From the Office of the New Rochelle City Manager
New Rochelle City Manager Wilfredo Melendez
Dear Neighbors,
Hard to believe we’re already approaching the end of 2026, but our team here at City Hall are charging ahead. It’s been a busy year, but the work on serving the people of New Rochelle continues unbroken and I’m excited to share a bit of what we’ve been up to.
Fall is best known as the season when trees leaves change color. But in our world, it’s tree planting time. As part of the Community Forest Management Plan’s working goal of 300 trees per year, our Department of Public Works (DPW) Bureau of Forestry is helping strengthen neighborhoods, build climate resilience, and create a greener, more sustainable future for our City. Our DPW team will send out postcards to neighborhoods where street trees will be planted, outlining the impacts of street trees on air quality, stormwater resiliency and public health.. For more information on our tree planting program, including a form to request a street tree in your neighborhood, visit www.NewRochelleNY.gov/plantatree.
Flood Mitigation remains a top priority for the City of New Rochelle, especially following some early October storms that seriously affected neighboring communities. Last month, work ramped up on the Sheldrake River Culvert Project, which will upsize two existing culverts at Tulip Lane and Pinebrook Boulevard, as well as add a bypass near Dennis Drive. On October 14th, we closed Tulip Lane between Pinebrook Boulevard and Winding Brook Road to accommodate the installation of a new Culvert at Tulip Lane. In addition to the work at the Sheldrake River, we’re continuing our ‘mini-drainage’ project, which includes storm drain piping improvements, catch basin and manhole replacements, as well as other related work to address localized drainage issues citywide. I’d like to thank everyone in the community for adjusting to the traffic changes and detours made necessary for this important work to improve the flow of stormwater and reduce flooding.
We’ve heard the concerns around Parking in the Downtown and are looking forward to rolling out a few changes in the coming months. This month, we’ll institute one change that should help free up a few spaces from drivers who may be hogging them for longer than they should. Currently, anyone who parks at a metered spot beyond their allowed time receives a citation that they can pay at a discounted rate at one of our parking meters. We’ll be removing that same-day discount for expired parking violators, as well as increasing the citation for overstaying the meter by double. We’re anticipating this policy change, along with a few updates coming in the new year
The holidays are almost here, but there are with plenty of opportunities to come together with other members of our community before enter the hectic season of activities, celebrations and family. The American Legion is hosting its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Wednesday, November 11th at 11 AM. Our City Hall staff is also planning a Veterans Resource Fair to share important information, programs and opportunities to those who served our nation. And a beloved annual tradition continues as the City of New Rochelle partners with the Chamber of Commerce for the 62nd Annual Thanksgiving Parade on Saturday, November 21st. From Eastchester Road to Main Street, North Avenue will be lined with onlookers enjoying the floats, music and marchers. It’s worth bundling up to enjoy this yearly favorite. For a full list of upcoming events, visit www.NewRochelleNY.gov/events
All of the work we do is for you, the community and we’re always looking for ways to keep connected. Our NewRo Alert system at http://www.newrochelleny.gov/newroalert lets you receive calls, texts and/or email updates from our Public Information office. We continue to monitor non-emergency concerns and requests through our MobileNR app, available on the Apple App Store Google Play Store and our City social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram and X are great resources to find out what’s happening and share your thoughts. And be on the lookout for my monthly City Manager Update, available at NewRochelleNY.gov/citymanager, to keep up with City’s initiatives, projects, and programs.
As we keep working for you and our City, we welcome any feedback and all feedback. I encourage all residents to reach out to my office with any questions, comments or suggestions. Thanks for your continued support and partnership and I look forward to connecting with you.