Documents

minutes 21 pages

Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, NY, held on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in the Georgianna Grant Meeting Room at the Stanley Kellerhouse Municipal Building, Van Wyck Street, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520. 1. Mayor Pugh called the meeting to order at 7:00pm and led everyone in the pledge of allegiance. Trustee Simon made a motion to approve the following Fiscal Year Vouchers, claims numbered 24000042-24000299, 24250302-24250339. The Motion was seconded by Trustee Politi and approved with a 5-0 Vote. $1,121,136.08 Water Fund $214,398.03 Sewer Fund $56,145.19 Capital Fund $119,567.10 Trust Fund 1,975.00 3. RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY EMAIL - None 4. CORRESPONDENCE a. Letter from John Sullivan, Esq. representing Neil and Nicole Graham, requesting that the Village of Croton-on-Hudson formally dedicate a rectangular piece of property at 33 Mount Green Road, which serves as an extension of Jasper Road, to resolve access issues for neighboring parcels. 07/d11fe53a6ab315946a2751d8e44a423877c7dada.pdf b. Memo from Village Manager Bryan Healy on the Alexander Lane Optimum Outage https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2024- 07/6c49514890345798a0fe3a3e3e330188840624eb.pdf Mayor Pugh Trustee Murtaugh Village Manager Bryan Healy Trustee Nicholson Village Attorney Linda Whitehead Trustee Politi Village Treasurer Daniel Tucker Trustee Simon Assistant to the Village Manager Emily Mancini Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 c. Letter from the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce requesting approval to conduct a Scarecrow Contest in the Village of Croton-on- Hudson during the month of October. 07/8fa884390dc0d1dd4543135c75b238f83e64b0b1.pdf Resolution: On motion by Trustee Simon and seconded by Trustee Politi the Board of Trustees approved the request from the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce to conduct a Scarecrow Contest during the month of October. Motion was approved with a 5-0 vote. d. Memo from Village Manager Bryan Healy on a request to use the Croton- Harmon Train Station Parking lot on August 25, 2024, for a music festival. 07/c189c6caf0ed145f6a1ec5bfd0e7ed2825c3bd87.pdf Village Manager Healy stated that he met with Franki Leon along with the Police Chief and the Superintendent of Public Works to discuss a number of issues related to the event. Village Manager Healy advised that he is recommending that the event end by 7:00pm, alcohol sales conclude one hour before the end of the event, that they have an appropriate number of bathrooms, and that private security be hired. Trustee Simon stated that the organizers are also responsible for compensating the Village for Police and DPW staff overtime and he is glad that we are putting safeguards in place. Trustee Murtaugh asked how we get assurances that everything will be put in place. Village Manager Healy stated that we will make sure that we receive the confirmation from the Porta-Potty company that they will be delivered before the event, they will also need to provide information regarding the private security to the Police Chief to make sure they are registered and licensed. Village Manager Healy added that our Parking Enforcement Officers will be working that day to help direct people to the proper parking areas and those attendees will also have to pay for parking. July 17, 2024 Trustee Nicholson stated that she has some reservations since last year was a real debacle, information was not presented in the most up-front way to the Village and asked if they will be charging admission, how many attendees are they estimating, how many parking spaces will be available for participants, and are they interested in allowing local businesses to participate in the event. Trustee Nicholson stated that at this time she does not see an upside for the Village. Trustee Politi seconded the vendor question. Village Manager Healy stated that they expect around 1,000 people, there is a fee to attend the event which he does not know at this time and between Sections I, G, A, C and F, there should be around 1,000 parking spaces. Mayor Pugh stated that he believes we can make a condition that local vendors will be given a reasonable opportunity to participate. After some further discussion, the Board did not approve the request pending further discussion with the event organizer. e. Letter from Toni Senecal, Chair of the Croton Business Council, requesting approval to host Oktoberfest 2024 in the Upper Village on October 5, 2024, from noon to 6pm, https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2024- 07/b327e2ebbd37b9f6d325bd7482e2381f49e7fe52.pdf