North Salem · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in North Salem, NY public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Building coverage variance request at 8 Bonnieview Street
A Bonnieview Street couple wants to add a primary suite, laundry, and expanded kitchen, nudging their building coverage to 10.5% against a 10% cap. The board decides whether the small overrun is acceptable.
Accessory apartment for elderly parents at 724 Titicus Road
A family can convert their basement into an apartment for elderly parents, allowing them to stay with family rather than enter a nursing home.
Home addition variance on undersized lot
A Bonnieview Street family can add a primary suite to their home despite slightly exceeding the town's building-coverage cap, because their lot is a pre-existing non-conforming size.
Tree Removal Code Rewrite and Clearance Form
The town is rewriting its tree ordinance to create a simpler two-track system: small removals (up to ~10 trees) handled administratively by the building inspector, larger or sensitive-site jobs going to the Planning Board. Enforcement and public education remain challenges.
Home standby generator variance at 5 Hilltop Drive
A homeowner needs to place a backup generator closer to the side lot line than zoning allows because that's where the utilities enter. The board agreed it's well hidden and granted it with a condition that weekly test runs happen midweek, midday.
Firewood shed setback variance at 46 Lakeview Road
A homeowner wants to replace an old, leaky tarp-covered woodshed with a smaller one that sits within required side and rear setbacks. Neighbors worried about their backyard view, and the board split the difference by keeping the new shed on the existing footprint.
Abutter notification radius for cooperative properties (Appendix E.2)
The ZBA's own appendix still requires notifying abutters within 50 feet, while the Town Code was updated to 150 feet for co-ops. The board endorsed fixing the mismatch, but its authority to change the appendix is uncertain, so it goes to the Town Board.
Keeping of livestock and barn setback relief at 338 Hardscrabble Road
A resident wants to house rescue donkeys and miniature goats in a new four-stall barn built closer to the property line than zoning normally allows. The board found good cause in operational efficiency, safety and aesthetics, mirroring a similar permit granted to prior owners in 2007.
Renewal of horse boarding operation and gatehouse maintenance at 15 Turkey Hill Road
A long-running commercial horse boarding farm got its ten-year special permit renewal, but board members called out clutter around the caretaker's cottage visible from Turkey Hill Road. The renewal now carries a condition to clean up equipment, trash cans and outdoor furniture.
Equestrian special permit renewals
Three horse properties — two on Lost Pond Lane and one on Grant Road — had their permits renewed, keeping North Salem's equestrian character intact. Conditions cover manure removal, fly control and dark-sky lighting.
Short-term rental regulation enforcement
The Town Board adopted short-term rental rules with no comment and is expected to adopt the Croton Falls Plan as-is — so the Planning Board's February 18 work session on these topics may be cancelled.
Restoration of the Purdys Hotel, a prominent Purdys landmark
The old Purdys Hotel on Main Street is a highly visible historic landmark whose front facade everyone in the hamlet sees. The owner wants to fix its leaking roof and restore its original cupola and porches, and the HPC had to balance encouraging the restoration against its role in making sure the work matches the building's historic character.
Dark-sky lighting policy
The board conditions approvals so outdoor lighting can't be seen from its source, keeping the town's night skies dark.
Horse-keeping special permit at Finch Farm
A long-running permit to keep six horses on a 30-plus-acre farm was renewed unchanged, with a fire inspection required.
Planning Board vacancy filled
Emily Simonis resigned from the Planning Board and Peter Zambelletti, who interviewed last meeting, was appointed through 2030.
Tree ordinance and not-for-profit special permit amendments
The Conservation Advisory Council hasn't yet sent back its revisions to the town's tree ordinance; they may arrive in time for the March 4 meeting.
Small cell legislation
The board wants to revive its stalled small-cell wireless work. The special counsel's draft needs reformatting before it can plug into the town code, so it may not resurface until mid-summer.
Titicus Road roadside farm stand
Titicus Farm wants to sell fruits and vegetables grown on site from a roadside stand, but the application came in incomplete — no site plan or elevations and a vague operations description. It's held over to June with no extra fee.
Stay Cell Farm horse operation renewal
A 20-year-old horse boarding and breeding facility on 116 acres at the gateway to North Salem can keep operating for another decade, with up to 54 horses. No changes are proposed and the building inspector reported only minor fire-extinguisher updates needed.
Rebuild of fire-damaged home on non-conforming lot
A family who lost their home to fire got the variances needed to rebuild with slightly more coverage and floor area than zoning allows, on a lot too small to meet current rules. The board found the hardship wasn't self-created since the fire caused it.
Zoning Amendment for Not-for-Profit Land Conservancies
The Open Land Foundation has been using a donated home at 3 Willow Lane as its office, but office use isn't permitted in the R-4 residential zone. A zoning amendment would apply to any conservation nonprofit in town, so the board is weighing how to write it tightly.
Nonprofit land conservation facility standards
A new code amendment would let nonprofits like the Open Land Foundation and Bedford Audubon build offices, barns, and equipment storage on conserved land, with limits on building size, events, and driveways. The board debated how tightly to regulate fundraisers and employee housing, and will take the concept to the Town Board for direction before finishing the draft.