Dear Friends,

The Village of Croton-on-Hudson was fortunate to avoid the worst of Hurricane Henri on Sunday. We are all blessed to have such devoted, professional and dedicated staff and volunteers keeping our Village safe.

Prior to the storm, the DPW has checked catch basins and flood-prone areas. Police checked on those listed on our special needs registry. Fire Department directed companies to fuel up apparatus and equipment, and conduct rig checks to ensure their readiness for any contingencies.

I want to especially thank our first responders in the Police, Volunteer Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service, who are our first line of defense in any emergency. Remember that our Fire Department is an ALL volunteer force. The volunteers of the Croton Fire Department & EMS leave their families to brave the storm and protect our families.

Their diligence and their dedication is evident in everything they do. From the Village Manager on down, our staff and volunteers worked with a singular purpose to ensure our community was prepared.

I hope that you are as proud of our team as I am. Please join me in thanking them if you get the chance.

I would also like to express our community’s appreciation for the utility workers that quickly restored power over the course of the storm.

Sincerely,

Brian Pugh, Mayor

Dear neighbor, Here is the 551st installment of Decoding Village Agendas to keep Croton residents informed of the actions of the Village Board at their meetings.  I continue to add recipients to this email update on agendas so you may be receiving it for the first time. I enjoy getting your feedback and hope to continue to hear from you.  If you do not wish to receive these periodic email updates from me, please reply to this email and your name will be removed from the email list. 

Ann Gallelli

Decoding Village Agendas – August  30, 2021 

Regular Meeting of the Village Board

7:00 pm

Municipal Building

PUBLIC HEARING:

1. Public Hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 8 of 2021 to amend the Zoning Chapter of the Village Code, Section 230, to eliminate the prohibition against video game and arcade machines, update notification procedures for sheds and update penalties for offenses.  This proposed law would make updates to existing code with regard to video games, limit distance required for notification of neighbors for sheds, and change the penalty amounts for various offenses.  It can be viewed in the backup documents.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:  

1. Environmental and Consistency Review of Local Law Introductory No. 8 of 2021.  The board will complete the relevant SEQRA and LRP forms for the above proposed law.

CORRESPONDENCE:

1. Press Release from Westchester County Seeking Public Input to Update Hazard Mitigation Plan.  The County is preparing a survey for citizens to fill  out to help them in identifying and preparing for such a Plan.  It will be followed by public hearings for further input.  The survey will be available in late September.
2. Letter from Jud Ramaker, Race Director of the Harry Chapin Memorial Run Against Hunger, requesting Village support for this year’s Run Against Hunger.  Mr. Rudmaker states that this year’s event will be a hybrid enabling participants to run on their own schedule on certain days as well as the more traditional events on October 16^th.  He asked for the support of our Police, DPW, and EMS as at past events and thanks us for the Village’s support.
3. Letter from New York State, Division of the Budget regarding additional funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.  We are advised that we will receive an additional $3,375.95 due to some municipalities not applying for the available funding.  This raises our total to $830,253.92 which will be disburse in equal parts to us, half this year and half next year.
4. Letter from Don Daubney of the Croton Lions Club requesting permission to hold their Christmas tree sale along South Riverside Avenue.  On behalf of the Lions Club, Mr. Daubney requests permission for the sale to occur on South Riverside Ave, across from Shop Rite.  

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS:

1. Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to amend the 2021-2022 General Fund Budget in the amount of $2,500 for EMT services.  This expense was not included in the adopted budget and will be taken from the Contingency account.
2. Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to refund Public Improvement Serial Bonds issued in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and to issue a refunding bond. The refunding of these bonds will result in a savings in the Village’s debt service.  This action was recommended by the Village’s financial counsel.
3. Consider ratifying the Village Manager’s decision to accept a proposal from Tub Construction Corp. of Yonkers, New York, for probing of the engine room floor at the Grant Street Firehouse at a cost not to exceed $7,000.  The work will determine and load capacity of the floor of the Grand Street Engine room.
4. Consider authorizing the Village Manager to execute a grant disbursement agreement with the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York to accept $50,000 for the purchase of a hybrid police vehicle.  This new hybrid police vehicle will replace an older traditional vehicle.
5. Consider the issuance of a special permit to Sol Systems of Washington, DC, for the installation of solar canopies at the Croton-Harmon Train Station Parking Lot.  The Board will vote on granting a special permit for this application following a previously held public hearing.  Included in the conditions is the requirement that a conduit be installed during construction for future use for Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations.
6. Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to amend the 2021-2022 General Fund Budget in the amount of $85,205 in relation to personnel changes.  Changes  in staffing and associated salaries  since the adoption of the budget has resulted some accounts being over budgeted. This allows transfer of that money to other accounts, primarily Contingency.

g. Consider the emergency authorization for the Village Manager to accept the proposal from VCI Emergency Vehicle Specialists for a new ambulance in the amount of $194,154 under New York State GML § 103(4).  One of the Village’s two ambulances, 2010 Ford ambulance, is requiring costly repairs.  It was scheduled to be replaced in next year’s capital budget plan. The Village Mechanic as advised that the vehicle is in poor shape.  VCI will also pay $10,000 for the old ambulance.  The ambulance is necessary to provide emergency care and service to the Village and the Mt. Airy/Quaker Bridge Fire Protection area

Dear Neighbors:

There were two related and equally disturbing items in The Gazette that should serve as a wake-up call to our community. The first was a cover article “State GOP Fund-raiser in Briarcliff Nets $1 Million-plus”. The second was a Letter to the Editor by Mr. David Bluestein, on page 3, warning that “Cortlandt United” is merely a rebranded Republican line for this November election.

In his letter, Mr. Bluestein shines a light on the fact that “Cortlandt United” is an attempt by Republicans to obscure their true identity. He also reported about photos that Laura Abate Ryan, Republican candidate for Cortlandt Supervisor, proudly posted on social media, showing herself at Donald Trump’s Briarcliff rally. Ms. Ryan seems to identify herself as Trump’s loyal acolyte – a supporter of his ideas, ideals, and agenda. This is seems also to be true of other “Cortlandt United” candidates for Councilman and Receiver of Taxes, who attended the event and boast of their loyalty to the disgraced former President.

The Gazette article quotes the State Republican Chairman as stating: “The event was a record breaking success” due to “…incredible love for President Trump”. The Trump supporters that attended his rally are far to the right of the vast majority of voters in our region. They cling to the lies that the election was a fraud, that Trump is President, that Covid is a hoax, and that vaccines are dangerous. As Mr. Bluestein points out, in light of January 6th and it’s on-going aftermath, this should be frightening to all of us, Republicans, Independents and Democrats alike.

So, please spread the word. We see Ms. Ryan and her fellow Trumpist “Cortlandt United” candidates for what they are: out of step, aggressively pursuing an ideology that the voters of this nation, this town and this village soundly rejected. Please pay attention and don’t be fooled, Cortlandt and Croton voters. Vote Democratic on November 2nd.

Sincerely,
Richard Masur
Chair, Croton Democratic Committee

Dear Neighbors:

The redevelopment of 41-51 Maple Street (“Katz Property”) recently passed two key milestones. With site approval by the Village’s Planning Board and approval from the Town of Cortlandt of the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT), we are closer than ever to addressing the need for affordable housing in our community and rebuilding our Village’s fiscal strength as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

After months of careful review, the Planning Board granted site plan approval to Regan Development at its meeting last week. The approved site plan is for a multifamily residential development consisting of 33 apartments within two 2-story buildings. To minimize impacts on the neighbors and comply with the Village Code, the project will feature 50 ft. vegetated borders between it and adjacent residential properties. RDC’s buildings will both contain elevators, and all apartments will either be built as fully accessible for people with physical disabilities or will be convertible to full accessibility, at RDC’s cost. A percentage of the apartments will be fully accessible at construction completion.

