Passaic City Council Meeting - February 4, 2026 (Note: Transcript Dates February 3)
Passaic City Council Meeting - February 4, 2026 (Note: Transcript Dates February 3)
The Passaic City Council held its regular meeting, with all members present. Key agenda items included public comments on affordable housing and immigration enforcement, adoption of ordinances regulating short-term rentals and imposing an occupancy tax, and a resolution to initiate a redevelopment study for a contentious property. The mayor also provided an extensive update on snow removal operations and related budgetary constraints.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Michelle Carpentero (resident): Expressed concerns over ordinance 2513-26 (short-term rental tax) and 2512-26 (rental registration), questioning whether the city was prioritizing revenue over resident support. She also argued that affordable housing units priced using federal numbers would be unaffordable for Passaic residents, citing per capita income of $24,489, 22.9% poverty rate, and average three-bedroom rent of $2,550. She requested transparency regarding city policies on ICE enforcement, noting reports of residents being detained or deported.
- Mayor's Response: Stated the city works with law enforcement to ensure due process for all, cooperates with federal agencies only for violent criminals, and does not ask for immigration status when providing services. He highlighted town hall meetings and direct assistance to families, but acknowledged limited ability to impede federal actions. He criticized recent federal enforcement tactics as lacking prior communication.
- Yosef Wolf (resident): Criticized city for issuing 77,000 parking tickets while failing to clear snow on sidewalks and intersections, alleging DPW inefficiency and waste. Mayor and Council President defended DPW efforts, noting the storm lasted over two weeks with subfreezing temperatures, and that $65,000 was spent on emergency contractors. The mayor noted FEMA reimbursement thresholds were raised to 21 inches, making this storm ineligible for federal aid.
Discussion Items
- Short-Term Rental Ordinances (2512-26 and 2513-26):
- Ordinance 2512-26 amends Chapter 100 to create a short-term rental registration process, limiting rentals to 90 days per year for owner-occupied units. Councilman Monk raised concerns about occupancy limits and parking impacts. Administration clarified that occupancy is determined by fire codes and egress, and that each rental is a single unit, not per room. The mayor suggested exploring vehicle registration requirements to cap parking. Ordinance 2513-26 imposes a 3% occupancy tax on short-term rentals plus a $250 registration fee. Business Administrator Ricardo Fernandez estimated over 100 existing Airbnb listings in Passaic, with potential registration fees alone exceeding $25,000.
- Resolution 31 – Redevelopment Designation: The council voted to refer a property to the Planning Board for a study to determine if it is an area in need of redevelopment. This followed community opposition to a conditional use application. Business Administrator Fernandez explained the multi-step process: designation, redevelopment plan ordinance, and public hearings. Councilman Monk expressed concerns that redevelopment processes can bypass neighborhood notification. Mayor and council committed to exploring better communication methods, such as colored envelopes or direct mail. Councilwoman Mellow noted past complaints despite newspaper and website notices.
- Real Property Exchange (Resolution 19): The city and Board of Education will swap parcels to correct boundary lines related to the library and administrative parking. The resolution was approved.
Key Outcomes
- Ordinances Adopted (2nd Reading):
- 2508-26 & 2509-26 (Disabled parking designations) – passed unanimously.
- 2512-26 (Short-term rental registration) – passed unanimously.
- 2513-26 (Short-term rental occupancy tax) – passed unanimously.
- Resolutions Approved: Items 5-8, 11-16, 17, 19-31 all passed as listed, with separate votes on 9-10 and 19. Resolution 31 (redevelopment study referral) passed.
- Ordinances Set Down for 2nd Reading (Feb. 17, 2026):
- 32 (Disabled parking designation)
- 33 (Adjust certificate of occupancy fees)
- 34 (Property exchange with Board of Education)
- Payment of Bills: Approved.
- Next Meeting: February 17, 2026, for second readings of ordinances.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. On behalf of the governing body of the city of Passake, we welcome you to the February 3rd, 2026 City Council meeting. In accordance with chapter 231 public laws of 1975, Adlocate Notice of this meeting was provided by resolution of the municipal council adopted on June 17, 2025, setting forth the schedule of meetings for the year 2025-2026. Please be further advised this to be conducted in person. The Zoom stream provided is for viewing only and is offered to the public as a convenience. Councilman Love. Present. Councilwoman Mello. Present. Councilman Mayor. Present Councilman Garcia. Present. Councilwoman Colombon Day. President and Council President Sher. President Shall we all teach your Heavenly Father? We want to thank you, Lord, for God allowing us to be present this evening. God, we asked that please guide us in the decisions that will take place this evening, Father God. Father, we ask for a special prayer, Father God, for the Fernandez family, Father. Love and Pastor Father. The courage to move on. And the family. Sorry. Areas to enhance the budget areas to decrease the budget. Talking points at the very least. That would be most appreciated. Those uh comments can be sent uh on white piece of white blank paper to the city clerk. We'll take all of the comments that come in from the various members without attribution. Um, and use that as a starting point uh to go from there. Um mayor, it is a pleasure to have you. I don't know if I should ask you to give a report first, or if you would prefer another time during this meeting. We do we do look forward to the presentation of this uh Isabel Aguardello. If uh we can be don't repeat it. We have uh my administration and the city council is about it's about a served as a dedicated member of the Passake County Open Space Commission representing the city of Passake and advocating on behalf of our community to ensure that vital funding can be brought to our communities from Passake County through the open space commission. These are funds that are gathered through the county. We have 16 municipalities and consistently year after year, it's about our score heart to be sure that the plans, the vision of the city, those that have been working on this council with our administration with our business administrator that our applications that have reached the county would be heard. We can sometimes be lost with 16 different voices, and everyone fighting to get their fair share, which is appropriate, but with limited funds, we have to hear their municipalities that often don't get their applications approved or funded, but it's about a remarkable representative there. This year for service information comes to an end, but uh her dedication of commitments of the city will be uh serving across other boards, but we want to thank her for our many years in the open space duration and appreciation for all our hard work on behalf of the city of the city is government. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. We are on agenda agenda item number four hearing of citizens. In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, NJSU 10 colon 4-1 at sec. The council opens every public meeting for comments of the public. However, in accordance with the JSA 10 colon 4-12, nothing in this act shall be construed to limit the discretion of a public body to permit, prohibit, or regulate the act of participation at any meeting. Therefore, please be advised that the council will not entertain any comments from persons who communicated scene material, make statements which are considered biased intimidation, in which a person intends to intimidate any individual or group because of race, color, religion, handicap, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, or makes comments intending to harass or speak any offensive language. The person who makes these statements will relink to a lot of five minutes for public discussion. We welcome comments of the public. Yes, ma'am. Good evening. My name is Michelle Carpentero, and I am here. If I could ask you to bring the microphone a little bit closer.
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