Council member Vanessa Gibson and Chair Francisco Moya. Image Credit: New York City Council.

Amidst opposition from community members and organizations, the Jerome Avenue Rezoning plan had its day at the City Council. On February 7, 2018, the City Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises held a public hearing on the application by the Department of City Planning and Department of Parks and Recreation for a zoning text amendment, zoning map amendment, and City Map amendment to de-map a portion of Corporal Fischer Place and to map new parkland along Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. The application was submitted in conjunction with several related actions to facilitate land use modifications associated with the Jerome Avenue Neighborhood Plan (Plan). The Plan’s aim is to foster a vibrant mix of residential, commercial, and community facility uses along the two-mile Jerome Avenue corridor in Bronx Community Boards 4, 5, and 7 in the southwest Bronx. (more…)

Michael Devigne

The final legislative session of 2017 saw an active NYC City Council scrambling to pass almost 40 bills before the term’s end.  Among these legislative actions was the passage of a zoning text amendment for the creation of a special permit that will limit self-storage facilities in NYC’s Industrial Business Zones (IBZ’s).  City Council’s vote in favor of the new special permit is a victory for the industrial and manufacturing sectors, albeit an imperfect victory marred by compromises that will likely raise more questions about industrial retention in the future. (more…)

Map of Floodplain/Zoning Text Amendment Area. Image Credit: NYC City Planning Commission.

The Department of City Planning is seeking input on special flood resilience zoning from residents of the City’s floodplain. City Planning released a video explaining their flood resiliency goals. Resiliency is the “ability to withstand, recover, and emerge even stronger after a storm.” The City has adopted a multitude of approaches that, in combination, make the floodplain more resilient. The City is increasing emergency services, building breakwaters and wetlands to reduce the force of waves, building seawalls and bulkheads to block floodwaters from spreading inland, hardening utilities and infrastructure to prevent power outages, and making strides in resilient construction. Resilient construction of buildings is integrated in the City’s Building Code.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) defines flood risk, floodplains, and insurance rates. The City Department of Buildings enforces FEMA’s guidelines by adopting them into the City’s Building Code. The Building Code requires residential buildings to have space below the flood elevation line that allows water to enter and exit without causing damage. Commercial buildings must have ground floors impermeable to water entry. Buildings constructed using the more recent resiliency standards survived Hurricane Sandy with minimal damage. However, many buildings in the floodplain were built before the adoption of these Building Code regulations and the 1961 Zoning Resolution.  (more…)

Image credit: GoogleMaps

The City Planning Commission approves the rezoning of five-acres on the waterfront of the Harlem River. On August 23, 2017, the City Planning Commission approved an application by the New York City Economic Development Corporation to establish a Special Harlem River Waterfront Subdistrict for future development in the Bronx. The application included the sale of city-owned property to the Development Corporation, a zoning map and text amendment, and a special permit to reduce parking requirements. (more…)

Rendering of the proposed new tower at 110 East 16th Street. Image credit: LPC

A City Planning application, which required report from Landmarks, would see the restoration and maintenance of the Century Association Building in exchange for special permits to develop 21-story tower. On July 18, 2017, the Landmarks Preservation Commission considered an application from Tishman Realty for a restoration and maintenance plan for the Century Association Building, an individual City landmark, as part of a 74-711 special permit application to City Planning. In a 74-11 application, City Planning may waive use and bulk regulations, in exchange for the restoration and continue maintenance of historic buildings. In such an application, Landmarks issues a report to City Planning that the bulk modifications relate harmoniously to the subject historic structure. The applicants also proposed to makes some alteration to the landmarks’ base and facade. (more…)