Resolution: On motion by Trustee Simon and seconded by Trustee Nicholson the Board of Trustees approved the request to hold an Oktoberfest in the Upper Village on October 5, 2024, from noon to 6pm, (rain date to be determined). Motion was approved with a 5-0 vote. f. Press release from the Office of New York State Governor Kathy Hochul regarding the start of resurfacing projects in Westchester County https://play.champds.com/ATT/crotononhudsonny/2024- 07/5f04991918f7ff83b917e5978533b0c2ab728ba7.pdf 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS: July 17, 2024 Tony Granger, 217 Half Moon Bay, Croton on Hudson, stated that he understands the Village is getting a fee of $1,120 for use of the train station parking lot for the music festival, but is the Village also getting a cut on the entrance fees, the application that was submitted last year for the event was not Franki Leon but rather a Peekskill Entertainment Agency, last year the music was very loud, and believes that 1000 people is an understatement. Village Manager Healy stated that the applicants will also be responsible for overtime costs which the Village approximates to be $15,000 which must be paid in full before the event. Village Manager Healy explained that the reason that an admission charge is allowed is that the train station is not a park and does not fall under those regulations and we allow admission fees for other events at the train station. Susan Skrelja, 56 Truesdale Drive, Croton on Hudson, asked the Village to slow down all of the building and housing initiatives until we know what the impacts will be from our current developments. Ms. Skrelja stated that she recently learned that Croton is a “Pro Housing Community” and according to the “Home and Community Renewal” website, of the eleven mid-Hudson communities under that program, only two are villages, one being Croton on Hudson, the others are cities and we as a village of just over 8,000 residents should not feel that we must be the saviors for affordable housing. Lauren Davis, 14 Hamilton Avenue, Croton on Hudson, stated that she opposes six story buildings in Croton and does not want to see zoning changed to accommodate these types of buildings. Alex Skrelja, 56 Truesdale Drive, Croton on Hudson, stated that he is not against development, but asked that we slow down to see how things work out before we move forward with more development. Mr. Skrelja shared an email communication where Mayor Pugh where he states: “that the 41-51 development would likely be the last of this kind for the foreseeable future of Croton, and that the thirty-three units of affordable housing are an important downpayment on closing our deficit for affordable housing and any new affordable housing in the coming decade will be smaller developments”. Mr. Skrelja and asked what percentage of units would be affordable for the proposed LOT A development. Mayor Pugh stated that under the AHOP Program, (Affordable Home Ownership Opportunity Program) there is the potential for the LOT A development to be 100% affordable, but the exact composition has not been Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 determined at this time and while the RFP (Request for Proposal) indicated that we were looking at a 20% affordable rental option, the developer is also seeking the opportunity for affordable ownership which is distinguishable from the 41-51 Maple Street development which is all rental. Mayor Pugh stated that this would be a chance for people to build generational wealth, build a future in the Village and have the security of ownership. Naureen Shabid, 1608 Half Moon Bay, Croton on Hudson, stated that both the 1 Half Moon Bay and the LOT A properties, if developed, are going to be a nightmare when it comes to traffic and school enrollment and believes that these projects should be on the ballot. Trustee Politi stated that she believes there is a lot of fear that is not going to come to fruition and does not believe that the few children that may come into the school district is going to be an issue for the school district. Village Attorney Whitehead explained that there are no provisions in the law that would allow something like this to be put on the ballot, under the law, there is a limited list of things that can go up for a Referendum and the Board does not have the option to put anything they want on the ballot. Village Attorney Whitehead also stressed that the impact on traffic and schools will all be studied as part of the review process. Michael Mamone, 19 Young Avenue, Croton on Hudson, stated that he believes the recent developments are disastrous, and is concerned that if we add more developments and stores people will not have any place