A proposed short term rental (STR) registration ordinance failed to advance following a split vote during the Empire Village Council’s July work session last week that also included the approval of roughly $73,000 for a new Department of Public Works truck and a discussion over whether to waive unpaid fees from the Asparagus festival.
The ordinance, developed by the village Planning Commission over the past year, would have required STR owners to register with the village and provide a local contact and a “good neighbor guide” for renters. A motion to send the ordinance to a public hearing later this month failed on a split vote (4-3), with trustees Maggie Bacon, Meg Walton, Tom Rademacher and March Dye in opposition and President Dan Davis along with trustees Linda Chase and Mark Dunphey in favor.
Supporters described the proposal as an initial step that would allow the village to better understand the scope of short term rentals before considering additional regulations like a cap. While those opposed argued that it was premature to move forward with an ordinance they viewed as incomplete.
