Croton weighs winter-parking change, battery revenue study

Croton trustees used their June 24 work session to advance two resident-facing ideas: a small consultant study to see whether village-owned land could host battery storage, and a possible change to winter parking rules in the village’s business districts.

On the battery side, Sustainability Committee chair Lindsay Audin said a 5-megawatt system could bring in roughly $150,000 to $200,000 a year, plus a permit fee, if the village finds a workable site. The board voted to appropriate $2,000 for a consultant to identify viable village sites near power lines and test whether there is hosting capacity before outside developers claim the best locations. That was a study step, not approval for construction.

Village Attorney Joshua Subin said any project would still have to go through special-permit and site-plan review. The village’s official battery-energy page also shows Croton already has an integrated energy system project at 1 Municipal Place that went through a special permit application process in 2024.

The more immediate day-to-day issue for many residents is parking during snow events. Under the current seasonal parking rule, once two or more inches of snow accumulate, no vehicle may remain on a street until the road is cleared. Hardship permit holders must move their vehicles within 12 hours after the snow stops.

Mayor Brian Pugh proposed a change that would allow one-side daytime parking from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in North Riverside, Harmon, South Riverside and Upper Village during snow events, while keeping overnight parking prohibited so public works can clear the streets. For shop owners, commuters and anyone who depends on curb access, that would be the practical effect to watch.

The next steps are straightforward: the battery idea stays in the feasibility stage, and the parking proposal would still need to return as a local law with a public hearing before it could take effect. For now, Croton is still testing one idea and drafting the other.

Sources

• croton.news work session coverage
• Village of Croton-on-Hudson: 1 Municipal Place Integrated Energy System