to park and asked the Board to reconsider the Residential Parking System in his neighborhood. Sanjeeb Shabid, 1608 Half Moon Bay, Croton on Hudson, stated that Croton Point Avenue gets very crowded at 4:00pm when the Metro North worker’s shift ends and feels that adding a housing development will only add to the congestion, concerned with adding more children to the school system and where is the money coming from if the LOT A development is going to be affordable ownership. Mayor Pugh explained that the source of funding for affordability housing if below 20% comes out of the pocket of the developer or the other tenants because there will be some cost subsidy between the market rate tenants and the affordable units, if it is 100% affordable the funding would come from State programs like AHOP. July 17, 2024 Lisa Stenson Desamours, 1400 Half Moon Bay Drive, Croton on Hudson, stated that while it has been helpful to have a traffic light at the train station it can also be very challenging and believes this development will add more congestion, the project should not have any adverse impact on current homeowners and is concerned that we will be losing daily parking spaces and asked if the developer will receive any tax abatements. Mayor Pugh stated that there will be no tax abatements, the development will be taxed in the usual manner of an apartment building. Village Manager Healy explained that when the DPW facility was demolished at the train station the Village gained approximately 200 parking spaces and those spaces are more than enough to cover the spaces that will be lost when LOT A is sold, we also have an additional 50 spaces along South Riverside Avenue which are only used occasionally if there is a need for overflow parking. Trustee Simon reminded everyone that the Village has seen a reduction in parking at the train station in the post Covid era. Village Manager Healy stated that we are at 70% of where we were before the pandemic. Marilyn Grantner, 115 Cleveland Drive, Croton on Hudson, stated that there are residents in our community who are looking to downsize and would love to continue to live in Croton and directed residents to the 2019 Housing Needs Assessment Study which can be found on the Village’s website. Cathy Connelly, 80 Young Avenue, Croton on Hudson, stated that she objects to more development in Croton, people moved to Croton to live in a small Village and asked the Board to slow down to give us time to see what effects our current development has on the community as well as our schools and traffic. 6. PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS: Resolution #145 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE NICHOLSON, the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton- on- Hudson, New York with a 5-0 vote. July 17, 2024 WHEREAS the Village of Croton-on-Hudson has been awarded a grant under the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Clean Energy Communities (CEC) Program, and WHEREAS the grant, Agreement Number 222436, provides funding in the amount of $17,500 to support the installation of 12 Networked Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging Ports at the Croton-Harmon Train Station Parking Lot, and WHEREAS the project will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and support the Village’s clean energy goals, NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board of the Village of Croton-on- Hudson hereby authorizes the Village Manager to sign the NYSERDA Agreement, including all necessary documents and exhibits, and to undertake any actions necessary to fulfill the requirements of the grant. Resolution #146 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, seconded by TRUSTEE SIMON, the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton- on- Hudson, New York with a 5-0 vote. WHEREAS the Village Board of Trustees has received a special permit application from Sprocket Power of Bedford Hills, New York, proposing the installation of an integrated energy system at Croton Auto Park, located at 1 Municipal Place, comprising of a battery energy storage system with a 280 kWh output, and WHEREAS a Site Development Plan has been submitted with the application, and WHEREAS Tier 2 Battery Energy Storage Systems are permitted through the issuance of a special permit by the Village Board of Trustees within the C- 2 zoning district, and WHEREAS this action is a Type II action under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act, which does not require an environmental review, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board of Trustees hereby refers the special permit application to the Planning Board for a recommendation back to the Village Board of