RICHFIELD- The town board of Richfield has taken steps towards revamping the town's land use laws, specifically for properties with Canadarago Lake frontage.

Land use regulations have been "looser" for properties around the lake because they were originally seasonal/recreational properties, Nicholas Palevsky, town supervisor said.

However, they are more commonly being used for long-term residential purposes and seem to require stricter regulations, he added. The board's goal is to create more equitable land use regulations for properties on and off the lake.

A public hearing will be held at the next board meeting on June 21 at 7:15 p.m. to solicit comments about adopting a proposed law that would make the lists of permitted uses and special permitted uses uniform throughout the town, within both the seasonal rescreational zoning district around the lake as well the other district.

The board has also approved a moratorium on granting variances so that no non-conforming uses will be granted while town officials review the current laws, said Palevsky.

Through a grant, the town has hired Terry Damon to assist with the revision of land use regulations.

The town's planning board will have several workshops to determine the changes and public hearings will be scheduled in the future for public comments, he said.

Although he was unsure of a completion date, Palevsky hopes that the revisions of the laws will be adopted before the end of the year.

In other news, the board:

• notified the public that Baker's Beach is now open weekends until July 4, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and then seven days a week until labor day.

• heard word from a representative from the engineering firm Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., with regards to the reconstruction of the privately owned dam at the southern end of Canadorago Lake.

A recent survey was done on the property and a preliminary design drawings and first draft of a contract are in the works. Documents should be available for review by the town in about three weeks.

If everything goes smoothly, bids could be requested in July and construction could begin in August.