Contextual rezoning of 418 blocks in Auburndale, Oakland Gardens, and Hollis Hills modified to address concerns of private co-op. On October 27, 2010, the City Council modified the Department of City Planning’s 418-block rezoning of three communities in northeast Queens. The contextual rezoning impacted the Auburndale subarea, which is generally bounded by Station Road to the north, the Long Island Expressway to the south, Francis Lewis Boulevard to the east, and Kissena Park to the west; and the Oakland Gardens-Hollis Hills subarea, generally bounded by the Long Island Expressway, the Grand Central Parkway, Alley Pond Park, and the Clearview Expressway.

The suburban area is characterized by one- and two-family detached and semi-detached housing, with larger apartment buildings along the wider avenues. The prior zoning’s flexibility permitted development that was out-of-context with the area’s built character. The approved plan applied contextual zoning districts in order to preserve the area’s low-density residential character, while permitting limited increases in density along the area’s primary corridors. (more…)

Contextual plan would impact 418 blocks in Auburndale, Oakland Gardens, and Hollis Hills. On August 11, 2010, the City Planning Commission heard testimony on the Department of City Planning’s contextual rezoning proposal for 418 blocks in three communities in northeast Queens. The plan comprises the Auburndale subarea which is generally bounded by Station Road to the north, the Long Island Expressway to the south, Francis Lewis Boulevard to the east, and Kissena Park to the west; and the Oakland Gardens-Hollis Hills subarea which is generally bounded by the Long Island Expressway, the Grand Central Parkway, Alley Pond Park, and the Clearview Expressway. The proposal began its public review in May 2010. 7 CityLand 74 (June 15, 2010).

The rezoning area is characterized by suburban-style one- and two-family detached and semi-detached housing, but also includes larger multi-family apartments along the wider boulevards. The current zoning has remained unchanged since 1961 and permits a variety of building types that has resulted in out-of-context development in many of the areas characterized by single-family homes. (more…)

Approval marks the fourth Queens down-zoning in 2005. The City Council voted unanimously to down-zone 40 blocks of Kissena Park, making it the fourth neighborhood in Queens to be rezoned by the Council in 2005.

The Kissena Park down-zoning responded to residents’ concerns over the demolition of structurally sound single-family homes and the construction of out-of-character developments in their neighborhood. As-of-right development within the 40 blocks will now be restricted to one or two-family homes. (more…)

Commission down-zones another Queens neighborhood. On April 13, 2005, the Planning Commission approved another of the Bloomberg administration’s down-zoning initiatives by rezoning 40 blocks of Kissena Park, a small residential neighborhood directly north of its namesake, the 235-acre Kissena Park.

The down-zoning, commenced at the urging of the Kissena Park Civic Association, would be the first rezoning plan passed since 1961 in this predominately one and two-family home residential neighborhood. Designed to match the context of the area’s buildings, the action proposed replacing the current R3-2 zoning with three districts (R2, R3A and R3X) that would generally limit future development to one and two-family homes on all 40 blocks. The current zoning allows rowhouse and large apartment development. The proposal would impact an area generally bound by 45th and 46th Avenues and Parson Boulevard to the east, Rose Avenue and Colden Street to the south and Mulberry Avenue, Union Street and Kissena Boulevard to the west. (more…)

BSA applies more stringent standard when project qualifies as both “minor” and “major” development. Yong Il Pak obtained permits in April 2005 to construct two, two-family homes on adjacent lots along Poplar Avenue at Parsons Boulevard in Kissena Park, Queens. In May 2005, the City Council down-zoned Pak’s site and rendered the construction unlawful. Under the new zoning, only single-family homes would be permitted on Pak’s site.

After Buildings issued a stop work order, Pak applied to BSA to continue construction, arguing that he completed sufficient work to justify reinstatement of the permits. Different standards apply to developments characterized as minor or major developments. BSA determined that Pak’s construction qualified as both since its proposed use as two-family dwellings, and the buildings’ size were prohibited. In cases where both definitions apply, BSA ruled that the more stringent standard should be used. (more…)