Newfield revisits a mobile home park law

During the Newfield Town Board meeting on Feb. 22, the spotlight was on the potential revision of the town’s mobile home park law, a topic that has not seen significant updates since its last amendment in 1998. Initially established in 1989, the law now faces scrutiny and demands for change.

According to Newfield Town Supervisor Micheal Allinger, many of the law’s subsections are superseded by laws and regulations at the county and state levels. The intent is to address how the business has changed over the years.

“The mobile home parks created 30 and 40 years ago have changed hands and have often been sold to larger corporations that don’t have a local connection,” said Allinger. “They are simply collecting rent and providing minimal services to sustain the properties.”

Two residents of Valley Manor, a mobile home park in Newfield, attended the meeting and spoke about the conditions of the park with respect to the number of times they have had water main breaks over the last year and the condition of the roads in the park.

According to Cindy Haskin, a resident of Valley Manor, the mobile home park is contending with a significant issue of potholes. Specifically, on Depot Road a considerable excavation was conducted to install a new drainage system, but the aftermath has been neglected, with a mound of dirt left unattended, leading to a substantial pothole.

Allinger said that the town board is looking to address the concerns around the condition of the parks and the deficiencies that were brought up by residents of the mobile home park, among others. 

Debra Eichten, Newfield Planning Board chair and one of the people directly involved in the draft law, spoke as a citizen. She expressed concerns about the new law’s weaknesses and contradictions.

“I think as you read it, that’s where a lot of confusion can come in,” said Eichten. “You can have a more difficult time enforcing a law when there’s places where the interpretation is not clear.”

Eichten said that a better approach for the town would be to look back at the 1989 mobile home park law and enforce the regulations laid out in that law before enacting a new law. She further suggested that rather than rewriting the 1989/1998 law, the town should look to a more inclusive piece of legislation that would encompass mobile homes, tiny homes and other neighborhoods that are popular solutions for lower-income housing.

According to Allinger, while the town refrains from interfering in private business matters, the town does have a responsibility to the people who live in these parks to ensure that their health and safety are not compromised through neglect of the parks’ owners and operators. 

“We are looking at enforcement of the 1989/1998 law to ensure that inspections are done and all local, county and state regulations are observed by the owners and operators of these parks,” said Allinger.

Following a comprehensive discussion that included input from both the community and board members, the town has decided to table the revised law for now and review the 1989 law with the town code enforcement officer and two local mobile home park owners.

The review will happen in public on Mar. 28 at 6 p.m. From that meeting, the town hopes to identify consistent enforcement of the law to achieve what drafting a new law would attempt to address.

The 1989/1998 law can be found on the Government section of the Town of Newfield website under Town Laws & Ordinances.

In brief:

Special meeting of the Board of Education

The Newfield Central School District Board of Education will meet Feb. 29 from 6:30 to 7 p.m. in the Weaver Conference Room on the second floor of the Newfield Elementary School to discuss the administrative structure of the district.

Class of ’24 spaghetti dinner

A spaghetti dinner will be held at the Newfield Rod & Gun Club on March 2 from 5 to 7 p.m., benefitting Newfield’s senior class. Tickets can be bought from any senior for $12, with a limited number available at the door.

Capital Project public hearing

The public hearing to announce the Newfield School District’s Capital Project will be on March 5 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Newfield High School Library. Attendance is encouraged either in person or on Google Meet. Voters can learn additional details and ask questions about the project.

Sportsman yard sale

A sportsman yard sale will be held at the Newfield Rod & Gun Club on April 27. Vendors can call 607-342-5102 to reserve an 8-foot table for $15. There will be a $5 entry fee for the event.