Peekskill Common Council Meeting and Work Session - August 18, 2025
Peekskill Common Council Meeting and Work Session - August 18, 2025
The Common Council held a combined work session and regular meeting on August 18, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in the Common Council Chamber, with a special daytime session to accommodate senior citizens. The meeting included a presentation on the fire inspection program, discussion of a cannabis micro-business special permit, a logo design preview, consideration of 19 resolutions, and extensive public comment on housing, animal control, and other community issues. The council voted to continue the cannabis public hearing to September 8, 2025, and approved all 19 resolutions on the regular agenda.
Consent Calendar
- All 19 resolutions on the regular agenda were passed unanimously, with the exception of Resolution J14 (authorizing a grievance filing), which passed on a roll-call vote with one abstention or no vote? (Councilman Fernandez voted yes, but there was no opposition; the record shows a roll call with all ayes, so it was unanimous. However, the transcript indicates Councilman Fernandez asked to explain his vote after the vote, but the resolution was passed. The minutes are not available, but based on the transcript, all resolutions passed unanimously except possibly J14? The transcript shows a roll call for J14: all yes, so it passed unanimously. So all resolutions passed unanimously.)
Public Comments & Testimony
- Cannabis Micro-Business (710 Washington Street): Approximately a dozen residents spoke against the proposed indoor cultivation facility, citing concerns about odor, health impacts, proximity to homes, lack of notification to tenants, and the perception that the city is allowing too many cannabis-related businesses. Speakers included Regina Bronson, who lives adjacent to the property, and described ongoing issues with fumes from existing businesses. Some residents questioned the effectiveness of the odor mitigation technology, which has not been tested in New York state. One speaker, Tevin Costoso, a respiratory therapist, expressed concern about asthma triggers. Others, like Alana Munice-Walker, urged the council to say "enough." The applicant, Grand Street Cannabis, presented their plan, emphasizing odor control redundancy, no public access, and state oversight. Council members noted that the public hearing notice was sent to property owners but not tenants, and the hearing was continued to allow more input.
- Good Cause Eviction: Several residents, including Angela Tran, Tasha Young (reading a statement for Chloe Wareham Gordon), William Bailey, Lorna Gonzalvis, Brian Kalachi, Eric Lindbergh, and Michelle Wiggs (reading for Noah Gitta), spoke in favor of the city opting into good cause eviction protections. They cited rising rents, eviction data (188 eviction warrants in 2024, double 2023), and the need to protect renters, especially seniors, people of color, and families. Speakers urged the council to set the landlord portfolio exemption at one unit and the high-rent exemption at 345% of fair market rent. The council noted that a presentation on good cause eviction is scheduled for September 8, 2025.
- Kylie Center / Peekskill Housing Authority: Residents Beth Wogan and Tina Volsbongar expressed concerns about the transfer of the Kylie Center property to a non-profit youth center, emphasizing the need for community input and involvement of residents from public housing in the planning process. The mayor affirmed that the center will remain owned by the housing authority and will serve local youth.
- Animal Control: Christine Savino and others called for a dedicated animal control officer, noting that volunteer Susan Haywood has been handling the workload for decades.
- Other Topics: Ladybug raised concerns about double parking, a ditch in Pugsley Park, and free parking. Doreen Asia Heaton requested red-light cameras after a pedestrian accident. A senior resident, Diane Holes, shared a personal story and urged support for good cause eviction. Leslie Masson donated $500 to the senior nutrition program in memory of a neighbor. Robert Snew complained about lack of response to job applications. Alana Munice-Walker questioned street sweeping frequency. Garrett Down asked about pending lawsuits against the city. Arnie Pagley announced a new website, peekskillsurvey.com, to gather public input.
Discussion Items
- Fire Inspection Program Presentation: Building Inspector Nicholas Cecere and Fire Chief James Seymour presented the city's fire safety program, approved in May 2022. They highlighted that New York State requires every municipality to have a fire safety program. Key statistics: In 2024, 138 people died in residential fires in NY; in the first six months of 2025, 98 deaths. The program includes inspections of multi-family homes (3+ units), non-residential businesses, and public assembly spaces. In 2023, 305 inspections were conducted, 127 letters sent, 10 violations. In 2024, 333 inspections, 120 letters, 12 violations. In 2025 (through mid-August), 150 inspections, 170 letters, 38 violations. The program has also cleared over two dozen overcrowded homes. The fire department participates in the Red Cross "Sound the Alarm" program for free smoke detector installations. The presentation emphasized education over fines.
- Trinity Cruise Company License Amendment: Economic Development Executive Matt Rudokoff proposed amending the license agreement to allow the vessel "Nelly Bly" to use the renovated floating docks at Fleischmann Pier for fall foliage excursions through November 30, 2025. The resolution was approved later.
- DRI Marketing and Branding – Logo Design Options: Director of Planning Carol Samol introduced four logo design concepts from the firm Trajectory. The designs aim to reflect Peekskill's river setting, creativity, and community. A public survey will be released after Labor Day to gather feedback. Council members and public commented on the designs, with some noting they looked "British" and didn't capture the town's charm. The survey will be promoted to youth, schools, and the arts community.
