South Brooklyn rezonings approved by City Planning

Amendment designed to protect existing character while allowing for appropriate development. The Planning Commission approved the rezoning of Sheepshead Bay and Homecrest, Brooklyn in an effort to preserve the existing character of both neighborhoods and curb out-of- character development.

affected included portions of eight blocks bounded by East 27th Street, Emmons Avenue, Shore Parkway, and Ford Street. Currently, the area consists of mostly one-and twofamily detached and semi-detached homes as well as a few rowhouses. … <Read More>


Three Bronx rezonings approved

Rezonings extend protection of contextual zoning and low-density regulations. The Planning Commission approved amendments to the zoning maps in three Bronx neighborhoods to ensure that residential buildings are not out-of-character with low-density development in the neighborhoods.

In Baychester, five of the five and a half blocks located immediately south of Co-op City are currently zoned R3-2 and permit detached, semi-detached and attached homes with a maximum building height of 35 feet. The remaining half block, … <Read More>


Text Amendments Approved

Follow-Up Corrective Action (FUCA) approved 17 modifications to Hudson Yards revitalization plan. In January 2005, after extended negotiations, the City Council approved ten land use actions related to the revitalization of Manhattan’s Hudson Yards. 2 CityLand 4 (Feb. 15, 2005). Public review of the proposed text amendment identified the need for certain modifications. On August 4, 2005, the Planning Department, Council Member Christine Quinn, and Manhattan Community Board 4 applied jointly to incorporate the modifications … <Read More>


Far West Village rezoning approved

Council down-zoned lots with pending development. The Council rezoned 14 blocks of Greenwich Village west of Washington Street, replacing manufacturing and commercial zoning in the area with contextual zoning districts. The proposal came from the Planning Department after Far West Village residents complained of the growing number of large development proposals that followed construction of the Richard Meier-designed, 205-foot luxury residential towers along West Street.

In the proposal, the Planning Department designed contextual commercial zones … <Read More>


Far Rockaway rezoning allows larger and smaller homes

Developers and residents claimed rezoning was racially motivated. On September 15, 2005, the City Council approved a zoning map amendment to rezone a 21- block area encompassing Mott Creek and the West Lawrence section of Far Rockaway in Queens. The proposal was initiated by area residents concerned about their community’s over-development.

It called for the rezoning of an area bounded by Hicksville Road to the north, Beach 9th Street and Beach 6th Street to the … <Read More>


Zoning change to allow wind turbines and heliostats

Computerized heliostats will redirect sunlight from top of new green highrise down to Teardrop Park South. The City Council approved a text amendment that allows for a new class of permitted rooftop obstructions on residential buildings in the Special Battery Park City District in Manhattan: wind turbines and heliostats, which are mirrors that redirect sunlight to spaces cast in shadow.

The Battery Park City Authority has invested $355,000 to install three heliostats, eight feet in … <Read More>