Community Boards Share Many Concerns Over Permanent Open Restaurant Program

Community boards in support and against the application had concerns about quality of life issues and community board involvement in future reviews. Last year’s Open Restaurants program was established to allow restaurants to operate sidewalk or roadway cafes without the extensive approval process to provide safe outdoor dining options during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the program was enabled through an emergency executive order that temporarily suspended the sidewalk café application process, a permanent program would … <Read More>


UPDATED: (11/10) – Community Boards Begin Vote on Permanent Open Restaurants Program Text Amendment

This tracker will continue to be updated as more community boards issue their decisions. Last year, the Open Restaurants program allowed restaurants to temporarily expand their operations to sidewalk and roadway cafes without the lengthy review process to provide safe outdoor dining options during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is currently valid through 2022, but a zoning text amendment currently in the public review process aims to make the Open Restaurants program permanent. For CityLand<Read More>


NYC Community Boards Adapt to Virtual Operations

Community Boards working to stay optimistic through adversity. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo shut down non-essential business throughout the state. The order effectively hamstrung the physical operation of many governmental and administrative offices. Community Boards, the closest representative body of a City district, have generally completed their many responsibilities through public assembly. Responsibilities include land use and zoning review, and other general community concerns such as traffic or deteriorating … <Read More>


Self-Storage Zoning Text Amendment Considered by 27 Community Boards and Four Borough Presidents

Process underway for a zoning text amendment to require a City Planning Commission Special Permit for new self-storage facilities within the City’s industrial business zones. In May 2017, the City Planning Commission sent out for consideration, as part of the ULURP process, a proposed zoning text amendment to limit the proliferation of self-storage in Industrial Business Zones. The amendment is currently being considered by the 27 Community Boards that would be affected by the amendment.


Votes by Community Boards Running Strongly Against de Blasio Affordable Housing Proposals [UPDATED]

CityLand creates comprehensive chart tracking every vote taken by community boards citywide on the ZQA and MIH text amendments. On September 21, 2015, the City Planning Commission referred for public review the Zoning for Quality and Affordability (ZQA) and Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) citywide text amendments. Since the public review process has begun, community boards across the city have met to discuss and vote on each of the two proposals. All 59 New York City … <Read More>


Community Boards: For Affordable Housing But Against Administration’s Solutions – What’s Going On?

The results are in, and two of the de Blasio administration’s key land use initiatives, Zoning for Quality and Affordability and Mandatory Inclusionary Housing, are not receiving a welcome reception at community boards and borough boards.

In fact, as of this writing, according to CityLand’s vote tracker of the city’s 59 community boards, 45 have voted to oppose Zoning for Quality and Affordability and 38 have voted to oppose Mandatory Inclusionary Housing. Four of the … <Read More>