Trustees, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Village Board hereby directs the Village Clerk to notify the Westchester County Planning Department of this application in accordance with law. July 17, 2024 DISCUSSION: Trustee Murtaugh stated that the main reason this has come into play is that the parent company of Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep/Stellantis has insisted upon electrification capabilities at all of their dealerships nationwide and they are taking advantage of Croton’s embrace of modern technology. Village Manager Healy explained that when the Board amended the Solar Law, we removed the requirement for a Special Permit and it now just requires a Building Permit, the only aspect of their plan that the Board is required to review is the battery storage system. Trustee Simon stated that it is a commitment on the part of Croton Auto Park to make a long-term investment in Croton since it involves a significant amount of dollars to do this project. Mayor Pugh asked if this information has been shared with the Fire Department. Village Manager Healy advised that he did share this with the Fire Department, they have provided their comments with the Village Engineer and those comments have been given to Sprocket Power and incorporated into the agreement. Resolution #147 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE NICHOLSON, the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton- on- Hudson, New York with a 5-0 vote. WHEREAS the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, New York, solicited bids for Two (2) License Plate Reader (LPR) Systems in Bid No. 5-2024, and WHEREAS the bids were publicly opened and read aloud on July 5, 2024, and WHEREAS the Village Manager has reviewed the bids and recommended that the award be made to the lowest responsible bidder, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton- on-Hudson hereby awards Bid 5-2024 for Two (2) License Plate Reader (LPR) Systems to Integrated Technical Systems, Inc. of Wallingford, CT in the amount of $39,810. Resolution #148 of 2024 Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE POLTI, the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton- on- Hudson, New York with a 5-0 vote. WHEREAS in May 2024, the Department of Public Works listed various materials and pieces of equipment for auction, and WHEREAS on May 22, 2024, all bids for the auction were closed, resulting in a total bid amount of $20,865; and WHEREAS, the Superintendent of Public Works has requested that $10,165 be transferred into the Capital Equipment account H5110.2010.24467, and WHEREAS the Chief of Police has requested $10,700 be transferred into the Police – Vehicles account A3120.2010, and WHEREAS these funds will be used to purchase newer vehicles and equipment, aiding the fleet maintenance program by reducing future funding requests and enabling mid-fiscal year purchases, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Treasurer is authorized to make the following budget amendment to the 2024-2025 General Fund and Capital Fund budgets as follows: GENERAL FUND REVENUES Increase A1000.2665 Sales of Equipment $20,865 GENERAL FUND EXPESNES Increase A3120.2010 Police – Vehicles $10,700 CAPITAL FUND EXPESNES Increase H5110.2010.24467 Capital Equipment $10,165 Resolution #149 of 2024 Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE NICHOLSON, the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton- on- Hudson, New York with a 5-0 vote. WHEREAS the onsite audit has been scheduled for the 2023-2024 fiscal year end, and WHEREAS the following budget transfers are required as detailed in the attached schedules, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees authorizes the Village Treasurer to make the following budget transfers to the 2023-2024 General, Water, and Sewer Fund budgets as follows: Increase Expenses Dept Item Description A1010 BOT-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT A1010 BOT-PERSONNEL SRVCS TAPE MEETI A1110 JUSTICE COURT-PERSONNEL SRVCS A1110 JUSTICE COURT-PERS SRVCS OT A1210 MAYOR-PERSONNEL SRVCS A1230 MANAGER-PERSONNEL SRVCS A1230 MANAGER-PERSONNEL SRVCS OT A1230 MANAGER-CONTRACTUAL A1230 MANAGER-TELEPHONE A1320 AUDITOR-CONTRACTUAL A1325 TREASURER-PERSONNEL SRVCS A1325 TREASURER-PERSONNEL SRVCS OT A1325 TREASURER-SUPPLIES A1355 ASSESSOR-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT A1410 CLERK-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT A1410 CLERK-PERSONNEL SRVCS OT A1410 CLERK- SUPPLIES A1410 VILLAGE CLERK-TELEPHONE A1420 LAW-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT A1420 LAW-SUPPLIES A1440 ENGINEER-TELEPHONE A1620 BUILDINGS-PERSONNEL SRVCS A1620 BUILDINGS-NATURAL GAS A1640 