Four of the 33 proposed units will be at market rates. The remainder will be affordable for those earning incomes of between 50% and 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Westchester. For the purposes of example: for a single person household, 50% of AMI is $44,050 and 80% of AMI is $70,480.

Also last week, the Town of Cortlandt’s Board approved a PILOT agreement for Maple Street. The Board of Trustees joined them in ratifying the PILOT on Monday.

Under the PILOT agreement, the local taxing jurisdictions will be paid an initial amount of $70,000/year, increasing 3% per year for the term of the PILOT agreement, which will be 30 years. Regan has also agreed to the payment of a User Fee to the Village of Croton-on-Hudson in the amount of $20,000/year for the 30-year term. 

The PILOT for 41-51 Maple Street will generate more revenue than similar PILOTs for affordable developments in New Rochelle, Somers and Tarrytown. Currently, the publicly-owned but vacant parcel produces no revenue for any of the taxing entities.

Regan has agreed to pay the Village $2M for the property–an increase of $250,000 from the initial offer accepted by the Board of Trustees in February. 

The Regan development is the first affordable housing that will be built in our Village since 2009, and it is an important downpayment on addressing the housing crisis in our community. There is an acute need for affordable housing in our community. The 2019 Housing Needs Assessment conducted by Westchester County found 200 households in Croton-on-Hudson paying more than 50% of their annual gross income on rent. 

It is rare that a single project can do so much to meet a community’s financial and social needs. I greatly appreciate the partnership of our friends on the Town Board and our colleagues on the Planning Board in helping to move this forward.

Sincerely,

Brian Pugh

Mayor of Croton-on-Hudson

Dear Neighbors:

There’s good news to report this summer when it comes to Croton’s future sustainability.

As many of you know, the Village has entered into a lease agreement with Sol Systems of Washington, DC for the installation of solar canopies at the Croton-Harmon Train Station parking lot. Last week our Planning Board reviewed the Special Permit application needed for this project to be implemented and recommended granting it, with some suggested improvements. Soon our Zoning Board will consider a small variance  the project will require. Monday evening was another important step in the process when our Board of Trustees held a public hearing  which included a briefing on the project by Sol Systems.

The benefits to Croton from this project, if implemented,  will be immense.  A portion of the  energy generated from the 8,910 solar panels to be installed will be available to Croton residents. In addition,  the Village will receive significant annual revenue from the lease agreement. So from renewable energy and fiscal perspectives, solar canopies at our train station makes  sustainable sense. 

There’s more. At our Board meeting Monday we also adopted a resolution affirming that we had  secured the necessary points in NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Community (CEC) program competition to qualify for $110,000 in grants and authorizing the Mayor to inform  NYSERDA how the Village would use such funds.  After considerable analysis, our Sustainability Committee chose worthy projects to comply with CEC grant requirements –  the installation of solar panels and heating controls at the Washington Engine firehouse, and a heat pump water heater at the Municipal Building.  Happily,  no match from the Village is required.

We are all grateful to our Sustainability Committee,  ably chaired by Lindsay Audin, for its efforts on the train station solar canopy and the CEC funding. And I know the Committee is not stopping now – future projects to benefit the Village are on their way!

This sustainability good news this summer is a great example of progress being made by hard work and collaboration benefitting all of Croton. 

Len Simon, Trustee

Village of Croton-on-Hudson

*This Letter to the Editor appeared in the August 19th issue of The Gazette.*

Dear neighbor, Here is the 549th installment of Decoding Village Agendas to keep Croton residents informed of the actions of the Village Board at their meetings. I continue to add recipients to this email update on agendas so you may be receiving it for the first time. I enjoy getting your feedback and hope to continue to hear from you. If you do not wish to receive these periodic email updates from me, please reply to this email and your name will be removed from the email list.
Ann Gallelli

Decoding Village Agendas – August 16, 2021
Regular Meeting of the Village Board
7:00 pm
Municipal Building

