⚖️ Zoning Board of Appeals
ZBA to Open Hearings on Three Residential Addition Variances
The Zoning Board of Appeals will open public hearings on two new variance applications for home additions at 100 Young Avenue and 39 Palmer Avenue, continue an existing hearing for 59 Sunset Drive, and approve draft minutes from its March 17 meeting.
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Open public hearing on side yard and front yard variances for a two-story addition at 100 Young Avenue
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Open public hearing on front yard and rear yard variances for an addition at 39 Palmer Avenue
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Continue public hearing on side yard, total side yard, and lot width variances for a two-story rear addition at 59 Sunset Drive
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Approve draft minutes from the March 17, 2026 meeting
_Editor's note: This article previews a scheduled meeting based on the published agenda packet. After the meeting is held and video is released, coverage will be updated with the actual discussion and any votes taken._
The Zoning Board of Appeals will convene on Tuesday, April 21 to open public hearings on two new residential variance applications and continue a hearing on a third, all seeking relief from the village's setback requirements for home additions.
Two new public hearings are on the docket. Matthew Dillon, owner of 100 Young Avenue, will ask the board for side yard and front yard variances from Village Zoning Code Section 230-33(A) to accommodate a proposed first- and second-story addition. The property is located in an RA-5 Residence District, designated as Section 79.13 Block 1 Lot 13 on the village tax maps. The packet includes a marked property survey and full construction plans prepared in accordance with the 2025 New York State Residential Building Code.
Margaret Crocker, owner of 39 Palmer Avenue, will seek front yard and rear yard variances from the same zoning code section for a proposed addition to the Crocker Residence. The property, located in an RA-5 district at Section 78.08 Block 4 Lot 19, has a lot area of 4,452 square feet — below the 5,000-square-foot minimum for the zone. The construction plans, prepared by architect Lewis C. Roane of Croton-on-Hudson, show the project sits in FEMA's X flood zone and include a new deck designed for 40 pounds per square foot live load. The plans were originally issued for bid and filing on November 15, 2025 and revised on March 22, 2026.
The board will also continue an open public hearing for Meredith Korn's property at 59 Sunset Drive, where architect Joseph Arnow is representing the owner. That application requests side yard, total side yard, and lot width variances for a proposed two-story rear addition to an existing 2.5-story house. Zoning drawings show the proposed addition would measure roughly 12 by 16 feet on the first floor with a matching second story above, replacing an existing deck. The site plan depicts extremely narrow side yard clearances — as little as seven inches in some locations — well below what the RA-5 district requires.
In routine business, the board will vote on draft minutes from its March 17 meeting. Those minutes document a significant action from that session: the board voted 4-0 to refer the controversial 52 Mount Airy Road subdivision application to the Planning Board for environmental review under SEQRA, after extensive questioning of the applicant's engineer about tree removal, stormwater management, and site grading. Eleven members of the public spoke in opposition at that meeting, raising concerns about neighborhood character, the environmental impact of removing approximately 30 trees, and whether the project had been improperly classified as a Type II action to avoid full environmental review. The public hearing for the Mount Airy application remains open while the Planning Board conducts its review.
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**Source documents:**
- [ZBA Application — 59 Sunset Drive (scanned)](https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026-04/6e2a5b16ad036ef4d143cfa64555c4c4f6dee65a.pdf)
- [59 Sunset Drive — Zoning Drawings](https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026-04/58ab5c8fdd211e1edb7bf9ac5c58516dca2bcf4c.pdf)
- [ZBA Application — 100 Young Ave (scanned)](https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026-04/1f19fdb2fb2af185f640aed05f6818e805ce7055.pdf)
- [100 Young Ave — Marked Property Survey (scanned)](https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026-04/dc453b3c7826d2f5d9de1038d0bd98119a7c46f7.pdf)
- [100 Young Ave — Construction Plans](https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026-04/024da09b1ff71695da7008290a5610e4bae9c557.pdf)
- [ZBA Application — 39 Palmer Ave (scanned)](https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026-04/fc06aae4224b2fe02bc5ad683fe219dd45c9df74.pdf)
- [39 Palmer Ave — Complete Plans](https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026-04/f67e4961d48f62a0d0067e30fa060cf344bfad90.pdf)
- [ZBA Draft Minutes — March 17, 2026](https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2026-04/fc58b506e85ae47b412b8009b18a54661974d779.pdf)
Coverage of the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on 2026-04-21,
Village of Croton-on-Hudson, NY.
· Read full transcript
This article was drafted by AI (glm-5-turbo-packet) from the official meeting transcript and reviewed by a human editor.
Quotes link to source video timestamps for verification.
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Related Zoning Board of Appeals Meetings
2026-04-04
The Developer Who Keeps Coming Back: Andrew Cortese's Latest Fight Lands in Croton
2026-04-03
'What Is the Hardship Other Than Profit?': Mount Airy Neighbors Draw a Line
2026-03-17
ZBA refers Mount Airy subdivision to Planning Board
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Resolutions Passed: None.
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Resolutions Failed: None.
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Applications Reviewed:
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52 Mount Airy Road (52 Mt Airy Rd, LLC): Request for two lot width area variances from Section 230-33A of the Village Zoning Code to subdivide a 49,436.6 sq ft parcel in an RA25 Residence District into two lots. Both proposed lots (24,718 sq ft and 24,718.6 sq ft) fall short of the 25,000 sq ft minimum by approximately 281 sq ft (1%). The applicant proposes constructing a new single-family home on Lot B, removing 26 to 30 trees, and building 4-to-6-foot retaining walls. Board Member Doug Olcott recused himself. The public hearing was opened and remains open.
