Tarrytown village officials have passed a controversial law that will allow a separate dwelling to be built on the same lot as a single-family home.

Wednesday night's Tarrytown village board meeting was packed with people who were trying to get the board to hold off on approving a pilot program to allow a limited amount of Accessory Dwelling Units or ADU's in the community.

Residents tell News 12 they want their leaders to know about their concerns that the program would cause problems with traffic, parking and population density.

"We want them to just pause and take it a little slower," said one Tarrytown resident. "And maybe have more meetings and not just saying well we already had four and on the fifth we're going to make that decision."

The ADUs are small dwellings on the same grounds— or attached to — a regular single-family unit.

Some residents are on board with Tarrytown Board of Trustees to move forward with the pilot program. Officials say the new program is meant to help financially-strapped homeowners and seniors through rent income.

"We were all acting under the assumption that ADUs would appear again this year, and that if we had something in our own books grandfathered in, we might have a better chance at getting legislation that fits our own villages as opposed to one that's mandated by the state," said Tarrytown Mayor Karen Brown.

The amendment to the code that allows ADs is a pilot initiative for now, and it will be reviewed after 10 new units have been installed - or one year - whichever comes first.