The Croton Zoning Board of Appeals approved three variance requests in a 33-minute meeting on April 21, working through its agenda with the minimum quorum needed to conduct business. With Chairman James Tuman and member Ethan Lewis absent, Doug Olcott served as acting chairman. Only three of the board's five members were present — Olcott, Bill Goldsmith, and Matt Berger — meaning every application required a unanimous vote to pass. All three cleared that bar 3-0. Ron Wegner, assistant village engineer, and Deputy Mayor Len Simon, the village board liaison, were also present.

59 Sunset Drive

The board voted on a continued application for a 2½-story rear addition at 59 Sunset Drive, where owner Meredith Korn was represented by architect Joseph Arnow. The request sought side yard, total side yard, and lot width variances. The application had drawn neighbor concern at a prior meeting, prompting a site visit on March 21. Goldsmith, who had missed the original hearing but watched the meeting video and joined the site visit, said the neighbor's suggestions about preserving a seasonal view were thoughtful but did not rise to the level of an adverse impact under zoning standards, according to the minutes. Berger agreed the addition would not create a meaningful disruption, and Olcott concurred. During the board's review of the five statutory factors, Secretary Stefanie Correale said the requested relief — 2.3 feet for the side yard, 3.3 feet for the total side yard, and 5 feet for lot width — was minimal. "I would say it's not substantial," 29:13▶ Correale said, adding that it was an extension of existing setbacks. Goldsmith made the motion, seconded by Berger. Approved 3-0.

100 Young Avenue

Matthew Dillon, owner of 100 Young Avenue, sought variances for a first- and second-story addition to his Cape Cod-style home, built in the 1950s. The existing house sits about three inches within the required side yard setback and roughly fifteen inches within the front yard requirement. The proposed addition would extend upward and toward the rear without increasing the existing nonconformities. Dillon told the board he and his family have lived at the property for about four years and recently welcomed a third child, creating a need for more living space, according to the minutes. The board determined the request — 0.1 feet for the side yard and 1.1 feet for the front yard — was minimal. Olcott noted that the house directly across the street has a similar setback and second-story configuration, and that the applicant had submitted letters of support from adjoining neighbors. Berger made the motion, seconded by Goldsmith. Approved 3-0.

39 Palmer Avenue

The most involved application of the evening came from Margaret Crocker, owner of 39 Palmer Avenue, represented by her architect. The proposal involved extending and aligning an enclosed breezeway connecting the garage and house, plus a canopy over the entrance — an addition of roughly 20 square feet. The property, a corner lot with two front yard designations facing Hunter Place, has a history of nonconforming conditions. A variance was granted in 2016 when the garage was connected to the house and ceased to qualify as an accessory structure, triggering primary-structure setback requirements. During the hearing, Wegner presented corrected measurements from the original survey that differed from the application materials. The original submission had referenced only a front yard variance of 7.4 feet, based on lower-resolution survey reproductions. After review of the clearer original survey, Wegner identified the garage corner as set back 9.1 feet from the property line, yielding a 5.9-foot front yard variance to reach the 15-foot requirement. The rear yard needed a 12.7-foot variance, with the house sitting 12.3 feet from the property line. The board disregarded the original application figures in favor of the corrected measurements. Olcott acknowledged the variances were numerically substantial — roughly 50 percent on the rear yard and 30 to 40 percent on the front yard. "But I think that is mitigated by the fact that of the existing nonconformity of the house as it stands," 32:34▶ Olcott said. Correale agreed, citing the tight corner-lot configuration. "I agree with that analysis. Tight very tight lot," 33:06▶ she said. Letters of support from residents at 1 Hunter Place and 3 Hunter Place, directly across the street, were entered into the record. Berger made the motion for a 5.9-foot front yard variance and 12.7-foot rear yard variance, seconded by Goldsmith. Approved 3-0. The board next meets on May 19.