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Tomorrow, the Cortland Common Council will meet at 6pm at City Hall. There will be two public hearings for the public to discuss their views on proposed local laws before the council discusses the items on their agenda.
One of the public hearings is on Proposed Local Law No. 12 of the year 2022 to amend chapter 11 of the City Code relative to towing fees, storage fees, and towing service insurance coverage.
Currently, the City has an annual registration fee of $100 for each towing company on the tow rotation for the City of Cortland, and for the city to be added as additional insurance on the tow company policy from a resolution from 2008.
Since 2008, the tow fee structure has not gone through any adjustments even though prices for fuel, labor costs, and maintenance of equipment have increased significantly since. The City states this is unfair to local tow companies.
The City of Cortland looks to rectify the current fee structure to provide relief to rising costs tow companies have been facing. The city will increase the tow fee by $50 per category with a new fee structure for towing work performed.
- From 7am to 6:59pm Monday – Friday – $120
- From 7pm to 6:59am Monday – Friday – $150
- All Day Saturday and Sunday – $170
The adjustment also includes if a tow company is faced with special circumstances including car into building, vehicle into water. These will include time rates plus $100.
There will also be a storage fee of $60 per day.
The second public hearing will be the one most likely up for debate. Proposed Local Law No. 13 for this year to Amend Article 238 of the City Code relating to smoking on public property.
Currently, the city has in place a ban on smoking in certain locations within the City of Cortland including city owned properties, recreational areas, and outdoor dining areas.
The city looks to add revisions to the current local law to amend the definition of smoking to include vaping and smoking cannabis, as well as prohibit smoking within 25 feet of any entrance or exit of any building located on Main Street that provides access to the street.
The proposed ban also includes the ban of smoking on any public sidewalk that goes along Main St, or adjacent public sidewalks on Main St.
The Cortland Mayor’s office states the primary purpose of the revision of the current local law is to reduce the public to second hand smoke, and the health hazard.
