits the disposal of rechargeable batteries in the trash, including Nickel-cadmium, Sealed lead, Lithium ion, Nickel metal hydride, and any other dry cell battery capable of being recharged. Stores that sell these batteries are required to provide recycling options. Currently, you can recycle batteries at Wegman's, Home Depot, Lowes and other retailers. Batteries may also be recycled at the Transfer Station. A tag must be obtained from the Town Clerk's office prior to disposal of mattresses and items containing Freon or other refrigerants. The fee for mattresses is

$25; the fee for refrigerants is $10.

Property Tax Revaluation Process

The Town is conducting a revaluation of all tax parcels. On average, the current assessed value of a property is now only about 65% of actual fair market value. For example, if your house is assessed for $65,000, it is likely that the actual

fair market value is $100,000. To ensure that all property owners pay their fair share (and ONLY their fair share) of property tax, the State applies an "equalization rate" to your assessed value. If you look at your tax bill, you'll see that your assessed value is much lower than the stated "fair market value." Property taxes are (and always have been) based on the stated fair market value, not on the assessed value.

In the revaluation, the Town Assessor will evaluate the current fair market value of every parcel and will amend the assessed value to bring it in line with fair market value. In other words, on future tax bills, the assessed value should be the same (or close to) the stated fair market value. The expectation is that most property owners will see a substantial increase in their assessed value, but this does NOT mean that property owners will see a substantial increase in their tax bill! Some owners likely will see an increase, some will see a decrease, and others will not see much, if any, change in their tax bills.

The Assessor will send a notice (likely in March) to notify owners of the proposed new assessed value. Owners will have an opportunity to provide information to the Assessor if the proposed valuation seems inaccurate. For Owners who met with or gave additional information to the Assessor, he will send notice about the final assessments. Any Owner may challenge the Assessor's determination on Grievance Day (this year, May 23, 2023).

How to Obtain Information About Town Government

The Town's website is at www.townofspafford.com. The main page has information about upcoming meetings of the Town Board, the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Board of Assessment Review, along with Town Clerk office hours and contact information. There are links to the Highway Department, contact information for town officials, minutes of board meetings, and all of the Town's local laws. The agenda for Town Board meetings is posted on the website, typically at least a day or two before the meeting. The Town Board's regular meeting date is the second Thursday of each month, starting at 7:00 p.m. The dates/times of any special meetings are also posted on the website.

Get Involved: From time to time, there are vacancies on various Town boards and committees. Vacancies are posted on the Town's website. If you are interested in getting involved in your local government, please contact the Town Clerk or a current board member.