WILLIAMSBURG — A new state housing law approved this summer that spells out state rules for accessory dwelling units will likely have minimal impact on the town.

At a Select Board meeting last Thursday, Planning Board Chair Steve Smith said “we’re not changing anything more than what’s required by state law.” Town Administrator Nick Caccamo said only “minor changes” are anticipated to be made to existing zoning bylaws at next spring’s annual Town Meeting.

The expansive Affordable Homes Act, signed into law on Aug. 6, includes zone changes that declare accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, under 900 square feet to be built by right. The changes are intended to expand affordable housing across the state.

The discussion veered to short-term rentals, currently only permitted in homes which the owner occupies, either single- or two-family, with both the Planning and Select Boards disinclined to allow short-term rental spaces in accessory dwellings despite the town’s to-be-updated zoning bylaws.

Mill River Greenway

In other news, board clerk Denise Banister is hoping “everyone can come to a consensus” before work is set to begin on the Mill River Greenway, an initiative to create a shared-use path between Northampton and Williamsburg. Residents who live along South Main Street have argued against the portion of the project that goes through their neighborhood.

Work is scheduled to commence at the beginning in the spring construction season. The board will be voting on the final plans of the project in the near future.

In July the board voted to send plans to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in order to secure $2.39 million from the state’s Transportation Bond Bill.

The project currently has two funding sources in addition to the bond bill, including $500,000 in funding from the Complete Streets Funding Program, and $200,000 from MassTrails grants, bringing available funds to $3.9 million for a project that has been given cost estimates to be in the “ballpark of $3 million,” according to Caccamo.

New School Committee member, fire chief can stay

The Select Board last week also appointed Stephen Turner to the Williamsburg School Committee, a position that has been vacant since last year.

Turner has two children who currently attend the Anne T. Dunphy school, making him the only parent on the School Committee. He shared that “trying to get them in good schools,” speaking of his children, had been a big reason for him moving back to the area.

A Goshen native, Turner works in software analytics after an eight-year career in the military.

“It’s nice to have a backfill of young people coming in,” said Denise Banister, as all Select Board members voted in approval of his appointment.

Finally, the town recently received word that Fire Chief Glen Everett can continue in his capacity as a Williamsburg firefighter an additional five years after Gov. Maura Healey signed an act giving the town permission to continue his employment beyond age 65. The approval means Everett can remain on the job until June 2029, unless he chooses to retire sooner.

Samuel Gelinas can be reached at sgelinas@gazettenet.com