[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6108465,"mediaKeyId","2768252-5c141659a37302fbe1cb71340846a31e","parentId",2768252,"title","Council reviews personnel appointments, a recreation license renewal and a street‑improvement grant application","audioSeconds",323,"startMs",685000,"endMs",1008000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2768252-5c141659a37302fbe1cb71340846a31e&start=685&end=1008","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2768252-5c141659a37302fbe1cb71340846a31e/thumbnail_685000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6108465/Beacon/Dutchess-County/New-York/Council-reviews-personnel-appointments-a-recreation-license-renewal-and-a-streetimprovement-grant-application","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108465-461a149772812ca7307c1ce47829ba41/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145926&Signature=AAs4Psf4bQxGvkfj1vzyOlw4hxALMxNRgQ3bve53IPawFPS~M8S8-oJcJTu4S3tjSdj7dAUE7SAUC5pBMYXS95znyfIL4BJ3cuwQeTXR45DilHoAFDVnAmdzEbxjHeBbZNYXxugafz5nAdtE-RApIjFYvF65TK8CjaFIJxZCNs7QZpyJcUQySe6HAadmvXXEy2c3fwAwu60uzFbsuTxAunw1i5pbmU37B3w3cSrRuXtWeY7St6wlPwKdYvY~1JrDJLKcmtwHvlXqj~ynwzr3TgOJS4LycN7v1qDGeeiGR9Z4H4SApq-KuzGqAn~pc-6bftTmWY2Ne4RThtv9~uGs7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Beacon ","date","2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","article","The council covered several operational items during the workshop: a proposed police hire, a possible acting building inspector appointment, a license renewal with Cornell Cooperative, and a federal/state grant application for Beekman Street improvements.

Police hiring: City staff introduced Anthony James Lombardo, a 24‑year‑old candidate currently with the NYPD and raised for hire as a police officer for the Beacon Police Department. Staff reported Lombardo passed the city's background checks and screening (finance, social media, criminal records, employment history) and that because he has prior police academy training he would be eligible for a conversion course rather than the full academy. Staff said field training would begin immediately upon hire and that the conversion course must be completed within one year. The council was told Lombardo is expected to start next week; the transcript records no formal hire vote in the workshop and staff said the candidate will appear before the council at next week’s meeting for procedural processing.

Acting building inspector: The council discussed the departure of Bruce Flower, the city’s building inspector, who accepted a building inspector position in Poughkeepsie. City staff proposed that deputy building inspector Corey Worthman serve as acting building inspector while civil service and compensation issues are worked out. Staff told the council Worthman is fully qualified and could perform the building inspector duties; the city will confirm civil service steps and any pay implications and return with specifics. The council asked that any exit interview notes from Bruce Flower be shared if they bear relevance to hiring the permanent replacement.

License renewal with Cornell Cooperative: Staff presented a one‑year license (retroactive to Jan. 1 through Dec. 31) with Cornell Cooperative for use of space tied to a Green Teens program operated at the recreation center. The agreement calls for $350/month (presented as payable as a lump sum of $3,000—staff noted terms reflect prior agreements), required insurance, and an administrator clause allowing the city to terminate if needed for public use. Staff said the use is unchanged and added modest insurance updates for best practices. The council did not record a formal vote in the transcript on the license; the item was discussed and staff indicated it would be processed per administrative practice.

Beekman Street TIP grant: Staff said the city applied for $3 million through the state Transportation Improvement Program for a $3.8 million Beekman Street Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements project (sidewalks on both sides, bike lanes, resurfacing and drainage). The application covers the section from near the train station to Main Street (about slightly over half a mile). Staff reported strong support letters from local groups and legislators; award decisions are expected in summer and, if awarded, design would precede multi‑year construction.

