OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Larchmont Village Board Meeting – April 27, 2026: Budget Adoption, Entertainment Permits, and Appointments

Village Board of Trustees — Monday, April 27, 2026
BodyLarchmont, New York
SessionVillage Board of Trustees
DateMonday, April 27, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:32:29

Transcript — Verbatim
0:03

Good evening and welcome to the Village Board of Trustees regular meeting for the Village of Larchmont.

0:08

It is Monday, April 27, 2026.

0:11

Please note that the entire board is in attendance along with Administrator Katine, Assistant Administrator O'Neill, and the village attorney Stout.

0:21

Everyone, please rise for the pledge.

0:24

I pledge allegiance to the guy of the United States of America and to the Republic for which you stand for one nation under God in principle with liberty and justice for all.

0:41

Just a few quick comments this evening.

0:46

So I just want to say a huge thank you to both our police and our fire departments for their incredible work over the past several weeks.

0:54

Firstly, for to both our police department and our fire department for dealing with the explosion of the sewer over by the train station.

1:03

And then also to our police department for their amazing arrest that was national news on Good Morning America.

1:10

But I will I will make sure that the chief has his moment to shine.

1:13

And I won't steal his thunder.

1:15

All right.

1:29

All right.

1:30

Next up are the public hearings.

1:32

So the first is going to be a local law to amend the code regarding the entertainment permits.

1:50

And we wanted to make sure it was clear, and we went back to look at the law to kind of figure out who was responsible for issuing them, what the rules were around them.

1:59

And so in order to modernize and streamline the process, we've made some tweaks to the law, which essentially, you know, just makes it clear who is issuing the permits.

2:09

If somebody wants to deviate from the rules for the permit, who do they ask?

2:14

Then a couple of other sort of cleanup changes to the law.

2:17

It doesn't impact any of the permits that have been issued.

2:20

It's not going to result in any changes to the to the three establishments that have existing permits.

2:28

So I seek a motion to open the public hearing on the uh local law to amend the entertainment permits.

2:35

Do I have a motion?

2:36

So moved.

2:37

Do I have a second?

2:38

All in favor?

2:39

Aye.

2:40

Aye.

2:41

Does anybody want to comment?

2:47

All right.

2:48

So Peter Sherman and locals.

2:52

I read the law.

2:54

So my confusion, or I should say my question, I have three basic questions.

2:58

But it seems like you're trying to, I think you said at the last meeting, um, sort of bring fairness and bring everybody kind of underneath one umbrella where everybody understands kind of what the provisions and everything are.

3:12

But when I applied or when I presented my concept to you for locals, it was specific that you weren't going to allow my concept underneath just a restaurant use permit or a um theater use, both which were permitted in the new in the zone, but you were uncomfortable allowing both of those things to exist underneath either one of those permits.

3:38

So we created a special use permit that combined both of those uses.

3:43

So my question is if you're now trying to combine that, what was the purpose of the special use permit that I've got?

3:52

Maybe because I was involved in drafting a law.

3:54

I don't think the intention is to um to allow somebody who only has an entertainment permit to do what somebody who has a special permit for the entertainment use can do.

4:07

The entertainment most notably the entertainment permit is very constrained by saying that you can only have entertainment as an accessory to your principal use, and even gives an example that uh and and it the entertainment can go only go on while your principal use is being conducted, and even gives us an example that you if you are a restaurant, you can only have the entertainment as accessory background while you are serving the food to the patrons in the restaurant.

4:38

And that's the reason that the law, however, exempt those who have a special permit use for entertainment for the type of special permit use that locals has it exempt uh those who have a special permit from some of the provisions of the entertainment law and instead says they'll be guided by their special permit.

4:58

So it was was not.

5:00

I was not given the task of uh of drafting an entertainment law that would in effect expand our entertainment uh permits to allow the places that have them to become a a special permit use.

5:14

If you want to do that, there was even discussion, I think, in our work session about if they want to go beyond the limits of an entertainment permit, they would have to apply for a special permit.

5:23

So I think I think the difference was when you applied for your special permit, it was as an event space, which is not allowed under our code.

5:30

It wasn't as a restaurant as a primary usage that then had entertainment during dinner hours.

5:36

So it was a different use that did not exist under our code, which is why we created the special permit.

5:42

This is you're a restaurant and you want to have a band playing while people are eating dinner.

5:46

But wouldn't that essentially be the same thing?

5:48

I mean, anyway, that we any event that we would have always has to have food.

5:54

Because anytime you serve alcohol or sell liquor, you have to have food involved in it.

5:58

So you're you're not a sit-down dinner service restaurant.

6:02

There's a d there was a difference.

6:03

And again, when you when you came to us, you pitched it as an event space that was rentable.

6:08

Okay.

6:09

And that is the restaurants are not event space that's rentable.

6:13

Okay.

6:14

Um my three questions.

6:16

Uh one is you're switching the hours from 10 to 11.

