One business owner said a birthday at his restaurant last weekend was interrupted by Peekskill Police City and Construction Department that warned he needed a permit to have live music and dance.
Ruben Alvarez from Ruben’s Mexican cafe said that a visit by two police officers and two building department inspectors took place around 10:00 on Saturday, February 22.
“We had about 60 people, about 18 girls celebrating their birthday and we had about 12 or 13 children inside and they were a little scared when the cops and everyone came to the restaurant,” Alvarez said, adding that he had been warned with a permit (which Alvarez did not have). Police and inspectors fled after securing the warning.
Ruben’s cafe was one of the ten businesses visited that night, with four warnings given that they are dealing with activities not included in their occupation or permissible certificate without a temporary operating permit. In addition to Ruben, Tiffany’s Pelekskill, Slainte and Gleason, were given warnings.
On October 15, 2024, the city adopted a law by creating a process that allowed businesses, on a temporary basis, to be included in an activity that they are not allowed to normally do as part of the site’s plan or occupation certificate. Temporary permit fees can be $ 125 per event or higher, depending on the size of the event.
Matthew Alexander city manager told Herald On Wednesday, the purpose of the building’s department was to simply develop with business owners regarding activities not included in their original permit approval.
“The intention to go out and talk to businesses on Saturday evening was to give them a verbal head,” Alexander said. “The construction department has a good working relationship with businesses and they are able to get there, meet people and talk to them and explain what the rules are.”
However, some business owners claimed that visits from city officials were “aggressive” and compared it to a “police raid”. Alex Mendia of Gauchos Steakhouse said The Herald The visit was scared by some clients.
“Everybody was a little scared,” Mendia said. “They started asking questions and they just got up and left.” We can’t stand “, so they just left.”
Asked how they were “aggressive”, Mendia said an inspector was “screaming” when explaining that they could not have live music.
Victor Garrido, a real estate agent in Pelekskill, was one of the three who raised the case at a joint council meeting and told him Herald He felt that visits seemed to print mainly businesses owned by Latin.
“Fresh from ice attacks, the way it happened very scared by the defenders,” Garrido said in the council. “Many of our defenders may or may not be documented. Even if they are, they are afraid of authority.”
Iron Vine’s hever Palacio said police visited his business to control the capacity of the seats, but issued no warning. Although he was not present, he said his wife said they controlled up, then left quickly.
Mayor Vivian McKenzie and Alexander city manager withdrew against those who described visits as a “raid” or “aggressive”.
“The council is working hard with the city manager to come up with a way that if you want to do special events and things of this kind, then there is a process and procedure for each restaurant/bar to follow,” McKenzie said.
Alexander said Herald He met with the police and department of buildings and received no description of anything aggressive. He added that some businesses visited that night have already had visits from the city for less positive reasons.
“The city has discovered that there is a higher number of late places starting and doing things that keep people abroad later the night they produce drunken people or just noise,” Alexander said, “or perhaps even led to by stabbing in Tiffany’s OR Shots were shot in another restaurant”
Visits from officials came a week after Alexander and the city’s lawyer met with the state authority of the Liquor to discuss the methods of implementing bars compliance for the quality of life laws in the city. It also follows months of discussion about Proposed restricting working hours to restaurant From 2 in the morning to 5 in the morning
Alexander said the city wants to know if a business is operating outside their normal permission so that it can prepare for providing additional resources such as additional police. He added that the restaurants of additional activities undertaken late at night can cost the city of $ 1,000 to $ 2,000 a night. Alexander also noted that some business owners may not only need a temporary operating permit, but to change all the approval of their site plan.
Alvarez, owner of Ruben’s Mexican cafe, asked the Council for better communication, saying that businesses want to work with the city.
“Because we feel we are excited,” he said. “… We don’t understand. I mean why are they following us like this? I mean we are not criminals. Come and talk to us, give us a letter. Send us a letter. ”
Mayor McKenzie agreed that there was a matter of communication. Alexander’s city manager said a letter explaining the situation is preparing to be sent to businesses.
In a statement, the executive director of the Peekskill Business Improvement District, Bill Powers, said that many restaurants in downtown Peekskill offer music as part of their eating experience to attract customers.
“There should be prior communication, some additional discussions and a longer period of education before visits started,” the powers said. “We all have to work towards preserving Peekskill status as a living food and entertainment destination – the one that protects public safety while allowing restaurants to continue to provide music as part of the overall eating experience.”