Procedure/motions: Early in the workshop the council moved items 5, 6 and 7 to later on the agenda; councilor Molly made the motion and Amber seconded it and the council voted to approve that procedural motion. The workshop concluded with a motion to adjourn.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Beacon City Council Meeting 2025-01-28","oneSentenceSummary","At a workshop meeting, councilors reviewed a proposed police hire, plans to name a deputy as acting building inspector after the building inspector’s departure, a one‑year license renewal with Cornell Cooperative for the Green Teens program, and a $3 million TIP grant application for Beekman Street improvements.","taxTitle","Beacon, Dutchess County, New York","taxId",69898,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6108470,"Beacon council debates stricter enforcement and potential limits on short‑term rentals",206,6087000,6293000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2768252-5c141659a37302fbe1cb71340846a31e&start=6087&end=6293","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2768252-5c141659a37302fbe1cb71340846a31e/thumbnail_6087000.jpg","/articles/6108470/Beacon/Dutchess-County/New-York/Beacon-council-debates-stricter-enforcement-and-potential-limits-on-shortterm-rentals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108470-d3ba23fbecc4699690bab4d49eef2f0b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145926&Signature=aaGLxRDVP4P3o-P5BQ0xda0jjxooMlSOE96ewMBP6qbp8EhK7v381Z-uRamGxNNHKmPEriYiL~1hOAksdD8ZHoN7~x6B~PM6MLhOuMWZhofwbP1yJMFjVstFNmzUYjNu-2Pbb9YsbHaBOgxDHh87sME8oDIleWxZg0KNroCtFOAU188yLJiwM7eWunD1gGqttjdehYwkyDUPK905nZBPofiXeut5fwRrIG5Z4UuOVWQ56M9J3GtEL6VVeRZr5~r0QI6q1l-BjLzqjcpaiHL58om14Kd6H28~ZNjtp0OmGN7iGbQhkGEKdsrbjNbvbTHcZ9ihCnxwbrzUGdop7WZQ0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilors reviewed enforcement progress and policy options for short‑term rentals during the workshop and directed staff to research approaches used by other municipalities.

Staff reported that the city currently has roughly 35–40 licensed short‑term rentals and that identified listings fluctuate; enforcement has been resource‑intensive. The building department is using commercial listing‑monitoring software to find potential unlicensed rentals and sends compliance letters, but staff said by the time letters issue properties may have already generated months of rental income. Council members and staff described recurring problems where owners or operators attempt to “game” the residency requirement (for example, listing a dwelling as short‑term while asserting the unit is owner‑occupied under local rules).

Council discussion ranged across options: maintain current rules and increase enforcement capacity; cap the total number of licensed short‑term rentals and prioritize existing licensed operators; introduce a phased amortization or sunset (allowing existing uses to continue for a period then phase out); or pursue an outright ban. Several councilors said enforcement alone would require significant staffing or a dedicated enforcement program; staff cited other cities (e.g., New Orleans) that created dedicated units to monitor short‑term rentals. Councilors also noted a pending state registration/tax requirement that may help with tracking and tax collection but does not replace local zoning enforcement.

