Jewett Officials Raise Fees on Building, Planning, and Zoning

JEWETT - No matter what words are used to describe it, whether it’s fallout or unpleasant afterglow, Jewett officials are expecting their ears to be buzzing as the result of raising building, planning and zoning fees.

Town council members, at a meeting last week, agreed to increase the cost of gettin’ ‘er done related to the legalities and logistics of land usage, housing, etc, also adjusting short term rental tolls.

Everything is going up but for good reason, according to town supervisor Greg Kroyer, who explained the whys and wherefores which were unanimously embraced by the council.

“We want to keep taxes low and this is one way to do it,” Kroyer said. “We have to be able to raise revenues to keep up with inflation.

“Inflation is actually exceeding what I’ve written down here,” Kroyer said, passing around a listing of the proposed higher rates.

“This is roughly a twenty percent increase, across the board. When I asked [other officials] when was the last time we upped fees, no one could recall.

“We are probably going to get some blowback from this, and when I say probably I mean I’m pretty sure we will,” Kroyer said.

“But neighboring towns can be much more than this. You are still getting a good deal in Jewett. The only other option is raising taxes.”

Kroyer and his colleagues are anticipating the most resistance from short term rental owners surrounding a significant jump in their annual registration fee, rising from $30 to $50 per occupant

Occupancy is set by the local code enforcement office using a formula based on the number of bedrooms, etc. in any short term rental.

While officials would not be surprised to hear phones ringing off the hook, they say there, again, is more to it than meets the economic eye.

Jewett enacted short term rental legislation four years ago amidst intense controversy over multiple issues, not the least of which was a noticeable change in the presence of so-called “party houses.”

Not all, but enough renters paid little heed to how their enjoyment was disturbing the quiet life of nearby residents, prompting local officials to establish the first STR law in the area.

It was met with stiff reluctance and, at the outset, proved difficult to enforce, particularly as it concerned noise, trash being discarded haphazardly and renters parking higgledy-piggledy on town roads, creating obstacles

While it was not easy going at first, and some snafus remain, officials say they have gotten a much better handle on the situation, fully intending to keep it that way, using the added fees to assist in enforcement.

“We work daily to get people in compliance with the rules. It’s a difficult thing. Some people don’t want to be in compliance,” Kroyer said.

Giving an example, Kroyer said an STR might be registered as having  a ten-person occupancy limit while the owner is advertising their rental as available for sixteen persons, taking in more money.

“We can’t keep pretending everything is wonderful,” Kroyer said. “We are super nice when we call them and ask about the numbers not matching.

“Many of them say they will amend their ads. Some do and some don’t. We spend a lot of hours on administration between our town clerk and code administration office.

“The town of Jewett has these laws for a reason. When we have a problem, we address it. Many people are paying their property taxes with the short term rental. We want to be a good neighbor.

“But if problems come up, and they do, we have no problem telling people ‘Not in this town,’” Kroyer said. “Our budget is getting more difficult to balance every year. We need to cover these extra costs.”

In addition to the STR occupancy leap, increases are also evident in the building, planning and zoning fees such as:

—Minor subdivision, two lots, (was $500, will henceforth be $625), three lots ($800 to $1,000), four lots ($1,000 to $1,250);

—Major subdivision, two lots (was $500, will henceforth be $625), five lots ($1,600 to $2,000), lots six thru twenty-nine (($1,000 to $1,250 each), lots thirty or more ($1,500 to $1,875 each).

—“Valuation of Work” fees for building permits will change as follows: Up to $40,000 (was $150 will henceforth be $200), going on a steadily rising scale to $60,001 to $70,000 (was $300, will henceforth be $375). 

“Valuation of Work” rates top off at Over $100,000 (was one-half of one percent will henceforth be 2/3 of one percent). 

Data on all sections is available at the town hall including Non-conforming building applications, Boundary line lot adjustments and Special Use applications for Telecom Towers (was $6,500 will now be $8,500).