PUBLIC HEARING:
Public Hearing to consider the issuance of a special permit to Sol Systems of Washington, DC, for the installation of solar canopies at the Croton-Harmon Train Station Parking. The Board has previously signed a lease agreement with Sol Systems. They are now seeking a special permit for the installation of solar canopies. The Planning Board has reviewed their application and supports the special permit. It will also need action from the Zoning Board of Appeals

CORRESPONDENCE:
Letter from Daniel O’Connor, Village Engineer, requesting the extension of a building permit for 90 Cleveland Drive. Completion has been slowed due to contractor and materials delays. Engineer O’Connor recommends a 6 month extension.
Memorandum from NYS Department of State regarding NYS DOT Bridge Washing/Deck Sealing along Route 9. The DOT is performing bridge washing and deck sealing on 159 bridges across the state. Four of these locations are in areas covered under the Coastal Zone Management Program and are in areas with Local Waterfront Revitalization Plans (LWRPs). Croton is one of these locations. The Dept. of State, which administers the CZA in NYS, has found the proposed work to be consistent with CZA objectives. We can also determine constancy with our Local program.

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS:
Consider adoption of a Negative Declaration for SEQRA purposes and a finding of consistency with the Village’s LWRP in regards to the special use permit application from Hudson National Golf Club for their ancillary storage area. At its previous meeting, the Board reviewed the SEQRA and LWRP forms for this application. This resolution confirms their findings of consistency.

Consider the issuance of an amended special permit to Hudson National Golf Club for modifications to their ancillary storage area. The proposed resolution for approval is t he result of extensive review by both the Planning Board, Village Board, Engineer and consultant engineers. It addresses drainage and roadway issues and has 11 conditions specifically identified.

Consider authorizing the Village Manager to execute the amendment from CivicPlus for web streaming services in the amount of $6,500 per year. CivicPlus, owner of Earth Channel, will provide high definition streaming to improve better access to the public.

Consider scheduling a Public Hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 11 of 2021 to adopt Chapter 99 of the Village Code, Cannabis On-Site Consumption Opt Out, to prohibit cannabis consumption establishments within the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, for September 20, 2021, at 7 PM in the Georgianna Grant Meeting Room at the Stanley H. Kellerhouse Municipal Building, 1 Van Wyck Street, Croton-on-Hudson, New York. The proposed resolution would allow the Village to opt out of the State’s legislation regarding consumption establishments in the Village.

Consider authorizing the Mayor to sign a Letter of Commitment from NYSERDA in regards to $110,000 in grant funding from the Clean Energy Community (CEC) program.
The letter asserts that the Village will utilize the $110,000 in clean energy grant money for energy-related projects at Washington Engine and the Municipal Building.

Consider scheduling a Public Hearing on Local Law Introductory No. 8 of 2021 to amend the Zoning Chapter of the Village Code, Section 230, to eliminate the prohibition against video game and arcade machines, update notification procedures for sheds and update penalties for offenses, for August 30, 2021, at 7 PM in the Georgianna Grant Meeting Room at the Stanley H. Kellerhouse Municipal Building, 1 Van Wyck Street, Croton-on-Hudson, New York. This proposed Code amendment addresses several areas of code that the Board feels should be updated included the prohibition of video arcades, notifications for placement of sheds on property and updates to penalties.

Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to amend the 2021-2022 General Fund Budget in the amount of $8,360 for funds received from the sale of surplus equipment. DPW Superintendent Balbi has asked that these funds by used to purchase a piece of equipment used in the Fall leaf pickup.

Consider authorizing the Village Manager to execute a PILOT Agreement with Regan Development Corporation in regards to the Village-owned parcel located at 41-51 Maple Street. In June, 2021, the Board agreed to a contract of sale for the property at $2,000,000. Regan is seeking a PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) in order to qualify for funding through NYS Offices of Homes and Community Renewal. The terms of the 30-year PILOT agreement call for an annual payment of $70,000 increasing by 3% each year of the agreement.

