Executive Director of the Board of Standards and Appeals voices support for some proposed reforms, but states concern about financial and personnel burden to the agency. On December 14, 2016, the City Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations heard testimony on ten proposed bills designed to provide more oversight of the Board of Standards and Appeals. The BSA, which was originally created to be an independent board tasked with granting “relief” from the zoning code, is … <Read More>
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City Council to Consider New Oversight Controls on BSA
Ten bills will be aired for public opinion to place restrictions on and revamp the processes of the Board of Standards and Appeals. On December 6, 2016, Council Member Ben Kallos introduced five new bills regarding the oversight and operations of the Board of Standards and Appeals at the City Council’s stated meeting. The Board of Standards and Appeals, which was originally created to be an independent board tasked with granting “relief” from the zoning … <Read More>
City Council Committees Approve Pier 40 Transfer of Development Rights
Zoning Subcommittee and Land Use Committee approve brokered rezoning and development rights transfer at St. John’s Terminal in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. On December 6, 2016, two City Council committees approved a land use application to develop the aging St. John’s Terminal which is located across West Street from Pier 40 and just north of the Holland Tunnel. The approval will allow the transfer of $100 million of air rights from Pier 40 to the 1.7 … <Read More>
Subcommittee Criticizes City’s Lack of Planning at Lambert Houses [UPDATE: City Council Approves with Modifications]
UPDATE: On November 29, 2016, the City Council voted 49-0 to approve the Lambert Houses application with modification. The approved application now includes the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing option with deep affordability—half of the apartments will now be affordable for those making 30 percent or less of the average median income. The City has committed $12.3 million for infrastructure improvements in the West Farms area, including the construction of two new schools in the area—adding at … <Read More>
New Affordable Housing in East Harlem [UPDATE: City Council Approves Application]
UPDATE: On November 29, 2016, the City Council voted 49-0 to approve the Lexington Gardens II project. The approval will allow Tahl Propp Equities and L+M Development Partners to proceed with the proposed development which will provide 400 new affordable units. One quarter of the affordable units will be permanently affordable under the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing law, and the remainder will be affordable for 40 years under a regulatory agreement with the Department of Housing … <Read More>
Increased Contributions to the Theater Subdistrict Fund Considered [UPDATE: CPC Approves Measure]
Contributions from transfers of development rights by theaters in the district would be increased four fold—from $17.60 per square foot to 20 percent of the sales price. On September 7, 2016, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the City’s Zoning Resolution that would solidify the contribution rate to the Theater Subdistrict Fund related to the transfer of development rights from 46 listed theaters in Manhattan’s Theater Subdistrict. Currently, … <Read More>