Good afternoon and welcome to the July 2026 committee of the whole meeting.

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Mayor Raymond Serber here.

Councilmember Lopez here.

Councilmember Tarantino.

Here.

Council Member Peters.

Councilmember Asin Laye.

Councilmember Kay.

And Councilmember Sturgeon.

Here.

Thank you so much, Madam Clerk.

And again, welcome to the July 2026 committee for the whole meeting.

Our first two items on the agenda are actually presentations, but before we begin, I just wanted to give a little bit of personal privilege.

A shout out to the two interns at the mayor's office, Tahula and Ariana, rising seniors, brilliant Nirishalian women, who are going to be hanging out working in the office, but I think reflective of the over 500 young people that our Parks and Rec team have employed and have working.

So if you see the average age in City Hall looking a little lower, it's mostly because we have a lot of young energy in the space.

But I just wanted to give them a little bit of a shout out and a plug at this meeting.

And now we'll get back to the business at hand.

Item number one is our city manager's presentation on the quality of life initiative update.

Okay.

Thank you.

So this is an update.

We started this highlighting our quality of life initiatives last July.

So this is a year into it.

So some of these slides are repetitive, but I think it's worth going over them again.

So quality of life, overall well-being of our residents, including our businesses, visitors, clean neighborhoods, safe streets, sufficient transportation, everything everybody wants to have as a resident here in the Roy Shell.

Just one thing I always like to highlight is that you know while this growth has strengthened, we've experienced tremendous growth over the last several years.

So sanitation, traffic, parking, code enforcement, public safety, and neighborhood maintenance.

So with this great development and this vibrancy that we've seen in the last especially last 10 years, it also is uh in you know causing a demand on our services and we have to uh account for that as we go through our mission here.

So our mission statement.

So uh enhance the quality of life for newer shell community members by providing clean and safe uh accessible public amenities, uh promoting economic vitality and innovation and embracing collaborative civic engagement.

We kind of look at two major buckets.

There's physical things that we do, and there's there's the humanistic side that we're we also uh look at.

So again, this is an update.

Last year we highlighted a lot of the major things, and I'm happy to report that we've really either completed or really established these initiatives.

Um a lot of things we uh identified last year are downtime downtown police bicycle patrols that was established and it's been very effective.

We um started our security patrols and our um facilities in the downtown area, the ITC center, the train station, the new rock garage to increase that presence there, and I think that's been effective.

Um we also initiated parking facility enhanced maintenance.

Uh we initiated a vacancy registration program that proactively tracks and addresses long-term vacancies.

We have a 30% sign-up rate at this moment.

Um last year we really hit hard on smoke shop regulations, massage parlor uh uh regulations where we actually were able to that led to the the closing of around 13 establishments.

We looked at our plaza, some code refinements to uh increase our you know rules and regulations and our public assembly areas.

Uh we had a Vanguard District Public ROM improvement program and we had a lot of elements to that, and uh we'll be talking about that in our next presentation.

Uh uh last year, the coming out of the city manager's office and a big effort by our W City Manager.

We established our cooling centers, which are in fact in effect today.

So we have eight uh cooling centers that are part of our program, and that's been effective and they're being utilized.

We increased our properly code enforcement.

We started and have implemented some sidewalk and plaza upgrades.

There's more to come on that.

Soap and water initiative has uh substantially begun.

We have we're in contract to begin that uh in earnest, and we uh initiated a need assistance campaign, which really got together all of the existing resources that the that we have within our grasp and and had that campaign to let people know what's out there and what's available as far as resources.

So just highlight a lot of the things that we you know identified last year, we were able to establish, and they're ongoing right now.

So just a couple of uh updates on some of the stuff that we did initiate last year.

Um so over at Ruby D park, right in the central part of our downtown.

We had a building that we thought was a little underutilized, but we thought would be a public uh a great location for public safety presence within the park.

So we uh scoped it out, we initiated a contract, uh, and we're happy to say we finished all the uh the repairs and improvements for that facility.

It's actually occupied by our police department right now.

Uh so we completed a total roof repair, we installed an HVA system so that they can be utilized both in the winter and summer.

Uh we upgraded the interior finishes.

There's a couple pictures of what it looks like inside right now, so it's a nice uh little uh location for our police officers to um do paperwork and to have a presence there within the heart of the downtown.

We installed new exterior lighting, and we will be installing uh illuminated building signage in the near future that really uh would highlight the uh the building and really uh give it its presence there in the in the downtown.

And we added uh some green emergency beacon lights to improve visibility.

So we're really proud of this, and and hopefully this will make a difference to the downtown areas.

Uh just an update on ornamental street light upgrades.

Uh we started the replacement back last year.

We replaced 120 LED uh lights within those ornamental street uh poles that you see within the downtown area, and we're continuing to do that in 2026.

Uh we're gonna add another additional 150 LED lights by uh by the end of this month.

Uh we completed these sections noted here, and we will continue this effort as we as we progress, uh hopefully with the goal of uh really replacing all these fixtures and and painting all these poles uh at some point uh in the near future.

Uh just a little highlight on our mobile NR app.

Uh we initiated this last year.

Um getting it's slow traction.

Uh it's you know, not that many users, but it is picking up slowly.

We're happy to report that the usage has gone up.

Uh we are seeing more, uh, you know, they come in, they they're really managed through our city manager's office, and we're seeing the uptick, the slight uptick on the usage.

Um we've had a total of 559 submissions, uh, well, total 678 submissions.

Uh, and some of the top things that people are reporting are potholes, sinkholes, uh, roadway issues, the street lighting, uh, a lot of illegal signs or advertising on the public right-of-and and code compliance concerns.

So we're looking to hopefully this will keep uh it was glad to see that the the usage was slightly going up, and we'll continue to promote this as we as we have events and so forth.

Uh just on the traffic uh and and parking issues, so the school zone speed cameras, something we had brought up initiated last year.

Uh we did hit a milestone where the state legislation has passed in both the Senate and Assembly, so the bill is there.

Uh it's been delivered to the governor's office, so we're um hopefully within the near future, uh, we are ready to implement this program.

Uh, the next steps, and we've already engaged with the vendor, a camera vendor.

Uh after that, we will install the cameras, the warning signage, the equipment, and we'll launch a public uh education campaign and a warning period, and we'll begin enforcement.

So we're we're very close to that to the to the uh the you know putting this program into effect.

Uh on our traffic and parking enforcement, we really stepped it up here.

Um, we continue to strengthen our traffic and parking enforcement through increased staffing, the targeted enforcement.

Um just a couple numbers I wanted to highlight to to date.

So just over a year time, we've really increased our moving violations and our almost by 17%.

Parking violations have gone up by like 16%, and most notably our double parking violations year to end has gone up almost 90%.

Um really really starting to get momentum on that and really uh enforcing these.

We know next year uh we're gonna have the two-way conversion happening in the downtown, so this is gonna be really important.

This is gonna be really important to um sustain that that change that that really milestone change that's gonna happen in the downtown.

Sorry.

Uh just uh on the humanistic side.

So um just to point out uh really partnering with uh Hope Community Services to expand some of the initiatives uh that have been ongoing with this collaboration throughout the years.

Um it's really an important initiative to prevent the homelessness, uh, you know, how provide housing assistance, more importantly, case management and supportive services.

Uh there is actually an item on the agenda tonight that's really gonna go deeper into what uh we're looking at to expand on those services.

Um we are also as part of this maintaining our long-standing partnership with Montrefuel Health System.

They've been a key supporter of this, and uh they've actually contributed to this overall campaign of around 25,000 every year, and we're looking to actually uh we have a request then to continue that collaboration with them.

Uh but this is really just looking to really partner with this non-for-profit to help us to reach out on the humanistic side with these important services that we could provide people with mental health, substance abuse, and community policy initiatives, policing initiatives.

So you see you hear more about the details of this later on in one of the items in the agenda.

Uh just to one of the new items for this year.

I think it was a big thing that came up as a result of uh we saw a lot of this, a lot of complaints come in, especially after the winter we had is the pet waste.

Um so we looked at this, uh we had identified this last year through a specific pilot program that we started out in the middle of downtown, which kind of pivoting a little bit on this rather than looking at as a pilot because we know there's nothing to we know it's an issue, and it's not an issue that's specific only to the downtown area, it is an issue that is is overall throughout the whole city.

We do get complaints that are scattered uh throughout the city.

So rather than looking at as a pilot, we're looking to you really create a whole policy for city citywide.

Um the strategy is to minimize dog waste across the entire city.

Uh we want to maintain a clean cleanliness and promote responsible pet ownership.

We know that we we took a look at who applies for a dog license, and we actually map that out to see where you know people who apply their addresses, and we noticed that the complaints of of dog waste are less in those areas.

So it just it just demonstrates that people who apply for a license and are you know it's it shows a little bit that more responsibility towards the towards uh keeping a pet.

So we could promote that uh responsible pet ownership.

We think there's a direct correlation with reducing some of these these waste issues.

Um so we're looking at a policy uh citywide, and this is something that we're presenting today, and and hopefully we could you know uh roll this out in the very near future.

Um so we're looking at legislation that would require dwelling use residential dwelling units uh of 25 to 50 uh that would require one of these stations, these pet waste stations to be installed within a specific area within the property.

Then we're looking at for uh residential units of 51 and above of two units to be installed.

Uh include uh the pet waste stations with you know would also um required some pet bags to go with it.

We're also looking to uh require these and a site plan approval for new developments.

Uh this would expand the responsibility to property owners requiring the maintenance, also expanding the uh responsibility to property owners, requiring maintenance of sidewalks, really pushing that.

A lot of things already exist in our code and really extending their responsibility right now, it's to the curved line, but we were noticing a lot of these uh uh pet waste uh is is also being observed right outside uh the curb line within 18 inches of the street.

So looking to put that into legislation.

These are some proposed um wording that we could add to the new uh sections within our code for uh mandatory pet waste stations, uh amending the uh property maintenance responsibilities and amending the section on the site plan requirements.

So the legislation would require property owners, landlords, and property management teams to procure the stations and establish their own maintenance uh protocols.

If we were to wrap this up and put it into legislation, say this fall, uh we would give a a time period for actual effective and enforceable legislation of no leading in January 1st of 2027.

Uh another item, this item uh is new for this year, it's pest management.

Uh so um hot topic that we've been hearing about for the last several months, and it's understandable uh with all the growth that we've seen uh throughout the city here uh that there is just more uh uh you know rodents and pests that are being observed, uh especially within the right-of-way.

Um so you know, it's increased population density, we have expanded food service activity, there's ongoing construction, there's greater waste generation, and it's an aid aging infrastructure.

All of these things are contributing to the to this active rodent uh population.

So how do we do it?

So you know, we we need to address these challenges.

So a lot of common uh it's out there now, a lot of cities are dealing dealing with the same issue.

Uh they're calling it an integrated pest management and IPM approach.

It's a proactive, it's data-driven, it's a strategy that focuses on preventing infestations by eliminating the conditions that attract rodents.

So rather than just relying on like base stations and stuff, it's looking at other measures to do that, infrastructure improvements, monitoring, enforcement, uh, education, and really some targeted control measures.

So here are some of the elements of like an IPM, you got to eliminate the food sources, you've got to eliminate areas where they they harbor the the uh the rats.

Uh water is a big uh attraction to to rodents.

Um monitor analyze trends, it's looking at data uh and then implement the the measures, and then part of it's education and enforcement.

So just this slide just wanted to highlight so we have a lot of things in our code already that could address this issue.

So we have local building standards that uh uh specify things that uh must be in place and things of owners must do to avoid the um traction of rodents.

We have our local sanitation standards that um dictate the containers, when garbage could go out, uh rules and regulations, and we also have our state building standards, which are uh property maintenance standards.

So there's a lot of things that exist in the code already, uh both both on the local level and the state level that are tools that we could use for enforcement.

So what are we doing now?

Um so we've done a lot in a in the last couple months.

Um, and thanks to our buildings department and DPW and uh effective collaboration also with parks department.

Uh we've installed uh rodent control measures at all of our city-owned parking facilities, uh building facilities and parks.

Uh we've deployed a device, it's a poison-free rodent trap at our vacant dark properties, property that has been vacant.

We call them dark properties that we just uh you know uh owners are not clearly identified, and we've actively installed one of these uh rodent traps at those properties.

Uh we deployed the same traps, uh reported hot spots or infestation areas, and whenever we got complaints, uh we're we've uh gone to those areas and addressed them, and we'll see we'll talk about a couple of those areas.

And we've done as much enforcement as we can for property maintenance standards.

We're on a kind of a complaint-driven basis right now, but we're looking at later on to try to you know to move that trend to a more proactive uh uh uh initiative.

Here is a map of uh where we've installed these RTD devices to date.

We've installed a total of 41 devices at various um uh uh facilities and our parks and our plazas.

Uh so some of the case hotspots that we've seen.

Uh we had a pretty big infestation over at fountain place recently.

Uh it was reported, we all went out there, it was a big collaborative effort between DPW buildings department.

Um we um cleaned out catch basins, uh we cleaned the area within the right-of-way, uh we identified one large tree as a harboring of of uh quite a significant amount of rodents, a broken sidewalk.

Uh we treated the burrows uh and we also deployed our traps.

Over at the Carnegie Library was a uh recent acquisition that we took over uh when we cleared out that uh location.

Uh it was evident there was a large number of rats within the property, uh pretty big infestation.

Uh we performed some significant maintenance there, remove you know, removing that area of all the trees and the garbage and the brush removal, um significant amount of uh effort has been put into that uh facility within the last two weeks.

Uh we deployed uh our rodent uh traps there, and we are going to continue monitoring to see the effect of that.

We think it's working so far.

And over Memorial Plaza, again, another pretty big infestation of uh of rodents within the city's right-of-way, the landscape area.

Uh we deployed our uh RTD devices there also.

Uh we cleaned up landscape the area, we're actively treating burrows.

Uh we've uh day before yesterday, we went back out there to uh despite the RTD devices, we actually um treated around over 50 burrows there, and we would continue to monitor that area uh for uh the effectiveness of that treatment.

So uh so as we grow as a city, we you know, so must it's approached the ratent rat rodent management uh rodent effective rodent controls, not just achieved through baiting alone, it requires a coordinated integrated approach.

So some of the things we are looking at as we still develop this and hit try to really hit this hard.

Um continue coordinating our operation amongst development parks, buildings, DPW and other city departments.

I think uh our fountain place uh hot spot was a really good example of a really coordinated effort.

Uh we're gonna look to expand the use of these poison-free traps.

Uh one good thing about those traps is they provide data, and I think there's a set there's a there's a slide here that shows.

So we actually could you know count how many rodents we're actually catching as opposed to a regular bait station where you know they eat the bait and they just go somewhere else and and and die.

So here we're actually counting how many uh uh rodents we're actually trapping.

Uh we're maintaining the treatment at existing hotspots, so once we identify uh a location that's uh that's uh you know infested with rats and we apply these uh measures, we are following this up.

So we are going to look at you know how effective those treatments are.

Uh conduct routine maintenance with something that we have to work with our streets and highways, the DPW uh department to ensure that we are removing weeds and debris and eliminating those areas that uh that rats are prone to to uh uh harbor.

Spots so once we identify a location that's um uh that's uh you know infested with rats and we apply these uh measures we are following this up so we are going to look at you know how effective those treatments are uh conduct routine maintenance with something that we have to work with our streets and highways at DPW uh department to to ensure that we are removing weeds and debris and eliminating those areas that uh that rats are prone to to uh uh harbor uh looking to again because we have so many codes and and so many um uh citations and regulations that really help us we're looking to move from a complaint driven response to a more proactive inspection uh supported by staff training to identify early signs of rodent activity again that's something we have to look at with the resources we have and as we enter into the budget season for 2027 it'll be on our top of our list there to see how we could uh you know budget that to make that happen uh we want to look to strengthen our sanitation enforcement uh through proper waste containment enforcement of the garbage set out times requirements and the prompt correction of unsanitary conditions um you know it's we have in our code uh when to you know when to put out the garbage uh when is the latest time to put out the garbage what type of containers they must be in uh and we'll you know they're all in they're all in existence we're actually taking another look at that to see if we can tighten that up and make it it uh especially on the containerization uh to see if we can make any changes there to help this uh but uh we're looking to do that through uh through the increased enforcement uh going into the next several months uh ongoing monitoring data driven performance again I talked about the RTD devices and really tracking those and see how we're doing and also our bait stations too because you could go back and track to see the activity on bait stations um proposed code requirements so we're looking to uh require rodent control measures to be installed by landlords and property owners at this at large bulk storage areas within uh properties and for existing and both for new developments we're also gonna look at roading control measures installed by landlords on vacant properties uh so continue to review the city code and in order to identify areas of improvement so these are the things that we're continuously looking at and working with to create a pest management program and I just want to highlight um this is a checklist of a lot of what was just mentioned councilman member Silurier who is very passionate with this and actually um because of his advocacy um he even really curtailed the rat population of one of our downtown buildings we work closely at the beginning of the year um and he's very passionate about this initiative too uh provided uh a checklist here that we'll be looking to implement within our program as we develop this further approach but one thing to highlight is we did a lot in the last couple months with rats more than I think we've done in in in a lot um again this is just a a little a little uh bit of data from our RTD devices um catches to date um over 3500 rodents have been caught today um we're looking at uh catches today that includes private locations too so city locations is 1879 um we've uh basically with this data we'll be able to a number one know when the device was installed we'll be able to on a regular frequent basis I mean this is only to a certain period of time as in July 1st but we'll be able to get reports and see how these devices are functioning and we'll see if there's a decrease an increase and hopefully there's a a decrease in certain areas and we can monitor the performance and that'll dictate you know if there's additional measures that have to be done so just a little fact that we got from RTD considering the reproduction rate of these animals the actual number of rats eliminated from the from the lifecycle exceeds 35 million so when you look at how many rats in the and the and the rate at which they multiply and with the amount of rats with the catches that we've received to date you could say that you know you've you've uh eliminated 35 million uh it's it's incredible so but um again a really good tool data that we'll be using uh going forward uh and uh one of the days live work in play so um city continues to enhance quality life by expanding the recreational opportunities supporting economic development strengthening our neighborhoods with a ton of uh uh events here that I think really um uh really go a long way to making the experience of living in Rochelle that much more better for our residents we initiated summer soccer we have the big finale that's happening on Friday we just last Friday we had a citywide uh departmental soccer tournament and um our Star striker is on the bottom there she's on the pitch there our council member open uh was playing

We initiated summer soccer, we have the big finale that's happening on Friday.

