📐 Planning Board
Developer Slams $12,000 Parkland Fee at Meeting
The Croton Planning Board unanimously approved five resolutions on November 4, 2025, including minor site plans for a new single-family home at 73 Melrose Avenue and a building envelope modification for a fire-damaged home at 8 Newton Court. The board also pushed back against a Village Board proposal to appoint alternate members, arguing it is unnecessary.
◆ Key Actions & Decisions
- **Resolutions Passed**
- Final Signage Approval for The Grand at 130 Grand Street (Sean Fuller). Vote: 5-0.
- Final Signage Approval for Monday's Gift Shop at 125 Grand Street (Cody Eichelberger). Vote: 5-0.
- Minor Site Plan, Tree Removal, and SWPPP Approval for a new single-family home at 73 Melrose Avenue (73 Melrose, LLC / Taurus Builders Corp. / Butch Doran). Vote: 5-0. Conditions include a waived off-street parking requirement, updated height dimensions on plans, and 100-year storm runoff calculations. Subject to a $12,000 parkland fee prior to building permit issuance.
- Building Envelope Modification at 8 Newton Court (Matthew & Ilana Robinson). Vote: 5-0. Allows a front porch, rear deck, and gazebo for a home rebuilding after a significant fire. Condition: Applicant must apply to the ZBA for a variance for the gazebo.
- Approval of October 7, 2025 draft minutes. Vote: 5-0.
- **Resolutions Failed**
- None.
- **Applications Reviewed**
- Local Law Introductory No. 14 of 2025: Referred by the Village Board of Trustees to review a draft law allowing the appointment of alternate members to the Planning Board and ZBA. The Planning Board expressed several concerns, noting they historically maintain a quorum and do not see the need for an alternate. No vote or resolution was issued.
- **Public Comments**
- Sean Fuller (130 Grand Street): Spoke in support of his signage application; noted he pulled old plants from flower beds and plans to add mulch and vines; inquired about adding a marquee (advised it requires a new application).
- Cody Eichelberger (125 Grand Street): Spoke in support of signage application; clarified window lettering will be white vinyl, not white windows.
- Butch Doran (73 Melrose Avenue): Spoke in support of the site plan; argued the $12,000 parkland fee is excessive compared to larger multi-unit buildings; criticized the $28,000 building permit fee, arguing it should be based on square footage rather than construction cost. The Board directed fee concerns to the Village Board of Trustees.
- Matthew Robinson & Justin Kacur, Architect (8 Newton Court): Spoke in support of the building envelope modification; provided history of the fire-damaged home; shared building material samples.
- **Reports**
- Village Engineer Vincent Salanitro: Present, no specific report recorded.
- Village Attorney Dan Pozin: Stated that having Planning Board alternates is typical in other communities.
- Village Board Liaison Len Simon: Present but left early.
- Chairman Rob Luntz: Advised the Robinsons that the Village follows the NY State Stretch Energy Code, requiring the rebuild to be "solar ready."
A $12,000 parkland fee for a single-family home drew sharp criticism from a local developer at the November 4 Planning Board meeting, where the board unanimously approved a slate of residential and commercial projects.
Butch Doran, representing 73 Melrose, LLC, secured a 5-0 vote for a minor site plan to construct a new four-bedroom home at the end of a dead-end street in the Harmon Subdivision. While the board praised the proposed design as an improvement over a previously approved plan, Doran used the public hearing to challenge the village’s fee structure.
"The construction of this house, in this spot, goes along with what the Harmon Subdivision was designed for," Doran said, pointing out that larger, multi-unit buildings with more bedrooms pay no recreation fee. He also noted that building permit fees for the project totaled $28,000 before the parkland fee, arguing fees should be based on square footage rather than construction cost. The Planning Board directed his concerns to the Village Board of Trustees, which sets fee schedules.
To accommodate the home's small footprint and 15-foot setback, the board waived the off-street parking requirement, noting two cars in the driveway would slightly encroach on the right of way—a common allowance on the wide, dead-end street. The applicant must still provide calculations proving no net increase in runoff during a 100-year storm and add the home's exact height to the architectural plans.
In a separate unanimous vote, the board approved a building envelope modification for Matthew and Ilana Robinson at 8 Newton Court to rebuild their home, which was significantly damaged by fire earlier this year. The approval covers a new front porch and rear deck. However, the Robinsons will need to seek a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals for a gazebo. Chairman Rob Luntz also reminded the applicants that the rebuild must comply with the NY State Stretch Energy Code and be "solar ready."
On the commercial side, final signage approvals were granted 5-0 for The Grand at 130 Grand Street and Monday's Gift Shop at 125 Grand Street, both of which previously cleared review by the Advisory Board on the Visual Environment.
The board also briefly discussed Local Law Introductory No. 14 of 2025, a Village Board proposal to appoint alternate members to the Planning Board and ZBA. The board pushed back, with Village Attorney Dan Pozin noting alternates are common elsewhere, but members maintaining they consistently have a quorum and see no need for the change.
Residents should note that tree removal and excavation at 73 Melrose Avenue are restricted to daytime hours, and blasting is strictly prohibited if bedrock is encountered during construction.