Buffalo meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Buffalo Council approves $2M planning contract and $4.5M legal claim

Buffalo's Common Council on Oct. 13 authorized a $2 million contract for city-wide architectural and engineering master planning services and approved a $4.5 million legal claim for the Estate of Jose Hernandez-Rossy. Both votes were 8-1, according to official minutes.

The same meeting produced a set of smaller public works approvals, a decision on two special use permits, and one item left unresolved.

Council: planning contract, claim, and permits

Alongside the two 8-1 votes, the Council approved a $27,943 change order for Niagara Street Reconstruction (9-0) and a $1,500 credit for the Buffalo Zoo Admin Building (9-0). Members also approved permission to auction or scrap city vehicles and equipment (9-0).

On permits, the Council approved a Special Use Permit for a tavern at 462 Niagara St with conditions (9-0) and denied a Special Use Permit for assembly at 416 Wohlers (9-0). A petition to reduce the number of signatures required for city office candidates was tabled; no vote was recorded on it.

Preservation Board denies North Oak Street demolition

The Buffalo Preservation Board on Oct. 15 denied a certificate of appropriateness for demolition of a mixed-use building at 328 North Oak Street (7-0). A separate certificate of exception for the same address failed on a 4-3 vote.

The board approved window and louver installation at 693 Tonawanda Street (7-0), chimney and roof work at 380 Northland Avenue (7-0), and a revised renovation plan for 124 Mariner Street (7-0). It received and filed demolition applications for 97 East St and 2212 Niagara St, and scheduled a public hearing on proposed landmark designation for the Broadway Auditorium at 201 Broadway (7-0).

Planning Board backs Dingens Street commercial building

The Planning Board on Oct. 19 approved construction of a 10,000-square-foot commercial building at 350 Dingens Street with lighting and traffic conditions (4-0). It recommended approval of three special use permits: assembly at 2297 Main St (4-0), an electronic messaging center at 2563 Bailey (4-0), and a tavern at 462 Niagara St with conditions (4-0).

Committee actions

The Legislation Committee on Oct. 20 moved a series of license applications forward without recommendation, each on an 8-0 vote: a sidewalk café license for D-Tour 45 at 49 West Chippewa; property managers licenses for Mohammed Ullah and Janet Meiselman; food store licenses for 1076 Sycamore and 1042 aka 1044 Fillmore Ave; and a tobacco/hookah/vape license for 2531 aka 2533 Delaware. A Retail Checkout Staffing ordinance also moved without recommendation (8-0). More than 50 items, including special use permits and resolutions, were tabled (8-0).

The Civil Service Committee approved five appointments (5-0): S. Sahi as COA System Support Analyst at $65,840; Schwab as Administrative Assistant at $60,167; Noworyta as General Mechanic at $44,527; Stewart as Assistant Corporation Counsel II at $102,295; and Osborne as Chief Building Inspector at $84,688. Three other appointments were processed without recommendation (5-0).

The Community Development Committee tabled every item before it (9-0), including resident parking concerns on Marine Drive, a Brownfield Cleanup notice for Swan St & Chicago, a status update on the Lovejoy Pool re-opening, a development plan for 2 Templeton Terrace, and a Department Order regarding Council Member contact.

The Zoning Board of Appeals on Oct. 21 approved one-year extensions for 893 Eagle East St. and 90 Madison St., a fence variance at 149 Vandalia St., a lot combination at 48 & 58 Linden Park, a parking pad at 92 Pooley Pl., a building renovation variance at 1505 Broadway with transparency conditions, and electronic message center variances at 2563 Bailey Ave. (all 4-0). It denied a vehicle sales permit at 254 Wilson St. and a parking pad variance at 74 Manchester Pl. (both 4-0).

Not yet decided

The Finance Committee met Oct. 20, but minutes have not been published. Its agenda listed items for consideration, not decisions: permission to hire LaBella Associates for $39,000 for Animal Shelter 2026 Improvements, a $103,288.69 contract increase for Scrufari at JH Williams Park, permission to hire Davey Resource Group for $56,815.00, demolition contracts for seven addresses, and a tabled item on agreements with GoBike Buffalo for $3,569,987.

Coming up

The Common Council meets Oct. 27. On the agenda: a report of bids for $1,372,570 for the Peter Crotty Roof at Cazenovia Park; designation of the Nietzsche Building at 248 Allen Street as a local landmark; the GoBike Buffalo agreements totaling $3,569,987; a zoning map amendment for 21 Parkridge from N-3R to N-3E; and a special use permit for a cannabis establishment at 299 Jefferson.

