bicycling trails, additional playing fields and an ice skating area was frequently expressed in the Resident Survey and public workshops conducted for this Plan. The need for skateboard facilities and additional fields for soccer and Little League practices was also expressed. Village government should work with the community and Recreation Department to prioritize needed facilities, identify new opportunities and evaluate their viability, in terms of location and cost. c. Village Utilities: Water and Sewer Supply The water and sewer systems adequately serve the Village at the present time. However, the demand for water and the age of the sewer system have prompted concerns over potential service stoppages. New upgrades, as described below, could pre-empt service problems and help ensure that the systems continue to operate in peak condition. The Village’s water supply is provided by a three-well water system (a fourth well is not active) that was upgraded in 2001 to add an automated pumping system. These wells are currently able to meet daily water demand, although peak demand during summer months brings the wells closer to capacity. If mechanical problems were to shut down one of the three wells, the supply to the Village would be significantly reduced. The Water Department has requested funds to install a fourth well, to ensure adequate supply of water if one of the three wells is out of service. The sewer system is currently upgraded on a localized basis, addressing problems as they arise. However, most of the Village’s sewer pipes are between 70 and 80 years old and are beginning to show signs of age. Some pipes are cracking and need to be relined. Portions of the Village rely on private septic systems instead of the Village sewer system. The Village government should continue work in conjunction with the Public Works Department to address needed upgrades and evaluate the need to extend the sewer system. Capital improvements should be prioritized to ensure continually smooth operating of these systems and avoid the need for more capitalintensive work in the future. PAGE 112 CROTON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 4.8 Implementation of Recommendations • Adoption of the Village Comprehensive Plan A necessary first step in implementing the Comprehensive Plan is its adoption as official Village policy by the Board of Trustees, once the SEQR process has been concluded (see below). Once the Plan is formally adopted, Croton-on-Hudson can begin to implement the wide range of Plan recommendations using multiple approaches, including changes to land use controls and zoning, recommended capital improvements, continuing planning efforts (including targeted studies of areas and conditions identified in the Plan), cooperation with other government agencies, special gateway district recommendations, private development where appropriate, and architectural review boards. Many of the Plan’s recommendations are preliminary, since they recommend further study before a final recommendation can be pursued. • Municipal Compliance with the SEQR Process By state regulation, in order for a comprehensive plan to become local public policy and a legal document, SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review) must be complied with as a part of the plan's implementation. The Village Board of Trustees will serve as lead agency for purposes of reviewing the plan under SEQR. They authorize the preparation of an Environmental Assessment Form, and based on their review of that document, will issue a negative or positive declaration on the potential impacts of the plan's recommendations. The negative declaration states that the impacts of the Comprehensive Plan are entirely beneficial to the social, economic, and physical environment of the village and that a generic environmental impact statement would not be warranted. A positive declaration would entail the preparation of a generic Environmental Impact Statement to identify any potentially significant impacts. • Continuing Planning Efforts and Recommended Capital Improvements The Plan has identified a number of studies to be undertaken to continue to refine the recommendations of the Plan, including pedestrian/traffic safety, a pedestrian linkage study, the potential extension of the sewer system, existing housing conditions and need for affordable housing, and recreational facilities. The findings of these studies would provide the basis for specific capital improvements relating to Plan objectives. • Zoning One of the most effective means of implementing a plan’s objectives is through zoning. Following the adoption of the Plan, the Village will review the existing zoning code for consistency with Plan goals PAGE 113 CROTON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN and recommendations, and consider rezoning certain areas of the Village to reflect these, as appropriate. • Public Improvements The plan recommends a series of public improvements, including the preferred alternative for the creation of a waterfront park on the Village property, and also recommends future studies to refine improvements, as noted above. • Gateway District Recommendations Croton-on-Hudson’s commercial districts play a dual role in the Village, as sources of retail and services for residents and as defining “images” of certain areas