Queens down-zoning covering 161 blocks was designed by City Planning. Increasing demolition of small single-family and detached buildings for new, large apartment developments had concerned the College Point community and Community Board 7. Borough President Helen Marshall’s zoning task force and the community urged the Planning Department to commence a comprehensive down-zoning to protect its smaller residential character and to analyze the broad areas remaining zoned for manufacturing.

Finding that over two-thirds of the lots retained the original 1961 zoning, the Planning Department proposed a complex, contextual down-zoning of 3,900 lots to zoning districts (R2A, R3A, R3-1, R4A and R4-1) that restrict development to one and two-family homes. It also proposed to rezone College Point Boulevard to allow multi-family development and to increase the opportunity for retail uses. Five blocks were rezoned from manufacturing to residential zoning to reflect the current residential development on those lots.

The Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises and the Land Use Committee approved without changes. The full Council approved on September 28, 2005.

ULURP Process: The Planning Commission, as lead agency, issued a negative declaration on June 20, 2005, identifying lots that, when developed, would require further environmental review due to potential hazardous materials, noise and air quality issues. The Commission issued a revised negative declaration on August 5, 2005 that removed requests for further air quality studies.

Community Board 7 and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall approved without conditions. The Commission unanimously approved on September 12, 2005, but modified the proposal to retain the existing zoning along College Place between 8th Avenue and 9th Road and on 9th Avenue between 119th Street and College Place.

Council: College Point Rezoning (September 28, 2005); CPC: College Point Rezoning (C 050482 ZMQ – map amendment) (September 12, 2005). CITYADMIN