Dear Neighbor,
I am excited to share that this year’s Family Summer Series officially begins this evening! My office and I have been working hard to bring more community-based events, including resource events, movie nights, and family days, to the district. For those who will be joining us this summer for the first time, I hope you are ready for a wonderful, fun-filled experience!
I’m also happy to share that the Department of Transportation has concluded several traffic studies. Community safety is extremely important to me, which is why my team and I have been following up with DOT to ensure your inquiries are heard. For more information on how to request a traffic study, please scroll to ‘Department of Transportation Updates.’
In this week’s email, you will find information regarding upcoming events, educational opportunities for our youth, community resources, and more. We’ve also updated our ‘Legislative Corner’ with the latest updates from New York state regarding cannabis enforcement. For those interested in learning about upcoming events and community resources, please scroll to ‘What’s Happening in District 13’ and ‘Community Resources.’
In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (718) 931-1721 or email us at District13@council.nyc.gov.
Wishing you all a beautiful and joyous weekend.
Sincerely,
Council Member Marjorie Velázquez
Department of Transportation Updates
I am happy to announce that the New York City Department of Transportation has approved the highly requested speed camera on Saint Theresa Avenue between Westchester Avenue and Hutchinson River Parkway East. The safety of all of our community members is of the utmost importance. If you would like to request a traffic study in your neighborhood, please email (District13@
Traffic Study Requests
Your Name and Phone Number
Type of Request (i.e. Speed Camera, Speed Reducers, Bollards, Traffic Control Signs and Lights)
Location: Please include the exact cross streets or the closest address
Construction & Repair Advisories
Northbound Hutchinson River Parkway Full Closure
The NYC Department of Transportation Division of Bridges has announced it will close the northbound Hutchinson River Parkway place between Exit 1B: E Tremont /Westchester Ave and the northbound entrance ramp from Hutchinson River Parkway East. The closure will continue until Friday, May 19, and will take place Monday through Friday in the following stages:
Single Land Closure: 10 PM to 5 AM
Full Closure: 11:30 PM to 4:30 AM
Pelham Parkway Lane Closure
The NYC Department of Design and Construction has announced lane closures on Pelham Parkway Eastbound Main Road between White Plains Road and Stillwell Avenue. This closure will continue through Friday, May 26 and take place between 9 PM and 5 AM. This lane closure is necessary to facilitate the catch basin repair and roadway reconstruction. Please be advised this is a moving operation and there will only be restrictions to those specific areas where the work is occurring.
Corner Curbside Parking & Limited Crosswalk Access
The NYC Department of Design and Construction has announced that there will be no corner curbside parking and limited crosswalk access beginning Monday, May 1 until Friday, May 12 from 7 AM to 4 PM (weekdays only). This is to facilitate the rehabilitation of existing pedestrian ramps at the following locations:
Northwest and Northeast corners of Gifford Ave and Swinton Ave
Northwest and Northeast corners of Scott Place and East Tremont Ave
LEGISLATIVE CORNER
Cannabis Law and Tax Law Updates
As a part of New York State’s FY 2024 budget, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to increase the civil and tax penalties for unlicensed and illicit sales of cannabis in New York. This is the first step to addressing the proliferation of smoke shops in New York City.
The legislation (Article VII ELFA, Part UU, 2023) enables the Office of Cannabis Management and the Department of Taxation and Finance to curb the sale and/or gifting of cannabis from the many unlicensed storefronts, trucks and stands. But what else does it mean, and what should you expect?
The OCM Enforcement Bill empowers OCM to: :
Seize cannabis found in unlicensed businesses
Assess civil penalties (Tax and OCM fines/penalities) against unlicensed businesses to eliminate the economic incentive of operating an unlicensed cannabis business
Seek court-ordered injunctions, closing orders, and the removal of commercial tenants to ensure unlicensed businesses cannot continut to operate in violation of state law, and to incentivize landlords to make sure tenants are in compliance with the state law
Direct OCM to contnue its work informing the pubic of risks of patronizing unlicensed businesses and to encourage cannabis consumers to patronize the state’s growing legal market
Establish selling cannabis and cannabis products without a license as a Class A misdemeanor
Empower the Department of Taxation and Finance to conduct regulatory inspetions of businesses selling cannabis and issue fines if warranted
Establish a new tax fraud crime for when a cannabis businesses willful fairs to collect or remit required cannabis taxes, or knowingly posses for sale cannabis on which tax is required to be paid but has not paid
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