Town to tweak short-term rental code

The town of Warwick seeks to amend its short-term rental law to ensure owners and proprietors of such properties are held accountable and abide by local regulations. A public hearing on the matter was set at the June 27 Warwick Town Board meeting and is scheduled to be held on July 11 at 7:30 p.m.

“We have learned valuable lessons over time with this constantly evolving situation of short-term rentals throughout the county, throughout the state, and throughout the town. We’re making minor adjustments to our town code to further strengthen the requirements within the town and make sure that we’re holding these short-term renters more accountable and protecting the quality of life for the people that live, work, and recreate in the town of Warwick,” said Warwick Town Supervisor Jesse Dwyer.

Road safety

Commenting on the two accidents involving trucks that occurred along the intersection of Warwick Turnpike and Route 94, Dwyer shared that the town is looking to work with the county to develop alternative solutions to ensure the safety of area roads. He pointed out that while there are signs along Warwick Turnpike warning tractor-trailer drivers of the steep grade of the road, they are often not read nor followed.

In other roadway news, the board approved a change to the town’s special event permit language; large events are now required to notify the town of impacted roadways or postings, which are subject to approval by both the police chief and town supervisor.

Police promotions

During the meeting, the board approved the promotion of officers Neil Ryan Jr. and Russell Sircable to the position of sergeant within the Town of Warwick Police Department. Commenting on the appointments, Dwyer recounted his appreciation for the individual officers as well as the police department at large.

“It really is a tremendous testament to the chief and the team that’s been built here in the town of Warwick to develop such incredible assets. We’re really proud of you guys, everybody that interviewed. We’re especially proud to the two who are being promoted to sergeant today. You’ve earned it. You’ve worked so hard within this department and in your homes and in your community to earn this position,” said Dwyer.

Cannabis and other business

Dwyer also updated the board on an application for a cannabis dispensary to be located off of Ronald Reagan Boulevard that is currently before the planning board. He explained that, per the law, there are two sites within the town of Warwick where such dispensaries are permitted and as part of town code, applicants are required to undergo a site plan review by the planning board.

The Supervisor also addressed the issue of affordable housing and reminded residents that the board will seek their input during a public hearing to ensure the town code is meeting the evolving needs of the community.

“We do want to ensure that affordable housing is available to residents when subdivisions are built, but the way it stands right now, this law has been in effect for approximately 20 years and the affordable component of that law has never been used, so we’re looking forward to making sure that the town code reflects what our town is today,” said Dwyer.