SKANEATELES - With rising property taxes and dropping home values, Skaneateles can't afford to stunt growth for reasonably priced housing, according to one committee.

The town appointed a committee to look at the obstacles that prevent growth in affordable homes within the borders of Skaneateles.

That group recently submitted an incentive program for review by the Skaneateles Town Board.

However, board members had some questions about the plan that would force developers to build one lower-priced home for a six-home development, or in the case of larger projects, make 15 percent of dwellings fit within the price range deemed “affordable,” namely around $250,000.

Town board member Dave Laxton questioned how blending upscale homes with those marked affordable in the same development would work.

Also, Laxton echoed other board members#, questions about the future of those lower-priced housing if those properties are in nice neighborhoods and receive upgrades.

“I don't see where building high-priced houses and affordable housing in the same development will work in the long run,” Laxton said.

“It might work on the first sale.”

Committee member Joe Southern responded to Laxton saying the lower-priced units would not have the bonus features.

This would make them different from the neighboring houses but still look the same.

As to the future, the plan includes a provision that forces a property owner to stay within certain pricing limits.

This means if a resident wants to sell their affordable home within 10 years, the homeowner has to sell it for the same price they bought it for, with a little room for inflation. This is to prevent someone from making large profits on a home in a new development.

“I had some questions about it,” Deputy Supervisor Ellen Kulik said. “Really what are we obligating the town to do by backing this law? Because it sounds pretty mandatory.”

Laxton again asked about outside factors affecting property values, factors that have driven up the community's value as a whole, such as the school district as well as the community center. These would continue to affect values, even if the structures were built as affordable homes, Laxton said.

The town had spoken about a regulation to promote affordable housing in the past and Kulik had questioned the potential of this measure to work because of the town's lack of infrastructure, mainly a sanitary sewer network.

“We've heard lots of builders come in and tell us they can't do affordable housing,” Kulik said. “Or they say it's going to be affordable and by the time they're done it's not affordable any more because there's not a sewer system here and they have put in an expensive septic system.”

Laxton agreed, adding that the homes need larger lots to install septic systems, which translates into an immediate boost in price.

“The idea here is to get some housing started,” Southern said. “The legislation we have in place doesn't work and the point of this is to cause affordable housing to happen.”

The incentives in place aren't practical because they conflict with other agencies#, building restrictions, such as lot size.

The town board was divided over the fact that the private sector drives this incentive. If no developers build a development of more that five homes, than they don't have to abide by the restrictions.

However, the Skaneateles Planning Board would take responsibility for holding builders to this regulation if they built housing developments in sections, for example three houses the first two years, and then three more units two years later.

This would allow builders to seek grants to assist them with the potential expenses, but this would mean developers would have to abide by limits set by accepting this state grants.

Town board member Nancy Murray also participated on the committee. She often hears from many empty nesters who are looking to remain in the community but can't find the smaller homes that would fit their needs.

“If we don't start doing something now, we have many people who are leaving, people who want to downsize and can't afford to do that here,” Murray said. “We have many families who have left. It's a good way to entice young people to come and work as teachers or (in) various jobs that are open up here for them and I'm very much for affordable housing. Let's see if we can get this started.”