The Meeting Record
Jul 1, 2026 · Croton Board Advances Animal Law Overhaul, Approves Student...
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Every attachment from the meeting packet, grouped by agenda item. Summaries are AI-generated from the document text — the original PDF is always the authoritative version.
Approval of Vouchers
Consent Agenda — Approval of Minutes — June 17th Regular Meeting
Minutes of the Village Board's June 17, 2026 regular meeting, at which the Board held public hearings and voted 5-0 to adopt Local Law No. 7 of 2026, updating Chapter 197's prior notice of defects provisions, and Local Law No. 8 of 2026, establishing a temporary six-month moratorium on cannabis dispensary applications while the Board reviews its zoning. Residents spoke both against and in defense of a dispensary in the Village. The Village Manager reported eight gas-powered leaf blower violations issued since June 1, live stream closed captioning costing $1,375 this year, Cleveland Drive repaving scheduled for the week of July 13th, and a DEC request not to resume Gouveia Park work until September because eagle season runs January through August.
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Consent Agenda — Approval of Minutes — June 24th Work Session
Minutes of the Village Board's June 24, 2026 work session, at which the Board voted 4-0 (Trustee Nicholson absent) to award the roadside and vehicle towing services contract to CNC Towing Inc. dba Luposello Auto Body of Croton-on-Hudson for June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027, rescinding Resolution 148-2026, and to spend $2,000 from the sustainability trust account for a consultant to identify potential Village-owned sites for battery energy storage systems. The session also covered grant opportunities, changes to the Village Code on fowl and animals, guidelines for student members on advisory committees, re-constituting the HEART Committee and winter parking and sidewalk regulations.
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Consent Agenda — Approval of Minutes — May 20th Regular Meeting
Minutes of the Village Board's May 20, 2026 regular meeting, at which the Board voted 5-0 on items including calling a June 17, 2026 public hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 8 of 2026 on prior notice of defects, applying for $135,360 in Westchester County Flood Mitigation Program funds with a matching $135,360 commitment for drainage at the Croton-Harmon Train Station Parking Lot Section I, applying for $221,440 in DASNY NY PLAYS funds for Harrison Street Playground renovations, approving a Tri-Community FLYCAR advanced life support agreement at $203,460.91 per village, and accepting a $15,000 AARP grant toward a rapid flashing beacon on Maple Street. The Village Manager reported that Veterans banners cost $225 each with 117 in total, and that the summer gas-powered leaf blower ban takes effect June 1.
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Consent Agenda — Correspondence to the Board — Memo from Village Manager Bryan Healy regarding the acceptance of a bench donation for Croton Landing and a scoreboard donation at Dobbs Park.
A memo dated June 26, 2026, asks the Village Board to accept two donations: $2,824.80 sent in by Abigail Reba to purchase a bench at Croton Landing in memory of Rosemarie Raffa, and a new scoreboard for the field at Dobbs Park donated by NK Electric and the Croton Lions Club. The Recreation Advisory Committee approved both requests, the Advisory Board for the Visual Environment approved the scoreboard, and Croton Little League sent a letter of support for the scoreboard donation.
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Consent Agenda — Correspondence to the Board — Memo from the New York State Department of State requesting a consistency review under the Village's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program for a new overhead sign structure along Route 9.
A May 11, 2026 letter from NYSDOT regional environmental contact Stephanie Lewison to the state Department of State provides federal aid notification for PIN 8816.19, a federally funded project to replace 13 overhead sign structures in Rockland and Westchester counties. Four of the structures are within the state Coastal Zone Management Area, and one is within the Croton-on-Hudson Local Waterfront Revitalization Program area. New structures would be built 10 to 15 feet behind the existing ones with foundations 15 to 27 feet deep, and NYSDOT requests a general concurrence decision on the release of federal funding.
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A June 16, 2026 memo from the New York Department of State transmits application F-2026-0322 to LWRP coordinators in Croton-on-Hudson and Haverstraw for preliminary consistency review of NYSDOT's plan to replace 13 overhead sign structures, including one on US 9 in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson. The Department of State asks for comments within 30 days and says it will presume no objections if it does not hear back by that date.
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Consent Agenda — Correspondence to the Board — Public Participation Plan from James J. Hahn Engineering for the Village of Buchanan Wastewater Treatment Plan.