Buffalo Council approves $2M planning contract and $4.5M legal claim

The Buffalo Common Council on Oct. 13 approved a $2 million contract for city-wide architectural and engineering master planning services and a $4.5 million claim for the Estate of Jose Hernandez-Rossy. Both votes were 8-1, according to official minutes.

The same meeting produced a set of smaller public works actions and left one election-related proposal pending.

Council actions

• Approved the $2 million architectural and engineering master planning contract (8-1).
• Approved the $4.5 million claim for the Estate of Jose Hernandez-Rossy (8-1).
• Approved a $27,943 change order for Niagara Street Reconstruction (9-0).
• Approved a $1,500 credit for the Buffalo Zoo Admin Building (9-0).
• Approved permission to auction or scrap city vehicles and equipment (9-0).
• Approved a special use permit for a tavern at 462 Niagara St. with conditions (9-0).
• Denied a special use permit for assembly at 416 Wohlers (9-0).
• Tabled a petition to reduce signature requirements for city office candidates.

Planning Board

At its Oct. 5 meeting, the Planning Board approved a major site plan amendment for 439 Pearl Street (5-0) and construction of a 2,970-square-foot commercial building at 1002 Abbott Rd. (4-0-1). It recommended approval with conditions for a tavern and outdoor dining at 568 South Park (5-0) and recommended denial of a special use permit for assembly at 416 Wohlers (5-0). The Wohlers request was subsequently denied by the Council.

Preservation Board

On Oct. 15 the Preservation Board denied a certificate of appropriateness for demolition of a mixed-use building at 328 North Oak Street (7-0). A certificate of exception for the same address failed on a 4-3 vote.

The board approved window and louver installation at 693 Tonawanda Street, chimney and roof work at 380 Northland Avenue, and a revised renovation plan for 124 Mariner Street, each 7-0. It received and filed demolition applications for 97 East St. and 2212 Niagara St., and scheduled a public hearing on landmark designation for 201 Broadway, the Broadway Auditorium, on a 7-0 vote.

Committee recommendations

Community Development, Oct. 6: Recommended approval of Rebecca Bitterman to the Buffalo Sewer Authority Board for a term ending June 30, 2029 (9-0). The committee forwarded two communications without recommendation (9-0) — one on the City's Transition and Transformation Fund and one on tree plantings at Ralph Wilson Foundation Park — and tabled a Department Order regarding Council Member contact along with all other unaddressed items.

Legislation, Oct. 6: Recommended approval with conditions for a food store license at 1780 Seneca St. (9-0) and a tavern special use permit at 462 Niagara St. (9-0), which the Council later approved. It recommended denial for 416 Wohlers (9-0) and approval of a Property Managers License for Janet Meiselman (9-0). Food store licenses at 1269 Genesee St., 1076 Sycamore and 1042-1044 Fillmore Ave. were forwarded without recommendation (9-0).

Civil Service, Oct. 6: Approved four appointments 6-0: C. Pokornowski as MEM Supervisor 1, Roman as Assistant Corporation Counsel I, Silverstein as Assistant Corporation Counsel II and Acoff as Assistant Corporation Counsel I. Appointments for Deputy Finance Officer Seaman and Director of Treasury Cardone were tabled.

A note on the record: the Finance Committee's Oct. 6 agenda listed a $3,569,987 GoBike Buffalo agreement correction and other items, but minutes for that meeting have not been published, so no committee action is reported here.

Coming up

• **Oct. 19 — Planning Board:** public hearing on a proposed 10,000-square-foot commercial building at 350 Dingens Street. The agenda is noted as incomplete.
• **Oct. 20 — Finance Committee:** city cashflow and financing between the City and the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority, demolition contracts for seven addresses, and hiring permissions including LaBella Associates at $39,000 and Davey Resource Group at $56,815. The $3,569,987 GoBike Buffalo agreement remains on the tabled list.
• **Oct. 20 — Legislation Committee:** special use permits, proposed landmark designations for 756 Broadway, 654 William Street and the Allied Mills Complex, and resolutions opposing a reduction of bulk trash collection to one day.
• **Oct. 20 — Community Development Committee:** lease extensions for community centers, a Brownfield Cleanup notice for Swan Street and Chicago Street properties, and a proposed public hearing on housing issues.
• **Oct. 20 — Civil Service Committee:** appointments with listed salaries and a resolution requesting an update on city union contract negotiations.
• **Oct. 21 — Zoning Board of Appeals:** about 20 variance requests, including 303 Lafayette Ave., 2563 Bailey Ave. and 254 Wilson St.

