Regular Legislative Meeting of June 16, 2026

The New Rochelle City Council held its regular legislative meeting on June 16, 2026, beginning at 11:15 AM UTC (evening local). The meeting covered approval of prior meeting minutes, a split consent agenda, a roll-call vote on a stormwater management allocation, a contentious vote to expand the Downtown Overlay Zone (DOZ) with affordable housing, appointments to the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), acceptance of multiple grants, and a zoning code amendment. No public comments were heard. The meeting adjourned without an executive session.

Consent Calendar

• Approved minutes for the regular legislative meeting of April 21, 2026, and the committee of the whole session of May 12, 2026. Minutes were also submitted for the May 19 regular meeting and June 9 committee of the whole session.
• Adopted items 2 and 3 as listed on the consent agenda (motion by Councilmembers Kay and Peters).
• Adopted items 5 through 14 on the consent agenda (motion by Councilmembers Kay and Lopez).
• Item 15 was pulled back for amendments and will return at a later date.

Discussion Items

• Item 4 – Proposed Allocation for Westchester County Stormwater Management Program (Whitewood Avenue): Councilmember Tarantino requested a roll-call vote and stated that he has represented District 2 for 18½ years, criticizing another council member for attempting to represent that district. He voted yes. The allocation was approved unanimously (7-0).
• Item 16 – Expansion of the Downtown Overlay Zone (DOZ) and Affordable Housing Units: Councilmember Tarantino requested a roll-call vote. Councilmembers made statements:
  • Councilmember Lopez supported, noting the need for affordable housing in her district.
  • Councilmember Tarantino opposed, citing 2,800 new units added while 2,500 previously approved units have not yet broken ground, a flawed parking plan, and financial risk from increasing supply without sufficient demand.
  • Councilmember Peters supported but urged that proper planning for the DOA designation not be delayed.
  • Councilmember Austin Lee supported, acknowledging resident concerns about development density, traffic, and maintenance, but noting that the map expansion moves development away from already dense areas, creates home ownership opportunities, and allows for further policy improvements.
  • Councilmembers Kay, Stern, and Mayor Servedio also voted yes. The resolution passed 6-1, with Tarantino voting no.
• Item 17 – Appointment of New Member to the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) and Co-Chairpersons: The City Manager presented a recommendation to change from a single chairperson to a co-chair structure. David Maher and Renee Barron were appointed as co-chairs, replacing Natasha Mahounda who resigned. Terms were extended to account for training time. The resolution was adopted.
• Item 21 – Amendment to CCRB Chairperson Structure and Terms: An amendment to formalize the co-chair structure and adjust terms. Councilmember Kay asked about the reason for co-chairs (response: to balance workload) and whether both co-chairs must vote (response: only one needed). The amendment was adopted.

Key Outcomes

• Grant Acceptances:
  • Item 18 – Approved acceptance of the 2025 Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program grant from the Office of Justice Programs.
  • Item 19 – Approved acceptance of the Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Partner Violence grant from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, used for public education and officer training.
  • Item 20 – Approved acceptance of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant from the Westchester Putnam Workforce Board for the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).
• Zoning Amendment: Item 22 – Adopted an amendment to Chapter 331 of the Zoning Code, which had been subject to a public hearing the previous week.
• Meeting Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned without any executive session items.