THE COUNCIL - Welcome to NYC.gov | City of New York

THE COUNCIL

Minutes of the Proceedings for the STATED MEETING of

Thursday, October 17, 2019, 2:25 p.m.

The Majority Leader (Council Member Cumbo) presiding as the Acting President Pro Tempore

Council Members

Corey D. Johnson, Speaker

Adrienne E. Adams Alicia Ampry-Samuel Diana Ayala Inez D. Barron Joseph C. Borelli Justin L. Brannan Fernando Cabrera Margaret S. Chin Andrew Cohen Costa G. Constantinides Robert E. Cornegy, Jr Laurie A. Cumbo Chaim M. Deutsch Ruben Diaz, Sr. Daniel Dromm Rafael L. Espinal, Jr Mathieu Eugene

Vanessa L. Gibson Mark Gjonaj Barry S. Grodenchik Robert F. Holden Ben Kallos Andy L. King Peter A. Koo Karen Koslowitz Rory I. Lancman Bradford S. Lander Stephen T. Levin Mark D. Levine Farah N. Louis Steven Matteo Carlos Menchaca I. Daneek Miller Francisco P. Moya

Bill Perkins Keith Powers Antonio Reynoso Donovan J. Richards Carlina Rivera Ydanis A. Rodriguez Deborah L. Rose Helen K. Rosenthal Rafael Salamanca, Jr Ritchie J. Torres Mark Treyger Paul A. Vallone James G. Van Bramer Kalman Yeger

Absent: Council Member Ulrich; Medical Leave: Council Member Maisel.

The Majority Leader (Council Member Cumbo) assumed the chair as the Acting President Pro Tempore and Presiding Officer for these proceedings.

After consulting with the City Clerk and Clerk of the Council (Mr. McSweeney), the presence of a quorum was announced by the Majority Leader and Acting President Pro Tempore (Council Member Cumbo).

3178

October 17, 2019

There were 49 Council Members marked present at this Stated Meeting held in the Council Chambers of City Hall, New York, N.Y.

INVOCATION

The Invocation was delivered by the Very Reverend Antonio Checo, as the Rector of Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, located at 33-50 82nd Street, Jackson Heights, New York 11372.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Last year the media paid lots of attention to the migrants coming [from] the Middle East, the [Lebanese], Syrians, into Europe, through Greece and Italy. They created an amnesty and for some reason a ship full of migrants came one day later and they were told that they were late, therefore they would not qualify for the amnesty. Some of them said "Have mercy on us; we have no food, no jobs, we are hungry, we're dying." In last Sunday's Gospel, [as] Jesus, [was] on the way to Jerusalem for [his] Crucifixion, ten lepers approached him, also asking for mercy. Jesus sent them to the authorities and they got healed on the way [to] the authorities who were supposed to [be the] priests. In this case, you are the authorities. The same way today, the people from Bushwick, from East New York, South Bronx, the LGBT community, the prisoners, they are also, (actually I have to mention the family of the policemen who were killed and the homeless who were killed, and the family of all of those people who have been killed in our country), they are asking for mercy. You are here today to make decisions and from what I see I think it's going to be exciting. So therefore I want to ask God to send his Spirit on all of you to give you the wisdom, the stamina, the desire to keep in your hearts, those people that are appointed to you, our city, the state, our country, the leaders of our country, so that you are able to discern and to make the right decision for us. But especially I want to ask God to send his Holy Spirit on all of you, to give you peace and to fill your heart and mine with compassion for those out there who are in need of your decision, to be the best for all of them. And that I ask in Jesus's name. Amen.

Council Member Dromm moved to spread the Invocation in full upon the record.

3179

October 17, 2019

During the Communication from the Speaker segment of this Meeting, the Speaker (Council Member Johnson) asked for a Moment of Silence in memory of the following individuals:

U.S. Congress Member Elijah Cummings, known as a giant in the fight for civil rights and justice, died on October 17, 2019 at the age of 68.

NYPD Officer Brian Mulkeen, 33, died in the line of duty on September 29, 2019.

NYPD Sergeant Lin Hong Lee, 33, died in his Queens home after taking his own life on October 15, 2019. Sergeant Lee's death marks the tenth suicide by a member of the NYPD this past year.

On behalf of the Council, the Speaker (Council Member Johnson) offered his condolences to the families of the deceased and to the men and women of the Police Department.

At this point, a Moment of Silence was observed in the Council Chambers.

* * *

ADOPTION OF MINUTES

Council Member Menchaca moved that the Minutes of the Stated Meeting of September 12, 2019 be adopted as printed.

