Hybrid hearings will allow members of the public to either attend public meetings in person or virtually. However, the state of emergency will keep meetings virtual for now. Image Credit: CityLand
Community boards often do not have the same resources as City agencies to have hybrid hearings. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many changes on how state and city governments conducted business, including public hearings. New York’s Open Meetings Law was originally designed to promote transparency, requiring hearings to be held in person and open to the public, with notice about how to participate. After meetings went virtual due to the pandemic, discussions began about how the open meetings law should better reflect modern circumstances. (more…)
Roadway cafe in Brooklyn. Image Credit: NYC DOT.
Community boards in support and against the application had concerns about quality of life issues and community board involvement in future reviews. Last year’s Open Restaurants program was established to allow restaurants to operate sidewalk or roadway cafes without the extensive approval process to provide safe outdoor dining options during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the program was enabled through an emergency executive order that temporarily suspended the sidewalk café application process, a permanent program would require changes to laws and agency rules. The first step is a proposed zoning text amendment to get rid of the geographical restrictions of where sidewalk and roadway cafes can be located. While zoning text amendments do not need to go through the full ULURP process, it is customary for the Department of City Planning to seek the feedback of community boards for these applications. (more…)
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This tracker will continue to be updated as more community boards issue their decisions. Last year, the Open Restaurants program allowed restaurants to temporarily expand their operations to sidewalk and roadway cafes without the lengthy review process to provide safe outdoor dining options during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is currently valid through 2022, but a zoning text amendment currently in the public review process aims to make the Open Restaurants program permanent. For CityLand’s prior coverage of the application, click here. (more…)
Panelists discuss options on how to organize and plan for Tribeca’s future post pandemic. Image credit: CityLand
Panel welcomed small business owners, residents, and other interested parties for a discussion regarding Tribeca and the neighborhood’s ongoing economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 4th, New York Law School’s Dean Anthony Crowell published an open letter in the Tribeca Citizen that discussed the economic impact of the pandemic on the Tribeca community and NYLS’s commitment to helping the neighborhood navigate its recovery following Covid-19. Dean Crowell wrote: (more…)
Youtube Upload of Brooklyn Community Board 10’s April Board Meeting Image Credit: Youtube, Brooklyn CB10
Community Boards working to stay optimistic through adversity. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo shut down non-essential business throughout the state. The order effectively hamstrung the physical operation of many governmental and administrative offices. Community Boards, the closest representative body of a City district, have generally completed their many responsibilities through public assembly. Responsibilities include land use and zoning review, and other general community concerns such as traffic or deteriorating housing.
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