The Reader Beat: City Council Notes from October 1, 2025

Following our notes taken during the City Council meeting held on October 1 at 9:00 a.m.

I attended the City Council meeting on Oct.1 at 9 a.m. During public comments, constituent Deonte Cooley emphasized the benefit of a community police review board. "When can we talk to our police and when can the police talk to us?," he asked. "Why is it that you all can't establish a board to make sure that we can have those conversations?" 

City Council held a public hearing at the request of the Planning Department and Planning Commission about a request for Waterfront Conditional Use submitted by Arctaris Impact Investors for the construction of multiple-family dwellings consisting of fourplex and townhouse buildings totaling 61 units located on vacant parcels in a Waterfront residential zoning district. 

Another request covered during the hearing came from Buehler & Associates on behalf of the Erie County Convention Center Authority for construction of a two-story addition to an existing parking ramp located at 30 Sassafras Pier in a Waterfront commercial zoning district. The meeting went on to discuss the following ordinances: 

• An ordinance amending and supplementing Article 1301, known as the City of Erie Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO), specifically amending Articles I, II, III, IV, and V, which re-defines Major and Minor Subdivisions and revises the review process for SALDO applications in Erie passed unanimously.  
• An ordinance amending Part I of Article 113.09(f)(1), whereby the monetary limit for the inter-fund transfers authorized by the Mayor without prior Council approval is increased, passed unanimously. 
• An ordinance to repeal Ordinance 51-2025 passed and approved by City Council on July 2, 2025, as it was a duplication of Ordinance 66-2025 passed and approved by City Council September 3, 2025, had its first reading. 
• An ordinance appropriating $100,000.00 from the Paving & Sewer Revenue fund to be used for the 2025 streets improvement program had its first reading. 
• An ordinance appropriating $365,935.52 from FEMA FY2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant for training firefighting personnel against fire and fire-related hazards had its first reading.