6:20

I don't I most of the permits that we had issued were from 9 to 11, and so we just made the law consistent with the permits that we had been issuing.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety██████████████14%
Public Engagement██████████████14%
Budget Equity Analysis██████████████14%
Procedural█████████████13%
Arts And Culture█████████9%
Parks and Recreation█████████9%
Personnel Matters███████7%
Community Engagement██████6%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Larchmont Village Board Meeting – April 27, 2026

The Village Board of Larchmont held a regular meeting on April 27, 2026, to adopt the 2026-27 tentative budget, hold a public hearing on amendments to entertainment permit regulations, make key staff appointments, and receive reports from the police and fire departments. The board also addressed several consent agenda items and community events.

Public Hearings

  • Local Law to Amend Entertainment Permits: The board opened a public hearing on a proposed local law to clarify and streamline the process for issuing entertainment permits (formerly known as cabaret licenses). Key speakers included Peter Sherman (owner of locals), who questioned whether the law would affect his special permit for an event space. The board clarified that the entertainment permit is separate and applies only to ancillary entertainment (e.g., background music) for restaurants, not to dedicated event venues. Arthur Washington, a director of the Chamber of Commerce, expressed concerns about vagueness and lack of objective noise standards. The board agreed to add the words "and background" to Section 147-2B to clarify that entertainment must be ancillary and incidental. After discussion, the public hearing was closed, and the law was approved with a typo correction ("principal" misspelled as "principle"). The law does not affect existing permits.

Adoption of the 2026-27 Tentative Budget

  • Administrator's Presentation: Administrator Karstine summarized nine amendments to the tentative budget published March 20. Key changes included: moving $150,000 for road paving from the general fund to the parking fund; using $150,000 from parking fund balance for intersection improvements (matching a Westchester County complete streets grant); reallocating staff salary percentages to the water fund to reflect true costs; and reducing the tax levy increase from 2.23% to 2.11% (below the state tax cap of 2.26%). Water rate increases (proposed at 4.5%) were deferred for future discussion.
  • Public Comment: Michael Godfrey (16 Ocean Avenue) commended the board for delivering tax cap-compliant budgets for four years, reducing debt, and using parking funds for road paving. He thanked Administrator Karstine and Trustee Post for their work.
  • Adoption: The public hearing was closed, and the board unanimously adopted the amended tentative budget for fiscal year 2026-27.

Key Outcomes

  • Entertainment Permit Law Adopted: Approved with added clarity that entertainment must be ancillary and background to the principal use; a typo corrected.
  • Budget Adopted: 2026-27 budget approved with a 2.11% tax levy increase (under the 2.26% cap); water rates unchanged pending further review.
  • Appointments:
    • Village Treasurer: Maria Broderick appointed to the unexpired term (through December 2026), promoted from deputy treasurer.
    • Assistant Building Inspector: Alexander Tanelli appointed, effective mid-May, to bolster the building department.
  • Incinerator Demolition: Authorized transfer of $800,810 from various accounts to pay the village's 50% share of removing the Maxwell Avenue incinerator, with payment to the Town of Mamaroneck to be authorized separately.
  • Consent Agenda Approved: Including amendments to village fees, parking permit policies, renewal of Climate Smart Communities Task Force and coordinator, reaffirmation of Green Fleet policy (increased MPG minimum), shade structures policy, and approval of the Chamber of Commerce sidewalk sale dates (May 28-30).
  • Water Department Upgrades: Authorized purchase of software and hardware upgrades from Neptune Technology Group, funded through the water fund.
  • Receiver of Taxes: Maria Broderick appointed as receiver of taxes, aligned with her treasurer role.
  • Village Administrator Employment Agreement: Approved (Trustee Post voted present citing concerns about unfunded retiree health insurance liabilities).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Sanitation Cost Analysis: Michael Godfrey presented an analysis showing the average single-family home pays about $81.71 per month for sanitation services. He noted a $250,000 difference between taxes collected from commercial properties and the cost of servicing them, but clarified it is a difference, not a discrepancy. The board thanked him.

Reports

  • Police Chief: Reported a major arrest on April 13 involving a 75-year-old resident targeted by a scam; officers executed a controlled handoff and arrested two suspects (37 and 45 years old) for grand larceny. Also reported a burglary at the Corner Store (1906 Palmer Avenue) on April 22; detectives are working with regional agencies. First-quarter crime stats show a 78% reduction in misdemeanors and petty offenses compared to 2025. Reminded residents that leaf blower restrictions continue; 11 complaints and 5 summonses issued since last meeting. Upcoming Coffee with a Cop at Starbucks on May 1.
  • Fire Chief: Described a March 27 incident with multiple smoking manholes on Chatsworth Avenue, one of which exploded. Crews coordinated with Con Edison and secured the area; no hazardous readings found. On April 9, firefighters removed a titanium smart ring from a patient's swollen finger using specialized tools after consulting the manufacturer. Also reported a unique car fire caused by rusted floorboards allowing carpet to contact the exhaust. The chief praised interagency cooperation and ongoing training.

