Joint Committee Meeting on Infrastructure, Housing, and Budget – August 31, 2026

The Infrastructure & Housing Committee met jointly with the Budget & Appropriations Committee on Monday, August 31, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 2:34 PM. The meeting covered 20 agenda items, including approvals of inter-municipal agreements, bond acts, land acquisitions, and stormwater plan amendments. All items were approved unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• 2026-390 (Public Safety/Veterans): Authorized an inter-municipal agreement with Lakeland Central School District for three school resource officers (SROs) for the 2026–2027 through 2030–2031 school years, including a new provision for the district to pay a pro‑rata share of a police supervisor’s cost. Unanimously approved.
• 2026-350 and 2026-351 (Seniors & Youth): Authorized state grant funds (Item 350) for case management, home‑delivered meals, and transportation services (238,000 units of service provided to 3,715 unduplicated individuals in the prior program year), and federal funding (Item 351) for similar services. Unanimously approved.
• 2026-352 and 2026-353 (Infrastructure & Housing): Environmental resolution and act authorizing a 20‑foot‑wide, 674‑foot‑long permanent utility easement from the Village of Croton‑on‑Hudson for Croton Gorge Park electrical and telecommunications infrastructure. The county will maintain the infrastructure and reimburse 50% of shared costs, subject to appropriation. Unanimously approved.
• 2026-404 and 2026-405 (Parks & Environment): Three easements (two permanent, one temporary) and extinguishment of an existing easement for the Kingsland Point Park–Tarrytown Lighthouse connection in Sleepy Hollow, enabling electrical hookup, lighting, and security cameras. Unanimously approved.
• 2026-354 through 2026-362 (Infrastructure & Housing): Series of stormwater reconnaissance plan amendments, inter‑municipal agreements, and bond acts for flood‑mitigation projects in Mamaroneck, Scarsdale, Hastings‑on‑Hudson, Peekskill, and a countywide watershed plan for the Coastal Long Island Sound basin. Total bond authorizations ranged from $225,000 (Peekskill design) to $13,375,000 (multiple projects). Unanimously approved.
• 2026-392 through 2026-396 (Infrastructure & Housing): Authorized the purchase of 0.32 acres at 81 Elliott Avenue, Yonkers ($670,000 bond) and related actions to construct nine affordable homeownership units (three reserved for former owners at 80% of AMI, six for new owners at 65% of AMI), with a 50‑year affordability covenant. Unanimously approved.
• 2026-400 through 2026-403 (Infrastructure & Housing): Authorized purchase of 1.02 acres at 90‑114 Westmoreland Avenue, White Plains ($8,810,000 bond) and related actions to construct 154 affordable rental units with mixed income levels (30%–80% of AMI), a 50‑year affordability covenant, and $115 million total development cost. Unanimously approved.

Discussion Items

• Croton‑on‑Hudson Easement (2026-352/353): Acting Parks Commissioner William Bland and Director Rob Payne explained that the easement formalizes an existing informal arrangement to upgrade aging electrical infrastructure at Croton Gorge Park. The county will maintain the utility pole and associated equipment and be responsible for 50% of shared costs.
• Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse Easement (2026-404/405): Director Payne detailed three easements to provide electrical service to the Tarrytown Lighthouse (recently renovated after vandalism) and to preserve public access during redevelopment of the adjacent General Motors property (now Lighthouse Landing Communities). Public access between Kingsland Point Park and the lighthouse will be maintained throughout construction. Legislator Williams Johnson noted the property will be dedicated to the Village of Sleepy Hollow. Fencing issues along the park boundary will be addressed in a September meeting with the village manager.
• Flood‑Mitigation Projects (2026-354 through 2026-362): Deputy Planning Commissioner Melissa‑Jean Rotini and Assistant Commissioner David Kvinge presented seven projects under Capital Projects BPL 26 and BPL 47, including studies, culvert replacements, flood‑storage expansions, and green‑infrastructure improvements. The coastal Long Island Sound watershed plan (2026-360) will cover the area from the Hutchinson River to the Sound, with a bond request of $3,500,000 (including $2,000,000 previously issued). A separate bond of $900,000 funds design for Cushman Road in Scarsdale, incorporating green infrastructure. All items were approved after a question from Legislator Pierce about the geographic scope of the watershed study.
• 81 Elliott Avenue, Yonkers (2026-392 through 2026-396): Program Administrator Leonard Gruenfeld explained that this site, previously a limited‑equity co‑op destroyed by fire in 2021, will be rebuilt with nine affordable homeownership units. Three units are reserved for former owners (80% of AMI) and six for new owners (65% of AMI) via lottery. The development is funded by insurance proceeds, county flex funds, and new homes/HIF bonds. Legislator Alvarado expressed personal support, noting the project serves her district. Legislator Barr questioned the unusual exemption from the lottery for returning owners; staff explained that the co‑op structure preserved ownership rights. A discussion on community‑benefits agreements and local hiring followed, with staff noting that the county encourages such provisions but they are primarily a local planning board responsibility.
• 90‑114 Westmoreland Avenue, White Plains (2026-400 through 2026-403): This 154‑unit affordable rental development will replace light‑industrial buildings and include preservation of the historic Sheffield Dairy facade. Funding combines federal and state low‑income housing tax credits, state and city subsidies, and county bond funds. Legislator Pierce praised the income mixing (30%–80% of AMI) and asked about family‑friendly unit sizes; staff noted the unit mix (studios, one‑ and two‑bedrooms) was driven by developer choice and local zoning. Legislator Williams Johnson raised parking costs ($36,000 per space) and noted that White Plains does not allow overnight parking, which may affect transit‑oriented design. Questions about a local preference for municipal workers were deferred, as no such policy applies to this rental development.

Key Outcomes

• All 20 agenda items were approved unanimously by voice vote in the respective committees.
• The meeting adjourned at 2:34 PM after completing all business.