GARAGE-PERSONNEL SRVCS OT A1640 GARAGE-CONTRACTUAL Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 A1640 GARAGE-VEHICLE MAINT SUPPLIES A1650 COMM-TELEPHONE A1680 DATA PROCESSING-SUPPLIES A1950 TAXES & ASSESSMENTS-CONTRACTUA A1960 REFUNDS ON REAL PROP-CONTRACTU A1980 MCTM TAX PAYROLL-CONTRACTUAL A3120 POLICE-PERSONNEL SRVCS OT A3120 POLICE-PERS SRVCS OT INVESTIG A3120 POLICE-TELEPHONE A3189 TELEPHONE A3410 FIRE-EQUIPMENT A3410 TOWER LADDER 44 REPLACEMENT A3410 FIRE-CONTRACTUAL A3410 FIRE-SUPPLIES ADMINISTRATION A3410 FIRE-FIRE HOSE A3410 FIRE-EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES A3410 FIRE-FIRST AID SUPPLIES A3410 FIRE-ENERGY ELECTRICITY A3410 FIRE-COPIER MAINT/LEASING A3410 FIRE-TELEPHONE A3410 FIRE-BLDGS & GROUNDS MAINT A3410 FIRE-VEHICLE REPAIRS A3410 FIRE-PHYSICALS/INNOCULATIONS A4540 AMBULANCE-CONTRACTUAL A4540 AMBULANCE-TRAINING A5110 ST MAINT-PERSONNEL SRVCS A5110 ST MAINT-PERSONNEL SRVCS OT A5110 ST MAINT-PERSONNEL SRVCS COMP A5110 ST MAINT-EQUIPMENT REPAIRS A5140 BRUSH-PERSONNEL SRVCS A5142 SNOW-CONTRACTUAL A5183 PUBLIC WRKS-PERSONNEL SRVCS A5650 PARKING-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT A5650 PARKING-PERSONNEL SRVCS OT A5650 PERSONAL SERVICES COMP A7020 REC-PERSONNEL SRVCS A7110 PARKS-PERSONNEL SRVCS A7110 PARKS-PERSONNEL SVRCS OT A7140 COM REC-PERSONNEL SRVCS A7140 COM REC-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 GENERAL FUND Increase Exp (Cont.) Dept Item Description A7140 COM REC-PERSONNEL SRVCS OT A7140 COM REC-CONTRACTUAL A7180 SPEC REC-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT A7310 YOUTH-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT A7550 CELEBRATIONS-PERS SRVCS PT A7550 CELEBRATIONS-PERS SRVCS OT A8090 RECYCLING-PERSONNEL SRVCS A8090 RECYCLING-CONTRACTUAL A8090 RECYCLING-DISPOSAL FEES A8160 REFUSE-PERSONNEL SRVCS A8160 REFUSE-CONTRACTUAL A8170 ST CLEAN-PERSONNEL SRVCS A8510 BEAUTIFICATION-PERS SRVCS PT A8560 SHADE TREES-PERSONNEL SRVCS A8790 NAT RESOURCES-PERS SRVCS PT A9030 SOCIAL SECURITY-UNDISTRIBUTED A9031 MEDICARE-UNDISTRIBUTED A9050 UNEMPLOYMENT-UNDISTRIBUTED A9060 INSURANCE-DENTAL INSURANCE Total Increase Decrease Expenses Item Description A1110 JUSTICE COURT-PERS SRVCS PT A1420 LAW-CONTRACTUAL A1440 ENGINEER-PERSONNEL SRVCS A1440 ENGINEER-PERSONNEL SRVCS OT A1230 MANAGER-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT A1640 GARAGE-PERSONNEL SRVCS A1640 GARAGE-FUEL GAS &DIESEL A1650 COMM-ENERGY ELECTRICITY A1910 INSURANCE-CONTRACTUAL A1920 MUNICIPAL DUES-CONTRACTUAL A1990 CONTINGENCY A3120 POLICE-PERSONNEL SRVCS A3120 POLICE-PERS SRV OT YOUTH OUTRE A3120 POLICE-PERS SRV OT PATROL BOAT A3120 POLICE-PERS SRV OT BICYCLE PAT Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 A3120 POLICE-EQUIPMENT A3120 POLICE-VEHICLES A3120 POLICE-TRAINING A3189 AUXILIARY POLICE-PERSONNEL SRV A3189 AUXILARY-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT A3310 TRAFFIC-CONTRACTUAL A3410 FIRE-PERS SRVCS OT-PROJECTS A3410 FIRE-HOUSE SUPPLIES A4540 AMBULANCE-EQUIPMENT A4540 AMBULANCE-INSPECTION A5010 DPW ADM-PERSONNEL SRVCS A5140 BRUSH-PERSONNEL SRVCS PT A5142 SNOW-SUPPLIES A5650 PARKING-CONTRACTUAL A8560 SHADE TREES-CONTRACTUAL A9060 INSURANCE-MEDICARE REIMBURSE A9060 INSURANCE-HOSPITAL/MEDICAL INS Total Decrease Increase Revenues Dept Item Description A1000 INTEREST & EARNINGS Total Increase WATER FUND Increase Expenses Dept Item Description F1320 AUDITOR-CONTRACTUAL F1650 COMM -CONTRACTUAL F1650 COMM-POSTAGE F1650 COMM-TELEPHONE F8320 SUPPLY-CONTRACTUAL F8340 DISTRIB-PERSONNEL SRVCS F8340 DISTRIB-PERSONNEL SRVCS OT F8340 DISTRIB-PERSONNEL SRVCS COMP F8340 DISTRIB-SUPPLIES F9060 INSURANCE-HOSPITAL/MEDICAL INS F8397 WTR CAPITAL PROJECTS-EQUIPMENT Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 Total Increase Decrease Expenses Dept Item Description F1990 Contingency Total Decrease SEWER FUND Increase Expenses Dept Item Description G1320 AUDITOR-CONTRACTUAL G1650 CENTRAL COMM-CONTRACTUAL G1650 ENERGY-ELECTRICITY G1650 CENTRAL COMM-TELEPHONE G8120 SEWER-SUPPLIES G8997 HOME &COMM SERV-EQUIPMENT Total Increase Decrease Expenses Dept Item Description G1990 CONTINGENCY-CONTRACTUAL Total Decrease Resolution #150 of 2024 On motion of TRUSTEE SIMON, seconded by TRUSTEE MURTAUGH, the following resolution was adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Croton- on- Hudson, New York with a 5-0 vote. WHEREAS the Village of Croton-on-Hudson has owned a parcel located at Croton Point Avenue, also known as Tax Map Parcel 79.17-1-5 (“Lot A”) since the 1960s, and WHEREAS Lot A was utilized as overflow parking for the Croton-Harmon Train Station for many years, and Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 WHEREAS since the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the