We just on last Friday we had a citywide uh departmental soccer tournament, and um our Star Striker is on the bottom there.

Uh she's on the pitch there, Council Member Locas was playing.

So uh it was a really good event in you know uh we have Summer of Sizzle concert series that will be the park, uh celebrate America 250.

We have a taste of series events, the tag NR, skate, the Goat Fest was a great uh event.

We pulled off a pretty good you know, Nick's watch party, uh even though I was a little nervous about it, but I think it worked out pretty pretty well, and I think it was a very well attended and very uh well-received event.

Uh the street fair, fourth of July, summer concert series at Hudson Park, uh, and a couple more things.

Holiday market, hopefully an Oktoberfest also uh that was a great event.

Um so it's just you know, I think these things are important.

Um they make living, they make the our city that much more enjoyable uh to be part of that's it.

Thank you so much.

All right, we'll give up to my colleagues for questions or comments on quality life presentation.

That's another question.

I have uh three questions.

Um first, thank you.

I I appreciate the follow-through and just coming back to us to update us on this uh important initiative.

Um and just seeing all the work and that's kind of it.

Um it's a pretty substantial.

Question about our LED lights.

Are those controlled uh centrally, or is it something that you have to change each one?

On these poles, the ornamental polls, no, they're not controlled.

They have photo cells that just uh work with just turning and on daylight, yeah, dusk controls.

And do we control like how bright the temperature, things like that?

Um I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I think the bulb is just rated for certain lumens.

Um and then I have a police uh you know, climate safety question.

Um I I noticed in your monthly update that the number of index crimes have fallen nine percent, you know, year over year up to this point.

Do we know if uh you know I imagine that number was citywide?

Do we know like how the crime rate has you know evolved downtown in particular?

I'm going to look at hello, Commissioner.

I don't know if you heard that, Neil.

Do you need me to repeat it?

Good afternoon.

So could you repeat it just?

Yeah, so I I was uh observing in the last uh city managers update that we had a nine percent drop citywide in our index crimes right you know, year over year up until this point, and now we're just curious given the quality of life initiative.

We have a sense of you know, these are we seeing similar trends in the downtown area for crimes well the index crimes are you know particular group of crimes.

Um I think that we are handling more calls.

We're we're we're self-initiating a lot of calls because we're putting more of our officers down there, more emphasis on the area, but um they haven't necessarily dropped, we're trying to increase them, but we're also trying to um temper them with warnings for things that we can rather than just ticket people.

So I guess the answer is I'll get back to you for sure, but right now it's just that yeah, we're putting more people down there, and um we're seeing an uptick in certain things like double parking serve parking tickets.

Um our city codes are rising.

Um wasn't totally reflective here, but they are rising on a daily basis.

Okay, thank you for that.

Not not necessarily though, answering specifically to inverse crimes.

Okay, yeah.

Yeah, I mean, I I know there are a lot of ways to interpret data as what it means, but uh I'm just curious, you know, given the positive signs that remember seeing generally from that uh latest update.

Um you know, I know that's citywide.

I just want to be able to continue to reassure people about safety downtown.

Yes, we can tell them that it is safe, and uh and we're also increasing our efforts to make sure that we maintain a safe downtown a safe uh in the Rochelle.

Okay.

And then my last one is uh for the very thorough discussion of pests.

Um as a bird guy, I do want to just uh emphasize how great it is to see that we are doing more like poison-free traps.

Um, because you know the ones with trip with poison are then you know, often those rodents are eaten by birds, and then that kills the birds that are actually helping prevent more rodents.

So just you know, especially as we look to future legislation, I would love it if we can make sure that we are not increasing the number of traps that include poison.

Um because I think that that ends up kind of undermining itself.

That's all I got.

Anyone else's questions or comments on the quality of life presentation?

Actually, and I'll go neat used.

Um I just well thank you not only to the city manager um but to all of the departments for you know putting together such comprehensive solutions, you know, even dealing with the infestation issues we have with the city, that's been a multi-department effort, um, depending on like the jurisdiction of the street or the building or the property and our property.

So, you know, I've been very impressed on how quickly we've been able to win some of these issues.

Um I will like to add Westchester Place.

You know, I did see that we have uh what we have on uh you can out street, but Westchester Place has been experiencing this for a good long while too, so we definitely want to intervene there.

Um but grateful to all of you for for your uh support on that.

Glad to see the checklist right in the presentation and integrated into the plan, and I hope that that was helpful.

If poison is one of the things that I uh inquired about, we will definitely take note of that, and I'll strike that from my list.

Um to the state for the speed camera issue, uh you know, Webster School and the crossing guard there, Veronica Brown, uh a stalwart of our community, and we need to protect our students, our families, and our crossing guards.

So thank you to the state for you know your support with or or you know uh what you've done overall with legislation to move this forward so that we can see this in the Rochelle.

Um the police kiosk has been a hit.

I've actually been speaking to the officers, and if you if you don't speak to the officers at Ruby D park, do not be shy.

They are actually really great guys and ladies.

Uh so interact with them, but it's good that that they have a home down there because there was a perception of an increase in crime, and we don't want people to feel intimidated or anything like that.

Um the double parking, you know, I I do wish that number was double, but the fact that it's so close to double, I'm also very impressed with.

So thank you to the police commissioner um for that.

I would love to see double.

Um thank you for supporting the Hope organization, councilman, Councilmember Kay and I have been interacting and discussing, you know, the Hope partnership a lot.

They've done a lot of great things in our communities.

We definitely want to see it supported across the board because they're doing amazing work.

Um from the I never get it right, the after-school help me, the homework haven't homework haven't from homework haven to the work that they do for our housing displaced and you know uh struggling neighbors that we have, you know, they're doing really great work, so thank you.

And that's it.

So Council Peterson.

Yeah, um, first of all, I really appreciate the uh the emphasis on quantity of life issues and some of the emerging ones.

I'm um I'm interested also in not only focusing on and on downtown, but also moving into areas that I think uh recently you know very much aware of over a period of time.

Particularly concerning rats, we recently had some things going on on the corner of Prince and Lincoln, a couple of houses there, and continuing to go up.

Um that's happening, that's going to continue to happen, and infestation is going to continue to occur.

Uh so again, I would uh would really like to see an emphasis occur in some of those areas that we're describing here.

The other thing in terms of what Matt was talking a little bit about, um, you know, we we I I I really want to make sure that we are establishing a framework associated with data.

And when we think about index crimes and other kinds of cars, one of the things that uh talked a little bit about earlier was the development of uh of a heat map in the city of New Rochelle, uh which would uh be able to determine and we would know based upon classified areas or conditions that we would identify where how where crime is occurring or where things are happening more often than not so that we can really then allocate resources associated, you know, because of that.

But uh you know, some part of what emerged in these conversations around a heat map is you know that is it's something that's very difficult to create, you know, technology such as it is.

I think these things are they're easily done in other areas, so I find it really challenging to uh that we're not establishing a heat map in a growing sense of what new rochelle is and what it's becoming.

So uh I think that should be something that we have for sure, and I hope that we can actually pull that off.

But we're able to pull off a lot of things pretty quickly, and then other things take a little bit more time.

Also, I hope we can do that.

Councilwoman Logitz, uh yes, uh thank you.

Thank you very much for such a great presentation.

Uh the best management, that's one of the questions that comes every single time.

Like when are they coming to our area, for example, Urania and Colombia?

There's a very big problem.

So I want to add a couple of other sites.

Okay.

Uh especially because I have received uh videos where the rats are not even afraid of the people.

They're like the plane.

And uh, and I'm concerned because of the kids.

And uh also I think I want to thank uh our police uh commissioner for uh the tickets, and I hope that you know we can increase that number because that's another complaint that we get a lot.

Double parking and uh people just not caring, but uh thank you so much.

Can I couple in game?

Quick um question about the pest waste policy.

Um so it seems like the legislation is aimed at increasing the number of um the bag dispensers and disposal units and on private property for the apartment buildings.

Is there any insurance in expanding the program too around public spaces like parks?

Um yes, there are we we are looking at that too.

Uh the handful that I think that exists now in some locations, but um, yeah, something that we can definitely look at as part of the whole program.

Yes.

Yeah, it's uh receive complaints even in district five, like in the residential areas.

The only thing I'll just the word of thanks to our city manager and the comprehensive way that he fluted in.

I mean yeah, my colleagues have said it, but I just want to make sure I say it as well.

Just looking at all of the different departments um to bring this update to us.

I do really appreciate the through line, like we had your presentation, then we had an update.

Now we have another update, so I appreciate the building blocks.

Um, and it I think it just demonstrates a lot of transparency and accountability, and I'm I'm really grateful for that approach.

I love, I love, I love so much of the data.

So much of this data is it's helpful for us to know, it helps us connect with our residents to kind of pinpoint exactly improvements um and and the work that the city is doing.

I think even the way y'all did the pet waste by like analyzing the license to see the doubt, like that's a smart, that's just smart.

It's just gets it to and it it also um helps incentivize why we want the registrations because it helps us, it's not just the fake thing like that goes in the bottom of a box somewhere.

It really helps us design programming and planning, and so just the level of initiative around that.

I'm I'm truly truly grateful for.

And yeah, the response, I mean again, the responses are great.

Some are legislation, some are financial, some are in partnership with the private property owners.

So I think pulling every lever to to you know, um, make the improvements, I think is just really great.

And then the last thing I'll say is for the Live Work play.

I mean, you have this list, but some of these dots are multiple events, right?

So it's not like we only have 10 events.

Summer Sizzle is three months of a thing.

So soccer has been three or four events.

The taste of is it so just reflecting that like every weekend a couple of times a week, you can really be in community um in New Rochelle in a nice way and build those really great memories to your point as um what make people proud to be here in New Rochelle.

So I again I'm just a debt of gratitude, uh, really spirit of gratitude for just the interconnected way in which you brought the teams together, the way you brought data together, the way you brought ways to pull the levers to bring the improvements together, um, and just really inspired and grateful for for this kind of presentation.

So thank you again.

I just have complicated.

It has to do with Anderson Classic.

We we used to have pretty successful jazz thing happening in Anderson Plaza, but that seems to no longer be happening.

This summer, I thought it was a I thought it was a budget, is my understanding.

Yeah, so it's a little bit of our events budget was really uh really tight this year.

Um so we had a cut some of the uh activities both.

It's something that we want to try to look to bring back because I know it was pretty pretty successful.

We figured with the summer soccer, some of those initiatives that we that we increased in um but we definitely look to bring that back at some point.

Excellent.

Well, thank you very much.

Oh, yeah.

Could you say one quick thing?

Um the mobile and our app, um, the numbers are quite low, and uh you know, I know we put uh a lot of time into that, and I mean I I really love using it, and I I appreciate getting updates.

Um, and so I just I I would encourage us to think of some creative ways to get um more residents on there, whether we we can offer some kind of incentive or just something to get you know integrate it more into our communications or whatever it is because it's such a useful tool, and it can be useful for like both ways, I think for the city and for um residents.

So that's just one thing I would recommend we consider how to get more residents to sign out.

Like I was even thinking on social.

If it's like if you see this, download it now.

Just something very like because if you're on Insta and you see it, then you can just download it because to your it's it's one of my favorite tools too.

I agree with you.

Yeah.

Okay, now we're gonna go to our next presentation.

Thank you, F City Manager.

Our next presentation is a development update.

I see the commit uh the development team and our commissioner here.

Do we need more chairs potentially?

Commissioner, do you need if you have more folks coming up with you?

Okay.

Yes, yes, thank you.

So good evening, everyone.

Uh, tonight's presentation is a lead-year update from the Department of Development.

The purpose is not to walk through every project in exhaustive detail.

We're trying to be efficient with our time, but to show you how the department's moving from planning into implementation across several uh priorities from greener, downtown activation, housing, mobility, workforce, and economic opportunity.

You'll see a small airplane throughout the presentation, which would indicate the um those items, those initiatives that were identified in the city manager's work plan.

So we'll be reporting specifically on the progress of the land the planes uh you know analogy that we introduced earlier this year, um, and we'll provide a status within the slide for that.

And basically, I'm briefly gonna frame the presentation and then hand it over to Sarah Spicer, who has joined us as the senior resiliency development manager and has been working on the implementation of the Green NR plan.

So the main story this year is implementation.

Greener has moved from adoption into reporting.

Uh we have metrics, we have uh we've started the capital planning process introducing uh the uh criteria into that process to identify projects that advance the greener uh objectives.

We have several city manager work plan items that are continually moving forward.

Uh we have a second theme uh in this department that's being that is that we're becoming more data-driven.

Um we're using dashboards, we're we're using storefront tracking, we've been relying on uh various tools and reporting and collecting more information and reporting them in various places, and today I'll show you uh the the results of that, and we can discuss where to access them on the on the website.

And finally, um we're gonna be increasing increasingly connecting development outcomes to resident opportunity through our housing tools, our workforce programs, small business support, and our grant funded implementation.

So with that, I will turn it over to Sarah to walk us through the greener from plan food implementation.

Alright.

Good evening, everyone.

Pleased to be here to give you our mayor annual report.

So as you may recall, the Climate Action Plan update was finalized in the spring of last year.

This was built on the original 2010 plan.

It added a new theme climate leadership resiliency and racial equity.

And so I'm here today to give us our first annual report after the establishment of this update.

The full report assessed the status of all 139 actions in that document.

Of course, here tonight I'll give you some highlights as far as which of our major projects are moving forward actions under each of the seven themes of that document.

So our first theme, the one that was added new in the update, climate leadership resiliency and racial equity.

One of the major milestones that was achieved under this theme is the completion of the climate vulnerability assessment or CVA.

This document assessed environmental hazards across historical socioeconomic disparities in the built natural and social environments.

So this has really established an important base from which our future investments are based, whether that means using this as leverage for applying for grants or indeed future work that comes again out of the climate smart communities program that funds significant number of our projects.

One of the examples is the next point there, the climate policy evaluation and heat emergency plan.

This is an effort that's going to be kicking off this summer.

It's going to be a comprehensive audit of local plans and policies using the Climate Smart Communities Resiliency Planning Procedure.

This will identify gaps in our approach to addressing resiliency and we'll establish an updated heat emergency plan.

So again, this was funded by our the Climate Smart Communities Program.

It'll again strengthen our future grant applications as it will identify specific strategies that we will implement for additional resiliency in the future.

One of our actions in the greener update was to apply for silver level, which we did as of May.

This involves a reporting across 120 actions with the Climate Smart Communities program.

And we anticipate notification.

I was really hoping we'd have it by tonight, but we haven't heard back quite yet.

So it should be any day now from the state.

We are kicking off our next greenhouse gas inventory this summer.

It will cover the year 2021.

We left off with this effort in 2020.

We're going to start catching up to ensure that we have data for each year up to date.

This will enable us to better track this as an overarching metric for our work and align us with international metrics in this field.

Our solar project at the ITC is moving forward into procurement.

We completed a feasibility study for this project in earlier in 2026.

This will produce we anticipate up to 800 kilowatts, which is about 100 average U.S.

homes, so significant project landmark project for our city.

Regarding grid rewards, this is a demand response program that we kicked off our first year participating as a municipality, and we also promote this out to the communities.

We want residents and businesses to participate as well.

But the city itself, we have nine properties participating.

We earned over 3,000, which I'm told is pretty good for your first year in this program with all of our 90 degree days such as today and coming up.

We have more events to strategize, and our building management staff has been to respond, but looking forward to better results in the future.

We saw over 40 tons of food scraps collected in 2025.

We are building on that with some additional grant funded efforts along with our colleagues in DPW.

This includes grant funded improvements at those food scrap waste drop-off sites and things like storage sheds, water lines, cleaning equipment coming out of the Climate Smart Communities program.

And then later on an organics management plan that will help identify enhanced services, things like improved recycling routes, etc.

And both of those grants will help in regards to communications and outreach so that folks are reminded of these opportunities to conserve and use and recycle.

Finally, on this theme, highlighting the Helpse partnership with the county within NeuroShell itself.

We have seen over 30,000 tons of textiles diverted.

So we look to continue that very popular program, which everyone likes because they do pickups as well.

Alright, our fourth theme, ecology, biodiversity, and health.

This is where we highlight our green infrastructure and our green spaces.

The Community Forest Management Plan or CFMP development has been working over 2025 and 2026 with DPW.

This is our comprehensive inventory of our public trees, over 15,000 of them.

Stablished goal that at least 50% of the newly planted trees would be placed within disadvantaged communities, several other important targets as part of that document.

Aligned with this, we were awarded over 200,000 for citywide tree plantings via the Climate Smart Communities grant.

Those plantings would be occurring in 2027 and 2028.

This is a program that will help transition away from gas powered landscape maintenance equipment such as we blowers, trimmers, and shift to electric options.

This is an innovative program supported by the Clean Energy Communities program at the state.