A Public Participation Plan prepared by James J. Hahn Engineering for the Village of Buchanan's proposed expansion of its wastewater treatment plant on Greentown Road, which would raise the allowable discharge from 0.50 MGD to 0.75 MGD under a revised SPDES permit (NYSDEC application 3-5522-00007/00002). The plan, required under NYSDEC environmental justice policy CP-29, outlines public meetings, fact sheets and stakeholder outreach for the permit review. It says the added capacity would serve two large multi-family residential projects, wastewater from the Town of Cortlandt and land redevelopment as Indian Point decommissions, with sludge hauling expected to rise from approximately 7 to approximately 9 trucks per week.
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Consent Agenda — Resolutions — Consider accepting the bench and scoreboard donations, referring the consistency review request to the Waterfront Advisory Committee and filing for the record the Public Participation Plan for the Village of Buchanan Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Resolution #154-2026, dated July 1, 2026, undertakes four actions: accepting a $2,824.80 donation from Abigail Reba for a bench at Croton Landing in memory of Rosemarie Raffa; accepting the donation of a scoreboard for Dobbs Park from NK Electric and the Croton Lions Club; referring a consistency review request from the New York State Dept. of State to the Waterfront Advisory Committee; and filing for the record the Public Participation Plan from James J. Hahn Engineering for the Village of Buchanan wastewater treatment plant.
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Consent Agenda — Resolutions — Consider acknowledging receipt of Local Law Introductory No. 10 of 2026 to amend Chapter 230, Zoning, of the Village Code to update provisions related to domestic animals and farm animals, declaring the Village Board as Lead Agency under SEQRA, issuing the Environmental Assessment Form (EAF) and Coastal Assessment Form (CAF) in connection with the Draft Law; and referring the Draft Law, the EAF, and the CAF to the County Planning Board, Village Planning Board, and Waterfront Advisory Committee.
A review form with yes/no checklist responses concerning Local Law Introductory No. 10 of 2026, which has been drafted to amend Chapter 230, Zoning, of the Village Code to update regulations for the keeping of domestic animals and farm animals on residential properties. The form identifies the affected areas as the Village's residential districts: RA-60, RA-40, RA-25, RA-9, RA-5, RB and RC.
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Introductory Local Law No. 10 of 2026, presented for Board of Trustees consideration July 1, 2026, would amend Chapter 230, Zoning, of the Village Code to clarify the harboring and keeping of animals. It would permit chickens and ducks in numbers based on lot size, with setbacks of 25 feet from lot lines in the RA-5 and RB residence districts and 50 feet in all other residence districts, and would allow other farm animals such as goats, sheep, horses, cattle and swine only on lots of two acres or more with additional acreage per animal. The keeping of roosters and pigeons would be prohibited in all residence districts.
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A June 22, 2026 memo from planner Valerie Monastra, copied to Mayor Pugh and the Village Board, transmits revised zoning amendments to Section 230-9.1 on farm animals reflecting the Board's May 27, 2026 work session decisions to limit permitted fowl to chickens and ducks and require a larger setback for districts with lots over 5,000 square feet. It asks the Board to confirm the chickens-and-ducks limit, decide whether to also regulate farm animals such as goats, horses, cows, pigs, rabbits, sheep and alpacas/llamas, and choose whether to advance the chicken and duck revisions first or wait to include the other farm animal edits.
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A Village memo dated June 20, 2026, reports research on best practices for keeping fowl on residential properties following the Village Board's last work session. It cites Cornell's Small Farms Program and Penn State Extension guidance on coop security, ventilation, sizing and 25-foot setbacks in urban settings, and USDA information that pigeon coops are commonly recommended to have 27 cubic feet of space per pair of pigeons. It also relays New York City Department of Health and CDC advisories on diseases associated with pigeon droppings and backyard poultry, while noting the risk of contracting a pigeon-related disease is rare.
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A revised marked-up draft of the Village's farm animal regulations that would prohibit farm animals on residential properties except chickens or ducks, excluding roosters. Chickens and ducks would be permitted in numbers based on lot size and could not be penned or housed within 25 feet of any lot line in the R-5 and RB one-family residence zoning districts, or 50 feet in all others, with enclosures required to be clean, dry, odor-free, ventilated and protected from pests and predators. The draft also adds definitions of domestic animals, farm animals and fowl, counting only birds more than nine months old toward the permitted number.
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A marked-up draft of proposed revisions to the Village's farm animal regulations based on public feedback, defining farm animals and fowl and prohibiting the keeping of farm animals except fowl. Fowl, excluding roosters, would be permitted in numbers based on lot size, with a setback from lot lines (the markup shows both 25 and 15 feet) for properties under an acre and 50 feet for properties greater than 1 acre. Fowl would have to be kept at all times in enclosures that are clean, dry, odor-free, ventilated, and protected from pests and predators.
