Documents › Planning Board, 2026-10-27

minutes 3 pages

1 DRAFT Planning Board Meeting Minutes October 13, 2026 8:00 p.m. PRESENT: Rob Luntz, Chairperson John Ghegan Geoffrey Haynes Seyed Hosseini (Absent) Gabriella Mirabelli ALSO PRESENT: Vincent Salanitro, P.E., Village Engineer Jeannette Koster, Village Attorney Len Simon, Village Board Trustee & Planning Board Liaison Stacey Nachtaler, Village Board Trustee & Planning Board Liaison Bill Brady, Principal Planner, Nelson Pope Voorhis 1. CALL TO ORDER 8:00 p.m. Chairman Luntz called the Planning Board meeting of October 13, 2026, to order at 8:01 p.m. 2. NEW BUSINESS a) Ross, Johil – Rebel Studio Croton-122 Grand Street (78.8-7-4) Change of Use from Retail Store to Art Studio As there was no one present in support of this application, the Planning Board deferred the review until a later date. b) Referral from Village Board of Trustees to review Local Law Introductory No. 16 of 2026, the EAF and the CAF that seeks to amend the text of Chapter 230 “Zoning” to provide clarification for land use applications in connection with licensed adult use cannabis dispensaries. The Board reviewed and discussed the draft amendments and had the following comments: 1. We support the draft amendments to address the future additional adult use cannabis dispensaries in the Village. We appreciate that the amendments help the Village’s code be more consistent with the New York State Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA). We also appreciate the several ways that the local law more clearly focuses future cannabis dispensaries within commercial districts in the Village and includes requirements to locate future dispensaries at specific minimum distances from other dispensaries, and importantly from houses of worship, schools and public youth facilities. 2. We recommend that the Village Board consider imposing distance requirements for future liquor stores and vape or tobacco shops. While we recognize that such businesses may be subject to different state regulations, limitations and restrictions than cannabis dispensaries, we recommend that the Village consider such distance requirements, and, if possible, make code amendments consistent with those being considered for the cannabis dispensaries. 3. We recommend that drive-throughs are prohibited for cannabis dispensaries. 2 3. OLD BUSINESS a) Best Dispensary Near Me – 370 South Riverside Ave. (79.13-1-70) – Final Signage Approval with VEB Recommendation Attorney Micci Weiss and Tyler Blaire of Sign Extreme, Inc. were present in support of the application. Micci Weiss began by saying that the applicants were last here in April, 2026 when they received change of use approval and complied with all the conditions listed on the resolution and were recently issued a temporary certificate of occupancy. The applicants are back tonight for final signage approval so that they can install signage on their storefront, which they will now have to open without signage. The applicants went to the Advisory Board on the Visual Environment (VEB) and were given recommendations, which they understood were only recommendations. Chairman Luntz said that the VEB recommended something similar to the signage on the applicant’s existing storefront in Tarrytown, NY which has the lettering of the shop’s name larger and the words cannabis dispensary smaller. Micci Weiss answered that the signs that they are proposing are compliant with the Village of Croton-on-Hudson’s signage code. Vincent Salanitro confirmed that the signs, as presented, were compliant with the Village’s sign code, and mentioned that the VEB had a question as to lighting. Micci Weiss said that LED lighting is all over the state in multiple cannabis shops and if there was an issue with it, the Office of Cannabis Management would issue a violation. Micci Weiss said that the Office of Cannabis Management is responsible for this type of enforcement. Tyler Blaire of Sign Extreme, Inc., the applicant’s sign contractor, said that LED lighting is used in all modern signage, including existing signage in Croton-on-Hudson. Tyler Blaire said that the signs would be high quality with opaque backgrounds and only the letters would be illuminated. Tyler Blaire said that the signs would not rust, would have raised acrylic lettering and no light bleed. The color temperature and light level can be controlled, and no light will bleed to the apartment above the dispensary. Geoff Haynes acknowledged VEB’s concern regarding the signs being illuminated with LED lights at 6000K (kelvin). Tyler Blaire said that the 6000K does not address the brightness, it addresses the color temperature and 6000 is pure white light and anything less could affect the color of the letters. Geoff Haynes noted that the Village Code gave the Planning Board the authority to request an illumination plan as well as the ability to regulate the number, placement, intensity and hours of illumination of light fixtures. Geoff Haynes looked at the regulations in surrounding communities that have adopted “Dark Sky” restrictions, and those communities have caps on the kelvin number ranging from 2,700 - 3,000. Tyler Blaire replied that 6000k is standard for a channel letter or a light box with a logo as it is basically a pure white light. Tyler Blaire stated that 2700k would look yellow. Micci Weiss chimed in that the light is contained within the box and the lights would be turned off after hours. Tyler Blaire said that the lights would have a timer and could be set to turn off at specific times. Tyler Blaire reiterated that you could have the same brightness with 2700k or 6000k but what they are proposing for this sign is cleaner. Chairman Luntz thought that Tyler Blaire was correct and if you wanted to regulate brightness, you would look at lumens. Steve Krisky said that the VEB suggested making the cannabis lettering smaller on the sign hanging above the door (on the Benedict Blvd. side), perhaps the same as on the sign proposed on South Riverside Ave., but Tyler Blaire said that they went through many iterations, and there is a limited amount of height underneath the windows at this location, and if they stack it, like on S. Riverside Ave., the sign would be very narrow. The Planning Board felt that the sign proposed for S. Riverside Ave. is more tasteful. Micci Weiss again said that it is a compliant sign and suggested they were getting into “First Amendment stuff.” 3 After some discussion it was decided that the applicants will come back to the Planning Board with different variations of signs, but one may be larger. Geoff Haynes asked about the ATM sign and the applicant said that they can remove the ATM sign, but there would be an ATM inside the dispensary. There were some comments from the audience, and John McKeon of Prospect Place read a prepared statement that is attached to these minutes. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Draft Minutes 9/22/2026 John Ghegan made a motion to approve the Planning Board minutes of September 22, 2026, as amended, seconded by Gabriella Mirabelli, and the motion carried, 4 – 0, with Steve Krisky abstaining as he was absent on September 22, 2026. 5. ENGINEER’S REPORT a) There were no updates regarding the garden center on Albany Post Road and their dealings with DOT. b) It was clarified that the property owner at 425 South Riverside Avenue must comply with the conditions on the change of use approval for Mirage Mirror & Glass, one of the tenants at 425 S. Riverside Ave. and satisfy the conditions of the landscaping plan. c) Regarding the multi-family building at 1380 Albany Post Road, the applicant sent responses to comments from outside reviewing agency LaBella Associates as part of the external review. 6. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 9:05 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Karen Stapleton, Secretary to the Planning Board