This is a three-pronged approach, so we're providing outreach and engagement to both residents and commercial landscaping enterprises to incentivize them to try and to adopt electric landscaping tools.

We're also working within the city, however, with our GPW and parks folks to also adopt electric landscaping equipment and establish green zones at starting at three city parks, but hopefully expanding.

There's an aspiration to scale this program and the green green zones are in coordination with a group called AGSA that establishes the standards for these zones nationwide.

Regarding stormwater management, I know DPW has provided excellent updates in the past, making strategic and infrastructure investments, whether at the Sheldrake River or Glenwood Lake.

In addition to this, I wanted to highlight that we've also assisted in securing nearly $4 million in grants during 2024-2025, and now we have multiple pending grant applications pending and in development to help support this important work around water quality and stormwater management.

Theme five, smart growth and economic prosperity.

So the downtown overlay zone continues to be our vital framework for sustainable and transit-oriented development.

With the updates of 2026, we have integrated what you'll see a snapshot of here, our climate smart green building checklist.

This is a comprehensive list of all the potential green building elements that could be included within a proposed development.

This really emphasizes the options that are out there and is expected to be developed when each development is proposed.

This also includes a requirement for a site-specific plan responding to top climate hazards as defined in the CDA.

And then finally, to highlight our green jobs efforts.

We continue to partner with NUROFORWARE to ensure that we have training opportunities and a jobs pipeline for local residents to provide jobs in HVAC and other areas we need to support our sustainable development.

And I wanted to call out our youth engagement here because we have some great programs ongoing as well as upcoming to ensure that youth are supported in engaging in projects and work that support our green greener themes.

That includes the ongoing eco ambassadors work with EJLPC and the Youth Bureau.

And then coming up, we'll be launching the Climate Action Fund via the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund.

This will provide microgrants to youth groups who will be able to implement a project and be recognized for their efforts and support of climate work in Rochelle.

Finally, not finally, theme six, transportation and mobility.

We are moving forward with implementing the EV master plan.

We are about to install 12 dual core EV charging stations at New York Garage.

This will this means there will be 24 spaces.

This also involves removing outdated infrastructure.

This is fully supported by grants and reimbursements.

Regarding the EV master plan, also we are working with an EDF climate corps fellow for the summer.

He's working on a tool that analyzes potential additional projects of implementation of EV infrastructure, particularly within disadvantaged communities, and what that might look like in the future.

Per my last visit, I believe, at this table, we adopted our local safety action plan in 2026, supporting the build-out of our multimodal and safe roadway system and supporting our complete streets investments.

This identifies a high injury network and thus prioritize investments in our streets to support safe walking, biking, and access to transit.

Earlier in 2025, we completed the Clean Mobility Plan.

This developed strategies for improved first and last mile connectivity to transit, so to the transit center, but also transit routes.

And largely was it was leveraging circuit and VO, the next item here, and how those services could be leveraged to provide that enhanced connectivity.

Those services continue to provide an important service to visitors and new Australians, providing 87,000 trips per year at circuit and 80,000 from VAO.

That's about 20 metric tons of GHD emissions deferred annually or omitted annually from our transportation system.

And finally, last but not least, theme seven, public participation and awareness.

As Adam mentioned earlier, we are working to integrate a sustainability checklist into the capital improvement plan process.

This will demonstrate how each project aligns with our greener goals.

Recently in 2025 and 2026, we made substantial updates to both our city web pages as well as developed a new engage in our portal where we can easily link to new resources and publicize our efforts.

And then finally, we want to call out our Ecology and Natural Resources Advisory Committee or NRAC.

We're excited to welcome new members this year, including three youth members.

So looking forward to additional efforts from that group in support of our greener actions.

So in conclusion, these are I know I've been talking very quickly.

So we look forward to continuing our progress.

And I'll hand it back over to Adam for now.

Thank you, Sarah.

So for the next section, we're going to connect the sustainable, we're going to move on from the sustainability and talk about the physical planning work that's been happening across the city.

The common theme here is connectivity.

We're talking about safer streets, better mobility, strategic infrastructure, and public assets that support long-term growth.

Starting with the complete streets, the local safety action plan was adopted by council in May of 2026.

We identified the high crash locations and priority safety interventions.

And the plan was designed to support the safe routes to school pedestrian safety, cycling safety, and first last mile mobility.

The idea to create a pedestrian and bicycle network that would connect the city to the heart of the city and the downtown and the transit center.

One of the projects that we identified in last the SS4A, which is a federal grant funding source that comes administered through the state was to submit an application for North Avenue corridor safety project so to really look at the entire length of North Avenue and identify where we can modernize and increase the safety along the 29 intersections, but really throughout the entire network and looking at how we can again advance those primary missions of say roots to school and ABA accessibility.

Uh can considered continuing in that work.

Uh we have the Quaker Ridge Road Reconstruction.

We have a pending TAP application for $7 million to help close that funding gap.

We received a Westchester County Complete Streets grant for $2.5 million, which was tremendous, and and addition and close further close the gap that exists.

And we're awaiting the outcome of an $850,000 earmark by Congressman Latimer for a traffic signal modernization along Quaker Ridge.

Another we have uh we're excited to announce that Pinebrook Boulevard phase one, which would start at Beachmont and go to Forrest.

Uh we presented a concept to all of several stakeholders, including the Complete Streets Committee as well as the adjacent property owners that uh sort of abut the project limits of that, and we're excited to uh basically be moving forward with the city's first bike lane, the first true bioswale.

So really putting uh to into action the various interventions that we've been talking about since I came here in 2014.

So it's just it's finally it's really exciting for us to uh you know really see that starting to take shape.

Additionally, looking at parking, uh, you know, we're proud uh and happy to finally be able to announce that we've added 196 downtown parking spaces, we've added 80 at the Skyline Garage to Clinton Park.

There were another 80, and High Garden Tower 30.

Uh, there were 36 additional spaces.

We finalized the parking management strategic plan.

We identified the uh lowest hanging fruit in the short term, uh, which are on the agenda for later this this evening.

Uh we've identified the uh medium term, which are to strengthen enforcement and the uh the enforcement technology and the payment technologies to improve compliance and and revenue realization.

Uh, and additionally, uh pursue the state level legislative the home rule authorization to uh expand into some of the camera enforcement uh techniques that we think would be really helpful in curb management, double parking, and uh and and sort of the the management of the loading zones.

And long term, we're looking at ways to utilize the parking revenues to reinvest in the uh you know in the overall sort of enterprise of parking management.

You know, it's a it's a very expensive kind of function, and the revenue and the costs have to sort of balance out, and we think we have some great opportunities to address those needs and make some of those strategic investments and underpinning a lot of that is kind of increasing compliance, getting people to pay for the parking that they're that they're using in the downtown.

So another project that we are continuing to push really hard for is the link.

Uh you know, New York State DOT is completing their final review in preparation for uh FHWA project approval.

Uh the city has been very active in advocating with the state to advance the required transfer of the the land, the memorial highway right of way.

That continues to be you know one of the major hurdles that has to be under has to be completed before we can actually start construction.

Uh the governor uh through uh you know the leadership of our mayor uh secured and committed 16 million dollars to replace the federal grant that was rescinded.

And again, the project just overall um supports open space, pedestrian connectivity, neighborhood access.

Um it is it is also a big driver of economic development.

We have a framework for the Lincoln Avenue corridor.

We are in the process of developing a Leakin Avenue recommended economic development recommended action plan that's going to be focused on wealth creation, workforce development, increased access to home ownership, um, and also making recommendations for addressing stewardship of the link and a governance framework to provide like the basically the resources and the tools we need to ensure that the link is a vital space, it doesn't fall into disrepair.

Overall, the link effort is examining how Lincoln Avenue can become a model for black entrepreneurship, inter innovation, cultural identity, and community wealth building.

We are not losing focus of the history of the area, and we are continuing to develop strategies that are going to ensure that it remains a beacon for uh African Americans in our city and beyond.

Another project that we are excited to continue the design of is the transit center.

We secured an additional 1.07 million in Christie federal grant funding, and we have a $500,000 CDBG allocation, which are all going to be put together to support phase two of the development of the master plan and the NEPA completion, which is the federal economic environmental review.

So we're focusing on improved public access, pedestrian plazas.

The design remains this largely the same as what we've presented to you all, and so we're just moving through the complete design of that project.

Another one that was identified in the city manager's work plan is the Carnegie Building.

We're happy to say that we have done a lot of stabilization of the retaining wall around the property.

We've removed a lot of the vegetation that was creating habitat, not only for critters, but also for folks that you know were using it inappropriately at night and stuff.

And so that was our first sort of pass, just kind of bringing the property to a uh, you know, getting it safe, getting it stable.

Um, and there will be a new fence that's installed by the end of July.

We'll also be installing some uplighting so that the nighttime experience will be um, you know, will look as beautiful as that architecture deserves.

Additionally, we're going to install a fence, I mean, a sign on the fence that's gonna sort of talk, indicate that there's a restoration in process.

Um, and again, we've cleared the parking, there's been no more uh illegal parking there, we're adding uh no trespassing signs, and we are actively seeking grants uh to uh give us the resources we need to continue to develop the programming, the ultimate programming for the for the site.

Again, another one is the former CBS site since taking ownership of the property.

We've repaired a roof, we've uh had some repaired some uh fences along the property line, we've added RAT eight stations, and we are going to issue a request for expressions of interest on the defined use, which was for intergenerational housing and a community use on the ground floor.

We expect that RFEI to be uh you know advertised in September, and I will work with Councilman Peters and just sort of get his uh sort of buy-in as well as the the rest of you know the the affected council members and the and and city manager on on the content of that.

Another grant and exercise that we're working on, we're working on is this IFAC, perhaps you've heard us talk about this innovative finance and asset concession grant.

The purpose of this grant is to provide technical assistance for us to evaluate assets that would then be eligible for a pot of funding called TIFIA, which is at a very favorable interest rate and uh can provide uh eligible sites with funding and financing from the federal government to drive uh transit-oriented development, and so we can continue to be very uh sort of find other outside funding to sort of leverage on the physical assets within within the transit-oriented development uh framework and drive additional um expansion and uh you know, as we look for ways to uh increase the experience, improve the experience in the downtown.

So, some other planning initiatives is we have our historic district guidelines.

The city was awarded 40,000 with 50% match from the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation earlier this year, and we're preparing those updated guidelines.

We're about to issue an RFP.

It's pretty close.

We've been working on it with staff.

Uh again, we have a micro, we issued an RFP for what we call the circuit, is the current provider of the free electric vehicle uh circulator shuttle.

We issued an RFP, we've spent 10 years almost pretty much since we've issued an RFP for that.

So we wanted to sort of get fresh proposals and sort of take a look and see if there were any ways to either improve service or lower the costs, obviously.

The goal is to maintain the zero or you know, super low emission and have the same kind of ride chair concept.

Uh zoning uh council adopted the vocational schoon zoning and uh the vocational school zoning in June.

The zoning, uh that zoning was introduced to better support.

Um, and then there's gonna be Stavenport Neck zoning, which is uh gonna be later this even later this evening, and uh also on the sort of in the hopper is the acceptance of the uh 457 Fifth Avenue.

That's that we'll call it the Dunkin' Donuts on Portman and Fifth Avenue across from that that uh they're interested in building a project there, and so uh we'll be we've talked about it, I think offline, but that's sort of moving forward.

That will become a public item when it is uh, you know, once it's once it's ready to proceed.

But basically, there'll be a community space.

We've identified a need for that as some sort of an education training space.

Uh, I think GBD on you know the specific area of study, but um we're excited to bring that space online as well.

Uh so again, looking talking about grants.

I know Sarah uh was alluded to the grants as they pertain to the green and our implementation, but in 2026, we've submitted a total of 30 applications and 72 million dollars requested.

So far, we've been awarded 17 of those grants, uh, 12 million dollars of grants have been awarded.

Uh the grants are being aligned closely with the city priorities.

We're working with our partners in uh DPW and fires and buildings and parks, all really to sort of align the active projects they're working on to support them with these additional resources.

We're not sort of letting the tail wag the dog as it were.

We're we're trying to focus the the resources to accomplish the projects that we're all expecting.

Uh let's see where else.

Uh so the grant strategies increasingly oh, yeah, so just basically know that.

Uh finally, reflected in the council authorization.

The we have there are 14 applications on this evening's agenda for uh CFA uh applications that are due on July 31st.

Um, and we'll we can go over them in a little bit greater detail later in this evening.

Downtown activation.

So here's the you know, the sh reporting on the downtown developments.

So far, we've got 2.5 billion in private investment, currently 11,000 uh residential units authorized in 34 projects have been approved.

Um, and uh seven 7800 units approved, 1400 of them are affordable, that's around 20%.

So we're still around double what the baseline requirement is for affordable housing.

We have 5100 units that are completing and leasing, and it's a 91% occupancy rate.

Uh we have one project under construction that's the affordable condominium.

There's 126 condos in there that we're really excited to begin marketing.

It's called Rose on Maine.

It's being done by the uh joint venture of Wilder Walter and uh LM.

And uh in the pipeline are eight projects that have site plan approval.

And as you can see here, just you know, little graphs that indicate you know the the occupancy versus the units that are online, and a uh a chart that's tracking the origin of the new folks moving into these buildings.

So as you can see, 24% are coming from within New Rochelle, 24% are from Westchester, 28% are from New York City, and then the remainder 7% from New York and Connecticut 6%, New Jersey's 5%, and other states around 6%, which is great.

We're starting to see a little more representation from states just just our neighbors just to the north and west of here.

Originally, those numbers were really low.

And again, we'll go into greater detail about the tangible in-kind benefits in a later slide.

So the 2026 DOZ amendments, you know, we we talked about what was important there, refining these uh refining the DOZ to uh create to incentivize and to catalyze retail ground and ground floor activation.

We're updating the large the large format retail standards in certain parts of the downtown to better accommodate the modern formats from the types of real retailers that we've been talking to.

Uh, we're replacing storefront requirements with frequent entryways in smaller secondary streets so that we can we can activate the streetscape, not just with glass and steel, but with stoops and doors and and homes.

So we think that's uh that's a that's a great way to activate some of the secondary streets.

Not everything has to be kind of a retail looking uh facade.

Uh sustainable and equitable development, we're integrating as we talked about earlier the the green and our framework into the zoning.

We're uh limiting the waterfront access fee to the D07 or the waterfront district only, but uh we're also increasing the fair share mitigation fee by 25%, which is a lot more flexible and can be used in areas other than those uh sections around the waterfront, which we were limited, we were we were implying a fee and the rest of the DOZ, and those those those proceeds could only be used in a certain part of the city uh on the waterfront, and we think given the infrastructure needs that it was more equitable to uh to uh to make those amendments.

Again, we're promoting the missing middle housing, we're talking about townhomes, brownstones, small multifamily projects, we're giving uh bonus height incentives across multiple DOs, um, and we're modernizing the zoning definitions to allow and incentivize those types of housing.

Uh mobility and parking management.

We're adjusting the valet parking credits to improve curb management, circulation, and safety in the downtown areas, and we're strengthening pedestrian connectivity through pedestrian ways and key redevelopment zones.

We're also requiring that 30% of any civic spaces have to have green elements as defined in the green NR.

Um, and we have uh also adjusted like the street front occupancy standards to include bioswales and certain types of green infrastructure to satisfy those uh so those requirements.

So basically trying as much as possible to increase the the absorptive capacity of the downtown to address uh some of the climate emergency that we that we have.

Uh so again, this is a slide.

I know there's been some discussion from in the public and not to be reactive, but I thought you know, I owed an update on the community benefit bonus money.

Um so what you see on the left is a you know and an accounting of the cash that we've received totally to date $8.2 million in community benefit bonus cash.

Um we've spent seven of it, and there's a list of what we've spent them on.

All of those things were authorized by council.

Um, and to date, there's a total cash balance and the community benefit bonus of of 1.2 million dollars.

What's to the right is the uh improvements that we uh negotiated as in kind.

So the developer constructed these improvements or provided these construct these improvements uh to the tune of 33 million dollars.

So there's Anderson Plaza is an example, Flinton Park, Plaza, uh Westchester Place Alleyway, uh, which is still under construction, Shearwood Place, the Pocket Park on Burling, the Children's Playground on Le Count Place, Dog Run, Huguenot.

I mean, I I won't go down the whole the whole list, but we got 179 new municipal parking spaces, we got the Center for the Arts or the Black Box Theater that we call it, 26 municipal EV park charging spaces, um a new play, a new park, a new dog run.

Uh so things that we are that are that are real tangible spaces that you can all visit, some of which are still under construction.

If you think about the Garden Street space, the community incubator space, uh, which we are in the process of.

We we issued an RFP, we're in the process of awarding.

It looks like we have a great partner to work with building that space out.

So once we attach a partner to that, we'll be much more uh competitive for the grants that will follow.

So again, um just kind of giving everyone a report card on the retail.

Uh we're trying retail recovery has been slower than residential growth.

We we we introduced the vanguard initiative.

Um we have made some significant uh impacts on the on the on the vacancy rates.

We'll discuss those a little bit later.

Uh but the vacancy remains elevated in some key areas.

Uh the build outs of a lot of the barriers to that are the are the costs of fit out.

Uh we introduced the retail tenant improvement fund that was very successful.

I'll I'll provide an update about that a little later.

And again, the public realm with the small business technical assistance needs.

We've identified we've activated with a partnership through Iona College, the small business economic development hubs.

We're excited to see uh you know that come to life.

Uh and we have our public realm improvements program.

We have uh funding lined up for tactical urban improvements.