demand for commuter parking, the Village Board of Trustees has determined Lot A is not needed for municipal purposes and issued an RFP for the development of Lot A, and WHEREAS on April 24, 2024, the Village Board adopted Resolution 86-2024 to move forward with WBP Development LLC (“the Applicant”) of Chappaqua, New York, as the proposed purchaser and developer of Lot A, and WHEREAS the Applicant has also entered into a contract for the purchase of the adjacent parcel owned by Croton Point Realty Inc. located at 1 Croton Point Avenue and also known as Tax Map Parcel 79.17-1-4 (“the CPR Parcel”), and WHEREAS as the Applicant will be purchasing the CPR Parcel, the Village Board has indicated it will also include an additional adjacent Village owned parcel currently leased to Croton Point Realty Inc. for use in conjunction with the CPR Parcel, which additional parcel is known as Tax Map Parcel 79.17-1-3 (“the Additional Village Parcel”) (Lot A, the CPR Parcel and the Additional Village Parcel are collectively referred to as “the Property”), and WHEREAS the Property is located in the LI Zoning District and within 1500 feet of the Croton-Harmon Train Station, allowing for a variety of light industrial and multi-family residential use, and WHEREAS the Village Board is in receipt of a special permit application for a multi-unit residential building on the Property and the requisite $5,000 application fee from the Applicant, and WHEREAS the special permit application stipulates that the project will now consist of 46 one-bedroom and 54 two-bedroom condominiums, and WHEREAS the Applicant has submitted Part 1 of an Environmental Assessment Form and a Coastal Assessment Form, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Village Board hereby determines that the Proposed Action is an unlisted action under SEQRA, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Village Board hereby declares its intent to be the Lead Agency for SEQRA purposes in connection with the Proposed Action and authorizes the circulation of its intent to all involved and interested agencies, and Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Village Board hereby refers the special permit application and associated documents to the Village Planning Board in accordance with Village law, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Village Board hereby directs the Village Clerk to notify the Westchester County Planning Board of this application in accordance with law, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Village Board hereby directs the Applicant to establish an initial escrow fund of $50,000 for consultant review fees in connection with the review of this application by the various Village Boards. Trustee Simon stated that this action begins the process and looks forward to hearing back from the Planning Board; the $50,000 that is being put in the Escrow Fund will allow the Village to hire an independent consultant to look at all the impacts. Trustee Murtaugh stated that when LOT A was an active train station parking lot there were hundreds of cars parked there that contributed to traffic on a daily basis and he believes we have to put some trust in those that study traffic. Trustee Murtaugh stated that we expect occupancy at the Maple Commons development to start very soon so we will have plenty of time to review those impacts while we review the LOT A proposal. John Bainlardi, Vice president of WBP Development LLC advised that a lot of the concerns that have been expressed will be specifically addressed as they go through the review process. Mr. Bainlardi stated that they believe that this development will attract people who currently work in Croton, those that are looking to downsize yet want to stay in the Croton and those who have moved away and want to come back to be close to family. Mr. Bainlardi stated that they are proposing a combination of one- and two- bedroom apartments which do not generate many school children and to the extent that school children are generated, those children would be across the full spectrum from kindergarten to high school. Mr. Bainlardi explained that affordable housing is affordable relative to the community in which you live and is based on the area’s medium incomes. Trustee Simon stated that if this project moves forward and the applicant gets the AHOP funding, the applicants will still have to demonstrate they have sufficient income to be able to obtain a mortgage. Mayor Pugh asked if they have a sense for funding at this time. July 17, 2024 Mr. Bainlardi stated that they are optimistic, in their cover letter they alluded to two developments and that they have already been successful in receiving the necessary funding. Mr. Bainlardi stated that AHOP is a new program which provides for the opportunity of home ownership and our intent is to make that a reality and emphasized that no funds will come from the taxpayers of the Village. To hear Mr. Bainlardi’s and the Board’s comments you may log onto the following: https://play.champds.com/crotononhudsonny/event/968 (section 1.32.40). 