Trustee Comments

  • Trustee Post: Thanked Administrator Karstine for her work on the budget, highlighting improved cost allocation, model-based revenue estimates, and use of actuals. Noted the solar panel installation at the library.
  • Trustee McGee: Recognized Earth Day events, Arbor Day tree planting at Chatsworth School (Tree City USA designation), and the Earth Day celebration at Constitution Park. Congratulated Michael Godfrey on receiving the Environmental Warrior Award. Encouraged volunteering.
  • Trustee Parade: Announced upcoming events including the Memorial Day Parade (May 21), Flint Park Day Camp (June 29-Aug 7), Larchmont Sidewalk Sale (May 28-30), Lochella (June 6), Sprint to Flint (May 29), and Summer Music Festival (Thursdays in July). Thanked the Recreation Committee and volunteers.
  • Trustee Post (additional): Thanked the board for the sanitation survey and encouraged residents to complete it. Noted the compost giveaway at Maxwell on May 1 and praised the increase in MPG minimum for the Green Fleet policy.

Administrative Items

  • Parking Permits: Sales begin May 1 online; current holders will be notified. Permits go into effect June 1.
  • Staff Announcement: Administrator Karstine welcomed Julia as the secretary to the village administrator, noting her help in streamlining agendas.
  • Minutes Approved: Regular meetings of December 1, 2025 and January 26, 2026 were approved.
  • Bills Approved: Totaling $317,424.54, submitted in job ID 426847.
  • Upcoming Meetings: Work sessions on May 11 and May 18, followed by a regular meeting on May 18. Village offices closed May 25 for Memorial Day.
  • Adjournment: Meeting adjourned after 9:30 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to the Village Board of Trustees regular meeting for the Village of Larchmont. It is Monday, April 27, 2026. Please note that the entire board is in attendance along with Administrator Katine, Assistant Administrator O'Neill, and the village attorney Stout. Everyone, please rise for the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the guy of the United States of America and to the Republic for which you stand for one nation under God in principle with liberty and justice for all. Just a few quick comments this evening. So I just want to say a huge thank you to both our police and our fire departments for their incredible work over the past several weeks. Firstly, for to both our police department and our fire department for dealing with the explosion of the sewer over by the train station. And then also to our police department for their amazing arrest that was national news on Good Morning America. But I will I will make sure that the chief has his moment to shine. And I won't steal his thunder. All right. All right. Next up are the public hearings. So the first is going to be a local law to amend the code regarding the entertainment permits. And we wanted to make sure it was clear, and we went back to look at the law to kind of figure out who was responsible for issuing them, what the rules were around them. And so in order to modernize and streamline the process, we've made some tweaks to the law, which essentially, you know, just makes it clear who is issuing the permits. If somebody wants to deviate from the rules for the permit, who do they ask? Then a couple of other sort of cleanup changes to the law. It doesn't impact any of the permits that have been issued. It's not going to result in any changes to the to the three establishments that have existing permits. So I seek a motion to open the public hearing on the uh local law to amend the entertainment permits. Do I have a motion? So moved. Do I have a second? All in favor? Aye. Aye. Does anybody want to comment? All right. So Peter Sherman and locals. I read the law. So my confusion, or I should say my question, I have three basic questions. But it seems like you're trying to, I think you said at the last meeting, um, sort of bring fairness and bring everybody kind of underneath one umbrella where everybody understands kind of what the provisions and everything are. But when I applied or when I presented my concept to you for locals, it was specific that you weren't going to allow my concept underneath just a restaurant use permit or a um theater use, both which were permitted in the new in the zone, but you were uncomfortable allowing both of those things to exist underneath either one of those permits. So we created a special use permit that combined both of those uses. So my question is if you're now trying to combine that, what was the purpose of the special use permit that I've got? Maybe because I was involved in drafting a law. I don't think the intention is to um to allow somebody who only has an entertainment permit to do what somebody who has a special permit for the entertainment use can do. The entertainment most notably the entertainment permit is very constrained by saying that you can only have entertainment as an accessory to your principal use, and even gives an example that uh and and it the entertainment can go only go on while your principal use is being conducted, and even gives us an example that you if you are a restaurant, you can only have the entertainment as accessory background while you are serving the food to the patrons in the restaurant. And that's the reason that the law, however, exempt those who have a special permit use for entertainment for the type of special permit use that locals has it exempt uh those who have a special permit from some of the provisions of the entertainment law and instead says they'll be guided by their special permit. So it was was not. I was not given the task of uh of drafting an entertainment law that would in effect expand our entertainment uh permits to allow the places that have them to become a a special permit use. If you want to do that, there was even discussion, I think, in our work session about if they want to go beyond the limits of an entertainment permit, they would have to apply for a special permit. So I think I think the difference was when you applied for your special permit, it was as an event space, which is not allowed under our code. It wasn't as a restaurant as a primary usage that then had entertainment during dinner hours. So it was a different use that did not exist under our code, which is why we created the special permit. This is you're a restaurant and you want to have a band playing while people are eating dinner. But wouldn't that essentially be the same thing? I mean, anyway, that we any event that we would have always has to have food.

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