We're going to start on the count to better connect the new street at New Rock to Anderson Plaza and then across North Avenue into the kind of CBS lot, all with an eye towards uh increasing the ability for folks to navigate and walk through the downtown in a clean, safe manner and improve their experience and hopefully they'll spend more time there and uh you know patronize the new businesses that are opening.

And to address data fragmentation, we've introduced this uh dashboard and storefront tracking, which I'll show a little bit later.

So here's the downtown by the numbers.

Uh these are excerpts from the dashboard that is on the city's website in the ideally Michelle Vanguard tab.

Uh you can see the downtown population has increased by 36% since 2017.

The residential units have increased by 92%, and overall 70 new businesses have opened and remain open since 2020.

Talking about the vanguard, uh, the retail tenant improvements, the 2.25 that was awarded through that grant to 17 awardees.

Uh, over here is just a status update on uh those businesses.

As you can see, uh there are only seven, well, there are eight that are not quite open.

Three of them are in active build-out phase, and we we expect them to they've gotten their permits and they're actually under construction.

We expect the opening shortly.

There are five of which that are still in the permitting phase, but they're all very still committed to working through that.

And um, once they get those permits, they'll start construction in earnest.

And that leaves us with the two four sorry, eight businesses that are completed and opening.

And it's important to show that the eight that are open are activating, and overall, these are activating 11 spaces that were previously vacant in the downtown.

I think that's a key metric.

These are spaces that were would have remained vacant, but for these funds and for our work of Jorge and his team to get those spaces activated.

Again, we mentioned the small business hub.

We awarded that to Iona University's Heinz Institute.

We're doing outreach and to engage new shell small businesses, minority women owned businesses and retailers.

We're excited to offer co-working meeting space and connecting businesses to several small business development funding sources and resources, such as at SCORE and some other local resources, like the county's catalyst program.

So again, a little more description on the public realm improvements.

The this is the lacount place tactical urbanism that we talked about.

This is basically kind of creating these safer crossings from New Street to Anderson Plaza, but it's also creating these types of seating and different amenities and sort of creating areas that were formerly kind of lane.

You know, that that road has about five five lanes of traffic and parking on it.

So we're basically taking some of that and not impacting at all the ability for cars to use the counts effectively, and just creating opportunities for seating to complement the restaurants that are that are opening up around there, and as we said earlier, we have a new playground that started there.

So kind of taking some of that space back to create uh you know seating areas for for the parents of the kids playing in the playground to sort of convene and uh just generally um you know relax in the downtown.

So we're really excited about our storefront improvements.

Uh this is the West End signage and awning project project.

We have identified 17, 16 participating businesses.

They're each receiving a new awning and a blade sign, and here's an example.

This is sort of like a before and after for what's there.

This is kind of like the prototypical treatment.

Actually, in the agenda tonight is a modification to the city's sign code to sort of make it standard to have this bottom kind of treatment.

Uh previously, this would have required an extra two to three month process to approve this blade sign.

But as we've had more and more of them come online, uh we've reviewed it with the municipal art commission, and they were comfortable as a standard practice of codifying it in such a way that we can ensure a good outcome.

Uh again, additional storefront improvements.

Here is uh over by Pepe's place.

This is what's uh kind of they've started their facade improvement grant application, so this is an example of what would potentially could happen.

We haven't haven't seen the designs, but this is sort of like the standard that we're going for again with the blade sign and the and the and the and the facade, the flat facade sign just to sort of increase the experience.

And those are right here, you know, this area you've seen.

And then, of course, sugar plums.

We're really excited.

This project is a little bit the the windows are on back order, but we're we're we're moving through and we're getting closer and closer to implementation.

So I know it's a long-awaited, and Miss Sugar Plums has been very patient with us, and we appreciate her.

Um we appreciate her and we appreciate her business, and we're looking forward to uh completing this project.

Again, you know, talking about sort of having regulatory tools and collecting data, the bacon storefront registry was something you all adopted earlier this year, and it has given us a lot of metrics.

It's given us access to the owners of the properties that we previously didn't have, and so we've been corresponding.

Many of them didn't even know they had vacant storefronts.

That so there's been just it's been driving engagement, so that's been really great for us.

But uh the the seat, the citywide, there remains 41 vacant storefronts registered citywide.

Um there's uh vacancy rate of uh 13.49, that's 141 spaces.

The downtown retail vacancy rate is uh 19% or 104 spaces, and then the vanguard specifically, the rates about 21% or 59 spaces.

Uh, we did want to flag, I mean, it's it's not an excuse, it's just to sort of qualify that you know, 21 of those 59 spaces are actually part of sites that have been identified for development.

So, you know, we're looking at kind of like a net vacancy rate of um, you know uh 13 and a half percent, which includes those spaces uh for future development.

Um, and so nine new businesses have occupied those previously vacant spaces since January.

So we are making a dent in the vacancy in the vanguard.

So we think some of these interventions that we've developed are working.

Reporting on the center for the arts or the black box theater, the operative rating agreement is executed in February, the lease agreement between the building owner and the operators in the final stage of review.

Uh that set the building permit application was filed with the Department of Buildings, and they are in the process.

I know it was referred to the third party plans examiner or or or whatever the engineer that's looking at that.

Uh where the construction bid is being drafted and it's due to be issued uh you know concurrently with the DOB review.

As soon as we kind of get the you know, more or less green light, we're gonna start that process.

Um, and we are also in the process of forming the art center community advisory board uh to assist with the programming of the civic uh you know requirement that's in that contract.

We expect construction to begin in Q4 officially.

Talk a little bit about housing.

Um we have a city, we are in the process now of drafting a citywide housing analysis, housing reports, which includes a strategy and recommendations for moving forward uh to focus on preservation, production of additional affordable housing, maintaining affordability, and then creating ownership, home ownership.

Um we are keenly aware or at least sensitive to the need in our community to address uh affordability.

We know that we have around 50% of our renters are living with uh a cost burden, which is defined as being uh greater than 30% of their gross income.

We're looking at supporting missing middle households through mixed income development, townhouses, condos.

So we're looking at a whole variety of uh techniques and interventions that will help us to uh you know really make an impact on that.

And with all of your input, we will be we're in the process of finalizing that at least to a final draft stage with which but at that point we can start engaging with new law.

Hoping to bring that formally publicly in the fall.

Again, happy to report on expanding the DPATH eligibility.

We've in we've um you know it's the the expansion includes current workers and business owners that are based in New Rochelle and or or former owners that have lived here for two years in the past.

Uh we've been having public information sessions, and we started marketing Rose on Maine as I stated a little earlier.

Uh so just some uh some reporting on the progress of our housing stability and preservation initiatives or efforts.

We have good cause ofvention, the implementation is underway.

Local law was enacted last September.

We have multifamily res rehab.

We won 250,000.

We're in the process of through a grant from HCR to design a program that uh will help us to address what we call naturally occurring affordable housing, which is just basically housing that is affordable because of its condition or its location.

Um, so to make some vital repairs, uh, not only to improve habitability but to improve energy efficiency as well.

Um we're getting a 250,000 dollar kind of technical assistance grant to help us design a program.

Um and then hopefully that will lead to additional actual capital funds so that we can make the appropriate investment.

But we're also working with the county on its through its landlord tenant assistance program.

Uh, that program makes funding available to uh landlords of smaller buildings, and as long as they maintain the affordability of those units, they they can get I you know up to 25,000 per unit uh to make important upgrades.

So again, talking a little bit about Renewershell Forward, this is our program uh that we do with uh Soulful Synergy.

Uh 31 uh individuals started the program, 27 have uh completed EPA universal training.

There's been 26 graduates, 15 of the 26 have been placed.

There are three that are pending job placements, um, and there are 28 in this June cohort.

Uh so we're really excited to continue this program.

We think uh it's been a great activation of that space of that uh vocational training space in 173 Huguenot, and uh we they're continuing to identify other sources of funds to bring additional type of training to uh New Rochelle workforce.

Another report on the first was referral center.

Uh as of April, we've had 47 new enrollments.

There are 66 job seekers that are currently engaged, current active caseload is 1600, 29 job replacements, 29 uh placements as of April, 20 new Rochelle placements, those are placements within New Rochelle, 13 construction placements, 28 are above minimum wage, and 21 are supportive service referrals.

So this is our first social referral center.

This is a this is an entity that is created through the city's economic opportunity non-discrimination policy.

It is the you know, in order for a worker to be counted on our development tracking, they have to be coming, they have to be new Roychel resident that goes through this first social referral center.

Um so just uh they they do they do a lot of the intake and we refer even the graduates of New Roll forward through there, and it's all a way of us tracking and monitoring who's uh who's being placed on the jobs through Ubershop.

Uh so this is just uh so a little bit of an accounting of the 2026 process progress to date.

So we're talked about uh implementing the Green NR.

We assess 139 actions, uh the complete streets.

We talked about LSAP, SS4A, Pinebrook.

Uh this is just a little bit of an uh you know an overview of what we've already discussed and moving into the second half.

So what we're gonna continue to do through the through the through the rest of 2026 is advancing the green and our metrics reporting capital planning integration.

Uh we've finalized the form that's been uh circulated to the commissioners, and we're looking forward to working together on it to infusing those uh those criteria into capital project selection.

Uh we'll be moving uh EV charging, clean mobility, solar, uh all of those work streams moving forward.

We're going to continue with the complete streets, the link, and all of the projects that we talked about, uh converting the vanguard awards and small business into storefront openings and activations, launching and scaling the small business and economic development hub, which we're trying to rename to maybe something like NRHQ or HQNR, not quite sure, but we like HQ.

It's a hub.

Hub is just kind of what it is.

Um and then advancing the storefront registry compliance and vacancy tracking, dashboard reporting, and and just basically continuing to implement based on the city manager's uh work plan and trying to uh you know continue building out uh the downtown and also ensuring that the rest of the city is uh also experiencing investment um and driving vitality and uh trying to catalyze economic activity, and that is all thank you.

Thank you so very much.

Sorry, okay.

Um open the floor for comments for my colleagues.

Councilwoman K.

So thank you.

We'll go all the way back to the beginning of the presentation for the greener report.

Um I just I really appreciated seeing all this work put together in one place in one report.

Um, you know, we're involved in these projects on a day-to-day basis.

You can lose sight of how much progress is actually been made.

And um, and looking at this presentation, you can get a sense of all the different pieces and how they fit together, whether it's the CBA or the community force management plan or scrap recycling, um, and so many other initiatives you know taken together, they really do represent some meaningful progress towards our polls that we set out in Green here.

Um so as we continue these annual updates.

One thing I'd love to see more of is some of that quantifiable data.

And I feel like um, you know, you mentioned the greenhouse gas inventory.

I think once we have that back underway, the and those metrics become available, we'll have more of an opportunity to track these trends over time and really measure our progress and outcomes.

Um just taking a step back, you know, when we first updated the the greener plan.

You know, my hope was that it would be more than just a playlist.

It's on a shelf that really would be a roadmap for um for real progress, and I think this report if you see that.

So thank you.

Anyone else?

Councilman Gary.

Um first, just thank you.

We asked you to kind of run a marathon every few months when you come up and present to us.

You're in good shape.

Um, just a few uh small questions first.

Um CSC silver, what is it like?

What do we get in 5 being silver instead of bronze?

Well, it demonstrates our leadership and you know our status as a as a progressive, you know, climate um climate smart community.

You know, we're we are we're walking the talk.

Um, but it's also I guess an exclusive club.

I think that there's only 25 uh statewide out of 185 who are all participants in the program itself.

Um so um there aren't so many at that level, um, and so we just want to demonstrate that we're at the forefront of the work.

Is that something that benefits us in like grant applications?

Absolutely, absolutely potentially it's like a point system, so um well I'll jump to just a comment looking at the 17 grants one already applied.

I'm guessing it's not like 17 out of 30 based on years, but either way, it's just it's a very impressive win percentage.

Um just the amount of grant funding coming in is very helpful, so who knows to take for that.

Yes.

Um just uh I know we are aiming to have the organics management plan by the end of the year.

I would love to just you know learn more about that and kind of see what the scope of it is and have a chance to have some input in that earlier on.

Um with the chargers at New Rock, are they gonna be paid or free?

They are will be paid.

Okay.

Yes.

Great.

Um, and then jumping around again, uh, Quick Reserve, the 2.5 million that we got from the county.

What what's our gap at right now?

So the so the gap is estimated right now, don't hold me to this, about 3.5 to 4.5 million.

A lot of that is good, or how much we fill that gap, a lot of it will be determined by how much we get from the state on the TAP grant.

Um, and I just want to note that the 2.5 million from the county um is a is through a county bond issuance, and so the county advises us uh we should have the bonds submitted through to the board of uh legislators when we're within eight to nine months of start of construction, so that the county's not paying the debt service to within the and and there's a a moratorium at the county level from uh September through the end of the year on any new bond issuances as they do their budget.

So it's a 2027 uh proposition.

Hopefully, um the we're expecting to get a tap grant response from the state probably by the end of the summer or early fall.

Okay, uh likely before November.

Great, thank you.

And then with the North Avenue project, um, is that mostly just for signals, or is that like an opportunity to look at a complete streets?

It's an opportunity to look at complete streets, but not the bicycle lanes per se.

I think given the limitations in federal programs, USDOT and their sort of mandate, I think.

We'll be looking at safety enhancements.

We will certainly be looking at roadway configurations that I think achieve you know a higher degree of safety, but also say room for um a bike lane in the future.

Okay, thank you.

Um then my final question is around the 2600 units that have site plan approval.

I mean, that's more than half of the units that are already completed and leasing.

I'm I'm curious about like the timing of those.

I mean, I imagine most of those that have site plan approval are waiting for financing.

Um I mean that is primarily the uh the issue with with uh those that are still awaiting.

Um there it is with the increased intr interest rates, the increased costs of construction that that's uh you know, these are like financial headwinds that a lot of these projects are experiencing.

So we are seeing progress, however, I I can tell you that um you know we are kind of 277 North Avenue, which is the old Tank of America building that we've demolished, is going to be start construction.

I would say, you know, they they're saying either Q4 this year, Q1.

Uh so that's gonna close on financing, which is a big indicator.

There is the church on Main Street and Locust over there, 438 Main Street.

Uh that project is still is uh looking to break around as soon as possible.

So we are seeing some progress recently on some of those on some of those projects.

And and also their site plans will expire um if they uh don't pay the um you know the extension and uh they're unable to uh execute.

And do we track the amount of time that a given project is in each stage?

What do you mean by that?

Like the site plan approval, yes, there's a two-year limit on a site plan.

They have an option for a one-year extension that they they can pay for at a cost of one dollar per net square foot.

And then in some cases, the buildings will undergo like a significant design adjustment, like if they're evaluating, like let's say, for whatever reason, they they they've changed something significantly that generate that warrants an amendment to the site plan.

So in some cases, that would trigger uh, you know, but the two-year clock to start over.

Okay, thank you.

Council Miller.

Thank you so much for taking care of the Carnegie Library.

It's looking good.

And what kind of a fence is gonna be.

It's going to be like it's gonna look like a wrought iron, like the fence that's on the Union Avenue parking lot, like the very the black black sort of metal with the very clean.

I mean it's gonna bring them from people just going in.

Well, it's not gonna be super high.

I think the idea was we're gonna put signage just we don't want it to look like it's in like a jail.

We want it to just sort of access and be attractive, but we're gonna put no trespassing signs and we're gonna have a sign announcing that the restoration is in progress.

Thank you.

And I also want to thank you so much for the owning that is going to be installed at the 16 businesses in uh union avenue.

I was there today, and you know, this is what economic development is all about, empowering these businesses that have been there forever, and uh you know, where now it looks really very very sad and dirty, and you know, and it's gonna just you know you're changing the whole area, and uh, and I know that the taste of union is just gonna be very special this year because of that.

So thank you, thank you so much.

And also for taking care of the black acts theater.

We can't wait until we get something detailed to share your enthusiasm in the line last year.

And the in the homeownership and the jobs that have been brought, you know, uh all of that really is so good.

Yeah, okay.

Yeah, so um this is uh a very comprehensive uh plan that has at its at its at its basis from what I can tell really thoughtful uh way of attempting to approach citywide efforts uh you know throughout.

Uh having said that I'm still uh disturbed by the uh this has nothing, it doesn't have too much to do with you, but I'm disturbed by two things that seem to uh keep uh district three in particular um feet and in concrete.

One of them has to do with the idea that we have uh a point system for grants that uh as a result of that, those who are better equipped to uh have projects go to to have projects grow become the emphasis of more funding that support that and so as it relates to that means that those who do not as a metaphor don't get fed as much.

And so my concern remains that that's a huge concern.

The other thing that uh that I'm concerned about is the is the is the use of language that we that we use a little bit, right?

Um I mean the truth of the matter is is that the areas that I frequently talk about within District 3 are not disadvantaged areas, they're neglected areas, and it would be helpful if we say that they're neglected.

The reason why is because they are and they have always been.

And again, this is not around what you're talking about.

This has more to do with the ways in which the planning that has occurred and the emphasis on the things that are going well and will continue, which I'm glad about.

This still happens again and again and again and again, and it doesn't stop.

Whether we're so you know, whether we're talking about rats, whether we're talking about anything else, it doesn't stop.

Uh what I am interested in though also is the uh the idea of all of these projects do well.

I would like to see the possibility of uh of volunteer opportunities to emerge in these wonderful things that are happening.

Uh and uh and and I know that we have contracts with uh whether it's formally with volunteers or Westchester, whatever the case might be from New York and whatever the case might be, because we're gonna need to have uh have that happen.

So when we talk about about these projects, whether it's green or what or any other type of project, we certainly, as we should, we make sure that we build in our youth to be engaged and involved and really happy about that.