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Resolution #156-2026, dated July 1, 2026, concerns the Village Board's desire to update Village Code language on the keeping of domestic animals and farm animals on residential properties. It recites that, under the Board's direction, the Village Manager worked with the Village Attorney and Village Planner to develop language that would permit domestic animals as pets, allow farm animals under certain conditions and prohibit the keeping of roosters and pigeons, and that Local Law Introductory No. 10 of 2026 has been drafted for that purpose.
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A Short Environmental Assessment Form dated 6/29/2026 for Local Law Introductory No. 10 of 2026, which would amend Chapter 230, Zoning, of the Village Code to update regulations for keeping domestic animals and farm animals on residential properties in all residential districts. An attached narrative explains that current regulations are limited and use undefined terms such as fowl, and that the Board seeks definitions of domestic animals and farm animals to clarify what is and is not permitted on residential properties in the Village.
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Consent Agenda — Resolutions — Consider amending the 2026-2027 Master Fee Schedule to clarify the application of the administrative fee for extra duty police services.
Resolution #158-2026, dated July 1, 2026, amends the 2026-2027 Master Fee Schedule so that the Village's $165-per-day administrative scheduling and vehicle use fee for police services is charged only for events and organizations requiring traffic management going forward. The fee schedule entry is listed under Extra Duty Fees as the Administrative Scheduling & Vehicle Use Fee for Traffic Details.
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Consent Agenda — Resolutions — Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to amend the 2025-2026 General Fund Budget and make an interfund transfer in the 2026-2027 General Fund Budget for security enhancements in the Court Clerk's office.
Resolution #160-2026, dated July 1, 2026, records that the Village has been awarded a $4,500 grant from the Justice Court Assistance Program for security enhancements in the court clerk's office. It authorizes a $4,500 budget amendment in the 2025-2026 General Fund budget recognizing the state aid and, because the grant does not cover the full cost of the enhancements, a further $3,000 transfer from contingency to the court contractual line in the 2026-2027 budget.
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Consent Agenda — Resolutions — Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to make an interfund transfer in the amount of $5,700 to replace the compressor for the aeration system at Duck Pond.
A proposal from John Tucci, president of EverBlue Lakes, recommends replacing the Duck Pond aeration system, which has reached the end of its useful life, with a new compressor system using two EB 2P8 aeration compressors in a sound-insulated, weatherproof, ventilated enclosure. The quoted costs are $4,850 one-time for the compressor system with a one-year warranty on all components, $850 for installation and $2,900 for annual service under a proposed hybrid purchase/service program.
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Resolution #159-2026, dated July 1, 2026, addresses the failure of the aeration system compressor at Duck Pond, which can no longer be repaired, and a $5,700 replacement quote received by the Department of Public Works. Because the cost was not anticipated in the 2026-2027 General Fund budget, the resolution authorizes the Village Treasurer to transfer $5,700 from the contingency line to the parks contractual line.
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Consent Agenda — Resolutions — Consider authorizing the expenditure of $2,628 from the sustainable fund for battery-operated equipment for the Department of Public Works.
Resolution #157-2026, dated July 1, 2026, authorizes the expenditure of $2,628 from the Village's sustainable trust account for DPW Superintendent Frank Balbi's requested purchase of battery-powered equipment. The trust account, established by the Board of Trustees on January 6, 2020 to accrue funds from the solar array at the DPW Garage, currently has an available balance of $84,913.49.
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Consent Agenda — Resolutions — Consider determining the site work at Gouveia Park to be a Type II action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.
A review form with yes/no responses for the Village Department of Public Works' planned improvements to Gouveia Park at 1300 Albany Post Road, described as extension of the driveway to create a loop road, extension of sewer and water lines to the building, installation of storm drainage and site lighting, and tree removal in the construction area. Notes on the form say an informational freshwater wetland adjacent to the site will be protected, the Ann Gallelli REAL Center building will be connected to the public sewer system, and additional parking will allow greater recreational opportunities in the park.
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A preliminary site layout and floor layout drawing dated 2-27-2019 for the Croton-on-Hudson recreation facility at 1300 Albany Post Road. The sheet depicts Gouveia Pond, the Gouveia House and an existing gravel parking lot, and marks locations for proposed site lighting, proposed drainage improvements and a guardrail.
