Comprehensive Plan References to Housing
document
5 pages
Meeting: portal event 888 (no meeting page on file)
Agenda item: Discussion on the establishment of a floating zoning district for affordable & multi-family housing in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson.
Document, 5 pages. Attached to agenda item: “Discussion on the establishment of a floating zoning district for affordable & multi-family housing in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson.”
Retrieved 2026-07-31 from the village's meeting portal.
View the original PDF ↗
Also attached to this agenda item:
1-Acre Parcels within the Village
2019 Housing Needs Assessment - VCOH
Croton-Harmon School District Enrollment Trend
Existing Multi-Family Units in Croton-on-Hudson
Flowchart for floating zone petition
Flowchart for multi-family in non-residential zones...
Housing Monitor Report
Housing Units Built by Year
Letter from Housing Monitor - June 2016
Letter to Housing Monitor - May 2016
Map of Non-Residential Zoning Districts
Population Density of Villages in Westchester
Extracted text
The purpose of this memo is to identify in Croton’s Comp Plan language that is both consistent
and that may not align with policies increasing the overall housing supply, multi-family housing,
affordable housing, or mixed-use development. As a first step the memo reviewed the 2017
Comp Plan Update, noting any references to the above policy objectives and housing types.
Next, references were categorized by the area or district (Village wide, Upper Village, residential
districts) to which they applied and then by the relevant type of housing. Due to the Village’s
specific interest in multi-family housing, the memo highlights in yellow all references to multi-
family housing, including neutral descriptive references. The 2020 Comp Plan Amendment was
also reviewed and since there were only a handful of relevant references, they are not
subcategorized by area or housing type. In addition, since it is not clear that the 2020
Amendment contains references that do not align with the above policy objectives, there is no
such category in that section.
2017 Comp Plan Update
References consistent with increased housing, multi-family housing,
affordable housing, or mixed used development in the 2020 Comp Plan
Amendment
Village wide
• Affordable and Senior Housing.
o Notes the increased need for affordable housing for seniors to meet the growing
senior population (P.55).
o “Long Term Considerations” section (P. 117). One of the three long term
considerations: “Assure foundations for ongoing availability of affordable
housing in the Village for residents of all ages.”
o General reference to “recent developments in the Village” necessitating additional
housing units for households without children and aging residents (P.65).
o Summary of Planning Issues
In the “Housing Section,” the Village’s top priority is: “Provision of
affordable and age-appropriate housing.” (P. 107).
•
Workforce and Senior Housing
o “Adapting housing, transit, recreation and buildings and public spaces will help a
vibrant and engaged senior population to securely age in place and contribute to a
vibrant community. At the same time, the Village must provide the services and
quality of life that will attract and retain the new Village immigrants and younger
workforce needed to replace a labor force that is shrinking as the population
ages.” (P. 55).
• Multi-family and mixed used.
o Maintaining and creating lower cost, smaller‐sized single or multi‐family
dwellings remains a priority in order to maintain the demographic diversity of the
Village. Two mixed‐use buildings in the Harmon Gateway commercial area are
approved and building has begun. (P. 65).
o Mixed Use Zoning Initiative (since 2003 Comp Plan)
Harmon/South Riverside Gateway District
• Adds options and incentives to spur investment in mixed-use
developments (P. 42).
• Special area and bulk regulations and design guidelines apply
specifically to mixed use buildings in this area. In general, the
maximum floor area ratio (FAR) is 0.8 in the district and the
maximum height is 35 feet/3 stories (P. 48).
o Neighborhoods with multi-family housing. The neighborhoods situated closest to
the Village’s four commercial centers – Harmon, the Upper Village, North
Riverside and the Municipal Place area – consist primarily of single-family homes
built on 5,000 and 10,000 square foot lots. These neighborhoods also contain the
majority of the two‐ and multi‐family residences in the Village (P.43).
o Multi‐family residential districts. The Village has two zoning districts permitting
multi‐family residential: RB (two‐family residences) and RC (multi‐family
residences). These districts are limited to the Upper Village and North Riverside
Avenue. The Village has two apartment complexes, both located in, or close to
the Upper Village. The WD district along the Hudson River between Croton
Point and Senasqua Park also permits multi‐family development. The Half
Moon Bay condominium development is located in that area. (P.45).
