- Homecrest Rezoning Map. Used with permission of the New York City Department of City Planning. All rights reserved.
Hearings highlight Council’s proposals for construction moratorium and landowner notification. The City Council approved the rezoning of eight blocks in Sheepshead Bay and 70 blocks in Homecrest, Brooklyn in an effort to preserve the existing character of both neighborhoods and curb out-of- character development.
At the February 6, 2006 Zoning and Franchises Subcommittee hearing, Council Member Lewis A. Fidler criticized the amount of time it took to complete the Sheepshead Bay rezoning, calling it “too little, too late” because, in his opinion, the area had already been “raped and pillaged by developers,” which left only eight blocks of the original neighborhood’s character worth preserving. Subcommittee Chair Tony Avella commented that he would like to expedite his bill to place a moratorium on development in areas that are being evaluated for rezoning. Avella said that the bill was generally supported by both the Council and the Mayor, but progress was slowed as both sides considered whether the bill was subject to ULURP. (read more…)