Buffalo Council Adopts Two-Year Data Center Moratorium; Approves $685,606 Gateway Arch Contract

Buffalo's Common Council adopted a two-year moratorium on new cryptocurrency mining and data processing centers, voting 9-0 at its Sept. 29 meeting. The amended measure blocks approval of new data center projects and expansions of existing data processing centers in the city. At the same meeting, the Council approved a $685,606.11 contract award for the Bailey Ave Gateway Arch, Group 1059 Phase 3, also by a 9-0 vote.

Data center moratorium

The Sept. 29 action applies citywide to new data center projects and expansions of existing data processing centers for two years. A separate petition for a moratorium on data centers larger than 20 megawatts is on the Council's Oct. 13 agenda.

Public works contracts and change orders

The Council approved, each 9-0:

• Change Order #1, $305,000, Traffic Engineering Services, Group 1036 - C&S Companies
• Change Order #2, $540,000, Residuals Handling Improvements Project - State Group Industrial
• Change Order #1, $29,100, BFD MEP Upgrades - M/E Engineering
• Change Order #2, $54,050, 271 Grant St. Yr 49 Improvements
• A sole source contract with BER-NATIONAL (PARKEON) for meter and reporting software

The Council also adopted SEQR negative declarations for 412 Auburn Ave. and 674 Jefferson Ave., 9-0.

Settlements recommended to the Council

The Claims Committee on Sept. 30 recommended approval, 5-0, of five settlements: $4.5 million for the Estate of Jose Hernandez-Rossy; $900,000 for Sara Plenty-Paige; $210,000 for Zoraida Rivera; $175,000 for Monica Taylor; $125,000 for Pablo Alicea; and $45,000 for Jose DeLeon. The committee also recommended approval of 10 prior year fiscal invoices totaling $21,431.23. These are committee recommendations; the summaries do not show final Council action on them.

Zoning and planning decisions

The Zoning Board of Appeals on Sept. 30 approved 16 variance requests for property improvements, 4-0. It denied a short-term rental request at 67 Park St., 4-0, and partially denied parking variances at 145 Hudson St., 4-0. An accessory dwelling unit request at 194 Windsor Ave. and a parking pad request at 92 Pooley Pl. were tabled, 4-0. The board approved its Sept. 16 minutes, 4-0.

The Planning Board on Oct. 5 approved its Sept. 30 minutes, 5-0, and a Major Site Plan Amendment for 439 Pearl Street, 5-0. It recommended approval with conditions for a tavern and outdoor dining at 568 South Park, 5-0, and approved construction of a 2,970-square-foot commercial building at 1002 Abbott Rd., 4-0-1. It recommended denial of a Special Use Permit for assembly at 416 Wohlers, 5-0.

Committee actions

The Community Development Committee on Oct. 6 recommended approval of Rebecca Bitterman to the Buffalo Sewer Authority Board for a term ending June 30, 2029, 9-0. It forwarded communications on the City's Transition and Transformation Fund and on tree plantings at Ralph Wilson Foundation Park without recommendation, 9-0, and tabled remaining items.

The Legislation Committee on Oct. 6 recommended approval with conditions for a food store license at 1780 Seneca St. and a tavern special use permit at 462 Niagara St., both 9-0, and recommended denial of a special use permit for assembly at 416 Wohlers, 9-0. It recommended approval of a Property Managers License for Janet Meiselman, 9-0, and forwarded food store licenses at 1269 Genesee St., 1076 Sycamore and 1042-1044 Fillmore Ave. without recommendation, 9-0.

The Civil Service Committee on Oct. 6 approved four appointments, 6-0: C. Pokornowski as MEM Supervisor 1, and Roman, Silverstein and Acoff as Assistant Corporation Counsel I, II and I, respectively. Other items were tabled.

Where records are not yet available

The Preservation Board's Oct. 1 meeting was listed as an agenda only; minutes have not been published. Its agenda included public hearings on designating the Nietzsche Building at 248 Allen Street and Public School 51 at 101 Hertel Avenue as local landmarks, certificate activity at 124 Mariner Street and 844 Delaware Avenue, and old business on the Hospital Hill Historic District and demolitions at 328 North Oak Street and 188 and 192 Fougeron Street. No decisions are available.

The Finance Committee's Oct. 6 meeting is also agenda only. Items listed for review included a $3,569,987 GoBike Buffalo agreement correction, a $2,000,000 city-wide architectural and engineering master planning hire, a $645,504 Augspurger Parking Ramp girder repair bid, a $56,815 hire of Davey Resource Group, and Parkside at Linden intersection safety improvements.

