Queens down-zoning covering 161 blocks was designed by City Planning. Increasing demolition of small single-family and detached buildings for new, large apartment developments had concerned the College Point community and Community Board 7. Borough President Helen Marshall’s zoning task force and the community urged the Planning Department to commence a comprehensive down-zoning to protect its smaller residential character and to analyze the broad areas remaining zoned for manufacturing.

Finding that over two-thirds of the lots retained the original 1961 zoning, the Planning Department proposed a complex, contextual down-zoning of 3,900 lots to zoning districts (R2A, R3A, R3-1, R4A and R4-1) that restrict development to one and two-family homes. It also proposed to rezone College Point Boulevard to allow multi-family development and to increase the opportunity for retail uses. Five blocks were rezoned from manufacturing to residential zoning to reflect the current residential development on those lots. (more…)

Developer sought variance to build additional 2-family home in flood zone. The developer of three lots located on 130th Street in College Point, Queens, applied to BSA for a variance to construct three, two-family homes on property formerly occupied by the Ariel Rowing and Tennis Club. The developer’s applications represented that a hardship existed due to the lots’ location within a flood zone, which would require that the buildings be constructed on piles and without cellars.

On June 14, 2004, Community Board 7 unanimously disapproved, arguing that a reasonable rate of return could be obtained with an as-of-right use, and the proposed variance would alter the neighborhood character. Borough President Helen Marshall also disapproved, stating that the proposal required three curb cuts, which created a potentially dangerous traffic condition. Marshall recommended that the developer construct two, two-family homes. (more…)