THREE PARKS
FIGHTS BACK

“A Stealth Proposal”, said Paul Graziano, President of the Historic Districts Council, referring to the AIA city-wide zoning text amendment proposal. The AIA’s proposal was developed so secretly that Tony Avella, chair of the Zoning Subcommittee of the City Council, had not been included in any discussions of the proposed changes to the Zoning Law, either by the AIA or by the City Planning Department.

Graziano presented a critique of these zoning changes at a packed January 23rd meeting attended by over a hundred community activists, community board members and elected officials or their representatives from all over the city. Concerns were raised that these proposed changes will undermine decades of community-led efforts to ensure balanced development that preserves open space, light and air.

In addition to our own community’s concerns, many attendees from other boroughs expressed strong disapproval of the AIA amendment that eliminates the requirement of a side yard in areas with detached and semi-attached buildings.

Councilmember Tony Avela announced that he will introduce legislation to overhaul the whole planning process and make it more democratic. He expects to have the details available in about a month.

Update: Fri., Jan. 18th.

The January 16th meeting of the CB7 Land Use Committee was essentially a rehash of the Committee's previous session with two somewhat more prestigious representatives of the American Institute of Architects making the same presentation over again.

The Committee appears to have succeeded in persuading the AIA representatives to make modifications in the proposal. These go in the direction of setting out specific conditions under which the new laws would apply rather than allowing blanket changes. The AIA representatives said they would work on new language and bring it back to the Committee. They would still need to persuade the AIA itself to accept the changes as well as the City Planning Department . Given that the Community Boards have only advisory power in the process, this may be as close as we come to real community input. Fortunately there are AIA members and others on the CB7 Committee who have expertise in this area. Watch this space for further developments.

The meeting was told that Borough President Stringer still has not taken a position. His views, while influential, would be advisory. We expect nothing less from him than a resounding condemnation of the whole rushed and secretive process from which the Borough Presidents have been excluded.

The overall problem here is that there exists within the city a dual standard or process for zoning changes. When we wanted our community down-zoned, we went through the Uniform Land Use Review Process, a long procedure of hearings and agency approvals just to get to the City Council. From start to finish it took two years of organizing. Then, along comes a private organization, the AIA, with a plan to weaken the zoning. They get put on the fast track under a different set of rules with the whole thing over in just a few months. This is wrong. Our Council members must insure that there is one set of rules for everyone.

Update: Mon., Jan. 14th.

Due to community pressure, the situation has become very fluid and is changing rapidly. Staff members of area elected officials report a high volumn of protest calls, e-mails and letters.

We understand that the Institute of Architects is now revising its plan in an attempt to meet some of the community criticism. However, the new version may go directly before the City Planning Commission, bypassing city- wide community review.

Queens Councilmember Tony Avella, Chair of the Zoning and Franchises Committee was joined by his constituents at a City Hall media hit he organized to protest the plan and call on the AIA to withdraw it. See story here

There is now reason to believe that the time extension for review of the proposed changes was granted only to CB7 and is not city-wide. If true, this makes the process even more shabby than it first appeared.

It remains essential that the CB7 Land Use Committee meeting on Jan 16, (see above) reject the proposal outright on procedural grounds and not get involved in sifting through the details.

Update: Wed., Jan. 2nd. 11:00 PM

Community Board 7 met this evening with over 150 of our neighbors present to oppose the zoning changes. A City Planning Commission representative announced that the deadline for Community Board comment was extended for one month whereupon the Board sent the matter back to the Land Use Committee for a second discussion on Wednesday, January 16th at 7:00 PM. (at the Community Board office, 250 West 87th St.)

Borough President Stringer spoke and was non-committal on this issue as was Council Member Brewer. Council Member Dickens' staff person spoke of receiving calls and e-mails but gave no indication of her position. Council Member Mark Viverito was not present.

The Board did not adopt a resolution condemning the City's secrecy and haste surrounding this issue. However, Land Use Committee Co-Chair Asche, indicated that the (already strong) wording in the committee report might be strengthened even further before the resolution comes back to the full Board on Tuesday, February 5, 2008, 7PM.