Editor's note: This article previews a scheduled meeting based on the published agenda packet. After the meeting is held and video is released, coverage will be updated with the actual discussion and any votes taken. The Village Board of Trustees will convene on Tuesday, September 2, for a regular meeting headlined by a public hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 10 of 2026, a proposed zoning text amendment that has drawn significant community engagement since the board first took up the issue this spring. Farm animal regulations dominate the agenda Local Law Intro 10 would amend Chapter 230 of the Village Code to clarify what animals residents may keep and under what conditions. The draft law, developed over multiple work sessions with the village planner and village attorney, would permit the keeping of chickens and ducks — but prohibit roosters, pigeons, geese, and swans — on residential properties. The number of birds allowed would scale with lot size, ranging from five on lots under a quarter-acre to 20 on lots larger than an acre. All birds would need to be kept in enclosures set back at least 25 feet from property lines in the R-5 and RB districts, and 50 feet in all other districts. The proposal has gone through several iterations since a May 27 work session where the board agreed to limit permitted fowl to chickens and ducks. Village Manager Bryan Healy provided research memos drawing on guidance from Cornell, Penn State Extension, and the CDC regarding best practices for backyard poultry. The Planning Board reviewed the referral on July 28 and flagged a concern that in certain zoning districts — particularly RA-5 — the setback requirements could make it physically impossible to place a coop on a conforming lot, a point echoed in public comments submitted August 31. Two rounds of public comments accompanied the packet. Residents raised questions about the completeness of a pigeon ban, whether existing flocks would be grandfathered, and whether the setback rules would inadvertently exclude some properties from keeping chickens altogether. The board referred the law to the Westchester County Planning Board, the Planning Board, and the Waterfront Advisory Committee, all of which have responded. After the hearing, the board will consider Resolution 199-2026 to adopt the law. Two code updates on the consent agenda The board will also hold hearings and consider adopting two more routine local laws. Local Law Intro 11 would update Chapter 204 to raise the income threshold for the Senior Citizen Rental Income Exemption (SCRIE) and Disabled Persons Rental Income Exemption (DRIE) from $50,000 to $75,000, matching an increase in the 2026-2027 state budget. Local Law Intro 12 would amend the list of sidewalks exempt from the Village Code's snow-and-ice removal requirements, adding two sections of Farrington Road where property owners lack practical access, removing a Radnor Avenue exemption that applies to village-owned land, and trimming an Old Post Road South exemption. Both were discussed at prior work sessions. Scheduling hearings for waterfront review and Assistant Village Manager On the consent agenda, the board will set September 16 public hearings for two new local laws. Intro 14 would amend Chapter 225 (Waterfront Revitalization) to update the consistency review process for land use applications, incorporating changes prompted by recent amendments to the State Environmental Quality Review Act. The Waterfront Advisory Committee reviewed the referral on August 25 and recommended consistency with the LWRP. Intro 15 would create the position of Assistant Village Manager in Chapter 31, authorizing the Village Manager to appoint a deputy who would serve as Acting Village Manager during absences or vacancies. Capital plan, contracts, and other business On the proposed resolutions side, the board will consider adopting a revised 2026-2031 Capital Plan. The updated plan adds funding for the Half Moon Bay Bridge reconstruction and Brook Street Drainage Project while reducing current-year debt issuance by 9%, made possible by $1.7 million in additional grant funding. Two contract awards are on the agenda. The five-year HVAC maintenance contract goes to HVAC Now of Poughkeepsie at $49,375 — the lowest of three bids received, with the next-lowest at $156,400. The 2026 street resurfacing program goes to Louis Rinaldi Inc. of Ossining at $790,900, the lowest of six bids, funded through CHIPS and capital budget appropriations. Also on the consent agenda: a Memorandum of Understanding with the Croton Business Council for the September 26 Oktoberfest on Grand Street ($7,907.73 in DPW costs and deposit); a three-month extension of the Westchester County utility license agreement covering electrical service to the Croton Gorge Park caretaker's cottage; a $1,750 budget transfer to upgrade the online dog licensing system to comply with a new state mandate for animal shelter donation options; a shared-services cyber security agreement with NYS DHSES for the Police Department; and the revised Public Employer Health Emergency Plan. The meeting will also include recognition of two long-serving village employees — John Spatta for 25 years and John Nikitopoulos for 40 years — with certificates from the New York Conference of Mayors.
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