But what I'm also concerned about, particularly now, is our individuals between the ages of 18 and 65 who uh whose ability to maintain their health insurance is gonna lapse effective January 1.

And we seemingly will need to have some things in place that will allow for the criteria to be met in order for them to keep their insurance.

It's for that reason why I'm talking about uh volunteers, volunteer opportunities in these in these wonderful activities that can drive and create and will create more and more again and again and again, whether it's downtown, whether it's on the west side, whether it's on the north end, whether it's on the south side.

I'd like to see us expand, seriously expand the volunteer opportunities and create an infrastructure of volunteerism, because otherwise we're gonna have many, many people who are not going to be able to maintain their health insurance based upon the federal uh rules that are going to change around insurance.

So Medicaid and other types of insurance are now being uh being threatened.

People don't know that yet.

And so I'm really interested in in the city partnering and creating a campaign of some level information-wise to begin to move in a way in which these individuals will not be in a crisis as we move along.

So we're also talking about or talking about hope family services.

I'm talking about case management at a larger level with an intensity over the next five months.

Since we also don't necessarily have the funding available for the link yet, and we don't, and we do it, we have plans, but we have nothing actively that's going to happen.

This dude no fault.

I understand.

No, I'm so we have the funding, we don't have access to the sum of honestly.

That's yeah, you know, it's always but I don't disagree.

You're your take on the.

So when we when we talk about mistakes, and then we set a date and place, and we say this is gonna we're gonna break ground in September, and then it's not really going to happen, then how can I expect the constituents and the stakeholders in my district to believe that something's going to happen when every single thing says that it's not.

I cannot.

I cannot.

Well, I think what I hope you took away from today is you know that we have an opportunity on the private property that's abutting the link, right?

So you know we have with these DOZ amendments, we have some key parcels that are in your district around the uh you know, around the perimeter of the link that are kind of waiting for units to come online that's gonna catalyze some private investments and private dollars in there, and then the beauty of the of them being part of DO8 is that those funds then would have to be used within DO8 proper to support all of the various efforts that we have.

So I mean, you know, as as you pointed out, like absolutely um you know, development has not sort of unfortunately the DO8 was passed at this time when the economy started to become more challenging, but we're seeing signs that there are projects that are moving through that um, and and most of those projects that are ready to kind of advance are in that area.

So I'm hopeful that uh this is actually gonna be a unique opportunity for the DO8, given you know, some of those projects are providing affordable housing, so there's subsidy there, and so therefore there's money coming from the private, you know, from the state and other sources that are making those projects possible.

So that that's kind of like where I'm trying to focus.

I I know the link is excruciating for me personally.

I've been involved in it since like day one, and it is you know, at some point we probably should, you know, sit down and and and just kind of like figure out, but but I'm very hopeful that it's going to continue.

It's gonna it's gonna happen.

It's just a matter of going through the goalposts keeps moving.

So I think that's you know, point that's like we are a little new rochelle in in the big in the big forest, you know, and the goalposts keeps moving.

And the goal posts keep and and then and then so as a result of that, you know, the distribution of resources needs to be more properly thought about and creating ways for that to happen becomes really critically important.

Because we're talking about that now, because I think that plan at least we'll we can state the goals together and be a part of like developing what those priorities are and and coming up with a realistic time frame for them and doing that as a in a partnership together with the economic opportunity uh recommended action plan.

And doing that as in a partnership together with the economic opportunity uh recommended action plan.

Yeah, I mean I'm not blaming you.

I know I don't feel blaming.

I'm just trying to tell you how I I I sense that you were gonna say something like this, given you know, I have two eyes and I can see it, and I and I'm I'm not being defensive, I'm trying to be proactive about it because I do feel for you.

I feel for your I feel it's it's you know it's been a labor of mine to sort of activate that to try to activate that area, and I know many of my friends in the community are are there, and I yeah, I I want to deliver.

Because we talk a lot, yeah, I think so.

But it's it's not happening.

And and I I become discouraged.

Um very serious about this.

I become discouraged, I've become discouraged about a number of different things that keep happening, and it continue to happen, and we continue to move forward.

And I'm just um I'm not optimistic now.

I'm not, and I'm not uh need to come from abundance.

I really need I do, but I'm not, but I don't believe that that our infrastructure is supportive of that, supportive of the things that uh seemingly again based on a system of those who have yet, those who don't, don't and that was what we were attempting to not have happen, but that's not the reality of what's going on.

So questions or comments on that personally, yeah.

So um thank you for just seeing the the the expanse of the things that you're the department and working on.

Like you and your team, I just have to thank you very deeply.

Um, and they touch all over the city, not just our downtown.

So very grateful.

It takes a lot of comprehensive work.

Not everywhere that we want and as much as we want, but you know, uh, of all the spaces, you know, I see that comprehensive mindset coming from you, so thank you.

Um it's a lot.

Well, I I think let's let's start with that.

I I feel like our communications on certain things, even what we have to make up for as far as like public education on how the city works, how different parts of the city work.

I think I think we just really need to uh have a conversation about our communications as a city.

I'm not saying this as the department of development, but as a city as a whole, because it's it's difficult to really understand.

Well, what's the relation you know, a pilot by this point?

Pilots have become like you know, a curse word in this city, but they're a tool.

And with pilots, we've been able to secure the parking spaces that you're talking about that are at the skyline um at uh Clinton Place, things like that.

But people don't understand the relationship between us having to take that action in one space and then getting those 80 spaces plus the affordable housing, plus getting that you know, property owner to reinvest in their space.

There's just a really big gap between you know the actions that we take and the things that we're seeing on the ground that are positive.

I've had feedback from the businesses on you know Division Street saying, oh my god, the the day that parking opened up that was helpful to my business.

You know, I just feel like you know, if we could get more of our city partners aligned, including our businesses, our bid, our uh chamber of commerce, just helping, you know, move the ship of understanding, you know, how comprehensive all of these things are, and that we're working within a finite space.

I think that that would be helpful for the conversation for people to understand the things that we're doing.

Um I I'm uh on on another topic.

I'm I'm absolutely envious of councilman Peters uh and the Rose on Maine, and I would love a building full of affordable condos in District Floor, and I'm sure other council members would as well.

Um so anything I I know that you you know spearheaded wrapping again, even that project itself was pulling so many stakeholders together.

So if you could do that, pilot made that project possible.

That a pilot made that project possible too.

You know, even what we you know, the fees when we talk about like net benefit versus the gross benefit, we leave the gross benefit out when we've used those fees for like infrastructure improvements and places that have nothing to do with development.

There's just a big chasm between you know what people understand and what we you know the tools that we're utilizing to get the different jobs done that people are asking for.

Um but I I would definitely love to see more affordable condos, and and I'm glad to see that you have the focus on missing middle houses, and that goes to what we were talking about with like the DOZ amendments and things like that.

There's a wide variety of ways that we could address the issues that people are bringing up to us, you know.

But to look for that missing middle housing and then see that it's being created.

Um that's life changing.

That's somebody's home that we're talking about.

That's several people's home.

I think that that's incredible.

Um, thank you for the community benefit bonus report.

Thank you for also matching it to the you know uh uh unfunded things that different city partners have done to improve our city as well.

Uh again, the things that people don't see the relationship between the actions that are being taken.

Um I'm looking at the retail tenant improvement uh partners that we have.

13 through 17 were in the permitting process for all of the projects, not only these, but for these, especially because they're still in the permitting process.

I would like to understand how long that permitting process took for each one of those things.

I'm sorry to put more work on your desk, but I would love to find that out because again, you know, we we we've championed being a city that could get a development project done in 90 days, but our citizens are demanding more retail presence, more street level activations.

We really need to get to the point where we can approve the building with uh a business within 90 days, or maybe 180, but certainly not an entire year from application to the finish line to re-grand opening or ribbon cutting.

Um, so it would be good to understand where we are in that.

Um, thank you for the vacant storefront registry.

That's another thing that we uh uh supported with the IDA.

Um I do want to see, you know, I would love to see stronger action on that, but I'm glad to see that we're starting and we could have a conversation over time.

I know this year, after this year, we can start charging people that are non-fonds.

Yes.

Um, and I think it's a great insight to get some more engagement.

That should get some more engagement, and that's excellent.

And it's good to see that we, you know, I I think it was an unintended consequence that some people didn't even realize that their storefront was vacant, you know, or that they had a property that needed to be addressed.

You know, we I don't think we accounted for that in our conversations, and that's incredible to have that as an unintended consequence.

Um, but to increase that engagement um is major.

Uh you said 21 of 59 of the vacancies are targeted for redevelopment.

Something that I wanted to understand, you know, from my age of living at 25 L'Roy Place.

You know, I want to understand some of the older buildings that have had vacancies at the time of or before development started.

I think that we have to have a conversation about the two because maybe there's a completely different type of intervention that the older buildings like 25 L'Roy would need than like uh Avalon Tower or what the skyline or whatever we're calling it.

So, yeah, for purposes of our tracking, like day one started on the adoption of the vacancy legislation.

Okay, so because it's hard to pick a day back in the past, right?

It's so we started tracking from that day one.

Although we know things that were vacant then that had been continually made chronically vacant until then, but but from for the purposes of our metrics, it starts tracking on the adoption of the uh maybe we're starting a separate discussion with the properties that we're well aware of, their vacancies, and maybe we're looking at a different type of way to activate them as opposed to looking for.

I'm thinking about the need for green space.

Their indoor our indoor gardens exist.

Well, to give you an example on the um 25 LeBrôy, you know, we've been in conversation since we adopted the vanguard district and we modernized the zoning and we took a lot of like the what were obstacles previously, right?

Like getting the parking for any retail use there has always been a problem because there we can't build, like they weren't gonna build more parking just to activate the retail space.

So by by kind of looking at the minimums and creating the 80 spaces at the skyline and lowering the minimums that are required to open certain types of businesses.

Now there are different options that weren't available to them.

So they are bringing forward types of businesses to to occupy that space.

So I think just even changing the rules is going to create an opportunity there, like I can't give you a time.

No, of course.

But I'm told that there are people interested in that.

There are businesses interested in occupying that round floor between space.

I mean, and that's kind of what I was bringing up earlier when we're talking about the retail tenant improvement, just understanding how long the businesses have been in the pipeline.

Because maybe there's another adjustment we can make that could even create one or two more businesses to reduce that vacancy that we have.

I love the work on good cause protections.

That uh goes back to the communications conversation that we're having, just really want to get out there through our partners, uh, through our neighborhood associations, whoever the school system, I don't care who, but people need to know that they have more protections than before.

Um, and matching that also, you know, the tenant improvement, the the apartment building tenant improvement uh is important as well.

The uh improvement of units that people have black molded or old appliances, or you know, people living with their families or dealing with these issues.

So just seeing those uh attempts at also making tenant improvements in our homes is incredible.

If there's anything that we can do to support that, we definitely need to know.

Um just again, thank you.

It's so comprehensive, it's hard to understand where to start.

Um, the last thing that I'll leave us with is you know, I I've had the conversation with you, but I wanted bring it to the public that we have a conversation about energy.

We have a lot of parking lots, we have a lot of public spaces, we have a lot of community uh partners, and hopefully we could bring some energy projects online, just like you said, the the transit center, you know, creating that kilowattage would cover a hundred homes.

Maybe there are more spaces, parking lots, our own city hall parking lot, you know, the the places we could look out to generate energy so that we can get off of the dependence on ConEd because everyone is dealing with those same bills.

That's universal.

So thank you.

Yes.

You have another question.

Yeah, no question generally something I forgot that I want to talk a little about, and it has to do with the expansion of that good cause protection.

Because when we put that into place, that was limited to the particular area that did not extend into parts of district three, particularly in terms of the Making Hatton Court, it didn't extend into 33 banks.

None of those areas.

I don't think there's a geographic confine as much as the structuring behind the any subsidized any subsidy to the building.

I don't think it's limited by block.

Well, the idea was that the that the subsidy for those buildings provided the same protections.

So this was just good cause eviction was about like privately owned housing that basically the landlord could do whatever they want, right?

And so they allow folks to live in kind of bad squalors, not necessarily.

Well, it's taking a step back.

Some of it is also limited by the state.

It wasn't so much my understanding that 33 Lincoln is privately owned.

With this, but at 33 Lincoln has the lie tech, a low-income housing tax credit financing structure.

So there was a regulatory agreement, there's a regulatory like restriction that's filed with the county so that they can never have the units in that building be, you know, greater than whatever the income requirement is.

But it is, it keeps it's going, people are keeps going up again and again and again again.

It's one thing that we had the meeting maybe about a year ago and things were being said about that is where it's going to work out, didn't work out.

This is happening again and again and again again.

And is there so that's a separate intervention?

We probably should like let's sit down and we can I because I I hear you, and I think there's definitely a gap because that was a big that happened not only to that building, it happened at Parkside, it happened at several of the privately owned affordable housing buildings in the city, and it it's sort of uh, you know, and for individuals that were in those units without another like a section eight voucher or something, it really had a big impact.

So I I agree, and and in the housing plan, we are looking at that and uh trying to see what resources there are to available to sort of help ease that those sharp rent increases to the individual channels.

Right now, they're they're traumatized.

I mean, this is happening here and again, they're hearing about it.

Seems like every six months, there's one thing that's being saved, and there's another thing being saved.

Is it privately owned?

Is it not what's going on?

Yada yada yeah.

So this the protections are very important, and this isn't happening.

So that needs to be extended into some of these areas.

Yep.

Agreed.

Um, I do have a couple of questions, but I'm hyper mindful, it's almost six, and we have 25 other items.

Um maybe I can just ask them and I can follow up later, just in a moment, if that's okay.

Um, with respect to EV, love seeing it in the downtown.

I if I recall the report though, the overwhelming majority of ownership was in the north end.

So I'm curious that we're expanding if I'm pulling the threat of conspiracy to some of the parking lots or spaces in the north end or synagogues or houses of boardship to for the balance.

And I know that there is something vis-a-vis legislation for EV.

It stands out to me because the way the consultant framed it was our legislation is like the equivalency of satellite dishes in the 80s.

Like it's a burdensome process.

I'm just curious, like how are we thinking of because then single family homes who have the space driveway and electric outage could install it themselves.

I'm just thinking citywide and not that.

There are a lot of considerations for, you know, as you pointed out, like in the north end, generally speaking, people have driveways and they have access to you know, put the the infrastructure that they need to charge a car in on their property.

So we we we are looking at all of the different contexts.

Like you have some single family districts in the south end, like around the west end, you know, where they don't have driveways, right?

Or the drivers are really tight.

So looking at ways, uh finding ways to change the zoning to allow some of that infrastructure to happen at the curb and and and things like that.

Um we are continuing to study that, and that's I think part of the scope of of what uh we're doing the parking plan.

Yes.

Right.

Now we're gonna look at regulatory changes or permitting changes for um a multi-unit buildings and such.

Like incentivizing the houses of worship and some of the larger uh parking lots are you know, there are a lot of incentives even from the private sector.

Like they they can actually lease their spaces to like the Tesla superchargers or the EV goes or the world, and so there are incentives out there already.

I think we need to compile, I think part of what we're doing next is sort of be an intermediary and maybe like sit down with folks and let them know that there are opportunities.

Yeah, that they can even monetize their own property, you know, and have a lot of control over when that infrastructure gets used.

Again, it's just the data to I'm just trying to account for the data as I remember the map, and we pitch a transit-oriented development for putting more chargers in the downtown, and we know the north end is the drive are the drivers.

Um but the thing is that that's where the that's where the the residents are that don't have the real estate to put the chargers.

It's like they only have to rely on the public realm to be able to put a charger somewhere.

That's that's difficult.

Yeah, yeah, but that's why it's outside that way.

Right.

And the private realm too, because the retail enters on on uh on uh Palmer at the stoppage shop at the shop right are both doing EV charging.

Okay, they are and with the technology to do it faster, meaning you go there to shop 30 minutes.

Yeah, no, I was just that's option today.

I have a fee that we charge it.

Yes, I think it'd be great to go over what our EDF fellows also working on.

Um it's a complex tool that brings together all these threads and looks at return on enforcement across all of these different sources.

That's a the fellow from the African American Major Association.

Um as a side note for the community board for the activation of the black box theater.

I I just want an assurance that we're gonna open that application up to residents to apply.

It just I feel like arts in your shell is you know one of our strengths, and I just want to make sure that the programming or like the residents are driving some of the decisions around that.

Um so is that gonna be like another open call that we've done for the other boards.

Um yeah, I have to see how it's structured.

Okay.

Okay, gets formed.

Okay.

Yeah, if that's it, it lends itself to that process absolutely sense.

And if it doesn't, I would like to discuss that because I would very open to us doing whatever we can.

I'd like to legislate it if it's not legislated so that it outlives whomever the operator is.

I just think this is one of these things where it's a lot of questions, a long time coming, and I just feel like it's a it's a low, it's our it's it's our it's our theater, our people collectively.

So I would just like to make that something where it's always driven by residents and not at the whim of the operator.

And and I don't know what that looks like, and I'm not asking for answers tonight at six, oh, it's 559 or 25 items to go, but documents that are in place and moving the phone.

It's not open yet, so it seems like we still have time to make amendments.

Okay.

It's an issue that's just come up almost citywide from different pockets, and I I think it's just important to reflect that.

Um you intimated this a little bit, Commissioner.

There's a housing plan coming to us, I'm assuming in the fall.

Is that what you're referring to?

Okay, just wanted to.

I don't want to give you a day.

I know that stresses you out.

I don't know, but you know, we're chomping at the back.

Yeah, I wouldn't know for this summer.

Um I think separately, I would love to unpack the numbers of the vacancy registry.

Uh, there's a lot of overlap, like there's a number, and I went online to the website to see the data.

