ELDRED, NY — Highland officials say the town’s zoning ordinance is so far out of synch with current issues that piecemeal revisions no longer work and a comprehensive update is needed.

Supervisor Jeff Haas proposed the update at the town board’s July 12 meeting. He said it was the only way to deal with earlier omissions and new questions that have arisen since the near 20-year-old ordinance was approved. Parts of the ordinance have since been revised, like the local law that was passed in July of 2012, effectively banning fracking in the town, but the ordinance as a whole has not been overhauled.

Councilman Scott Hallock said the problems often come up at the meetings of the town board’s zoning task force. “We look at one thing, and we end up with three others,” he said.

Haas said the town needs a certified person to bring the ordinance up to 2016, “so we don’t keep beating our heads against the wall.”

He estimated the planning cost at some $50,000, which he intends to secure in various grants, and the board later passed a resolution authorizing him to seek that funding.

The move came after public hearing on a local law, for a parking revision, which would bar bus and livery parking and other commercial uses in Barryville’s cul-de-sac for the river fishing access.

Use of the cul-de-sac became a focus, after the planning board’s recent denial of a proposed boat livery base at the Spring House beach on River Road.

Approval of the local law was scheduled that night, but was tabled when questions arose about the legal definition of the word “parking.”

Another zoning-related issue came from the town’s zoning and environmental committee report, in which Chair Carol Roig called for the town board’s adoption of a proposed unified solar (energy) permit for small-scale arrays for residential and small commercial properties to streamline the permitting process.

Roig also called for discussion of a new state model ordinance dealing with larger solar installations.

Haas said the proposal for a zoning overhaul would not end the zoning task force committee’s work. “If you have issues, write them down. The task force isn’t going away with the update of the law and definitions. We have to go on as new laws are written.”

“So much needs work,” Councilman Jim Hanson commented.

In other business, the board announced the hiring of three new constables who are now in training and will be introduced at a future board meeting; heard complaints about speeding traffic on Highland Lake’s Lakeview Drive; discussed town-wide speed reductions on town roads; noted that Glenn Pontier has taken a new position and has asked to be removed from two town committees, while retaining his position on the Scenic Byway Committee, which he chairs; and noted that U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson planned to attend the July 23 annual commemoration of the Battle of Minisink, which took place at the county park.