Coming up

• **Oct. 13, Common Council:** a $2,000,000 authorization for city-wide architectural and engineering master planning services; demolition contracts for 42 Wilson, 126 Clare, 15 Sidney Garage, 91 Ivy garage, 954 Sycamore, 336 Massachusetts and 2 Wyandotte; a $103,288.69 contract increase for Scrufari at JH Williams Park; $645,504 in Augspurger Parking Ramp girder repair bids; and a petition for a moratorium on data centers larger than 20 megawatts.
• **Oct. 19, Planning Board:** public hearing on a 10,000-square-foot commercial building at 350 Dingens Street (D-S Zone). The agenda is noted as incomplete.
• **Oct. 21, Zoning Board of Appeals:** about 20 variance requests, including 303 Lafayette Ave. and 144/148/150 Hoyt St., 2563 Bailey Ave., 254 Wilson St., 1505 Broadway and 637 Tifft St.

Buffalo council agendas: Broadway Market renovation, liquor licenses, and procedural items

The Buffalo Common Council has several items on its agenda for the coming weeks, including a proposed renovation of the Broadway Market and a new parking lot, but no decisions have been made yet. All recent meetings listed are agenda-only, with minutes not yet published, so the items below are proposals under consideration, not final actions.

Broadway Market renovation proposed

At its Aug. 5 meeting, the Common Council is scheduled to consider two items related to the renovation of the Broadway Market and construction of a 73-space accessory parking lot. The addresses are 976 Elmwood and 981 Broadway, both in the N-3C Zone. Also on that agenda is a liquor license application for 123 Street (item 26-000123). No vote has been taken on any of these items.

Liquor license applications

Two liquor license applications appear on recent agendas. The July 31 Common Council meeting includes an application for 1234 Champagne Ave (item 26-00081). The Aug. 5 meeting includes the application for 123 Street (item 26-000123). Both are listed as agenda items only.

Other items on the July 31 agenda

The July 31 Common Council meeting also lists two resolutions: 26-000110, regarding the Buffalo Bills and their third jersey, and 26-000111, calling for universal free ice cream every Friday. In addition, the agenda includes test items for the Planning Board (26-000114), Real Estate (26-000115), Assessment (26-000112 and 26-000113), and the Sewer Division (26-000116). These are listed as test items, with no details provided.

Procedural meetings only

Two meetings had no substantive items. The Aug. 1 Civil Service Committee meeting was procedural, covering minutes approval and two test items (real estate and Planning Board) with no public hearings or decisions. The Aug. 1 Common Council meeting listed only roll call, felicities, in memoriam, and minutes approval. The Aug. 7 Civil Service Committee meeting had no listed items at all, just standard procedural sections.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days. The next scheduled meetings are the ones described above, all of which have agendas published but no minutes yet. Residents interested in the Broadway Market renovation or liquor license applications may want to attend the Aug. 5 Common Council meeting, though the time and location are not provided in the available data.

Buffalo Common Council to review liquor license, Bills jersey resolution; no decisions yet recorded

The Buffalo Common Council's July 31, 2026 agenda includes a liquor license application for 1234 Champagne Ave (file 26-00081) and several resolutions, but minutes have not yet been published, so no decisions are confirmed.

Common Council — July 31

The Council's published agenda lists the following items for review:

• A liquor license application for 1234 Champagne Ave (26-00081).
• Resolution 26-000110 addressed to the Buffalo Bills regarding their third jersey.
• Resolution 26-000111 calling for universal free ice cream every Friday.
• Test items for the Planning Board (26-000114), Real Estate (26-000115), and Assessment (26-000112, 26-000113).
• A Sewer Division test item (26-000116).

Because only the agenda is available and minutes have not been published, it is not yet known whether any of these items were approved, tabled, or rejected. Vote tallies are not available.

Common Council — August 1

A second Common Council meeting on August 1, 2026 lists only procedural items: roll call, felicities, in memoriam, and minutes approval. No ordinances, contracts, or public hearings appear on the published agenda. Minutes are not yet published.

Civil Service Committee — August 1

The Buffalo Civil Service Committee met August 1, 2026 to approve minutes from a prior meeting and review two test items — one related to real estate and another concerning the Planning Board. No substantive decisions or public hearings are listed on the agenda. Minutes are not yet published.

What this means for residents

All three meetings from the past two weeks are agenda-only; no minutes have been released. That means no outcomes — approvals, denials, or vote counts — can be confirmed from the available records. The liquor license application at 1234 Champagne Ave is the most concrete item affecting a specific property, but its status remains unknown until minutes are published.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents should check the City of Buffalo's official meeting calendar for any newly posted agendas or rescheduled sessions.