Planning Board approves Baltic Estates apartment, with wastewater capacity still to be confirmed

The Croton Planning Board voted 3-0 at its May 26 meeting to approve an accessory apartment at 129 Scenic Drive West, with wastewater capacity among the conditions still to be met before a building permit could be issued. The applicants reported that their search that day for the private treatment plant's operator had been unsuccessful; the village engineer offered to help.

Acting Chairperson Geoffrey Haynes, member Steve Krisky, and member John Ghegan — the three board members present — voted 3-0 to approve the project. Because a quorum of three required a unanimous vote, all three approvals were needed. Christine and Vicente Fernandez are converting the existing walkout basement of their Baltic Estates home into a self-contained apartment for Christine's parents, Diane Sinicrope and her husband. Architect Justin Kacur of Highlands Architecture said the project uses 481 square feet of existing finished basement space plus a 282-square-foot addition, for a total of 763 square feet — within the 800-square-foot maximum allowed under village code. The project required three approvals from the Planning Board: a wetlands activity permit, a building envelope modification, and a minor site plan. The addition extends 3.7 feet beyond the building envelope established when Baltic Estates was subdivided in 1995. Village Engineer Vincent Salanitro explained that because the limit was set as part of the subdivision approval rather than the village's standard setback, the Planning Board — not the Zoning Board of Appeals — has jurisdiction to modify it. Salanitro explained: "it was approved by the planning board for the building envelope."Read 12:23▶ Krisky asked why the project did not require a zoning variance. The discussion distinguished the subdivision’s building envelope from the village’s setback requirement. Christine Fernandez told the board the project grew from the practical need for sustainable multigenerational living. Her parents had been sharing the main house's kitchen and laundry; the proposal would provide separate living space. The walkout basement with direct garage access was a key factor in choosing the home. "So as the family grows, make make space for everyone and make sure we're kind of able to keep a a good sustainable balance here,"Read 5:53▶ Fernandez said. Stormwater management was the second key issue. The addition creates roughly 500 square feet of new impervious surface from the roof over the addition. Civil engineer Ralph Mastromonaco designed a rain garden to capture gutter runoff and disperse it on-site, outside the 120-foot wetlands buffer. The village's Water Control Commission reviewed the application and recommended approval with conditions, including that the rain garden be built before any other construction begins. The board added that the rain garden must be designed to the satisfaction of the Village Engineer.

Krisky raised a quality-of-life concern about bright lighting from the commercial property across the street, suggesting the homeowners consider planting landscaping as a buffer — not as a formal condition, but as practical advice. Diane Sinicrope, Christine's mother, said the lighting has not been a significant problem in the two and a half years they have lived there. "So I don't really see that as a problem, but thank you for that consideration,"Read 15:22▶ Sinicrope said. The discussion's most vexing topic was sewage. Baltic Estates is served by a private wastewater treatment plant, and the board's resolution requires the applicants to demonstrate that the plant has sufficient capacity for the additional unit. Kacur told the board that he and the homeowners spent the day of the meeting trying to track down the facility's operator, without success. Kacur said they had spent "the entire day today trying to track down who operates that facility, and we're not successful."Read 21:28▶ The search led to disconnected phone numbers. Sinicrope said relatives they contacted told them they were no longer involved. Salanitro offered to help the applicants identify the responsible party. "It's this private wastewater treatment operator that we need to find out, and I'll help you guys. We'll work together,"Read 23:15▶ he said. He said people he contacted in the Town of Cortlandt, where the facility is located, had mentioned the same name. The facility operates under a state SPDES (State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit that is valid through April 30, 2027, according to records the applicants obtained from Albany. Krisky noted that the design center across the street had once sought to connect to the same sewer district but was ultimately denied and had to install its own septic system, a process he said was difficult for all parties involved. He observed that someone must be receiving the sewer district's quarterly payments, even if the ownership has become opaque. The board also required the apartment to have a separate, distinguishable address — likely 129A — to ensure emergency services can locate the second residence. Salanitro said he would coordinate with the Town of Cortlandt assessor on the designation and confirmed the address requirement is mandated by village code. "it keeps everybody safe and future residents safe,"Read 35:16▶ Salanitro said. The approval permits a new owner to continue the accessory apartment by notifying the Building Department within 90 days of an ownership change, confirming that the new owner will reside on the premises and comply with the applicable accessory-apartment requirements. The final resolution included in the minutes states: “Failure to timely file will result in a revocation of the accessory apartment or accessory apartment approval and the new owner will have to make a new application.” The condition requires timely notice; it does not automatically end the approval when the property changes hands.

No members of the public spoke at the hearing, and the Engineering Office reported that neighbor notifications were sent with no feedback received. Before adjourning, Krisky asked Salanitro for a public update on the construction work at Van Cortlandt Manor, where work is visible at the entrance. Salanitro said the project was approved years ago, and he pledged to gather more details for residents. Krisky suggested the village post project plans on its website, noting that residents have been asking questions. *Correction, October 19, 2026: The final approval requires a new owner to give compliance and occupancy notice within 90 days. A new application is required if that notice is not timely filed; approval does not automatically end on sale. Unnecessary details about children and family health have been removed, and the attendance description now refers to the three members present.*