• Accessory Apartments
o Intending to increase affordable housing supply, the Village eased restrictions to
create and legalize accessory apartments in all zoning districts where single-
family housing is permitted (P.65).
• Relationship to Capital Improvements (P. 118).
o Citing prior comp plans, the comp plan references the need for studies that relate
capital improvements to, among other goals, increased affordable housing.
References specific to the Upper village
• Support or reference to mixed use character of Upper Village
o “The mix of uses and building scale contributes to the area’s historic sensibility
and quaint character.” (P. 94).
• Potential implied support for mixed used development in the Upper Village
o “The Upper Village is viewed as the most pedestrian friendly commercial area in
Croton‐on‐Hudson, with sidewalks with brick‐ like paving, streetlights, and
manageable street crossings.” (P. 94).
References specific to residential districts
• Accessory Apartments
o Intending to increase affordable housing supply, the Village eased restrictions to
create and legalize accessory apartments in all zoning districts where single-
family housing is permitted (P.65).
References that may not align with increased housing, multi-family housing,
affordable housing, or mixed used development in the 2017 Comp Plan
References specific to the Upper Village
• Limitation on building size in the Upper Village
o The small size of the lots in the Upper Village (approximately 1/8th of an acre)
limits the permissible size of buildings to its historic scale, typical of its older
structures. (P. 94).
References specific to residential districts
• Zoning initiative since the 2003 comp plan
o RA‐60, a new Single‐Family Residence was created and mapped to
approximately 425 acres in the northern portion of the Village to preserve low
density character. (P. 51).
2020 Comp Plan Amendment
In 2019, the Village conducted a Zoning study of the Municipal Place Gateway and North
Riverside neighborhoods, the purpose of which was to “examine where opportunities exist in these
two commercial areas to support appropriate growth to promote the long-term stability, and to
propose responsive zoning changes and design guidelines.” (P. 9). Only references consistent with
efforts to increase housing, multi-family housing, affordable housing, and mixed-use development
in the two target neighborhoods are listed below as it was not clear that the Amendment contained
references that do not align with the subject housing objectives.
References consistent with increased housing, multi-family housing,
affordable housing, or mixed used development in the 2020 Comp Plan
Amendment
• One of the four project goals of the study is to “Determine Potential for Residential
Uses,” noting residents’ concerns about being priced out of the Village.
o “A significant concern of many residents and village employees is that they are
being priced out of their own community due to increasing housing prices. As in
other comparable municipalities, the average age of Croton-on-Hudson residents
is increasing. This has led to a re-examination of priorities, as issues such as
affordable housing for seniors have become more pressing. Both the 2016 and
2003 Comprehensive Plan stressed the need for new housing options and
recommended that the Village continue to identify opportunities for housing that
is more reasonably priced. While there has been some recent housing built within
the Village, with the exception of Half Moon Bay, these developments have
provided only single-family homes best suited for families. At the same time, the
demand for appropriately-sized housing for aging Croton-on-Hudson residents,
young couples without children, and Village personnel is growing. The need for
housing for these groups was also expressed in the public outreach process for the
2003 Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan’s recommendations for
housing in the Village focuses primarily on two areas: maintaining the scale and
character of Village neighborhoods, and exploring affordable housing
opportunities.” (P. 17).
• Permitting all residential uses in transitional areas.
o “In the “Transitional Areas” which are more suburban in feel, zoning changes
would allow for 3 stories and all residential uses.” (P. 10).
• Possible rezoning to reflect nonconforming higher density residential uses in the
transitional and core commercial areas of the North Riverside neighborhood.
o “It may be appropriate to rezone the area to reflect the use and scale of existing
homes.” (P. 47).
o “It is understood that many of the non-conforming buildings (i.e. residential uses
on North Riverside Avenue) are not inconsistent with the neighborhood character.
Therefore, where appropriate, the Village should consider zoning changes that
will bring more properties into conformity.” (P. 48).
o Zoning should recognize and support existing nonconforming residential uses
(presumably, higher density uses). (P. 53).
o Zoning should afford some flexibility in the regulations to “strengthen
neighborhood vitality and provide opportunities for new growth.” (P. 52).
o Zoning in the transitional area should be changed to RB Two Family Residence to
reflect existing character of the block and reduce the number of nonconforming
residential uses. (P. 55).
Machine-extracted for search and reference — the original PDF is the authoritative version.