The percentage isn't dropping.

It's been the same percentage the last three quarters reported.

Um I hear it, and I know it's only been seven months or so since implementation, so I don't know, you know, it's I wasn't expecting a hundred percent kind of response rate.

Um I guess at a minimum, we'd just love to see more of the vanguard signs.

Like, I still feel some of the stores have the yucky blue tape and the paper, and they just look sad.

Um it's not really exciting.

So I just would love to, I feel like that's worthy of its own conversation for me.

Um, and so we'd love to just have that be a separate meeting.

We just don't have time to do the deep dive today.

Um, and not because she's here, but at the train station, I know we're talking about the the renovation and the activation, but curious a little bit more on the timing of the humble bumble and juicy, and if there's a shot of us putting some signage in the window as well, saying coming soon or something, it just it's like free.

I just feel like every time I mention it to a resident, like the smile is exponential to the value of the words I'm saying.

Um, and and it would be great for residents to just see that it's coming soon.

And I know I know we are uh use the word hustle.

I don't know if that's the right word for this.

But like I know where we are actively engaging on uh acquiring funds to pay for the the renovation of it, but like we will have a coffee shop, a really good food place and a bookstore in short order, even with its current city.

I mean the funds have been acquired contract.

Is the issue?

No, no, no, I mean globally for the entire transit renovation, right?

I know we're trying to do more for the glow up or the zhuzh up, but my point is how do we like leverage just messaging that we are working towards this, and is there a vinyl something that we can put up in the windows?

I think we can do the um to promote it and message it.

Um then um I think yeah.

Um sorry.

Okay, that's fine.

Okay, um, that's that's it for my end.

Okay.

Um, thank you very much.

Appreciate a lot of buckets, lots of houses live in your shop, so we appreciate that.

Thank you.

All right, we are moving on.

Um item number three is a public hearing scheduled for this evening regarding the proposed ordinance approving the 2026 CDBG and home annual action plan and budget amendments.

As noted, it is subject of a public hearing, but are there any questions around this item tonight, right now?

Okay, so we will hear this evening.

Item number four is from our finance department.

It is a proposed change in Westchester County Tax Collection Date.

Um, it is a resolution authorizing the change in how the city collects the county's tax um fees.

Commissioner.

Good evening, everyone.

Um, today we would like to present a proposed change to the timing of the collection of the annual Westchester County tax from June to May starting in fiscal year 2027.

The proposed change is intended to improve the city's cash flow, align our practices with regional norms, and better synchronize the timing of major tax collections.

By way of background, the city has historically collected county taxes in the month of June.

Westchester County withdraws approximately 60% of the annual tax levy from the city on May 15th of each year.

In 2026, that number equated to approximately 32 million under the current June collection schedule.

The city is required to remit these funds before receiving any of the corresponding collections from property owners.

This timing mismatch requires the city to advance the county tax payments using its own funds.

As a result, the city experienced his pressure during the second quarter of the fiscal year.

As a point of comparison, cities such as uh City of Mount Vernon, White Plains, Rye, and Peaceville, all located in Westchester, they all collect their taxes in April.

Based on the fact that the 2026 tax collection has concluded, we believe it's a good time to revise the county tax collection period from June to May for each year going forward.

The proposed change is expected to have a positive impact on the city's reserves by reducing the time during which the tech county tax payments must be advanced and the corresponding collections are made.

The proposed change would also as mentioned aligned the the city's tax collection schedule more closely to re its regional neighbors.

I would like to know that this proposal does not create new expenditures nor require additional staffing resources.

If approved, the property tax collection schedule for 2027 would be as follows.

January 2027, city property taxes are due.

March 2027, the second half of school and library property taxes for fiscal year 26 and 27 are collected.

May 2027, Westchester County property taxes collected.

In September 2027, the first half of school and library property taxes for fiscal year 27 and 28 are collected.

In proposing this change, we recognize that taxpayers would need to adjust to any new timeline.

We therefore plan to provide ample notice to the affected parties, including property owners and banking institutions.

Subject to approval, we propose to launch a communications initiative regarding this change at the earliest time possible.

This would allow taxpayers to adjust the new timeline for payment of the taxes.

We propose notifying stakeholders of this change through multiple channels, including emails, posted on the city's website, social media, including in the city manager's newsletter, text alerts, and flyers to ensure that all affected parties are notified in a timely manner.

And with that, I hand it back to the councilman.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Questions or comments on item number four?

Oh, Smith.

I just have a question.

So when we change the time that we collected school taxes, how did that go?

Like, were there any kind of unexpected hiccups or you know, because I'm trying to think what impact this might have.

We I think we had expected hiccups, right?

Some people obviously the largest tax bill for the residents is the school bill, so moving that up kind of they weren't happy with that.

Um so you know, we dealt with some people in the window on the phone, you know.

Uh we were courteous as much as possible.

Obviously, we had multiple attempts at communications, which helped.

And um, it is what it is we collect for the school.

And we didn't have any issues with the banking institution.

No, they were made uh aware in advance, and they always reach out a month or two prior with the scheduling, and we're in constant communication with them.

Yeah, thank you.

Other questions or comments or comments on item number four?

Okay, hearing none, may I have a motion and a second to move to our consent agenda, please?

K in its turn, all in favor say aye.

Any opposed.

Thank you very much.

Um, our next sleeve of items are with our commissioner of public works.

Number five is a proposed amendment to the code of the city of New Rachel regarding parking regulation changes at Whitestone Place Commission.

Thank you, Mayor.

Good evening.

This next item is uh request uh to toll mill parking near what looks like an S curve in your neighborhood.

Um I believe uh we emailed uh council member Stern.

Uh so we propose to oppose no parking for these men on the road.

Okay, questions or comments, Councilmember Stern?

Okay, thank you.

Questions or comments for anyone else on this item?

A motion and second to move five to our consent, please.

Uh Stern and Austin Laney, all in favor say aye.

Any opposed.

Item number six is a proposed amendment to the code of the city of New Rochelle regarding parking regulation changes at 11th Center Avenue.

DC's also um targeting uh safety is to post no parking um near the exit of these buildings for improved visibility as they merge um onto Central Avenue.

Um I believe uh we also sent an email uh to council member Lopez.

Thank you to receive your response.

Great.

Any other questions?

Uh Councilmember Lopez questions or comments on item number six.

No, I think it's very much needed, and thank you always for sending me um questions or comments for my other colleagues.

May I have a motion and a second moving item six to the consent agenda?

All in favor say aye.

Any of the motion is sorry, motion.

I heard it, I heard it.

I it fell out of sync.

I'm sorry.

Like God is testing me to get us to a lunch at dinner break.

So sorry, number six, the motion and a second, please.

Lopez and K.

All in favor say aye.

Uh-huh.

Any opposed.

Brilliant.

Moving on to item number seven.

A proposed amendment to the code of the city of New Rochelle regarding traffic regulation change at Trinity Place at Church Street, Commissioner.

This is an ask to allow us to implement no turn on red um during school hours.

Um these will significantly improve safety for students uh crossing training place.

Um we also emailed uh council member also uh questions or comments on item seven.

Very happy with this.

Actually, one of the residents on the street, Alvaro Alejandro Alvarez actually requested this.

So grateful for that and the local advocacy on that.

And just uh in addition, I think in our last council meeting, we started we talked about funding for striping on the streets.

Yes.

Um so I'd like to circle back on, you know, including that intersection, the the intersections on Center Avenue and Church Street that I've been seeing London in a little while.

And thank you for this deeply.

Questions or comments from my other colleagues on item number seven.

Hearing none, may I have a motion and a second to move seven to our consent's agenda?

Oshanloye and K.

All in favor say aye.

Any opposed?

Brilliant.

Moving on to item number eight, which is a proposed amendment to the code of the city of New York Shell regarding traffic regulation changes on Nardozy place and industrial lane.

Commissioner.

Um these item is a series of tactics that we're looking to implement to improve uh traffic conditions on Nardozy.

Umly um we're looking to uh uh prohibiting uh a right turn as you're coming out of Nardozi um to avoid that you know traffic blockage as you're coming down the ramp uh from these businesses above.

Um we're also um proposing to post a no-turn on left from Home Depot.

You know, people cut through, and that creates also um some congestion.

Um we're also proposing to um avoid exiting the Costco parking lot, making a left for the first three entrances.

Um these um initiatives um have been discussed with our traffic engineer and observation from PD.

Um we're currently coordinating with Costco and Home Depot.

Uh PD has engaged with them.

We sent them uh a plan of what we intend to do.

Um with your approval today, we will continue to coordinate with them.

There's some striping that would be or restriping that would be needed and signage in their own private properties before we deploy these signs and and um uh uh implement these these proposals.

Excellent.

Questions or comments on item number eight, Councilman Tarantino?

You know, we've talked about this numerous times about how to accommodate the launch flow traffic through that area, and one of the things that concerns me about this is that with that limitation of being able to make those left turn and right turns.

Have we looked at how it would back up into the Costco Nardosi Place area?

In other words, if you can't make those turns, everybody's going the other way.

And the question then becomes some of the traps are gonna get thrown down Avenue, which we right now have no trucks, no are supposed to use that street.

Uh and also on the pro private property of Costco, who's going to?

I mean, one of the problems is that people are using it as a cut through.

And there's no enforcement, there's really nobody there to control people cutting through Costco, uh cutting through Home Depot, rather, to get out of the Costco area.

So you know there's a lot of moving parts to this.

I just want to make sure is this gonna be a permanent change, or are we looking at you know, phasing it in in a way that we can judge whether or not it's really working?

Sure.

So, yes, all those concerns were looked at.

Um, you know, we believe from uh uh you know an engineering analysis that you know these these will improve flow and reduce queuing times as you people you know back up entering into the Costco lot.

Um these is intended to be an interim that could remain permanent if we decide to do so.

Right.

The the the real significant improvement is um will occur when we're able to reprogram this the signals at the intersection, which will be replaced.

We need a new hardware that will be installed as part of the uh two-way conversion.

Um so you know the intent is to implement these until we're able to fine-tune those signals.

Right.

When we do the signals, are we gonna do the one on the corner of Nordozi also?

Nordosi and Wayman.

Is that part of the signalization change?

That is the one.

Oh, okay.

Well, what about the one on Main Street and Wayman?

Yes, those are seen.

Okay.

Thank you.

No problem, okay.

Any other questions or comments on item number eight?

Hearing none, may I have a motion to end a second um moving item eight to our consent's agenda?

Tarantino and Oshano.

All in favor say aye.

Any opposed.

Moving on to item number nine.

A proposed amendment to the code of the city of New York Shell regarding snow emergency streets.

I think this was the boulevard, the boulevard east one.

Correct.

That was a clerical error.

We found it, we're looking to correct it.

It's district three, I believe.

Um Councilman Peters, do you have any things, comments or questions?

Thank you.

Uh questions or comments from any of my other colleagues on item number nine.

Hearing none, may I have a motion and a second to move item nine to our conventional agenda, Peters and Kay.

All in favor say aye.

Any opposed?

Thank you, Commissioner.

Thank you.

Item number 10.

Um we're gonna ask for a vote on if they proposed resolution accepting the donation of 200 soccer balls.

Umference of mayors and FIFA gave mayors a chance to like apply to get soccer balls.

And we just got word that allegedly they're gonna be here by Sunday.

So um it was dead silence for like six or seven weeks.

There was some shipping or customs thing.

But we have our um soccer finale party um Sunday is Sunday, so the hope is that we'd have the balls there for kids in sixth through twelfth grade is have their size.

So in theory, um our kids will be able to get FIFA themed soccer balls with thanks to the conference of mayors and FIFA partnering to kind of spread soccer through.

But we have to vote to accept it um because the game is Sunday and we just got the email.

So sorry, Commissioner, and Parks will be helping us because we have to go through, yes.

Questions or comments on item number 10.

Nice.

May I have a motion and a second adopting the resolution authorizing the acceptance of this donation?

K and Ashenloye, all in favor say aye.

Thank you very much, guys.

Item, thank you, Commissioner.

That was the best one all here.

Item number 11.

All right, our next viewer with our city manager.

Um it is a proposed amendment to chapter 290 of the code of the city of New Rochelle regarding taxi cabs.

Commission, I mean city manager.

So um City of New Show obviously regulates the taxi cab operations through uh chapter 290, so we do licensing, inspections, driver qualifications, and so on.

Um we did receive a request from the New Rochelle Taxi Association this year, um uh requesting a change or um increases to their rates uh due to you know increases in operating costs, insurance premiums, fuel maintenance and so forth.

We reviewed that.

We feel that it's uh very reasonable request.

Um we are supporting that, and this legislation would provide those changes.

Excellent questions or comments from my colleagues on item number 11.

Councilwoman Lopez, sorry, I think she sort of brought this to sleep.

I just wanted to say that uh we met with them, they are really having a hard time right now, especially with the gasoline being so expensive.

They have not uh received any greens for the past six, seven years, and that they really do deserve to have this increase.

And um, I hope that everyone would vote yes, confidentiality.

Yeah, I'm I'm I'm in support of it.

I'm just hoping is is there anything that we could do on the city side or any other way to cut their costs?

Because I'm just thinking about an increase in their prices and uh you know their ability to compete with like an Uber or another act.

Uh so you know, I mean, if if you feel like increasing the cost the prices is the way to go, then I'm for it.

I would also like us to consider if we're a part of their pool of costs and expenses, and if there's any way that we could at least look at that to see if that's something that we could be a little bit more forgiving on, so they don't have to increase their prices to compete with the market.

Does that make sense?

So I'll I'll support this.

I just yeah, in that we also have asked them to you know look at the RFPs that allowed it, so you know, so that they can get more uh Councilman Peters had his hand up and then I'll go to Tarantino.

Oh no, uh Peters and Tarantino, go ahead.

Yeah, no, I I as you know I take cabs all the time.

And I talk to them all the time, and we go this is certainly uh an area that they could use our support, but I also think that there are ways that we can help reduce some of that in some fashion if we can.

Right, and uh uh so yeah, so I'm in support of that.

Yeah, the help that we can give them.

So councilman Tarantino?

Yeah, um, you know, back uh at the beginning of the uh the experiment with the circuit.

Um we started to feel the the taxi cab company started to feel pressure uh from uh the free rides that circuit supplies, and we had talked about um and I don't know if it's still in place.

There was a a program that we were working with them where they were gonna do something with a uh discounted rate where the city was gonna subsidize it.

I don't know if that's still going to be you were on council.

Yes, I think it was like something for seniors because some of the seniors couldn't call the circuit because it's an app based.

Yeah, and it was also but there was also a method of of helping them helping them with um there were vouchers that the city was supplying with and it this has gotta be you know eight years ago or whatever, but it was when it was when the circuit started because they saw uh d an immediate drop in in their uh riders uh when that happened and now as we've expanded uh the circuit now goes into many other areas of of the city.

Um it does put you know, not that it it's a bad thing, it's a good thing, but it does put pressure on that industry.

So I don't know if there's I mean is it a grant program, something out there we can look at that we can help them with that because that would probably do more to help them than the actually this past meeting that we had, we had spoken to them about it and we wanted to also look into other avenues.

Because raising raising the rates are only gonna drive more people away from them and to other means of of uh no, we didn't speak to them about defense.

Given the opportunity actually to actually bid on the contract too.

Right.

And they was already they weren't really familiar with and they didn't even know that they had the opportunity to do that.

So we told them there was a voucher, but there was a program, a voucher program that the city um they were getting they're getting some money from the city to help them with covering their costs uh for every rider that they brought in.

And again, there might be something but in their look and see.

I remember a discussion around it in the time we were on council.

I remember seeing a proposal for it.

But I don't remember if it actually crossed the bench lines or the funding happened.

Yeah, I mean it's like a 21.

I don't remember if it was done or not.

I thought it was, but okay.

Okay.

Yeah, so now this is something I'm I think that's that's important and and if we're looking at supplementing it in a particular way, I think that's good.

But I don't want to see circuit completely disappear.

No, that's not being to be inventional.

No, I just helped that.

No, no, I'm I'm with that to help them.

So I just don't but I also don't want to see circuit disappear because people can't.

Yeah, retarian.

Yeah, totally.

I think those are it was a very similar argument six years ago.

Just a quick note.

Just a quick note, maybe maybe I'm just saying maybe there's a conversation with the with the school system as well to uh speak to the superintendent.

I know some of their uh students that have additional needs need uh long distance or longer distance transportation.

So maybe that's another parameter.

I don't know.

I'm just you know, we actually had a look at that too as well.

Right, because we always talk about transportation with the school district, so yeah.

We'll look at this.

Other questions or comments on um item number eleven.

Suggest one uh amendment to it's on page 43 of the packet, the second or left paragraph.

Um the word taxi meter.

Um it reads a mechanical instrument or approved software-based GPS taxi meter approved by the police commissioner by which the charge for hire of a taxi cab is mechanically calculated.

I think we should remove that word mechanically because if we can just remove it and it'll still work and mechanically contradicts the software-based GPS tax.

I'm looking at the commissioner police who's having thoughts.

I don't know if that's physically manifesting.

Which was in the code before.

I'd have to like give it more thought, but I think that it's probably best to just leave it in there for now because I don't think it does any harm to uh to have it in there.

It it's not just referring to the GPS, it's referring to the whole because they have the option of getting one or the other.

Oh yeah.

Yeah, not all we didn't change.

Right.

So I I mean I thought because it's referring to both the mechanical instrument and the software.

And we could probably it's move the mechanically so that it's a direct reference to the traditional tax.

Yeah, and it it read confusing uh software that's not mechanical, but yeah, I understand exactly what you're saying.

I mean, if you want to change it, I would just do a motion a second to change it, so I don't think it's the agenda to change or what's the change.

