CB2 Land Use Committee Votes Against One Rezoning Proposal And Supports Another Amid Widespread Community Concerns

Community Board 2’s Land Use Committee voted this month 11-2 to NOT lend its support for the city’s proposed Zoning for Quality and Affordability (ZQA) rezoning project. According to the Department of City Planning (DCP), ZQA aims to “encourage better architecture and good design with targeted changes to rules in medium- and higher-density neighborhoods.”

In other words, ZQA would increase height limits by up to five feet in areas where ground floors  of buildings that are not landmarked/a historic district and that are made taller to fit retail businesses.

Community boards throughout the five boroughs have voiced strong opposition to the proposals.

In their rejection of the plan, committee members included a list of issues they want to see addressed before they would consider it: more schools, a city presentation detailing the logistics of off-site housing and how the affordable housing formula is to be handled, ensuring that funding stays in CB2, ensuring that senior citizens can stay in their homes and neighborhood, consideration of public transportation accessibility, the possibility of permanent affordability, and possible 2-3 bedroom units.

On the other hand, the committee voted unanimously to support the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) plan, with members agreeing with the idea of increasing the percentage of housing units required in a development from 20 percent to 25 or 30 percent — and to make that housing permanent. Fifteen (15) neighborhoods, beginning with East New York.

“Housing is more than just a place to stay. It has sconomic, social, political, and educational,” asaid one male member of the committee. “They don’t have an opportunity to become part of the community. “