Tag Sales to Trash Bins: Town's e-Code Tells You What You Need to Know

Want to install an alarm system at home? Don't know what the speed limits are around town? Curious about the fines that can be imposed if you don't pick up your dog's poop from the street?

(Up to $100 if you want to know).

Whether you are a local resident who wants to host a tag sale, a homeowner seeking property improvements or a business owner concerned with the or —many answers to your questions can be found in the town's online municipal code.

And the system has undergone some enhancements recently that the town is eager to show off.

Now, locals have the most up-to-date code in town and can also search neighboring municipalities to research comparable laws in other towns, said Bedford Clerk, Lisbeth "Boo" Fumagalli.

Previously, the information in the general code would be updated quarterly.

"Now we have any code revisions posted prominently, which means the most up-to-date information is available to the architects, real estate brokers, homeowners and many other residents who need to look up local laws," she said, noting issues could come up if locals were accessing outdated legal information.

If you didn't like one of Bedford's laws and wanted to research comparable town codes to make a case for changing it, you don't have to change out of your pajamas to find out. The database now includes a library that allows multiple-municipality searches for related laws.

The system has many other "bells and whistles" that would be of particular interest to town employees but will also benefit local business owners and professionals, she said.

The town is hosting representatives from General Code, the Rochester-based firm which maintains Bedford's online code database, for two information sessions to held Thursday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the town courthouse.

"The sessions are great for anyone who comes before the planning, wetlands or zoning boards, for developers, homeowners," said Fumagalli. "But it's for more than just architects or lawyers—the general public is invited to see how this can be a tool for all citizens."

Fumagalli is also working on implementing another database, called Municity, for which she obtained $75,000 in grants to purchase. The program will eventually house all information related to any one parcel of land, including ownership, building permits, violations, septic information and eventually property assessments. 

Some of this information is still stored in paper and pencil records, a practice Fumagalli would like to end. "This is the history of the town and its very important we preserve it," she said.

For more information on the sessions, call the town clerk's office at 914-666-4534.