Sunnyside homeowners would no longer need Planning Commission special permits. On February 13, 2008, the Planning Commission heard testimony regarding the Department of City Planning’s proposal to amend the zoning for a 16block area within Sunnyside Gardens. A planned community designed by Clarence Stein and Henry Wright in the 1920s to house work-ing-class families, architecture historians and preservationists have praised Sunnyside Gardens for its large landscaped courtyards and unique mixture of single- and multifamily buildings.

In 1974, the City zoned the area as a Special Planned Community Preservation District to protect its unique character. The preservation district’s zoning required property owners to apply to City Planning for a special permit before altering buildings or renovating landscaped areas. This special permit would, in turn, trigger the City’s lengthy land use review procedure. (read more…)