The Good, the Bad, and the Maybe from the City of Yes by Katherine Rivard
“D
o you live on a nice quiet block with no stores, or in a corner residential building that has no stores! Well that is all about to change! Under Mayor Adams City of Yes ‘COY’ communities all over NYC will be getting a store on every corner and even inside residential buildings that exist on corners!” On Nextdoor, a social media platform used to share local news, a Carroll Gardens resident posted a long lament on the potential negative impacts of Mayor Adams’s three proposed initiatives that make up “City of Yes.” Despite the extreme reactions, including the city’s own praise for the plans, the results of City of Yes, if implemented, are likely to be much more modest.
and all Borough Presidents, except Staten Island’s. The second initiative, and the one which received such pushback in the Nextdoor post, is City of Yes for Economic Opportunity. In promoting the initiative, DCP highlighted just how archaic and stunting for businesses the existing zoning rules are. For example, many retail neighborhoods allow bike shops, but not bike repair or rental; any bar or restaurant can have music, but in many areas, dancing is not allowed; there are rules about where telegraph offices may be located, but not smartphone repair shops, etc.
ier to convert offices to residential buildings; allow housing above businesses on commercial streets; remove parking mandates for new housing; allow accessory dwelling units; legalize modest apartment buildings (3-5 stories) near transit; and more. If implemented and used, these zoning changes have the potential to create 100,000 new homes over 15 years. The public review process for this initiative will begin this spring. DCP has worked tirelessly to showcase the many benefits of the initiatives, with long presentations to the community boards, evening meetings that inevitably run overtime. Professional groups, like the American Institute of Architects, business improvement districts, like the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, and elected officials have all shown their support. The city’s press release for City of Yes for Housing Opportunity even includes two quotes of enthusiastic support from Brooklyn Community Board 6’s Chair Eric McClure and District Manager Michael Racioppo.
City of Yes consists of three citywide initiatives proposed by the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP). This is an important clarification, because DCP cannot open a business, build a house, or install solar panels on its own. All it can do is change regulations to make it possible for others— developers, property owners, businesses—to take these actions. DCP is the city’s primary land use agency, which means they control zoning— the rules and regulations that limit what and where things can be built. In essence, DCP hopes its three City of Yes initiatives will modernize NYC’s zoning, with the aim “to support small businesses, create affordable housing, and promote sustainability.”
The 17 new proposals within this initiative aim to remove antiquated rules, simplify others to make it easier to open or expand a business (as the Nextdoor post noted), and allow certain small-scale manufacturing in commercial areas. One of the less expected proposals within the initiative is to “Potentially enable state licensure of casinos.” In a September public meeting, this proposal was barely discussed before a DCP representative noted that there would be “more to come at a later date” and asked the presenter to move on to the next slide. The Department of City Planning has been presenting to community boards since October as part of a 60day review period. Next, there will be a public hearing in January, 2024, followed by the City Planning Commission Vote, likely around March.
The first initiative, City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality, would make it easier to install solar and wind energy systems, energy storage, and infrastructure that supports greener forms of transportation (like electric vehicles and e-mobility). The proposed changes would also support the installation of greener technologies to heat and cool buildings, and even facilitate more rooftop food production and more composting. The initiative was approved by the City Planning Commission in September, with the support of 25 community boards (of 59),
City of Yes for Housing Opportunity is the final initiative. Almost all housing experts agree that the city’s inability to produce a greater supply of housing leads to housing unaffordability, displacement, and homelessness. Unlike rezonings that target one neighborhood at a time, this initiative has the potential to increase housing (perhaps just a small amount) in every neighborhood. DCP’s proposed changes would add a Universal Affordability Preference, allowing buildings to add 20% more housing, so long as it is affordable; make it eas-
BQE Update
BQE, which would mean all of those who live and work next to the BQE would not have to deal with the fumes or noise pollution it causes. While attendees called for leaders from the project to cap the entire BQE, Suarez and David Vega-Barachowitz, who also helped lead the meeting were unsure if they would have the funding to do so. A similar proposal from a Nydia Velazquez funded study back in 2010 made a similar unfunded proposal.
borhoods planning grant to advance ambitious, community-driven proposals along BQE North and South.
“We’re sharing a toolbox of ideas but this isn’t a place for making final decisions,” said Gretha Suarez of the DOT.
Funding might come from the Connected Communities initiative according to Vega-Barachowitz, as one of the goals of the project is connecting communities that are separated by the BQE.
“Projects studied via this grant will be those that require City-State partnership. NYC DOT will be able to pursue other projects on local streets on its own. NYC DOT expects to hear about grant awards in Spring 2024.”
Goals include making the areas around the BQE greener, connecting neighborhoods, improving traffic and safety, and capping (or tunneling) the
According to the presentation, “In Fall 2023, NYC DOT and NYS DOT submitted a joint application for a federal Reconnecting Communities and Neigh-
After reaching out to the DOT’s press email, Scott Gastel said that “shorterterm maintenance would be addressed by current NYC DOT resources.”
by Brian Abate A Zoom meeting was held with members of the Department of Transportation (DOT) updating the public on the possibility of changes to the BrooklynQueens Expressway (BQE.) More than 120 people attended the meeting on Nov. 8, and the meeting materials will be posted at BQEvision.com.
Red Hook Star-Revue
Pushback on the initiatives have ranged from distress over the potential for hairdressers to pop up in every apartment building to calls that they do not do enough. In one community board meeting, a DCP representative noted that the loosening of rules around businesses allowed in residential buildings (like hairdressers) has been met with the most concern. While these businesses would be permitted by the zoning code changes, most apartment buildings can implement or maintain their own rules. Furthermore, according to DCP, Brooklyn Community District 6’s vacancy rate hovers around 13%. With so many storefronts already failing to find tenants, it seems unlikely that a swarm of disruptive businesses will open on every corner and in every building as the opening Nextdoor post suggested. The zoning changes will likely not do much beyond making opening or expanding a business slightly easier, by allowing businesses to operate in a wider range
“Working together, the agencies will review projects identified through the current BQE North and South Corridor Vision process for feasibility and alignment with Reconnecting Communities objectives. Then, the agencies will prioritize a minimum of two projects to advance to conceptual design.
www.star-revue.com
The 17 new proposals within this initiative aim to remove antiquated rules, simplify others to make it easier to open or expand a business and allow certain smallscale manufacturing in commercial areas. of locations. As for City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, in November, Politico published comments from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, pushing back on the initiative for its lack of boldness and ability to transform. Although some of his criticism may be motivated by his own interest in taking over for Mayor Adams, some housing experts agree that these are very modest efforts. Given the mixed reaction of residents being concerned by drastic changes to their neighborhoods, and experts demanding more drastic transformation, it seems that DCP may have gotten these initiatives just right—advancing important changes, while not immediately cutting themselves off at the knees. Still, there is time for continued feedback on the economic opportunity and housing opportunity initiatives. Stay tuned by checking on when DCP will be presenting to Community Board 6, or learn more on DCP’s website.
In the meantime, they wanted to focus on some short-term goals and some areas that are receiving consideration for capping. They include the entrance by Hamilton Ave., some of the areas on Hicks St. (many attendees called for capping between Sackett St. and Kane St.), and there were also calls to make the area by West 9th St. which connects Red Hook and Carroll Gardens safer, and to potentially add in artwork or plants. There is also a possibility of adding markets or green spaces in some of the areas. While these plans sound great, it is still unclear if and when they will actually take place. Many of the attendees at the meeting called for the entire BQE to be capped. John Leyva, a local leader said that those who are interested can reach out to capthetrench@ gmail.com for more information.
December 2023, Page 5
