Copyright Bayswater Civic Association 2015, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23
, 24
The NYC Department of City Planning has a proposal that they are putting forth that they call The City of Yes. We believe that it might be more appropriately called the City of No.
You can read the text of the City Planning proposals here.
And you can read the civic association’s position on the proposals here.
You can see some pictures here of one and two family houses vs. what could be built on their sites if the city’s plans are approved.
We also have some fundamental problems with how the Department of City Planning functions.
- The existing policy of not notifying neighbors or the public would be continued. This is unlike Nassau County where a large sign is placed in front of a property requesting a zoning change. Publication in the City Record and notifying the Community Board is inadequate, They should also notify local newspapers (Wave and Rockaway Times).
- Many of these changes would be “as of right” -
no applications would need to be filed. - The approval of the city council would no longer be required for many of these changes.
Based on what City Planning has already done in Rockaway, is there any reason that we should trust them to do what is in our interests in the future?
Also, see:
- See NYS Legislature -
2023 Session - Senate Bill 3093, page 22. This is a proposal to allow cohesive areas of a city to separate. - See the Rockaway Times story here.