The Broadband Advisory Committee was authorized to research and develop recommendations to the Town Board for actions to be taken to assure town-wide access to broadband service. It has facilitated successful completion of this mission by keeping the Town informed of grant progress in the County, identifying and reporting major mapping issues, hosting Open Houses for residents to meet with providers, and researched and published guides for access and for financially challenged community members. The focus for 2022 is on tracking the impact of infrastructure and any improvements in technology.

The Short-Term Rental sub-committee was created by the Town Board at the request of the Zoning Commission to assess the need for, and the feasibility of implementing, ordinances and regulations to govern Short Term Rentals (STRs, defined as paid guest lodgings in residential dwellings, for periods of less than 30 days) in Taghkanic. The Subcommittee was charged with proposing realistic, fair, and achievable regulations and local laws to the Town Board for its consideration and eventual implementation.

To fulfill this mission the STR Subcommittee has:

• Looked into existing Short Term/Transient Rentals in the Town of Taghkanic and evaluated the likelihood of growth in this type of property. In assessing the existing STR situation in Taghkanic, attempted to determine how closely the management of known STR properties aligns with the stated goals for development in the Town of Taghkanic as agreed upon in the Town Comprehensive Plan completed in Sept, 2009.
• Studied existing NYS laws and regulations regarding STRs and kept up with evolving local regulations in similar and adjoining towns in Columbia County. Included and monitored the possibility of development of regulations and taxation of these rentals at the County level of government.
• Assessed the potential risks and benefits of various types of STRs on the quality of life, property values, and incomes of residents of Taghkanic, and on the Town itself, including essential services: (1) asked for and received input from our Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer, and (2) asked for and received input from members and the Chief of our Fire Company.
• Sent a survey about STRs in Taghkanic, and their impact and future regulation, to all homeowners in the town, including businesses holding title to residential properties, and part-time residents.
• Made a good-faith effort to determine the probable number of STR properties presently operating in the Town and evaluated the potential challenges in retro-actively regulating existing STRs, with a goal of a smooth transition into future regulation and enforcement of regulations for all STR properties.
• Made and revised over a period of 16 months a draft of recommendations for local ordinances and regulations that our Town Board can enact to exercise appropriate control over this developing situation, including input from all stakeholders as the draft regulations were developed.
• Presented the Subcommittee’s recommendations to the Zoning Commission for review and input. The Zoning Commission elected not to include proposed STR regulations in its presentation of the draft of a new Zoning Code to the Town Board, but instead decided to let the Board consider STR regulation as a stand-alone subject once the STR Subcommittee had made an opportunity to present its draft for Public comment.
• After the Subcommittee’s draft of recommended regulations was made available on the Town website, the Subcommittee held a Public Information Meeting to take input directly from residents and business and property owners in the Town.

Ongoing meetings of the STR Subcommittee are open to the public.