Following a special meeting, held Wednesday night, the Town Board determined the property at 29 Boulder Drive has been illegally operating a “summer camp” without obtaining the proper permits from the town or the Orange County Department of Health. The town is moving forward with Civil Code Enforcement Proceedings.
The board went into closed session, to start the evening, to review the findings of the Building Department and discuss options with their attorney. When the board convened in the courtroom, about 50 residents were sitting in the audience. About an hour was dedicated to fielding public comments. Most people were concerned about the camp operating in violation of the current zoning laws, which labels the property as single family residence.
“Zoning is a critical part of a community,” Supervisor Richard Randazzo said during an interview. “It’s a home rule right to regulate zoning and enforcing zoning regulations is critical to maintaining the character of a community.”
Based on the recommendation from counsel, the board unanimously approved a resolution authorizing civil action for enforcement of town code provisions and civil fines. The board will also be seeking a temporary restraining order to cease the property’s use as a camp until the New York State Supreme Court, Orange County, hears the case.
It’s not know when the paperwork will be filed, but Randazzo is hopeful the cease and desist order will be approved by a judge soon thereafter. He added the court proceedings could take a long time, but in the meantime the board is actively pursuing updates to its zoning laws based on the recently approved Comprehensive Plan. The goal is to have new laws in place before the moratorium ends in November.
