Tom Williams, town of Cortlandville supervisor. (Photo provided by the Town of Cortlandville).
The Cortlandville Town Board unanimously voted to approve a local law Wednesday, regulating exits and entrances to multi-family developments.
The proposed local law is an amendment to Chapter 86 fire prevention and building code administration. It introduces a stipulation that requires multifamily housing with more than four dwellings to have two entrances and exits for fire department vehicles.
“The county planning board sent some recommendations that made a suggestion that we take a further look at the language of the local law,” said Town Attorney John DelVeccho. “I just made a simple change. Instead of referencing the specific section of the current building code that is applicable, I just simply referenced the entire building code.”
The decision to reference the entire housing code instead of just Chapter 86, DelVecchio said, would ensure the local law is still in effect even if the New York State Legislature changes Chapter 86.
“Now I feel comfortable enough to go ahead and adopt that proposal of the law,” he said. “We already had a public hearing, we now have revised county planning board recommendations.”
The board then voted to enact the local law.
The measure mirrors a proposal discussed at last month’s Cortland County Finance and Administration committee meeting, which would provide a 10% county property tax relief off the assessed value of the volunteer’s property.
This exemption applies to members of volunteer ambulance services, volunteer fire companies, and volunteer fire departments who have been registered for at least two years. An application and certification must be filed with the municipal property value assessor every year to qualify for the tax relief.
“Our town assessor was telling me that there are perhaps 17 individuals that may qualify for this exemption,” Town supervisor Tom Williams said on Wednesday.
The measure will be brought back for a town vote at an upcoming town board meeting.
