A week after several businesses owners voiced opposition to the Peekskill Flea Market in the downtown, the Common Council discussed worries, challenges, and possible solutions.
On Monday, March 17, council members addressed concerns from business owners, which included competition, insufficient parking, and garbage.
The flea market situation was also addressed in a meeting on March 14 between City Manager Matthew Alexander, Business Improvement District (BID) Executive Director Bill Powers, Director of Public Works Christopher Gross, and Chief of Police Leo Dylewski.
It was determined the city would increase sanitation efforts in and out of the BID on Sundays, with Alexander asking the Sanitation Department if they could review the state of the street after the flea market closed according to a memo from City Clerk Cassandra Redd.
If the resolution is passed on March 24 at the Common Council meeting, the flea market, originally scheduled to start March 23, will begin one week later, on Sunday, April 6, with a different layout from last year that includes the surface parking lot outside of James Street Garage and along Bank Street.
Councilman Ramon Fernandez pointed out concerns from business owners who felt like they were in competition with flea market vendors who sell brand new items and, unlike the business owners, do not pay rent or taxes.
Mayor Vivian McKenzie questioned if there was a way to limit the amount of new items being sold so vendors were not competing with a store right around the corner that sells the same items, such as jeans or tops.
She also pushed back against complaints the markets were attracting the wrong kind of people and addressed businesses putting up signs opposing flea markets.
“I don’t think any business has the right to control what kind of business the city does,” McKenzie said. “When you open a business… you have to think of competitors, and you have to think about how you put your businesses out there. So if it is not a safety concern, I don’t think businesses get to tell the city what they can do or tell the BID what they can do.”
Councilman Brian Fassett said the flea market draws 2,000 people every Sunday, serving more people than the farmers market, which attracts 600 to 1,000 people on Saturdays according to the BID at its annual meeting. “The farmers market breaks even, the flea market makes money.”
Fassett, a member of the BID’s Board of Directors, said the BID determined that the businesses benefit from the foot traffic that the flea market brings and there are strict guidelines regarding new materials.
He also said the flea market brings in revenue to the BID and allows it to support things such as the Harriet Tubman statue and shuttle program without raising the BID assessment, which has remained at $100,000 since 1996. If the flea market were to go away, Fassett estimated there could be a request for an additional 23% tax levy. He said there is no way to charge the BID businesses more than the $100,000 tax levy at this time.
Arne Paglia, owner of Division Street Grill, was one of several business owners who complained last week about the flea market. He told the Peekskill Herald on March 19 that he felt the city was ignoring planning when it came to discussion of the flea market, adding 2,000 people coming means cars coming as well.
“The only reason they want to keep it in the downtown is because the BID wants the money. The BID doesn’t need the money,” Paglia said. “There’s not one business that has come there and said we need that flea market.”
Upon Fernandez’s request, City Manager Alexander said he was willing to hold a meeting with businesses to directly hear their concerns.
Parks & Recreation proposes designated food truck zones
Community Hub Director Johnathan Zamora presented the proposed City of Peekskill food truck policy and permit application to the council.
The Parks & Recreation Department proposed designated food truck zones for where mobile food vendors may operate in Peekskill. Still open for discussion, those areas include Bear Mountain Parkway extension (one truck), 424 Central Avenue (one truck), and 750 Washington Street (one truck).
Several other zones for parks include Depew Park by the parks office (two trucks), Charles Point Park near the rear of the parking lot (one truck), Pugsley Park (one food-cart) and Lepore Park (one food truck).
The food trucks may not operate within 200 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant unless they receive written permission from the establishment, the operating guidelines presented by Zamora stated.
Suggested fees for annual permits are $85, for seasonal permits $50, for special event permits $60 per event and for fees for fire safety inspection are $32, if applicable.
Mayor Vivian McKenzie, who owns a food truck, recused herself from the discussion. Concerns by council members included competition, oversaturation of food trucks, litter, and food trucks diminishing the aesthetic of parks.
Zamora said the department would take a look at several options suggested by council members, make edits and resume discussion in the future.