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Resolution #113-2026, dated May 20, 2026, concerns planned site improvements at Gouveia Park, the 16-acre property bequeathed to the Village in 2015 along with a $1,000,000 endowment. The improvements involve extending the driveway to create a loop road, installing drainage and lighting along the roadway and creating additional parking spaces near the house. The resolution declares the Village Board's intent to be Lead Agency for SEQRA purposes and refers the environmental and coastal assessment forms to the Westchester County Planning Board, New York State Dept. of Transportation and MTA Metro-North Railroad.
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Resolution #155-2026, dated July 1, 2026, determines that the planned site improvements at Gouveia Park are a Type II action under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, requiring no environmental review, and rescinds Resolution 113-2026. The change follows updates to the SEQRA regulations signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul that now consider improvements to public park facilities to be Type II actions.
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A Short Environmental Assessment Form for the Gouveia Park site improvements at 1300 Albany Post Road, covering driveway extension for a loop road, sewer and water line extensions, storm drainage, site lighting and tree removal. It notes an unnamed stream identified as an informational freshwater wetland totaling 1.03 acres, with no disturbance planned within the wetland area, and that a 1,000 gallon underground oil tank failed inspection and was replaced by the previous owner. The attached EAF Mapper report flags the Hudson River Critical Environmental Area, archeological sites, and threatened or endangered animals including Atlantic Sturgeon, Shortnose Sturgeon and Bald Eagle.
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Proposed Resolutions — Consider authorizing the Village Manager to accept the proposal from Kofile to digitize Village records at a cost not to exceed $11,534.
Resolution #162-2026, dated July 1, 2026, accepts an $11,534 proposal from Kofile to digitize Village permanent records currently on microfilm, some dating back to the Village's incorporation in 1898. Noting that the machine which reads the microfilm has reached end-of-life and that microfilm can degrade over time, the resolution also authorizes an $11,534 budget transfer from contingency to the Village Clerk contractual line in the 2026-2027 General Fund budget.
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A proposal (Quote #Q-04495) dated 6/16/2026 from Kofile Technologies of Dallas for film conversion services for the Village, capturing 16mm microfilm images at 300 dpi in black and white with automated image cleanup and delivery of digital masters with index data. Estimated pricing covers 142,800 images at $10,138.80 and 12,800 images at $1,395.20, for a project total of $11,534.00, with 50% invoiced upon first pickup and the quote expiring 9/14/2026.
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Proposed Resolutions — Consider authorizing the Village Manager to execute a Shared Services Intergovernmental Agreement with New York State for endpoint detection and response services.
Resolution #163-2026, dated July 1, 2026, authorizes the Village Manager to execute an agreement with the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services for endpoint detection and response services, which the state is now offering at no cost. These services had previously been provided to the Village and other county municipalities through a shared services agreement with Westchester County.
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Proposed Resolutions — Consider authorizing the Village Manager to execute an agreement with SPCA of Westchester for dog shelter services for the period beginning July 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027, at a cost of $4,400.
Resolution #164-2026, dated July 1, 2026, authorizes the Village Manager to execute a contract with SPCA of Westchester of Briarcliff Manor to shelter seized and stray dogs at a cost of $4,400 for the period July 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027, fulfilling the shelter requirement of Section 114 of the state Agriculture & Markets Law for municipalities that issue dog licenses. It also authorizes a $2,900 budget transfer from contingency to the animal control contractual line in the 2026-2027 General Fund budget.
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Proposed Resolutions — Consider the adoption of guidelines for student members on advisory committees.
A Village memo dated June 19, 2026, offers points for a policy on appointing student members to Village advisory committees, suggesting non-voting seats for high school juniors or seniors who live in the Village, one-year terms running September 1 to August 31, at least a 2.5 GPA and a letter of recommendation from their principal or dean. It lists eight committees that could include student members, from the Arts & Humanities Advisory Council to the Sustainability Committee, and notes the Advisory Board for the Visual Environment and the Waterfront Advisory Committee would not be able to have student members due to the nature of their work.
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Resolution #161-2026, dated July 1, 2026, adopts guidelines for student members on Village advisory committees following a June 24, 2026 work session discussion. Student members must be high school juniors or seniors residing in the Village, serve as non-voting members for one-year terms running September 1 to August 31, and be recommended by a guidance counselor or other school official with parental permission. Eight committees may seat student members, including the Police Advisory, Recreation Advisory and Sustainability committees, capped at one student for committees of seven or fewer members and two for larger ones.
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