- Civic Hub and Connectivity Project: The council adopted a negative declaration under SEQR for the project, which includes road narrowing on Division Street. Some business owners had previously expressed concern. The council noted that the project originated from extensive community input through the DRI process.
- Liaison Reports: Council members reported on various community events: OzFest at Pugsley Park, the senior pool party, the Ray Blue Tribute, the Westchester Heritage Ambassadors event, and the upcoming back-to-school giveaway at the Youth Bureau (August 21). Deputy Mayor Riley highlighted the need for an animal control officer and the importance of legislation even if not immediately enforced.
Key Outcomes
- Cannabis Public Hearing Continued: The public hearing for the special use permit at 710 Washington Street was continued to the September 8, 2025, regular council meeting at 7:00 p.m. The council requested the applicant to re-notify property owners, post signage, and the city will explore additional tenant notification methods.
- Resolutions Unanimously Adopted: All 19 resolutions were passed. Notable resolutions include:
- J1: Setting 2026 budget public hearing schedule (first hearing October 27, 2025).
- J2: Reappointment of Robert Morin as City Assessor through 2031.
- J3: Rescheduling the annual plan public hearing to September 8, 2025.
- J4: Authorizing structural improvement design contracts for Nelson Street and James Street parking garages.
- J5: Setting a public hearing on payment-in-lieu-of-parking zoning text amendment (Local Law 10 of 2025) for September 8, 2025.
- J6: Authorizing a Complete Streets grant application to Westchester County.
- J7: Issuing a negative SEQR declaration for the Civic Hub and Connectivity Project.
- J8: Issuing a special use permit for 1 Highland Industrial Park Drive.
- J9: Approving change orders for Fleischmann Pier construction (a credit, not a cost).
- J10: Setting a public hearing for a special use permit at 400 Main Street (five-story residential building) for October 14, 2025.
- J11: Amending the Trinity Cruise Company license for the Nelly Bly through November 30, 2025.
- J12: Setting a public hearing on amending the Civilian Complaint Review Board code for September 8, 2025.
- J13: Assigning the Hollowbrook Dam repair contract to Contech Construction.
- J14: Authorizing a grievance filing against a former city employee (passed with roll call, all ayes).
- J15: Entering into a 2025 agreement with SPCA for animal shelter services.
- J16: Joining the Westchester County mutual aid and rapid response plan 2025-2030.
- J17: Letter of endorsement for Town of Pelham's EMS operating authority.
- J18: Letter of support for Peekskill Housing Authority's Kylie Center disposition project.
- J19: Setting a public hearing on a tree ordinance amendment (creating a tree advisory board) for September 8, 2025.
- Executive Session: The council moved into executive session after the regular meeting to discuss personnel, financial, and real property matters.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning everyone and welcome to our committee of the whole meeting today, August 18th, 2025. As you can tell, we're in a different environment and at a different time. We do this every year for our senior citizen community for our council meeting, which will start at 10 o'clock. Today we have uh a presentation from a building and fire department, a couple of items on the agenda, and then we will go into executive session for discussion of matters concerning the medical financial credit or employment history of a particular person, persons or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal, or removal of a particular person, persons, or corporation, as well as discussion of matters related to proposed acquisition, sale, release of real property. So at this time I will turn this meeting over to our city manager, Mr. Matt Alexander. Okay, good morning. Good morning. We have a special presentation for the council today with our fire department and our uh building inspector about our fire inspection program and fire safety. And so uh at this time I'd like to ask Nick Sasier if he could approach the podium. Good morning. Good morning, good morning, Council. Uh Mr. Alexander. So before I start, I have a question for everybody. Monday morning, you want the answer? No. Okay. Does everybody know what that sound is? Smoke alarm. How about out here? We know what that is. Everybody know what that sound is. Everybody in this room should be saying, Yes, I know what this is. Because if you don't know what it is, or why 59% of New Yorkers do not have smoke detectors in their homes? Wow, this is where you're gonna wind up. Yeah, is that dramatic? Is that mean to say that? Yeah, there's a point to it. Because a lot of people are dying in this state because they don't have smoke detectors because of fires. And that's why I'm here today to discuss our fire safety program that the council approved back in 2022 to make us safer. All right. Right now, I am the building inspector for the city. The person that's gonna do the presentation up there is Chris. He's our fire inspector. Our fire chief is here, our police chief is here. I have one of my assistant building inspectors. We are the people that the council has tasked with providing fire safety protection for this city. And we take that job very seriously. We go out and do inspections every day. All right, people think that we're out there just to be mean or to um make their lives miserable. It's not. And as we go through this presentation, you'll understand why. So the fire safety program is a it's a collaboration between the building department of the city and the fire department. Fire chief has several lieutenants, several uh building safety uh inspectors that we work together and we go out and do uh our inspections. So why do we need this program? The executive law of New York State uh Article 18, Section 370 through 80 383 states that every municipality in New York State has to have a fire safety program. In 2019, when I was hired, we did not have one here. So I worked with the fire chief, I worked with my building inspectors, I worked with the firefighters, I worked with the council, and we came up with the fire safety program, and it was approved on May 23rd, 2022 by the council. I believe it was unanimous.
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