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS Petra Vatne, 217 Half Moon Bay, Croton on Hudson, stated that the Board of Trustees are here to serve the people, and implored the Board to listen to the community. Michael Mamone, 19 Young Avenue, stated that he does not want people parking on his street and encouraged the board to put in a residential parking system and also asked that that dog laws be enforced. Lisa Stenson Desamours, 1400 Half Moon Bay Drive, Croton on Hudson, stated that the developments proposed for LOT A and 1 Half Moon Bay Drive will have an adverse impact on the residents of Half Moon Bay making it difficult for residents to exit and enter and asked that the traffic consultant install monitoring devices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Marilyn Grantner, 115 Cleveland Drive, Croton on Hudson, thanked the Trustees for putting the shuttle bus in service and suggested that a break be built into the schedule for the bus driver and adjust the bus route so that it stops at Senasqua on its way to Croton Landing where people are parked since it is a long walk from Senasqua. Gary Eisinger, 210 Cleveland Drive, Croton on Hudson, asked the Board to wait three years before considering any zoning changes for the 1 Half Moon Bay project until we have an assessment of the effects from our current developments. Susan Sjkrelja, 56 Truesdale Drive, Croton On Hudson, stated that she feels like we do not have a voice, and while the LOT A project is not something that can be on the ballot, she encouraged the Board to involve the public. Michael Balter, 148 Old Post Road South, Croton on Hudson, and editor of the Croton Chronicle stated that the ownership of the Maple Commons Village Board of Trustees July 17, 2024 development appears to be a dual ownership between Regan Development, HDFC, and the Croton Housing Network and asked the Board to explain the ownership. Tony Granger, 217 Half Moon Bay, Croton on Hudson, stated that from 2010- 2023, 60 housing units were added to the Village, in 2024 the Village added 106 housing units and if we include the 100 units proposed for LOT A and the 280 units for the 1 Half Moon Bay property we would essentially have added 486 units, an 810% increase. Mr. Granger referred to the 2003 Master Plan Study that recognized “the essential character of Croton as a community of individual homeowners residing in single family dwellings on separate lots and that the essential character should be preserved. To view the entire document, you may log onto the following: https://ecode360.com/CR0035/document/532987063.pdf WRITTEN COMMENTS E-Mail from Sarah Lawson Gruttadaro, 32 Wells Avenue, Croton on Hudson dated July 17, 2024, states that she would like the Village to remain a small community and asked that the Board not move forward with both the LOT A proposal as well as the 1 Half Moon Bay proposal. E-Mail from Jessica Dieckman, 58 Thompson Avenue, Croton on Hudson dated July 16, 2024, states that she is against the development at 1 Half Moon Bay and would like the Village to remain a small community. E-Mail from Erica Corwin, 68 Young Avenue, Croton on Hudson dated July 15, 2024, states that she is concerned about the development at 1 Half Moon Bay and asked the Board to cap the development at four stories to preserve the riverfront. 8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion to approve the minutes as amended of the Regular Meeting held on June 26, 2024, was made by Trustee Nicholson. The motion was seconded by Trustee Simon and approved with a 5-0 vote. 9. REPORTS: July 17, 2024 Trustee Nicholson thanked the Sustainability Committee for running a successful Repair Café this past Saturday and reminded everyone that the Shuttle Bus will be running this Friday evening for the Senasqua concert. Trustee Simon advised that on July 3rd Congressman Mike Lawler held a Town Hall at the Croton Municipal building, on July 4th a very successful re- enactment was held at Van Cortlandt Manor and thanked everyone involved, on July 10th he attended the Maple Commons walk-through, on July 23rd Croton 100 will be hosting a Senasqua Park Plastic Clean Up Day, the Rotary Club will be holding their annual car show September 29th. Trustee Simon explained the history of how Croton became a Pro Housing Community, two years ago Governor Hochul developed a Legislative