ONEONTA _ The Common Council will be reviewing special-use permits for four Greek houses and a new summer rental when it meets Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Although aldermen have historically held public hearings and voted on permits for fraternity and sorority houses, this will be the first time they decide on a summer-rental permit under revisions to the city's summer-rental ordinance passed by the Common Council in September.
Previous versions of the ordinance gave authority over issuing permits to the city Planning Commission or to the city Code Enforcement Office.
The city will be reviewing a summer-rental permit application from Robert S. Steenrod for a property at 46 Church St.
Renting weekly in the summer, especially to the families of baseball-camp attendees, has been a growing business within the last decade with the opening of Cooperstown All-Star Village, Cooperstown Baseball World and Cooperstown Dreams Park.
Those opposed to summer rentals have said they are concerned about traffic, noise and other quality-of-life issues.
during what is normally a quieter time in Oneonta.
However, property owners in the summer-rental business contend they are improving properties when they renovate them to rent to families in the summer, and that they provide a service that bolsters Oneonta's tourism economy.
There were about 30 approved summer rentals this year out of about 1,000 rental residential properties.
In addition to the summer-rental permit application, the Common Council will be ruling on the following Hartwick College Greek houses:
- Gamma Phi Delta sorority at 23 Elm St.
- Phi Sigma Phi sorority at 6 Myrtle Ave.
- Alpha Omicron Pi sorority at 17 Maple St.
- Alpha Delta Omega fraternity at 62 Elm St.
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