I I'm not sure you're taking it out here.

I I would recommend removing that second word the second time the mechanically, I guess it's the first thing removing the word mechanically because it it still works when you say by which the charge for hire of a taxi cab is kind of interesting.

Okay.

But wasn't that something that had to be because it has it yet been done by everyone?

Yeah, I mean, there's that was the thought because we still had the G because you still have Matt's reading is you don't really need the words the second word.

Second mechanically.

That's fine.

You're okay about that.

So we have to do a motion and a second to amend the legislation to remove mechanically.

Is it the first or the second mechanic?

The second mechanically.

The second mechanic.

Well, it's the first leave.

Yeah.

No, wait, just say it out loud so that I hear it.

The word mechanical is in the first line.

The word mechanical.

And what are we removing, Colin?

Removing mechanical leave.

Okay.

Okay.

So may I have a motion and a second to amend the legislation on page 43 of the packet to remove the word mechanically under the subsection taxi meter?

Stern, I need a second.

Blue to the Washington Loyer.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed.

Now may I have a motion and a second to move the amended legislation on page 43 of the packet to the consent agenda.

Lopez K.

All in favor say aye.

Any opposed.

Very good.

Okay.

Item number 12.

A proposed resolution authorizing an increase to the Empress ambulance contract for additional ambulance coverage.

Thank you, City Manager.

Yes.

So as part of last year's budget request, um, we had um proposed and it was approved for a third 24-hour ambulance for the downtown area under the current contract.

Um so this so that budgeting, the funding is in place for that initiative.

Uh this is solely to uh amend the contract because the current issue on the current contract, uh we were um not permitted to increase the value of that second year by more than two percent.

But this does increase that by one.

So this is just changing the contract language to reflect the the budget, but it's asking for no additional funding because that was already approved for for this budget.

Okay, questions or comments on item number 13?

We're none may have a motion, and the second would be 13 to our consent agenda.

Okay and Asham Louis.

All in favor say aye.

Any opposed moving to item number 14, which is um proposed uh choice.

Oh, sorry, I checked it early.

Sorry, now I get stressed out this time.

Item number 13, my bad, is proposed amendment to the 2026 budget capital budget ordinance amending ordinance number 198 of 2025, the budget of the city of New Year's all for 2026 relative to the city's capital budget.

Yes.

So uh as a exercise that we kind of do every year and look at the capital budget and see where we can make amendments.

Uh this is kind of reallocating some funding, some some you know, moving stuff around.

Um Deputy City Manager Costavo can give you any specifics as to what items are being moved.

Yes.

So the the first two sections on there.

Um when we when we charge invoices, those invoices get placed to a code, and once that year closes, we can't move those charges.

They have to stay there.

So the first two, which were two risk grants were charged to the wrong account.

So all we're doing here is we're moving the budget into those accounts instead of moving the charge out, because we can't do that.

Uh the third set, which is the 78,000 coming out, being reallocated at its ORPA funds that we're reallocating to projects that we know we can spend by the end of the year.

So that's the process there.

And then the very last one going from memory is uh Stevenson Park, 250,000.

Um it was a grant that through DASNE, I believe maybe Steve Otis from a number of years ago that we had heard it was dead, but now we heard it's back.

So we're adding it back into the budget so that we can then take advantage of it.

So those are those are the adjustments for this time I'm at the table.

Thank you.

Questions or comments on item number 13.

Hearing none, thank you so much.

Uh motion and a second, uh moving it to the consent agenda, please.

Okay, and option way.

All in favor say aye.

Any opposed?

Thank you so much.

14, 15, and 16 are a trio.

Um 14 is the introduction of the proposed amendments.

15 and 16 require a vote.

One is setting the public hearing for September 8th, and the other is the clearing lead agency status.

I see the development team at the table, members of the development team, commissioner.

I feel like you're you are many projects.

But basically, this item introduces proposed amendments to the waterfront residential zoning district covering much of that important act.

But basically, this item introduces proposed amendments to the waterfront residential zoning district covering much of that important account the amendments are intended to reduce the pressure in flood prone areas, strengthen resiliency, and create infrastructure requirements for new divorce for new development as well as preserve the waterfront marina uses and direct any future marina, any future multifamily development towards the more appropriate locations along with down.

Thank you.

Questions or comments on the topic?

Okay.

Okay.

Um this is you know the outcome of obviously a year's worth of meetings, and uh we finally now have a zoning that the public can actually uh sink their teeth in.

So, you know, um I'm happy that we finally got a zoning that we can discuss a zoning as opposed to theoretical um concepts that we were looking at before.

Now, over the next two months, the community Davenportnet, which I represent, uh will now take a good hard look at this.

They will then, when the public hearing is held, they will then have the opportunity to come in and uh you know express their concerns or their approvals of what they see in front of them.

So I think this is a step in in bringing this to a conclusion uh one way or another.

Thank you.

Other questions or comments on the topic?

The three items are related.

Completments turn.

I think I'll say is um, you know, having attended one of those three meetings at Trinity, um, you know, I heard a lot of concerns about this.

Um, but then I think your presentation, I think it was last month, um and and now with all of these supplemental documents, I think really assuaged my concerns that I had uh that I had heard from residents.

Um and so anyone who I think left to that meeting or any other meetings feeling concerned, I would just encourage them to watch the presentation or read these documents because I think it really does address a lot of the concerns that were raised by people.

And so I'm much more comfortable moving forward with this.

All right, as noted, 14 is for introduction, there's no voting.

15 um it's a motion and a second adopting the resolution declaring lead agency status regarding the proposed amendments of chapter 133 fees and chapter 331 zoning of the code of the city of Near Shell relative to the one family water residence district.

A motion and a second adopting the resolution.

Ocean Louis and Stern, all in favor say aye.

Any opposed.

Item number sixteen is the resolution scheduling a public hearing regarding the proposed amendments to chapter 133 fees and chapter 331 zoning of the code of the city of New Rochelle relative to the one-family waterfront residence district.

This public hearing would be held on September 8th of 2026.

I'm gonna have a motion and a second designating the public hearing, please.

Kay and Stern.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Item number 17.

Just make sure that one is alone.

Okay, is a proposed rather adoption of the downtown overlay zone amendment and findings.

Commissioner.

So this item completes the environmental review and the adoption process for the 2026 DOZ uh overlay zone amendments.

Uh council's being asked to adopt the seeker finding statement and the final zoning recommendations this evening uh following the review process uh and the completion of the supplemental final environmental impact statement.

Yes, I should be able questions or comments from my colleagues in 17 Councilman Tarantino.

Um what I'm seeing is as the DOZ is expanding, you know, it's it's it's actually um it's called the downtown overlay zone, and it's like sort of expanding outside of the what was considered downtown uh when this was created.

And you know, it's a maybe it's a silly little thing, but it's you know, maybe we need better name than downtown overlay zone.

It should be you know, maybe central neuroshell overlay zone or greater near shell overlay zone, but it's sort of the way it is right now.

It's when you talk to people about it, they start to you know look at it's going, it's creeping up North Avenue, it's creeping down East Main Street.

Well, has he crept north?

It's well west, yeah, west.

Okay.

So it has okay, but it has a it has it's it's getting bigger and it's getting outside of the downtown uh so that that was um you know my my concern about the name that we're using for it, it just doesn't fit it anymore.

Other questions or comments on item number 17?

A motion and a second moving 17.

Roll call.

You want to roll call?

I'll get we're moving to consent agenda.

You want a roll call?

Uh no, okay, that's fine.

Okay.

Motion and a second moving um item 17 to our consent agenda.

Uh Asheloy and Lopez.

All in favor say aye.

Uh any opposed.

Item number 18 is a proposed authorization to negotiate and execute an agreement with the Social Security Administration office regarding permits.

So the Social Security Administration has requested 12 employee parking permits uh from in the Nirac Garage.

Um, and this uh item would authorize the city manager to execute a five-year agreement with them to secure those spaces uh at an approximate revenue of a 9,180 dollars a year.

Questions or comments on item number 18 compliments?

I want the Social Security Administration to be happy and they definitely it's the in the first deal.

So I say yes.

Other questions or comments on 18?

May I have a motion and a second to move 18 to our consent agenda, please.

Lopez and Stern, all in favor say aye.

All right.

Any opposed.

Item number 19 is a proposed exception of the New York State homes and community renewal pro housing communities technical assistance grants.

Commissioner.

Sure, we won 250,000 dollars to uh get technical assistance from HCR to develop our multifamily res rehab, which would be uh one of the ways that we can improve the quality of the housing in New Rochelle and still maintain the affordability.

So we're really excited to work with them on this project on this uh questions or comments on item number 19.

May I have a motion then the second moving 19 to our consent agenda, please?

Um and Oceanloy, all in favor say aye.

All right, any opposed.

Item number 20 is a proposed authorization regarding submission of the New York State consolidated funding application, CFA commissioner.

Uh so this item would authorize the submission of 14 grant applications, uh the 2026 uh consolidated funding applications.

The portfolio seeks approximately 9.7 million dollars uh to 10.3 million in outside funding for projects involving the downtown revitalization, transportation safety climate, climate action, stormwater parks, and community facilities.

Thank you.

Questions or comments on item number 20, Councilwoman Kay?

Yes.

Um I noticed one of the applications is for the greenhouse gas inventory, but I thought that was moving ahead this year, and our period went out.

So I I'm just curious.

We're moving ahead with starting on year 2021, but we're trying to get money to uh you know just continue the work through to close the gap and get current and just kind of be so it's not gonna delay the work.

It's not gonna delay that work.

We parse that out because we need to to move that forward, but it's it's a significant, it's not significant, but it's pretty well it's defined significant.

I would say it's significant if I had to pay for it out of my own money.

Um, but um it's uh necessary, so we're looking for those funds to help us complete that work, but it's not going to impact the 2021.

Right.

Um and then another question I had is I know in the past we have applied for grants to support tree planting, and we've done quite well in doing that, and I didn't see any for this year, and you know, so we're gonna continue moving ahead with our tree planting program, and you know, wondering if we can submit an application to support that.

Well, there's um we have still have last year's CFA money that we are still in the process of getting the obligation for.

Um, so that money will be you know finalized and we'll be able to use it this fiscal year, so we have last year's money now, and then there's another grant program, the urban and community forest grant, which is not a CFA grant, which is kind of like a state grant that kind of goes off sequence from the CFA.

We're gonna continue to pursue those those opportunities.

I thought that grant um you all had looked at, and that was for the um inventory maintenance didn't for tree planting.

No, there's there's different sections of that program, at least based on the staff's reading of the the what they anticipate.

I think there's an opportunity for us to get money for tree planting there.

Would it be possible to double check that before we finalize the CFA applications with the possible amend them by next week?

If they're we limited, is it easy to add?

Can you add an application?

Or is it the like this is the number we're limited to applying for due to resources or something?

I mean uh I don't know that you need the process.

Is there a CFA grant application for tree planting open right now?

And we have a grant that's pending obligation that allows us to plant, you know, a lot quite a bit of trees.

I think there's 400 trees under that grant.

So I mean, theoretically, that work could take more than one year to implement.

So I think you know, not that I want I don't I don't want to say no, I'm just saying, like, you know, I I think the perception was that we have you know, we we want to be timely in our completion of the grant once we get it.

I think one could argue that you know, with the money that we have in-house, plus this grant money that we have more trees than we could probably plant in in one year, and so we could um you know skip a year without losing any momentum towards accomplishing the goals in the CFMP.

Right.

If you feel confident that that can be done, I just know it takes like multiple years sometimes to be able to access that grant funding.

So, like I know we have funding we secured in previous years available to us now, but I'm thinking about future us in a couple of years.

I can check again.

I can confirm and then and um I don't know that is clinically.

I don't this is to submit the grant applications.

I don't know that you need to hold it if there's a grant out there that you can just add it to the next one.

I would have recommended that's a good idea.

We could actually add if we try it.

Yeah, great.

Council Mickey, you're comfortable?

Yes, okay.

Um other questions or comments on item number 20.

Okay.

Motion and the second moving 20 to our consent agenda.

Um start all in favor say aye.

Okay.

Any opposed.

Moving on to item number 21 and 22 are also a pair.

21 is the introduction of the resolution.

Um 22 is setting the public hearing.

Um it is a proposed resolution regarding the housing choice voucher program, section eight, 2027, annual public housing authority plan and administrative admin plan.

Commissioner.

That is just an annual requirement that we submit it.

It contains all of the uh you know the the rules basically governing the program.

We set the the lottery parameters, we set the um, you know, how we set up the wait list, and that gets approved uh publicly through a public process every year.

So questions or comments on this topic.

Councilwoman Lopez.

This means that uh the people that have the name on the Section Aid list, would they be called?

Like was it on the wait list?

Yeah, I mean eventually, yes.

But based on the but this is like the criteria for administering the list.

It's the same criteria as well.

I want to make sure yes.

Other questions or comments on this topic?

Um may I have uh we have to vote.

The request is to vote for item number 22, which would be adopting a resolution scheduling a public hearing relative to the city's uh city of New Rochelle's rather housing choice voucher program.

Uh the public hearing would be on also September 8th of 2026.

May I have a motion and a second adopting that resolution, please?

Lopez and um Stern.

All in favor say aye.

Any opposed.

Moving on to item 23 and 24, who are also a pair.

I think our commissioner previewed this earlier.

It did.

It's a proposed amendment to chapter 270 of the code of the city of New Rachel regarding signs, awnings, canopies, and marquees.

Similarly, 23 is an introduction of the text.

24 is um a request to vote for a resolution declaring lead agency status.

Commissioner.

Oh no, these are the modernization of the sign code that would allow us to approve kind of uh through staff and technical analysis the uh you know sign packages that include a flat sign on the facade and also a projecting kind of late sign.

Currently, the code limits you to one sign face and any of those extra kind of sign uh require review by the municipal art commission, and that adds you know, sometimes 60 days to the process.

So this would give uh create the parameters for buildings to review and approve it.

Um just you know, within the department of buildings discretion.

Great.

Questions or comments on this topic?

I would just like to know, or just like to know more about the municipal arts commission and some of their process times as well, um, and their impact on our businesses.

You know, if we could just get a presentation or a report on that, that would be good.

I can give you that.

I mean, generally there's a referral from buildings department for certain for certain aspects of the code, but we do give something more uh robust.

I'm just hearing the 60 days, and I'm like, does it mean to be 60 days?

Well, this would eliminate okay, right.

And is there something because it all depends on when you get the referral, right?

So then you need to have your do you have you have the meetings every month?

So, yes, I hear what you're saying.

But this essentially what this does is eliminate that requirement so that these can move forward uh based on technical evaluation.

Other questions or comments on this topic?

Hearing then may have may I have a motion to end the no, sorry.

Yeah, motion and a second, adopting the resolution declaring leave agency status for this item.

Please, uh and it is second.

Okay.

Um all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

Okay, that's tough.

Moving on to 25, which is a proposed amendment to chapters 133 and 312 of the code of the city in your shell regarding parking fees and time limits.

If I'm not mistaken, this um it's a discount for veterans and seniors.

Well, it's reintroduction of all the low-hanging fruit that are identified in the parking management plan, so the stadium pricing, the um the updates to municipal lot and garage rates and be adjusting the fees and penalties, increasing the fees when you get a ticket for over parking and double parking and all of that, plus eliminating the $15 if you pay the same day at the meter, all of that stuff was introduced last month, but then it was uh noted that uh we wanted to add discount, increase the discount for seniors and add a discount for uh veterans and active military personnel, which are in this.

So there's a 20% display for that.

Great.

Questions or comments on the item 25, Councilman Tarantino?

Yeah, um you know, normally we do this uh during the budget cycle.

Uh we're doing it earlier.

So when the budget cycle comes up, are we going to look at the rates again that quickly, or are we gonna leave the rates that we're going to have here in place going?

I think this will be it.

This will be true.

And the reason we're doing it is that we're gonna get their permits in January.

So if we don't do it now, if we wait till that time, I just wondered if I was people advanced about that, and yeah, the concern was that they were gonna get you're not just gonna bang them okay.

Thank you.

Okay.

Uh councilman is just saying that I'm grateful for this.

We have a downtown that's not surrounded by an industrial zone.

It's directly adjacent to residential community.

So grateful for you know your insight on this.

Uh, and to the mayor for your support as well, and city manager uh for making these adjustments.

Grateful.

Um other questions or comments on 25?

Hearing done, may I have a motion then a second?

25 is essentially around the downtown.

It's what we just talked about, the parking fees.

Yeah, parking fees.

Yeah.

Um a motion and a second moving 25 to our consent's agenda.

Um in favor say aye.

Any opposed.

Um item number 2 is also a request for a vote, and it's a proposed authorization of homelessness assistance agreement and an amendment to the 2026 budget um related to an agreement with Hope Community Services to provide um homelessness assistance services and amending an ordinance commission.

Yes, so we are amending our contract for the homeless resource center with Hope Community Services.

Um, they're going to provide additional wraparound services, case management, housing stabilization, and other support services.

The agreement increases their contract to 249, 720.

Um, and it includes additional security and uh different source uh resources and personnel to help with case management of the folks.

It's tied directly to the city managers' quality of life initiative.

You know, originally when we created their homeless resource center, um it was in response to reduce state funding for daytime program at some of the facilities that we have in the Rochelle.

So this is provided to put that fund, you know, as inflation has crept up over that, probably it's going on, I think 14, 12 years since we you know created that contract budget.

So I think over that amount of time the cost of operating has increased, and this helps them to uh continue to provide those services.

Makes sense.

Questions or comments on 26 Councilman National League?

Again, grateful for this.

Um to commissioner development and to the city manager.

