CROTON-ON-HUDSON – The Planning Board took a deep dive into the technical side of village governance Tuesday night, reviewing a proposed 27-page overhaul of local zoning laws. If adopted by the Village Board, the legislation—known as Local Law No. 3—would largely serve as a "cleanup" operation. It is designed to correct inconsistencies in the code and update definitions to reflect the reality that special permit jurisdiction has transitioned from the Board of Trustees to the Planning Board. Acting Planning Board Vice Chair sat in for the absent chairman, noting that the board’s role is to review the document and provide recommendations back to the Trustees.
A board member speaks during discussion of zoning code cleanup amendments.
A board member speaks during discussion of zoning code cleanup amendments.
"We're essentially looking at a clean-up to make sure all code sections refer to you guys as being the ones issuing the special permits," said Vince, a village official assisting with the review. 4:51▶ While the bulk of the meeting focused on these procedural adjustments, two specific topics drew comments from board members: renewable energy infrastructure and the keeping of backyard chickens. Energy Storage and Solar The proposed code updates include amendments regarding solar energy systems. Specifically, the laws would allow "Tier 4" solar energy systems and "Tier 2" battery energy storage systems in RA-60 zones, which encompass the largest residential lots in Croton. Acting Vice Chair explained that this would allow owners of larger properties to install more substantial solar setups and beefier battery storage systems than are currently permitted. How Many Chickens Are Too Many? In a move that may interest residents with agrarian aspirations, the new law introduces clarity on backyard fowl. "The code didn't have clarity around this previously," the Acting Vice Chair said. 12:06▶ The proposal introduces a table that explicitly ties the maximum number of fowl—primarily chickens—to the size of a property. Under the new system, the larger the lot, the more birds are permitted. Board members reviewed a chart detailing these caps, moving to standardize rules that were previously vague. Permit Workload and Metro North Board Member John Ghegan raised practical concerns regarding the transfer of special permit authority. He requested data on the volume of special permits in the village to gauge the new workload for the Planning Board. "I'm just trying to get a sense of... what we're dealing with quantitatively," Ghegan said. "Is it 50? Is it 100? Is it 200?" He noted that since the permits come up for renewal, the board will need a system to track them so they do not lapse. Village staff agreed to look into historical data to provide a clearer picture of the annual volume. The board also discussed the code's language regarding Metro-North. The proposal suggests the railroad needs to seek special permits from the village for construction. Ghegan questioned whether this was necessary given the state entity's autonomy, referencing a large building erected by the railroad near the station seven or eight years ago. "If they don't have to come to us, it kinda makes this somewhat irrelevant," Ghegan said. 6:19▶ Board Member Jeff noted that state entities often utilize their own "Monroe hearing" process, effectively bypassing local zoning as long as the municipality does not object. The board decided to flag the section for clarification to ensure the village retains a voice in future railroad projects. Next Steps Following their review, the Planning Board will compile their thoughts and recommendations before sending the Local Law back to the Board of Trustees for final adoption. In other business, the board opened a public hearing for Temple Israel Northern Westchester, which is seeking an amended site plan for a new portico entry to its main entrance. Board Member John Ghegan recused himself from the application, disclosing he is a member of the temple and involved in the design process. As the applicant was not present, the hearing was kept open and adjourned to the next scheduled meeting.
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