Image credit: DCP

Process underway for a zoning text amendment to require a City Planning Commission Special Permit for new self-storage facilities within the City’s industrial business zones. In May 2017, the City Planning Commission sent out for consideration, as part of the ULURP process, a proposed zoning text amendment to limit the proliferation of self-storage in Industrial Business Zones. The amendment is currently being considered by the 27 Community Boards that would be affected by the amendment. (more…)

Amendment allows the transfer of residential floor area from the High Line subdistrict.  On May 19, 2015 the City Council Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises approved an amendment to the Special West Chelsea District zoning text to allow a transfer of residential floor area from the High Line Transfer Corridor subdistrict.  The applicant, 22-23 Corp c/o Park It Management, sought the amendment to allow transfer residential floor area from its property at 510-512 West 23rd Street, where current zoning text would only permit transfer of the property’s commercial floor area.

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Public comments focus on added construction costs and impact on affordable housing. On February 4, 2009, the City Planning Commission heard testimony on the Department of City Planning’s proposed bicycle parking text amendment. The proposal would mandate the addition of secure bicycle parking for new buildings, enlargements of 50 percent or more, and conversions to residential use. The regulations would apply to multi-family residential, community facility, and commercial uses, as well as public parking garages. The required number of spaces would differ among uses, but affected buildings would be required to provide 15 sq.ft. per bicycle parking space or as little as six sq.ft. if a more efficient layout were submitted to Buildings. The space would not count against floor area limitations, and the requirements could be waived for smaller buildings such as residential buildings with 10 units or less.

At the public hearing, a representative of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer testified that Stringer supported the proposal and believed that the amendment would promote PlaNYC 2030’s initiatives for increasing bicycle ridership and reducing traffic congestion. He also stated that more bicycle lanes and signage should be implemented to protect riders. An AIA representative expressed support for the proposal, but offered recommendations to make the regulations less burdensome on developers. Among these suggestions were expanding and simplifying the waiver process, and applying a graduated scale to cap the total number of spaces for large commercial buildings. (more…)

Some areas of Staten Island that would be affected by rule changes. Image Credit: NYC DCP

The changes allow homeowners to bypass the lengthy review process for certain types of projects. On July 2, 2020, the Department of City Planning announced new proposed zoning rules for some Staten Island neighborhoods that make zoning rules more efficient and homeowner-friendly, and that reflect recent advances in environmental science. (more…)

Proposed Zoning Map Amendment Image Credit: City Planning

Hotel special permitting fails to address other types of development in the Union Square South area. On January 22, 2020, the City Planning Commission held a public hearing on an application by the Department of City Planning for an expansion of the Special Union Square District, and the establishment of a special permit requirement for new hotel development in the expansion area.

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