Events law to be subject of Thursday meeting

COTTEKILL, N.Y. » A Marbletown Planning and Zoning Commission subcommittee will meet Thursday to review the town’s proposed Special Events Venues Local Law.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Room M-1 at the Rondout Municipal Center, 1915-1925 Lucas Turnpike, Cottekill.

The proposed law was drafted by a town task force and ultimately is to be sent to the town Planning and Zoning Committee and the Town Board for action.

The proposal states special-event venues would include “limited use of a parcel or part of a parcel of land for celebratory, cultural or educational activities, such as concerts, conferences banquets, festivals, wedding, or other similar activities.”

In April, the Marbletown Zoning Board of Appeals overruled the town code enforcement officer’s determination that a bedand-breakfast owner could broaden the use of his property to include a wedding venue. In turning down the application from Thomas Brownlie — who sought a special-use permit for events on his 78-acre property at 73 Mill Dam Road — the board said town zoning regulations apparently didn’t address the issues of B&B sites being used for weddings.

At a July 19 meeting, the subcommittee heard concerns that special-event venues would cause noise and traffic, increase demands on emergency services and police, and destroy viewsheds.

Owners of properties where such events would be held, however, responded that people want to use such settings in part because of the views.

Under the proposed law, events venues would be allowed with a special-use permit in all land-use zones except the R-3, SR-E, SR-N and I-1 districts.

Some requirements have been left unspecified in the proposed law, including the minimum property size for such events, the maximum number of people that would be allowed, and sound and light limits. The proposed law would:

• Limit the number of allowable events to 10 per calendar year, with no more than two per calendar month. Also, there would have to be at least five days between events.

• Restrict the length of each event to five hours, between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.

• Require that plans be submitted in advance for parking, security, trash disposal and emergency medical care.

• Require that information be submitted in advance about food and drinks to be served, and transportation arrangements.

• Prohibit use of such sites for camping without special permission from the town.