Concerns raised over new law on property maintenance

During the Feb. 9 meeting, the Village of Chester listened to concerns on a proposed local law, requiring residents to maintain their property.

According to an earlier draft of Local Law No. 1 of 2026, the purpose of the ordinance is to “provide basic and uniform standards governing the maintenance, appearance and condition of all buildings and properties within the village to promote the economic wellbeing of the village and ensure the health, safety and welfare of its residents.”

Chester resident Anthony Quinn addressed the board during a public hearing on the proposed law, expressing concerns over its strictness, specifically in firewood storage. The local law would prohibit the maintenance of firewood, unless it is neatly stored at the rear or side yard, free of rotting wood, and not causing a visual disturbance along property lines.

Quinn argued that residents should not be penalized for how they stack and store their firewood, adding that firewood is essential for heating during the winter months. He suggested that the law should be adjusted to allow for seasonal storage.

“I stack [firewood] in little core increments as the season goes on,” Quinn said. “I don’t think I’ll bother anyone with it. I don’t think that’s the intent of this, but it doesn’t change the fact that if someone ever complained about my pile of firewood, I’ll be breaking the law. I don’t think I should be breaking the law for heating my house with wood.”

Quinn also expressed concern over the enforcement of structural issues, such as broken gutters, chimneys and fencing. He said the law could potentially be abused, suggesting it could be used to cite minor issues on properties.

He then asked about the law’s remediation policy, which previously stated that residents would have seven days to address a violation. Village Attorney Brian Nugent clarified that the board had a new version of the document, adding that residents would instead have 30 days of remediation after a notice of violation.

Following the meeting, the Village of Chester uploaded the new version of the document to their website to reflect these changes. The vote to approve the proposed law was tabled and is now awaiting approval on Mar. 9.

Proposed ICE facility

Mayor Tom Bell reiterated his statement that the village has not received an application or direct communication from the federal government regarding a potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility at 29 Elizabeth Drive.

Bell also noted that ICE has not responded to the village’s communication regarding a “public notice of activity concerning the floodplains” that was published by the Department of Homeland Security.