Town of Warwick approves short-term rental regulations

By Linda Smith Hancharick
WARWICK — The town board has passed a local law that will regulate short-term rentals within the town outside of the villages.
The new local law, which was approved at the regular town board meeting Sept. 10, requires that property owners who rent their properties for less than 30 days at a time register with the town and pay a $150 initial permit fee.
The properties must be inspected by the building inspector and comply with the town’s septic requirements.
Owners must carry a minimum of $1 million in liability insurance. There is an annual $50 renewal fee.
The town held two public hearings in July and August, making changes to the initial draft of the law after the July hearing. Most who attended that meeting were in favor of what the town proposed with some revisions.
Supervisor Michael Sweeton explained in July that the intention of this law would be for the town to have record of where these short-term rental units are located, have a contact person on record and to ensure the units are safe and up to code via registration with the town’s building department.
Changes were made to the original version of the law. They include allowing the building inspector to serve notice of revocation of a short term rental permit based upon certain criteria, giving the owner 10 days to correct an infraction. The original version allowed the building inspector to immediately revoke a permit.
That, according to Sweeton, “seems a bit arbitrary.”
Other changes include compliance with septic regulations and the fines to be charged for violations.
All current owners of properties used as short term rental units must register with the town and complete a short term rental permit within 30 days of the adoption of the law, which was Sept. 10.
Going forward, property owners who decide to utilize their properties as a short-term rental must register and receive a permit before actually renting their units.
Public inputResident Roger Showalter, who was against the short-term rental regulations back in July, changed his opinion by the public hearing in August. He said the revised law was better than the original and he was glad the town would not be taxing residents on their income from the rentals. Visitors come to town and spend their money in local business, which is great for the town, Showalter added.
The Village of Greenwood Lake enacted requirements for short-term rental units within its borders last year and suggested the town do the same. The town’s law is basically the same as that in Greenwood Lake.
Fines for violationsThe law comes with violations. Property owners who rent their homes in this manner and fail to register their property as a short-term rental will pay a $1,000 fine per day. Subsequent offenses are $500 per day.
Those allowing occupancy without a valid permit will pay $500 per unit per day.
Property owners may get a permit from the town Building Department or from the town’s website, www.townofwarwick.org. The building inspector will set up an appointment with the owner for the inspection.