Documents › Planning Board, 2026-09-08

minutes 3 pages

1 DRAFT Planning Board Meeting Minutes July 28, 2026 8:00 p.m. PRESENT: Rob Luntz, Chairperson John Ghegan Geoffrey Haynes Seyed Hosseini Steve Krisky ALSO PRESENT: Vincent Salanitro, P.E., Village Engineer Lori Lee Dickson, 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 Chairman Luntz called the Planning Board meeting of July 28, 2026, to order at 8:00 p.m. 2. NEW BUSINESS a) Croton Carmel Riverside, LLC – 425 S. Riverside Ave (79.13-2-91) Applications for a Special Permit, Site Plan Approval, and Steep Slope Permit for a New, 49-Unit, Multi- Family Building Chairman Luntz called the Village of Croton-on-Hudson Planning Board meeting for July 28, 2026 to order at 8:01 p.m. Chairman Luntz stated that he has an ongoing business relationship with one of the principals in the application, and therefore is recusing himself from the application, and turning over the chairmanship to Deputy Chairman Geoff Haynes. Acting Chairperson Geoff Haynes began by saying that he respected Rob Luntz’s decision to recuse himself but would miss Rob Luntz’s expertise. Geoff Haynes said that tonight is the beginning of a long process, reviewing this application for a 49-unit multi-family building. Geoff Haynes recognized that Village residents want this application to be given a thorough review. Geoff Haynes stated that the Planning Board received a report for the Village’s planning consultants that outlined 31 general and procedural comments that need additional information and the meeting tonight will be a discussion with the developer to fill in gaps before there is a full presentation. Geoff Haynes said that there will be a public hearing for the special permit and site plan applications, but not tonight. The Planning Board meeting of July 28, 2026 is not a public hearing and there will not be an opportunity at this meeting for public comment. No decisions will be made at this meeting, and Geoff Haynes asked the audience members present to let the process play out and give the Planning Board time to do due diligence. Village Attorney Lori Lee Dickson spoke and said that this is the first special permit application to be entirely within the purview of the Planning Board, and that the criteria for a special permit is laid out clearly in the Village Code. Lori Lee Dickson provided an educational memorandum which is attached to these minutes. Lori Lee Dickson stated that Village Board of Trustees has already determined that the proposed use is permitted by Special Permit in this Zoning District. 2 Acting Chairperson Geoff Haynes stated that Planner Bill Brady would walk through the memo prepared by Nelson, Pope Voorhis that outlines gaps that were seen in this application, and invited developer Andrew Cortese to the microphone to walk through the memo with Bill Brady. Andrew Cortese stated that he has been a developer in Westchester County for 30 years. Andrew Cortese purchased the property two and a half years ago, cleaned up existing violations, and was transparent with his goal to develop the property. The applicant’s attorney, Jacob Amir stated that this is a long, serious process and he was happy to have members of the community present to hear about the project from the outset. Jacob Amir said that overall, the application is for a 49-unit development (five affordable units) with one and two-bedroom units, 79 parking spaces, including five handicapped spaces, and other amenities. Jacob Amir said that the project has been identified as Type II under SEQR by the Village’s planning consultants. Jacob Amir stated that there are variances that will be required, and he will be asking the Planning Board to refer the application to the Zoning Board of Appeals so that they can proceed, knowing that the application will come back to the Planning Board for further review. Several members of the applicant’s team were also present and ready to talk about the project. Geoff Haynes said that an issues/tracking sheet will be created to keep track of the loose ends that need to be followed up on, based on the memo prepared by the Nelson Pope Voorhis, and this tracking document will be shared with the public. Village attorney Lori Lee Dickson stated that the Planning Board was not interested in a full-blown presentation from the applicant this evening but looking at what the planning consultant identified in their memorandum. Bill Brady of Nelson Pope Voorhis went through the 31 general and procedural comments that require additional information (attached to these minutes). Geoff Haynes said that the Planning Board expects answers to the 31 comments by the next regularly scheduled meeting. The applicant’s attorney Jacob Amir stated that they appreciated the memo, but the applicant’s team is present at this meeting and requested that they could give some thoughts on the project. Geoff Haynes felt that hearing from the applicant’s team was premature and stated that the Planning Board wants a complete application. Lori Lee Dickson added that there were so many questions and reiterated that it was important to have a complete application. Lori Lee Dickson said that the Planning Board was not ready to call for a public hearing. Regarding a referral to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Geoff Haynes said that there are a couple of variances that the applicants are clearly going to need, and until everyone knows exactly which variances will be required, it is a waste of everyone’s time to go to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Geoff Haynes does not want to be sending referrals to the Zoning Board piecemeal. Regarding notification to the Westchester County Planning Board, that would not be sent until a public hearing was called on the application. Geoff Haynes reminded the applicant that any new submission documents would need to be received in the Engineering Office 15 days prior to a Planning Board meeting date to get on the agenda. Steve Krisky asked the applicant if the 49 units would be for sale or for rent and the applicant was not entirely sure but said they would probably be rental units. Geoff Haynes asked about the water main and the requirements for fire flow demand, and the applicant stated that they have two options, one is to build an on-site water storage and pump system, and the other is to bring down a water connection from Wayne Street. Steve Krisky asked for clarification on the off-street parking regulations, item #7 on the planning memo, and Lori Lee Dickson said that the Planning Board can not waive zoning requirements. Geoff Haynes said that there are inconsistencies in the school analysis numbers and he would like clarification. 3 Regarding the traffic study, the Planning Board said that this would be a point of focus, and noted that the Blaze Festival, which takes place for approximately 45 days in the Fall right next to the proposed development site is unaddressed in the traffic study. The Planning Board would like the applicant to address how they plan to mitigate the Blaze traffic. The Planning Board also mentioned the entrance to ShopRite Supermarket that is directly across from the proposed building. The Planning Board inquired if some numbers could be obtained regarding the increased traffic from the two new multi-family developments in Croton, Maple Commons and 25 South Riverside Avenue. It was noted that you could also look at the apartments at 379 South Riverside Avenue. The Planning Board is also interested in additional community benefits that come from new, multi-family developments such as property taxes. It was noted that there are different tax formulas for multi-family rental properties versus condominiums. b) Referral from Village Board of Trustees to review Local Law Introductory No 10 of 2026, the CAF and EAF to amend Chapter 230, Zoning, of the Village Code that seeks to amend the text of Chapter 230 “Zoning” to provide clarification as to the harboring or keeping of animals in the Village Geoff Haynes began by saying that there is a Coastal Assessment Form and Short Environmental Assessment Form that are short as there is no environmental impact. Steve Krisky noted that if you look at the setbacks, in some Zoning Districts, you would be allowed to have an accessory dwelling unit, but not a chicken coop, which he considered to be inconsistent. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Draft Minutes May 26, 2026 John Ghegan made a motion to approve the Planning Board minutes of June 23, 2026, seconded by Steve Krisky, and the motion carried by a vote of 5 – 0. 4. OTHER BUSINESS Steve Krisky asked for some follow up regarding the landscaping improvements to satisfy the conditions of a prior resolution at 425 South Riverside Avenue and Vinny Salanitro said that he would follow up on this. Regarding the garden center on Albany Post Road, Vinny Salanitro said that the applicant had reached out to the DOT. Regarding the clothing donation box at the Van Wyck Shopping Plaza, Vinny Salanitro said that there was an attempt made to remove the box, but it was too heavy, so a forklift was being enlisted to remove the bin. 5. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the board, the meeting was duly adjourned at 9:21 p.m. with a motion by Chairman Luntz. Respectfully submitted, Karen Stapleton, Secretary to the Planning Board