Village board finalizes short-term rental rules

The village of Warwick approved a new local law that would add rules for owning and operating short-term rentals within the village. While there was some concern expressed about the wording of the law and the law’s impact on long-term rental properties, the board agreed to move forward with amending the village code to include these new regulations.

Warwick Village Mayor Michael Newhard noted that the village’s ability to go forward depended on whether the building department was ready to enforce the code. Trustee Thomas McKnight shared that the village has an application form and inspection checklist for potential short-term rental operators, which will need to be uploaded to the village’s website.

Grant awards

The village of Warwick has received a grant of $2,340,488 for the 2024 Dam Safety Repair/Rehabilitation Project. Trustee Barry Cheney explained that this funding will be used for improvements associated with the three dams that are part of the village’s reservoir system. In addition, the village received a $25,000 Climate Smart Communities grant in the amount of $25,000.

Visitor’s Center mural

Warwick’s new Visitor Center will soon feature the work of local artist and children’s book illustrator Judy Pederson, who was selected among a group of eight submissions to design a mural for the center located at 75 Main Street. The mural will be funded through a grant from the Orange County Legislature, and will be put on vinyl by Raven Lake Studios, a local business, Trustee Mary Collura explained.

Street safety

During the meeting the board continued its discussion on street safety and reiterated its concerns about speeding in high-traffic areas such as Forrester Avenue and West Street. The trustees agreed that creating a four-way stop at the intersection of Forrester and Memorial Park would improve driver and pedestrian safety, especially as the village plans to develop the park. The board discussed the need to reconfigure the crosswalks in the area to improve both safety and efficiency for pedestrians. The village is also looking into adding a stop sign on West Street near Pond Hill, noting the area has a bus stop where children must cross the street to access their neighborhood. Other ideas proposed included putting up large speed signs with funny sayings warning drivers to slow down. The board agreed to revisit this issue in March.

The board approved resolutions related to the upcoming repaving of state-run highways that run through the village. Among them was an agreement for the village to maintain the streetlights that will be added as part of the project. Cheney explained that lights will be historic lampposts like the ones on Railroad Green and be mainly located near the intersection of Colonial Avenue and Route 94. In addition, the village agreed to maintain the new water facilities as well as new landscaping created because of the pavement project.