package that required mandatory metrics for municipalities to meet in terms of housing and if a municipality did not grant what a developer wanted, then the developer had the right to go to the State and the State could take over the Zoning of that particular municipality, that proposal was defeated in Albany, but the message that was sent to the Governor, that if the State wants more housing, the way to do it, is with incentives and out of that discussion the Pro Housing Communities Program was created. Trustee Simon stated that this program simply recognizes communities that are committed to incremental growth over an extended period of time, and under the leadership of Village Manager Healy we submitted the proper forms and received the Pro Housing Community designation. Trustee Simon stated that this designation gets us in the HOV lane for some helpful grant programs that deal with infrastructure programs that benefit the entire community. Trustee Murtaugh stated that there has been a lot of fear about the rapid growth in Croton, and reminded everyone that there was a lot of fear when we were purchasing the train station parking lot, there were fears about the Harmon re-zoning, and people thought we were crazy to allow the Half Moon Bay development, yet all of these things have turned out to be positive for the Village. Trustee Murtaugh stated that whether or not LOT A comes to fruition, there will still be hundreds of Metro North employees leaving work and agrees that the traffic lights need to be improved and we should pursue this discussion with the State. Trustee Murtaugh stated that we cannot remain static, and the Board needs to do a better job sharing as much information as possible with the community. July 17, 2024 Trustee Politi stated that many of the speakers began their comments telling us how many years they have lived in Croton and believes that these same conversations were had when they moved to Croton, and reminded everyone that these same new residents will also feel lucky that they got to Croton when they did, and we are better off when there are people in our community that are different from us. Mayor Pugh stated that he was born and raised in Croton, and during his lifetime in the Village 800 units of housing were added and he is very glad during those decades his family did not say no more and looks at all the people who have come to live here and who have made tremendous contributions to Croton. Mayor Pugh stated that the Village’s population in 1900 was approximately 1,500, we are now over 8,000, growth is part of our story and when you talk about small town character, it is important to keep things into perspective, the reality is that Croton is one of the most thinly settled communities in Westchester even with all the current projects, we are not anywhere close to the density of a lot of communities in the Hudson Valley. Village Manager Healy thanked the Department of Public Works for cleaning up numerous downed trees from the recent rainstorm, and as a result of the storm he has received requests to provide an exemption to the Leaf Blower Ban which is permitted in serious storm events. Village Manager Healy stated that even though the new census data indicates that the Village no longer has census blocks to qualify for CDBG funding, we will move forward with the hearing and complete the application process and see what happens, the Repair Café was a great event and thanked the Conservation Advisory Council and all the volunteers for making this happen, explained that the traffic lights on Croton Point Avenue do not communicate with each other because the lights at the exit ramps are owned by the State, and the lights at LOT A and Veterans Plaza are owned by the Village and while we’ve had numerous discussions with the State, we will continue to pursue this issue to try to come up with a better solution. Village Manager Healy advised that he met with representatives from the Town of Cortlandt and the County and talked about the parking problems along Route 129, the Town is going to petition NYS DOT to put no parking signs along their section of Route 129, County Police Department will continue to write tickets when appropriate and the County Parks Department is going to enhance the messaging that they put out on their social media about the limited parking and encourage people to park at Croton Point Park. July 17, 2024 There being no further business to come before the Board a motion to close the meeting and enter into an executive session to discuss matters of personnel involving specific individuals was made by Trustee Murtaugh. The motion was seconded by Trustee Simon and approved with a 5-0 vote. The meeting was adjourned at 10:02pm.