COMMUNICATION FROM CITY, COUNTY & BOROUGH OFFICES

M-191 Amended declaration of capital financing need, pursuant to Section 2799-ff of the New York City

Transitional Finance Authority Act. (For text, please refer to the Search Legislation option on the New York City Council website at council. and refer to the relevant attachment on the M-191 of 2019 file) Received, Ordered, Printed & Filed.

3180

October 17, 2019

LAND USE CALL-UPS

M-192

By The Chair of the Land Use Committee (Council Member Salamanca, Jr.):

Pursuant to Sections 11.20(b-d) of the Council Rules and Section 197-d(b)(3) of the New York City Charter, the Council hereby resolves that the actions of the City Planning Commission on related Application Nos. C 190435 ZSM and C 190436 ZSM (La Hermosa) shall be subject to Council review. These items are related to Application Nos. C 190434 ZMM and N 190433 ZRM.

Coupled on Call-up vote.

Land Use Call-up Vote

The Majority Leader and the Acting President Pro Tempore (Council Member Cumbo) put the question whether the Council would agree with and adopt such motion which was decided in the affirmative by the following vote:

Affirmative ? Adams, Ampry-Samuel, Ayala, Barron, Borelli, Brannan, Cabrera, Chin, Cohen, Constantinides, Cornegy, Deutsch, Dromm, Espinal, Eugene, Gibson, Gjonaj, Grodenchik, Holden, Kallos, King, Koo, Koslowitz, Lancman, Lander, Levin, Levine, Louis, Menchaca, Miller, Moya, Perkins, Powers, Reynoso, Richards, Rivera, Rodriguez, Rose, Rosenthal, Salamanca, Torres, Treyger, Vallone, Van Bramer, Yeger, the Minority Leader (Council Member Matteo), the Majority Leader (Council Member Cumbo), and The Speaker (Council Member Johnson) ? 48.

Negative ? Diaz ? 1.

At this point, the Majority Leader and the Acting President Pro Tempore (Council Member Cumbo) declared the aforementioned item adopted and referred this item to the Committee on Land Use and to the appropriate Land Use subcommittee.

3181

October 17, 2019

REPORTS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES

Report of the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing

Report for Int. No. 1657-A

Report of the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing in favor of approving and adopting, as amended, a Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting street vending on certain streets in Dyker Heights in Brooklyn beginning on Thanksgiving until New Year's Day.

The Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing, to which the annexed proposed amended local law was referred on August 14, 2019 (Minutes, page 2724), respectfully

REPORTS:

I. INTRODUCTION

On October 16, 2019, the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Business Licensing, chaired by Council Member Rafael Espinal, will hold a vote on Proposed Introductory Bill Number 1657-A (Int. No. 1657-A), in relation to prohibiting street vending on certain streets in Dyker Heights in Brooklyn beginning on Thanksgiving until New Year's Day. The Committee previously heard testimony on the bill from the Mayor's Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management, the New York Police Department, and neighborhood representatives.

II. BACKGROUND

Street vendors in New York City have contributed markedly to the vibrancy of the City's streets and to the City's food and retail landscape. They often offer cheaper food and merchandise alternatives to that sold in traditional stores, or sell fresh fruit and vegetables in underserved areas that lack various options for healthy food. Street vending in this City has existed for centuries and has consistently been an avenue for newly arrived immigrants and those with minimal work opportunities to turn their skills and resources into making a living. 1 However, the proliferation of street vendors also prompts concerns as street vending can contribute to sidewalk congestion, blocking of driveways and an increase in rubbish.

Vending in Dyker Heights

During the holiday season, the Brooklyn neighborhood of Dyker Heights puts on an extravagant display of Christmas lights. The event, which originated in the mid-1980s by Lucy Spata, traditionally begins on Thanksgiving night and ends in early January.2 Most houses in the neighborhood participate, decorating their homes and yards with tens of thousands of lights, giant nutcrackers, snowmen, Santa Clauses and other decorations.3 The Dyker Heights Christmas Lights have now become a notable attraction for New Yorkers and

1 See for example Rembert Browne et al "New York City street vendors", Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and & Preservation, Spring 2011, available at: , pp. 10-11. 2 Rob Abruzzese "Christmas displays put Dyker Heights on tourist map", Brooklyn Daily Eagle, December 9, 2013, available at: . 3 Rob Abruzzese "Christmas displays put Dyker Heights on tourist map", Brooklyn Daily Eagle, December 9, 2013, available at: .

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download