Next steps and direction: council asked the city attorney and planning/building staff to gather information from municipalities that have banned or capped short‑term rentals, examine enforcement models and staffing needs, and report options (including revenue/tax consequences and likely legal tradeoffs). Council asked for options on capping licenses that would give priority to already‑licensed hosts.","Councilors discussed enforcement challenges with short‑term rentals, current licensing, and possible policy options including caps, phased sunsets, or outright bans; staff said enforcement is time‑intensive and advised further study.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6108475,"Hudson River Housing leads $6 million ADU grant application; Beacon council discusses streamlining local ADU process",4117,1440000,5557000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2768252-5c141659a37302fbe1cb71340846a31e&start=1440&end=5557","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2768252-5c141659a37302fbe1cb71340846a31e/thumbnail_1440000.jpg","/articles/6108475/Beacon/Dutchess-County/New-York/Hudson-River-Housing-leads-6-million-ADU-grant-application-Beacon-council-discusses-streamlining-local-ADU-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108475-ea4ba080054459ebe41906f2315301f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145926&Signature=SRpYxY33Q8NuwHV5LW2PJkLAkDHNzpV4~AHiVoHinDRKZCE0QV-2bukXeg9dqVqg8Ql1vuGcKYada8bffPwNQ0p-8RJwVHBVxKvJZwb0gKsZ-t-~tlcOvg2LFxX3ujqzsrGzEDNZy72BMnKCukG0U0WO9aJ~7pFZpgGlozdSXzndwzcMdTiX3~k3GiZns-oeFQioHpLaN59fklwvYwsWVV-xrAeHS44H2-sP3iTldGG3vlE72UpXjLCIwKoIvtl1TpFkBBzUsEwgnCgCuJfW2Uqw6sM7D9HctL2IHy3SzT3OAVxuwtjdW6FgzI6pfND6~qjHyabRMFfl1P2iFiVgDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Beacon officials said Hudson River Housing submitted an application to the state for $6 million under a larger state initiative to fund accessory dwelling units (ADUs) for low‑ and moderate‑income homeowners across eight municipalities, including Beacon.

City planning staff explained the proposed grant would be a two‑year program to support roughly 45 ADUs countywide and could provide up to $125,000 per homeowner to cover architectural, permitting, construction and legal costs. Hudson River Housing would administer the program, collect a proposed administrative fee (quoted in the presentation as about 3.3 percent), and monitor units for a 10‑year period. Eligibility for the homeowner subsidy is limited to households at or below 100 percent of area median income (AMI); the program does not require income limits for tenants, though the applicant’s proposal may include tenant income limits if they choose.

Several council members said they want to reduce local permitting costs and procedural barriers—examples discussed included removing or lowering parking requirements for ADUs, allowing more ADU work to be approved administratively by the building department rather than routed to the planning board, waiving certain local fees, and assembling preapproved design options (a model some other cities used) to reduce design costs. Planning staff noted Kingston had a preapproved design program and, in some cases, allowed staff approvals rather than planning board review for simple conversions; Beacon’s code currently allows staff approval for interior conversions that don’t expand a building but requires planning board review for accessory‑structure ADUs or enlargements.

Council direction and next steps: staff agreed to prepare a decision‑style memo that outlines options (e.g., parking requirement changes, fee waivers, administrative approval thresholds) so the council can decide which local adjustments to make quickly to maximize the benefit of any awarded grant funds. Council members said ADU process streamlining should be prioritized if the state approves the grant because the $125,000 per‑unit cap would be used quickly for construction costs.

Why it matters: The proposed grant and potential local code changes are designed to encourage the creation of modest additional rental housing in existing neighborhoods and to help lower‑ and moderate‑income homeowners afford construction costs. Councilors framed the discussion around minimizing bureaucratic cost and delay so grant funds go toward building units rather than planning expenses.","Councilors heard that Hudson River Housing applied for $6 million in state capital funding to subsidize accessory dwelling units (ADUs) for low‑ and moderate‑income homeowners across eight municipalities, and discussed local steps to simplify permitting and reduce fees so residents can use the grant funds mainly for construction.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6108480,"Beacon council directs staff to draft local law banning drive‑thrus and restricting self‑storage along Fishkill Avenue",2338,1932000,4270000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2768252-5c141659a37302fbe1cb71340846a31e&start=1932&end=4270","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2768252-5c141659a37302fbe1cb71340846a31e/thumbnail_1932000.jpg","/articles/6108480/Beacon/Dutchess-County/New-York/Beacon-council-directs-staff-to-draft-local-law-banning-drivethrus-and-restricting-selfstorage-along-Fishkill-Avenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108480-206c68990d646d63a8cfa228a86e15e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771145926&Signature=aE18ODg0oGGCsIR8tkwuepjvFSbzScn3OqArfGoih9wTI7jO84Se6huVPdzU4iNJpU7fWbLGVbX021AKhbKQwi8QCLZneX4M7K70tni-wjMLK3PjbDMAgXsnHnZGA7nqEELy-K5ytOZaswJKUwZWF4qyHDqkiCVZWT1wOJAWv1KFsBhz9DrTUcnv7JVpzlHRh6aCwRfQfKrGxqMUu8lFy0f1lo8TTalXnWDHvyImkgYbWIvXlNGAe7pQbICWtERJXfVHy8t4H1QLvGB1YDsOKukQiHIwJDt3UPWtj3CtiCNgrrnSauiiIwAkOMqWQIKMnL~j1C64Syoumyrw4EJ4WQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Council members spent the bulk of the workshop on zoning changes proposed for the Fishkill Avenue corridor, and asked staff to prepare draft local law language to implement two near‑term changes.

