The Croton-on-Hudson Board of Trustees advanced a new law at its April 8 meeting that would give affordable housing priority to emergency service workers, medical professionals, and military veterans, while also opening a public discussion about where future cannabis dispensaries should be allowed to operate. ## Housing Preferences Local Law 5 of 2026 establishes occupational preferences for affordable housing units in future developments. Under the law, when a new development triggers the village's mandatory affordable housing set-aside, emergency service workers would receive first preference, medical workers second, and veterans third. Village Manager Bryan Healy explained that the law was developed with the PACE Land Use Law Center and the Housing Action Council. "This is a law that's been a long time in the makings," he said, noting that both organizations provided data showing the preferences would not be discriminatory. {{quote:93}} {{photo:1146:3920:Trustee Stacey Nachtaler addresses the board during the April 8 meeting}} The village Planning Board recommended that educators also be included. Healy said the Housing Action Council, which performed the research at no cost through a county shared services program, recently lost its longtime director and cannot currently take on the additional analysis. "They don't currently have the staff capability to do the research that they did for us previously," he said. {{quote:857}} Trustee Slippen pressed for a path forward. "I wanna acknowledge, you know, the planning board takes the time to consider the law and make a recommendation, and it's not something that we disagree with. I would like to try to incorporate it if we can," she said. {{quote:889}} The board held a public hearing on the law. No members of the public spoke. The village attorney noted that the Westchester County Planning Board did not disapprove the law but expressed general reservations about occupational preferences, while also acknowledging they were exploring similar preferences of their own. ## Cannabis Dispensary Zoning Healy confirmed that the Engineering Department has received a change-of-use application to convert the convenience store at 370 South Riverside Avenue into a cannabis dispensary. The Planning Board will review the application at its April 14 meeting. {{quote:1385}} Trustee Stacey Nachtaler then proposed that the board direct the village planner to evaluate whether future cannabis dispensaries should be restricted to the southernmost portion of the C-2 commercial district, near the ShopRite plaza, "which has greater parking, capacity, and access." {{quote:3914}} "My understanding is that most municipalities that have retail dispensaries have more than one," Nachtaler said. "While this does not impact the current applicant, I just wanna make a suggestion more looking forward." {{quote:3914}} Trustee Nicholson seconded the motion, raising concerns about the proximity of the current applicant's location to a preschool. "I know that there is some legislation from at the state level looking at the loophole around preschools and daycare centers and the distance between a dispensary and a daycare center and a preschool," she said. {{quote:4014}} Healy clarified that for municipalities with a population under 20,000, the state-mandated distance between dispensaries is 2,000 feet, not 1,000. "I don't think that C-2 is more than 2,000 feet in any one direction there," he said, suggesting the current application would effectively prevent a second dispensary in the Harmon commercial area. {{quote:4065}} Deputy Mayor Simon acknowledged that when the board opted not to ban dispensaries in 2021, members did not anticipate that daycares would not be treated as schools under state cannabis law. "We all went — we did not anticipate that the Harmon area would be deemed available," he said. {{quote:4278}} Healy noted that the distinction comes down to how an entity is registered with New York State, whether through the education department or the Office of Children and Family Services. {{quote:4292}} Rather than a formal referral to the Planning Board, the board agreed to schedule a work session where the attorney, planner, and manager would present maps and analysis of current zoning and distance requirements. ## Quaker Bridge The board expressed frustration at the lack of information from Westchester County about the Quaker Bridge replacement project. Healy said he has repeatedly asked for updates but received no response. "Absent going down to their offices and knocking on the door, I mean, I've reached out again today," he said. {{quote:1689}} The county is waiting for an Army Corps of Engineers permit, and the project will miss its initial June 30 completion date. Healy and the Town of Cortlandt have both asked the county for a press release or talking points to share with residents but have received nothing. Trustee Slippen called it a public safety concern. Healy confirmed that fire department heavy equipment cannot use the current detour route. "We have a responsibility to provide fire protection to the residents of the Teatown area," he said. "We have to send everybody all the way down Route 9 and into Crotonville." {{quote:1857}} The board agreed to draft a joint letter with the Town of Cortlandt requesting a formal update from the county. ## Other Business The board approved a justice court amnesty program offering a 50% discount on unpaid parking and traffic tickets from 2018 to 2024. Healy said there are approximately 3,000 outstanding tickets from that period. The program runs June through August and is administered at no cost to the village. {{quote:2420}} The board also adopted a zoning cleanup law but removed provisions related to the number of fowl permitted on residential properties after receiving public feedback. The village planner will study best practices in other communities before the board revisits the issue. During public comment, Croton resident Dave from Farrington Street returned to the podium to press the board on gas-powered leaf blower regulations, as he has at multiple previous meetings. He presented research on neighboring towns that have enacted stricter bans. "Ossining, White Plains, Larchmont, Irvington — these other towns are completely banning gas leaf blowers with police department enforcement, and we're happy with 17 tickets in four years and a seasonal ban?" he said. "Obviously, Croton is lagging embarrassingly behind." {{quote:3105}} He noted that Larchmont, with a population of 6,600, enacted a complete gas ban in 2020 with fines up to $1,000, while White Plains banned them entirely in 2024. Croton's current law allows seasonal use with exemptions for town properties, schools, and parks. {{quote:2987}} Trustee Slippen responded that the issue should be referred to the Conservation Advisory Council or Sustainability Committee for a formal recommendation. "I would like us to find some way to maybe refer it to one of the committees to come back to us," she said. {{quote:3358}} Trustee Nicholson confirmed that the Conservation Advisory Council is ready to take it up. "I think that they've already done some research and would be happy to take it up for sure," she said. The board agreed to refer the matter to the CAC. {{quote:4374}} Deputy Mayor Simon announced that the village bike share program has returned for the season, with planned expansion to Senasqua and North Riverside. He also noted the passing of Bernard "Butch" Duran, a Croton homebuilder who died April 1 at 64. "There is at least one Butch Duran house in every neighborhood in Croton," Simon said. "He worked very hard to make Croton better." {{quote:4744}}