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Public Comments: Three speakers addressed the Board:
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Claire Hilbert (60 Mount Airy Road): Read a letter from Stuart and Karen Greenbaum (48 Mount Airy Road South) opposing the variances due to substandard lot sizes, tree removal, steep slope disturbance, stormwater flooding, traffic safety, wildlife habitat loss, and property values. Also raised concerns about neighborhood character and wooded habitat loss.
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David Steele (56 Mount Airy Road): Spoke in opposition, citing the neighborhood's wooded, historic character and cumulative tree removal impacts.
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Deborah Schpack (16 King Street): Read a letter signed by 45 residents opposing the variances over stormwater runoff, erosion, downhill flooding, steep slope impacts, and intensified development on constrained land.
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Additionally, a member of the public submitted a car accident incidence report for that section of Mount Airy Road, and multiple written letters of opposition were entered into the record.
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Reports:
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Board Deliberations: The Board requested updated survey information, a steep slope analysis, architectural elevations and renderings, grading and retaining wall clarifications, and marked site features (driveway, house location, trees for removal) ahead of a site visit. The site visit will be scheduled once snow melts.
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Other Business: Minutes of the January 20, 2026 meeting were approved by a vote of 3-0 (Olcott absent, Berger recused).
2026-02-17
Zoning Board Grills Mount Airy Subdivision Applicant Over Tree Removal
2026-01-20
Zoning Board Grants Door Variance Amid Mount Airy Tree Removal Outcry
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Resolutions Passed
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Variance from Village Zoning Code Section 230-41(G) for 43 Riverview Trail (Section 68.17 Block 2 Lot 11) to allow an accessory structure (cottage) with access observable from the street. Vote: 5-0 (Olcott, Goldsmith, Tuman, Weber, Lewis).
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Approval of the December 16, 2025 meeting minutes. Vote: 5-0.
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Resolutions Failed
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None.
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Applications Reviewed
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43 Riverview Trail (Rosanne MacDonald, owner; Norm Jansa, Westchester Modular Homes, representative): The applicant returned for a second variance after receiving height and setback approvals in December 2025. The Engineering Department subsequently flagged that the front door on the street-facing façade required a separate variance. The applicant argued the restriction applied only to attached accessory apartments, not detached ADUs, and that relocating the door would be impractical due to topography, garbage receptacle mounds, and three large propane tanks. The Board found the variance was not substantial, would not alter the structure's approved scale or bulk, and that alternative door placement would be awkward and pose safety concerns near mechanical equipment. The Board also noted the difficulty was self-created.
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52 Mount Airy Road: Adjourned to February 17, 2026, at the applicant's request submitted via email the afternoon of January 20. No action was taken.
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Public Comments
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No public comments were offered during the hearing for 43 Riverview Trail.
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Multiple members of the public spoke regarding 52 Mount Airy Road, raising concerns about potential tree removal, permit requirements, construction activity prior to ZBA approval, and scheduling conflicts with school vacations. The Board clarified that no decisions would be made before a formal public hearing, that existing permits allow some unrelated construction, and that written comments can be submitted for the record.
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Reports
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Ron Wegner, Assistant Village Engineer, was present but no formal report was delivered (his department's feedback was incorporated into the 43 Riverview Trail application review).
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Stacey Nachtler, Village Board Liaison, was present.
2025-12-16
Zoning Board Approves ADU Variance for Collapsing Cottage
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Key Actions & Decisions
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Resolutions Passed
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Resolution 1: Granted a 2.6-foot total side yard variance from Section 230-33A for a rear shed dormer addition at 21 Elmore Ave. Vote: 5-0.
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Resolution 2: Granted a front-yard setback variance of approximately 21 feet 2 inches from Section 230-40(B) and a height variance of 3 feet 5 inches from Section 230-40A(1)(a) for a prefabricated accessory dwelling unit at 43 Riverview Trail. Vote: 5-0.
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Resolution 3: Approved amended Zoning Board of Appeals Rules & Procedures, removing fixed meeting date/time language, clarifying scheduling flexibility and adjournment procedures, removing liaison references, and reorganizing the minutes documentation section. Vote: 5-0.
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Resolution 4: Approved the minutes of the October 28, 2025 meeting. Vote: 5-0.
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Resolutions Failed
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None.
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Applications Reviewed
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21 Elmore Ave (Section 79.9, Block 2, Lot 23; RA-5 District): Owners Noelle Sirico & John O'Brien, represented by architect Joseph Arnow, sought a side yard variance for a rear dormer to add headroom, enlarge a bedroom, and add a full bathroom. The board found the variance was not substantial and did not increase the degree of nonconformity of the 1950 home.
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43 Riverview Trail (Section 68.17, Block 2, Lot 11; RA-25 District): Owner Rosanne MacDonald, represented by Norm Jansa of Westchester Modular Homes Construction Corp., sought variances to replace a long-vacant, dilapidated accessory structure with an 800-square-foot prefabricated ADU for her daughter, Annette Forte. The board found the setback variance substantial but mitigated by steep topography and the dead-end street location.
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Public Comments
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Stacey Natchler, Village Board Liaison, asked questions regarding parking and site design (a proposed gravel area) for the 43 Riverview Trail application. No other public comments were heard.
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Reports
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Assistant Village Engineer Ron Wegner and board members thanked Chairperson Christine Wagner for her time and dedication to serving as Chair of the ZBA.
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