The Fishkill Avenue Committee and city planner Natalie Quinn presented four priority zoning changes developed during the committee’s public engagement and review of the city’s 2017 comprehensive plan. Committee chair JC Calderon and Quinn described recommendations to: (1) make self‑storage a distinct use and prohibit it in corridor districts, (2) expressly prohibit drive‑through facilities in the corridor, (3) reduce front yard setbacks and require on‑site parking be placed behind or to the side of buildings to preserve street wall continuity, and (4) prohibit new auto‑oriented uses (gas stations, car washes, vehicle sales, auto repair) so existing businesses become nonconforming and can be phased out over time.

The council generally supported moving quickly on recommendations 1 and 2. Mayor (name not specified) and multiple council members said those changes are straightforward and urged staff to return a draft local law for introduction so it could be referred to the planning board and Dutchess County for review. Council members asked staff to consider a six‑month rule for nonconforming uses (how long a use can be discontinued before it ceases to be permitted) and whether any language from the 2017 comprehensive plan should be amended alongside the zoning changes.

Committee members and councilors debated recommendation 4, which would broadly bar new auto‑oriented uses. Some committee members and planning board members had expressed concern that an outright ban could disadvantage existing property owners or shift those uses elsewhere in the city; other councilors said prohibiting those uses now would better protect the corridor’s pedestrian vision. Several council members urged a phased approach for auto‑oriented uses — allowing existing businesses to continue as nonconforming uses, limiting expansion, and preventing the establishment of new similar businesses in the corridor.

Council direction and next steps: the council asked Nick (city attorney) and planning staff to prepare draft local law language focused on recommendations 1 and 2, to consider the six‑month nonconforming discontinuance question, and to assess whether any comprehensive plan language should be updated. The council expressed a desire to move expeditiously on the drive‑through prohibition and the self‑storage separation but to deliberate further on broader prohibitions of auto‑oriented uses.

The Fishkill Avenue Committee will hold a public workshop on March 8 (1:30–4:30 p.m. at Industrial Arts) to present a broader set of recommendations and collect public feedback; the council indicated it expects additional public engagement as the drafting process proceeds.

Why it matters: The recommendations would change what uses are allowed along a major commercial corridor and aim to shift Fishkill Avenue toward a more pedestrian‑oriented corridor with improved sidewalks, bike lanes and streetscape amenities. The council emphasized both the need for speed (to act before developers break ground on projects) and the need to preserve notice and public input.","The Beacon City Council heard zoning recommendations from the Fishkill Avenue Committee and instructed staff to draft a local law to prohibit drive‑throughs and to separate self‑storage from wholesale/warehousing uses along the Fishkill Avenue corridor, while phasing in other auto‑oriented uses as nonconforming.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council reviews personnel appointments, a recreation license renewal and a street‑improvement grant application

Beacon council debates stricter enforcement and potential limits on short‑term rentals

Hudson River Housing leads $6 million ADU grant application; Beacon council discusses streamlining local ADU process

Beacon council directs staff to draft local law banning drive‑thrus and restricting self‑storage along Fishkill Avenue