North Salem · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in North Salem, NY public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Political signs in the public right-of-way
A resident complained that illegal signs keep appearing in road rights-of-way and nobody is enforcing the ordinance. The board agreed Highway will pick them up during political season and post advisory signage.
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.
Plus-One ADU Program
The state offers up to $125,000 per household to build accessory apartments for households earning under about $144,000. The town is considering signing on as local administrator but wants to study the program's terms and how other towns have fared first.
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.
Meeting-room microphone failures
Zoom participants and the board again couldn't hear podium speakers; the chair will file another complaint with the Town and may try the new 'owl' camera as an interim fix, plus request better microphones from the planning budget.
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.
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.
Croton Falls farmers market support
The town is passing along $15,061 of state grant money to Field Future Foundation, which runs the Croton Falls farmers market — founders Natalie and Janus put their own money in to get it going.
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.
HPC leadership turnover and membership recruitment
The commission's chair says it's time for someone new to take over, and member Fred Soward can't return. They're actively recruiting — one candidate, Rick O'Leary, may have a conflict because he sits on another board.
Nash Road Holdings assessment reduction
The town settled a tax challenge, cutting the assessed value of two lots by a combined $330,800 for 2025, which shifts a small share of the tax burden elsewhere.
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.
Revolutionary North Salem 250 event
The board added $900 to the June 20 celebration budget for living history, stage steps, and a contingency, plus $2,500 for a mini-golf attraction — with turnout estimates tempered after Facebook analytics review.
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.
Town Code Chapter 90 Filming Fee Overhaul
The board wants to pull filming fees (including police rates) out of the zoning code and into the fee schedule, so future updates only need a resolution, not a public hearing. They're also considering a full sweep of every fee in the town code.
Receiver of Taxes Bank Fees and Overdrafts
The tax receiver's bank accounts racked up about $1,051 in fees and overdrafts going back to 2020, partly from a $435 check scanner charge and repeated overdrafts in special district accounts. The finance office plans to repay via vouchers from the affected accounts and fix the process so the abstract is checked before board meetings.
Gilport subdivision long extension
The Oakridge/Overlook Road subdivision has now received eighteen 90-day extensions of its plat approval; the current owner is marketing the property, and the road-or-bond question remains unresolved.
Pool and side-yard setback variances, 4 Park Lane
Patrick Kennedy asked for side-yard relief to build a 16'x35' fiberglass pool and to legalize the existing location of a house addition that sits closer to the lot line than zoning allows.
Deck replacement and hot tub variances, 18 Lakeside Drive
John and Michelle Shallat sought variances to replace a deck with a slightly larger one and add a hot tub on a small (0.16-acre) non-conforming lakefront lot, which requires extra rear-yard and coverage relief.
Front-yard gate height variance, 685 Titicus Road
Barbara Gatfield wants to install a gate and pillars 6 feet tall in her front yard where only 4 feet is allowed in the R-4 district. The Board was scheduled to hear the request at a public hearing.
Day Camp Dates and Fees
Dates and fees for the town's day camp were on the agenda — families planning summer childcare would want to watch this one.
Annual Stormwater (MS4) Report
The board was to authorize the Supervisor to sign and file the town's annual stormwater report — part of the state's MS4 stormwater compliance program.
County Snow-and-Ice Agreement
A resolution would let the Supervisor sign a five-year snow and ice agreement with Westchester County's public works department, covering 2025-2030.
Gate pillar height variance at 235 Mills Road
A Mills Road property owner wants a front-yard gate with stone pillars roughly two feet taller than the zoning allows. The Board of Appeals will weigh whether the extra height fits the neighborhood when it finally hears the case on February 12.