Um hope has done amazing work in our communities.

We've we've also talked about uh addressing the needs of the homeless housing displaced uh uh people with uh mental disabilities who people have felt intimidated by on the street, not that they were causing any harm, but you know, just uh un ask for interaction.

Um so to have more daytime programming, city managers is one of the first things we talked about, so I'm very grateful for this.

Other questions or comments on 26 complimentary teams?

I mean Peters.

Yeah, are we so are we created kind of a one-stop shopping kind of a framework, or will there be the opportunity for other contractors to be engaged in this kind of work around case management and mental health services and things along those lines?

Because part once again that I want to be real clear about is that if we're engaged in this kind of work, this kind of work we requires uh some diversity of effort associated with with causing it to come into existence.

And so if we're moving forward with this, is this something that we're looking at solely as a one-stop shopping and we're done, or are we going to begin to be considering other locations associated with this as well or diversity with that?

I think the RFP that was responded, the proposals that we got for the 11 Garden Street space, I think have some other supportive services, wraparound services, if you will.

Um so I think there's opportunities for us to expand the kind of ecosystem or the resources that we offer in this space.

I mean, this is just specifically Fort Hope, who runs, you know, the kind of soup kitchen and and has other services.

So they're they're kind of like a pillar in our community already, they're already embedded.

Um this is literally just to kind of keep pace with kind of what their existing caseload is, and you know, in terms of growing additional resources, we certainly have opportunities, and I think the 11 garden tree space is one.

And you know, we talked about uh some other spaces and some other organizations, UCCW.

I mean, so there's just opportunities on and I'm open to hearing your thoughts in this regard.

But it's certainly not a one-stop shop, it's just what's needed to kind of click down.

You know, they do work for the dead, and I don't want it to become something which I talked about.

I don't want to go on over that, where we're not creating some other diversity of efforts and opportunities for other contractors to get involved, whether it's on the county side or whatever just I hear you.

I and this is you know, it wasn't contemplated to be the inside.

It's just uh you know, trying to keep give them so they can stay in the stay in the work.

No, no, no.

You know, I'm I'm just putting that on the record.

I want to be here's the stuff to look at the diversify this.

Yeah.

Um on that note, I do agree with you.

I think that it is important to reach out to other entities that might be able to help and assist because I'm thinking of Ruby D.

Park, where you know, there is such need and you know, the outreach are they going to do outreach?

Do they have the means to to help entirely you know uh prevent homelessness?

And so uh I would like to see more of our collaboration with other uh entities.

Um any other questions or comments on 26?

We've been asked to vote for this authorization.

May I have a motion and a second adopting item number 26, please?

Peters and um Stern, all in favor say aye.

Any opposed.

Item number 27 is a discussion item requested by council member Austin Lane regarding the new city council rep for the bid.

Yeah, so just like council support to um ask the city manager and his uh team to uh look at a formal process for how we select who represents us on the bid.

Um we had a hefty presentation from them last year, and we're looking to increase our relationship with them throughout the city.

So, you know, we just want to make sure that all of our processes just like we have with the IBA and CLD, which resulted in two great new members.

Um we just want to make sure that we have an opportunity here to also have you know representation on the bid that reflects all of our values and our you know uh common interactions, our our comprehensive interactions.

Excellent.

We uh also I would like to say I brought this up with the city manager as well.

So you know so if everyone agrees or is open to it, then we could ask the city manager to you know look into bringing us a process for our selecting our bid member every every period that the bid selects their membership.

Um the representative right now.

So how it worked is the before I was put on, and there was another council member that was on, um, they resigned, and the council, you know, I serve at the pleasure of the city council.

So city council at any time can decide that they want to replace their um their representative, they they have the right to do that, or if they wanted to, they can set term limits or or they can set uh you know whatever they want to do.

It's it's really at the it's really not the city manager's position, it's the council and the mayor's position to determine who they want to represent them on the bid.

So you know it's a very simple process, and if you know council is not comfortable or happy with the representation, they have the right to change it.

And there's bylaws, right?

That's what I'm on my phone.

Yeah, the bylaws for the bid.

Does it discuss the process?

Yes.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay.

So should we distribute the bylaws?

It was no formal uh method.

I mean, it was just that the council would determine that this is who they want it on, and you know, I I've been on the bid as the representative for this for the city council for the landlord and as a retailer.

So I've sat on the bid at different times and different hats.

And I've reviewed the bylaws and correct it's pretty simple.

I mean, I guess like the city council.

My point is right, if we there already are bylaws, which is what I'm looking at, then have do you have maybe you can come with specific recommendations for changes.

But I I didn't have a necessarily necessary recommendation for changes.

I don't mind being in alignment with when the bid makes their selection process.

I just want us to be aware of it when it's happening.

Maybe we're putting it on our calendar or something like that.

Because just like for the IDA, we had several months in advance to discuss well, these were the next time that you know, terms would change.

Um I'm not, you know, we're we're growing a relationship and it's not great to just like you know, serve your partner in a relationship and ultimatum.

So I don't want to disrupt the bids operations either or their schedule for when they select their new members.

I would just like us to have a process for when we select hours.

Yeah, last year it was totally separate from the bid.

I mean, the city manager uh can determine that he doesn't want to serve and he can have somebody else serve at his place um as far as the representative of the council uh you know the the time frame of representation of members of the bid board um that they put out for election is done on a on a rotating basis.

This is not this is you know at the pleasure of of the council.

So the council at any time can decide that they want to change, and that's what they can do.

Okay.

So it's very simple.

I think it's either way.

So it's either you could make that as a council determine that process, or us as a staff could give a recommendation of a process, you know.

I mean the process of there, we could we can recommend a term.

We could make a term.

It's determined by state law as opposed to well, I believe the state law basically says that there has to be a representation from the council, right?

There has to be from the finance, and that's so you know how I I don't know the state law how it uh specifically uh explains all this.

Uh maybe we could find that out and see because you don't want to do anything that's going to impact the state law either.

So yeah.

Okay.

How are our boards defined?

Like we have like on the IDA, there's a council position.

Is that it's yeah, is that have a term limit?

Like could we just mirror what already exists?

It doesn't have a term limit.

Um we do have a selection process for the bid, they have different classes of membership, and the council representative is one like their third class or it's class D public representatives.

There are three directors who, as the respective member appointees of the following officials of the city shall serve at the pleasure of such respective officials as the representatives of that class membership, Colin, city manager, commissioner finance, and city council.

Right.

And then um I believe last year, because I was at that meeting, it was like a September meeting where they voted in the new slate or the the slate that governs this year.

So um which is separate from your public.

Which are separate from right.

It was their own bid.

They invited people for like a invoice session on the downtown or something like that.

It was like a retreat, like a meeting, so a public meeting.

So I guess I'm not right.

So it would be helpful to be specific about what it is you're looking for and what your proposal is, so that then we can make that.

We could bring back uh recommendations in the fall.

I could have a good discussion with our corporation council and the city manager.

We talk about what that looks like for us.

Uh with how we would talk about making a selection.

And I think it's just to let you know, I think it's more of a council initiative again, but we could talk about if you're trying to get a resolution of some sort on the agenda.

I think it still starts with what, yeah, like something from you saying this is this is the addition or the amendment or the adjustment, right?

I don't think it comes from them because this it's the city council that will be.

I'd like how but my point is there's a bylaw, there's a rule.

If there's a gap, then work on what you think the the new one is, you know, maybe you can confirm when the next election will be, right?

Because we don't have an August meeting, for example.

So like all of that will will take up a shape and formatting it, right?

And so I think those are little, those are some steps we can take um to then decide if there's like a some formal thing that has to be written up or just a matter of process.

Okay.

I'll bring it back in September.

Um I'm advised that we have at least one matter for executive session um related to a settlement.

And um, I think it's very safe to say that we will not be starting at 7 o'clock for citizens to be heard or the public hearing.

Um so I would say for those watching, um, probably won't come back on till about 720, just so that we can do the exact session and take a break and then be on for the public comment.

So may I have a motion and a second to move it to executive session um contemplating a return to the camera at 720.

I so K and Peters, all in favor say aye.

Any opposed.

Thank you very much.

And ask if you do not have business in the exact session that you uh leave through.

So evening and welcome to the public comment portion of our July 14th, 2026 meeting.

Um, before we begin, please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you so much, and again, good evening.

Um this evening's public comment portion has two parts.

The first is um a public hearing, the second is citizens to be heard.

Both are time limited by three minutes, both require that you state your name and address for the record.

With respect to the public hearing, comments must be germane to the topic of the public hearing, which I will read with respect to citizens to be oh, community to be heard.

I see we have an edit on our form here.

Community to be heard, formerly known as citizens to be heard.

It can be of any topic of your choosing.

Tonight, our public hearing is related to the draft 2026 annual action plan and amendments to the 2026 CD BG and home budgets.

The city is required by the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD to prepare an annual action plan detailing the use of its FY 2026 allocation of 1,351,992 for community development block grant and 467,289 dollars for home investment partnership program.

New Shell annually receives CDBG and home funding support for public service programs and infrastructure projects benefiting the community.

Taking a quick scan at our registered speakers, and I do not see any comments for the public hearing, so I will call it to a close.

Shifting over to our community to be heard portion of the meeting.

Good evening, everybody.

Happy 4th of July.

July 9th was when the declaration of independence was signed in New York State.

And uh it's really a historic week, and to me, the history of the Rochelle is unbelievable.

Tonight I just uh uh I want to commend um last time I spoke.

I spoke on Ratfest, and little did I know there would be a number of residents from Residence Park who were very much affected by the infestation that we see every day downtown.

I see I've been there for 35 years, primarily because of the up upping of the buildings and the rats that are everywhere.

And Shane, I I heard had mentioned on Westchester Place, which I call Rat Alley.

Uh there's a lot of rats over there.

And there are uh restaurantiaires speaking to you, Shane, and this place is on Memorial Highway, so it's really affecting uh uh the whole goal of what we all say we believe in, uh which is a better uh to me so no neuro.

I'm the president of Sono Neuro Association, co-chair of neuro enough is enough, and director of the fullest center for housing.

But tonight I speak about traffic coming.

And just um and uh Yadera was there when we saw someone fractured a leg, uh a small business owner on center since Thursday, and I have these signs, and if anybody wants one in the city, slow down people live and work here.

I'm not trying to cause trouble.

But there's since Thursday, there's four major accidents.

Someone's leg was fractured.

Kevin, who does a great job at Castle Roma, who's on the bid.

I was there when the bid was incepted with hell uh begun.

Uh his his brother got hit and fractured.

The next Sunday night, three cars were hit on Huguenot, which is a highway from center down to Webster.

It's a dangerous street.

So you have the African American Museum, you have Casaroma, you have Zara Gallery, you have T.

F.

Andrew, and may and thousands in 360.

We have to change that.

Then there was on Main Street another car hit.

So uh uh we have a traffic epidemic in Sono Runo in downtown.

And because you guys just aren't here with any offices downtown.

Yeah, I know Shane I think has an office there, but if you moved in it and you realize that the nuances of the quality of life are are very uh desperately needed to be changed.

And so I uh beg for changing the the speed.

This is not just for us.

We know Pinebrook people have gotten in.

This is for the person who also got killed about six months ago, walking his dog down by Beechwood.

And and the hi two of the Hispanic leaders have asked me to try to get involved from that neighborhood.

So please, it's it's we have to change us.

I I'll buy a speed gun if I have to for the city.

I've used it before.

It's a dangerous situation.

No one should be getting hit, no one should be getting killed.

God bless you.

Hope you have a great week.

Our next registered speaker is uh Mr.

Paul Martin.

Mr.

Moffatana, do you want to drop off your card?

Okay.

Okay.

Sounds good.

Uh Paul Martin, 55 Decatur Road.

Um, I'm here tonight for two reasons.

Quickly, just to express my disappointment in the DOZ amendments, but primarily to share my concerns about the ongoing Davenport Neck rezoning proposal.

Um, first off, I'm confused why it took so long to share a draft of the zoning changes when it seems like key elements of this um have been known and telegraphed all the way back since last year.

Uh but yet it's only now that the public knows the specific changes and the exact marine accessory uses that are envisioned.

Secondly, I'm concerned about the city council um moving forward with this or taking the next step with this proposal, even after the city heard uh repeatedly over three meetings opposition to this type of development from residents nearby.

Yes, you all heard numerous concerns about the area and ways to improve it, but the overwhelming message was a disinterest in developing the surf club and the other lots.

Uh the last meeting had over 200 residents who almost unanimously indicated they were not in favor of this type of development.

Uh thirdly, I'd like to note that the change to the zoning is a complete inversion of the 2016 zoning by placing density closer to the neighborhood and parks rather than away.

It's also a complete 180 from the promises that the Commissioner of Development and City Government made at the time to preserve a mix of uses and to dissentivize the development of this specific lot.

This is yet another move to bend and break precedent by the city to accommodate developers, like allowing control over a public park, granting tax abatement extensions on existing properties, altering the pilot schedule to double the abatement amount and extending the DOZ even as we wait for numerous proposals uh properties to be developed.

Um also I learned that the developer is involved in the family court chemical incident and is being looked at by the DEC.

If that's true, that's that's kind of a relevant consideration as you look at this.

Before voting on this, I would encourage the current members of the city council to go back and watch the February 9th, 2016 discussion on the current zoning.

What struck me was how protective of the nearby neighborhoods and scrutinizing of the overall rezoning uh the pre your predecessors on the council were, even if the matter was far from their district.

And I hope that this current council takes the same cautious, protective approach and treats the residents of Davenport Neck as if they were uh their own constituents.

Lastly, I I really don't like coming to City Hall to complain.

I I love our city and I greatly respect our public servants.

Uh, but I have a strong feeling that our local government doesn't work when only a handful of developers are determining changes to the fabric of the city.

It works when the city listens to ordinary residents, chooses balance and compromise, and yeah, sometimes maybe says no to developers and private interests.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jimena Francella.

Good evening, Jimena Francela 51 Echo Bay Drive.

Uh this week I learned that the city is going to be receiving from Westchester County 11 million dollars for OASI.

I can tell you the thrill that I felt that finally this project is gonna receive attention, and the people who very much need it are gonna have a wonderful place.

So I really, you know, commend you and and really wish you well with this project, which is so important to the city, as we have a large number of people who are uh, you know, sadly um homeless.

Um what I also wanted to address today was in regard to Davenport Neck.

Um, as it was stated, you know, there's been numerous meetings about this, and also the associations are very involved in this discussion.

You know, we meet after you have your meetings and have you know uh ongoing concerns.

So we really want the city council and also um you know the city officials to listen to the concerns that uh are being outlined.

Um we uh we are not in favor of this development.

And the reasons are uh several.

One of them is that it's if this goes through, is gonna set a very bad precedent for other developers since this is being done for one developer to have more units.

Other developers are gonna say, how come you know there they were able to do this and the rest of us are not?

Also, in regard to the marina, I heard this today, and I don't know if it's factual, that uh they will be people will be able to rent per hour some of those uh rooms that are available at the marinas, and it just doesn't make any sense that you know that this is done and it should be fully investigated.

If this is gonna be so, there's a concern of you know, how is that those rooms going to be used if they're being rented uh you know per hour, you know what's gonna happen there, or if it's short short-term stay.

Um so I would I really hope that you look into this and again pay attention to the association.

Um I represent the Davenport Association, and we have over a hundred families, and again, there's not one person who has said this development seems like a good proposal for the city.

Thank you.

Mr.

Mafatano, you're up to the evening, Vince Mouth of Channel 9 for you, please.

A couple of things.

Um first, I I I watched the committee home meeting, and I may I don't know if we ever asked this before.

It would be helpful to the public if you had a part in the meeting where you talked about your legislative agenda for the state.

Uh you have proposals, ideas that you want state action or county, or maybe federal.

It'd be nice if you just tell the public what you're thinking and what you're proposing and what you're trying to get our representatives to do.

The reason I bring that up is uh I want to bring to your attention a law that's going into effect this Sunday in New Jersey, uh signed by the governor and passed by the legislature last year regarding e-bikes and scooters, which has been a pet peeve of mine in many people in town.

They have correctly noticed the danger associated with these uh vehicles on the on the public roads, and have done something about it.

Uh you guys and I say I've done nothing.

I spoke with Mr.

Manjinelli's office up there with the Committee on Transportation.

He tells me, well, the the city, the the New York City people don't want us to do a damn thing, and we got into the politics.

The New Jersey law now says every e-bike that goes faster than 20 miles an hour must be registered and insured.

What do you think of that?

Is that something you'd like to put on our legislative agenda for the state to protect the citizens of this town trying to cross streets that we don't get run down.

Now police commissioner God bless him I was nice enough for the meeting some time ago to finally give me some information Mr Osanoyu has never gotten back to me in several years as to the number of summons issued for people with scooters, e-bikes and whatnot and the commissioner said well there were 73 summonses and I think it was the last four years.

Wow and then I asked a question I maybe oh how many of them actually prosecuted how many actually paid fine what I'm telling you is this is this is an open city you take your life into your own hands just coming from shore road to here I was passed by one motorcycle and three bicyclists that all went through red lights.

There's one guy around town and a very heavy gas-powered motorcycle with no license plate rides all over town I was told by the commissioner some time ago nothing we can do about it we can't stop him you get the message well do something with Albany and by the way uh I think Mr.

Tarantino has been doing a nice job with the bid but it looks like Mr.

Osanoyu wants to have a coup I was listening to the little discussion in committee at the whole about what's the selection process for the bid you don't know just ask around if you're not happy with his representation say so the council can change it.

Maybe you ought to run thank you that was our last registered speaker for the evening so I'm going to call this meeting to a close be safe everyone