“The desire is there from food truck owners both who are local and outside of Peekskill,” Zamora said. “Sometimes our office gets calls from food trucks in New York City who want to come up to Peekskill… we just want to make sure to be prepared.”
City seeks to call for bids for Downtown Civic Hub, pedestrian and cyclist project
The Department of Planning and Development is seeking authorization for the bidding of two construction projects that are part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).
The Pedestrian and Cyclist Connectivity project seeks to improve connections between the waterfront and downtown, providing safe and welcoming options to get around without using a car.
The other, the Downtown Civic Hub, seeks to replace the Brown Plaza Gazebo at Division and Park Streets with a new pavilion sculpture that has two canopies providing rain and sun protection.
Planner Peter Erwin said the structural supports would be steel and the canopies a reflective metal almost like the Bean in Chicago. Erwin said they planned to bid out the canopies to be constructed from copper, but depending on price, steel or aluminium.
“We studied all the events that are currently programmed here at the gazebo and thought about how they would work in this new configuration,” he said. “And we also thought about what it’s like to sit on the steps when there’s music on Division Street, when the street’s closed down.”
Some council members had concerns about using copper as a material because of how it might age or not remain shiny, including Councilman Robert Scott.
“It’s something that shouldn’t become dull over the years,” Scott said. “Especially if this is going to be something in the center of town and you’re saying you want to have this connectivity. When people come to the top of the hill, I think it should be bright always.”
Councilman Fassett suggested holding public meetings to allow residents to speak on the structure, while Councilwoman Kathleen Talbot advocated against public input, saying she loved the renderings of the project.
“People always want change, but then when they see change, they don’t want change. They want it the old way,” Talbot said. “And I’m really concerned knowing where you are at this level in the project, for us to start inviting everybody into the table with all of their ideas.”
Erwin said he was happy to get more images of how the pavilion could be used. He invited residents to talk to him in person, adding he’d convince them that the pavilion was going to be the right thing.
The city has $2,230,800 in DRI grant funding to spend on construction after design fees and a reserve for construction inspection fees.
The council will vote on Monday, March 24, to allow the Planning Department to put out to bid the two projects.
The Department of Public Works is also seeking authorization on public bids for a variety of projects, including contracts for 2025 landscaping, leaf pick up, HVAC Maintenance Services and removing two underground oil tanks at the police station, replacing them with above ground tanks.
Council talks entertainment venue permits
The council returned to a discussion on Entertainment Venue Permits and Temporary Operating Permits after “bad communication” on unannounced enforcement visits at several businesses on Feb. 22.
The permits provide businesses with a way to operate in activities outside of their certificate of occupancy or site plan approval, such as a live music performance at a restaurant.
Some business owners said they felt the Temporary Operating Permits, passed in a law by the city last October, were too expensive at $125 or more per event.
In addition to the proposed Entertainment Venue Permits, the city discussed
providing event series permits which would reduce the cost of the permit by spreading it over multiple events in a series of up to one year.
Events are required to be assessed by the Building Department for adequate space, flow, safety measures, alcohol service, fire code compliances, and security.
A memo from City Manager Alexander said city staff will roll out a package explaining to owners of commercial properties what kinds of activities will be included in the permit process, assistance on how to fill out the permit application, and fees for single events and event series.
Discussion is expected to resume at the Committee of the Whole on April 7.
Council addresses changes to Parks & Recreation swimming program
At the mayor’s request, the city manager addressed a “tremendous amount of emails” regarding a Parks & Recreation swim program and a longtime swim coach who said she was put in a position to either be fired or resign.
“We understand there’s a great deal of confusion about the city swimming programs offered by the City of Peekskill,” Alexander said. “Swim instructions will be offered as it was advertised before 2025 and we are adding a new swim class for adaptive learners.”
Alexander said the program will not be contracted out to a privatized entity and will remain a service offered by city employed personnel.
“The program is slightly delayed, but it will be a program that offers instruction for adults, teenagers, children, toddlers, infants, as well as children with adaptive needs,” he said. “At this time, I am unable to provide more detail about the change in instructors, but there will be a change.”
According to Alexander the city does not offer private swim lessons.
