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City Planning proposed a new special permit to limit the spread of hotels in light manufacturing districts. The New York City Department of City Planning has begun the public review process for a proposed zoning text amendment to limit the proliferation of hotels in districts zoned for light manufacturing. The amendment would require that proposed hotel developments in M1 zoning districts receive a special permit from the City Planning Commission. A public scoping meeting is scheduled for October 26, 2017, at Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street in Downtown Manhattan.

The Department of City Planning has determined the need to reevaluate the existing zoning framework for M1 districts to ensure sufficient opportunities for industrial, commercial, resident and institutional growth. Such an overhaul process will be a significant and long-term undertaking. In the interim, City Planning proposed the hotel amendment to address the immediate issue of the rapid increase of hotels in M1 districts.

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From 2007 to 2017, the number of hotels in New York City has almost doubled—from 357 to 632 hotels. The proliferation has been a growing concern for New Yorkers, especially in underutilized manufacturing districts. Currently thirteen percent of hotel rooms in use are in M1 districts. However, thirty percent of hotel rooms in the pipeline are slated to be built in M1 districts.

Transient hotels operated for a public purpose by the City, i.e. for temporary housing assistance, would be exempt from the special permit. Additionally any hotel existing within M1 districts on the date of adoption of the amendment would be considered a conforming use, meaning that any enlargement or extension would be permitted.

By: Jonathon Sizemore (Jonathon is the CityLaw Fellow and a New York Law School Graduate, Class of 2016).