Dear neighbor, Here is the 547th installment of Decoding Village Agendas to keep Croton residents informed of the actions of the Village Board at their meetings.  I continue to add recipients to this email update on agendas so you may be receiving it for the first time. I enjoy getting your feedback and hope to continue to hear from you.  If you do not wish to receive these periodic email updates from me, please reply to this email and your name will be removed from the email list. 

Ann Gallelli

Decoding Village Agendas – August 2, 2021

Regular Meeting of the Village Board

7:00 pm

Municipal Building

PUBLIC HEARING:

1. Continuation of public hearing on Local Law Introductory 9 of 2021 to delete Chapter 202 of the Village Code, Tattoos.  The Village currently does not permit tattoo parlors.  This eliminates that prohibition.
2. Public hearing on the special permit application from the Croton Circle School for a day care center at 119 Maple Street.  The proposal has been reviewed by the Planning Board which  gave it a positive recommendation.

CONSISTENCY REVIEW

LWRP Consistency Review (HNGC)  The Amended Special Permit being sought requires a review of the application with regard to its consistency with the Village’s LWRP.  The Waterfront Advisory Committee found the application to be consistent.

CORRESPONDENCE

1. Letter from Croton Merchants Regarding Upper Village Fall Events. The letter from Toni Senecal and the associated petition asks the Village to reconsider it’s previously announced plans for a Fall Festival event on October 2 in Vassalllo Park.  Instead, they request that the Village close Grand Street in order to allow for a street event.
2. Memo from John Nikitopoulos, Chief of Police, in regards to the new police patch implementation plan.  Chief Nikitopoulos informs the Board that the new patch is being implemented on its letterhead and forms.  They are finalizing the new patch production.  It is anticipated that when the police switch to their long-sleeve uniforms in early November, they will have the new patch.  As well, the new patch will be on new vehicles as they are put in service.
3. Letter from Merrily Besvinick of the Croton Arboretum in regards to request for multi-year exemption from wetlands activity fees.  The Arboretum is continuing its fight against the invasive phragmites growth.  To that end, it needs a Wetland Activity Permit.  The Arboretum is asking to be exempt from the Permit fee as the property is Village-owned.
4. Letter from Cynthia Lippolis of Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce in regards to conducting a scarecrow contest.  Ms. Lippolis is requesting permission to conduct the annual Scarecrow contest in October. The contest is sponsored by the HV Chamber of Commerce and the Croton Business Council.  Scarecrow contestants will be displayed around the Village.
5. Letter from John Clark of Hudson River Recreation in regards to renewal of the agreement at Echo Canoe and Kayak Launch.  Mr. Clark  reports a successful season to date and requests a 3-year renewal as specified in the original contract agreement.

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS

1. Consider amending the Master Fee Schedule to adopt the vendor fees for Fall Festival.  This is a new event which is not covered under the existing fee schedule.  New fees will be set for participation in this event.
2. Consider authorizing the Village Treasurer to amend the 2021-2022 General Fund Budget in the amount of $413,438.99 for expenses related to American Rescue Plan Act funds.  This is half of the total amount that the Village will receive with the second portion coming in the next fiscal year.
3. Consider revising the rules and procedures in regards to conducting Board of Trustees Meetings.  This updates the rules and procedures to take out ZOOM meetings and to specify that regular and work session meetings will begin at 7 pm. 
4. Consider issuing a special permit to the Croton Circle School for a day care center at 119 Maple Street.   The Planning Board has reviewed this application and submitted a letter of support.  A public hearing on the application was also held at a previous meeting.
5. Acknowledge receipt of the special permit application from Sol Systems of Washington D.C. for the installation of solar canopies at the Croton-Harmon Train Station parking lot and refer the application to the Village Planning Board.  The proposed project is a 4.0 megawatt (MW) direct current solar photovoltaic facility and an associated 3.75 MW/15 MWhour battery storage system.  The application will be submitted to the Planning Board for review and recommendation.