Village of Empire sets public hearing for STR ordinance

A proposed short term rental (STR) ordinance will be the subject of an August 25 public hearing scheduled by the Empire Village Council.

The board voted 5-2 during a July meeting to schedule it, with council Trustees Meg Walton and March Dye opposed.

The proposed ordinance would require STR owners to register with the village but would not include a cap on the number of rentals allowed in the village, at least for the first two years while data is gathered on the number of STRs in the village. The lack of a cap in the ordinance has been a main point of contention as the council had directed the planning commission to prepare a registration ordinance along with a recommended cap.