Good morning and welcome to today's New York City Council hearing from the commit committee on land use.

At this point, I'd like to remind everyone to please sound their electronic devices, and at no point is anyone to approach the dais.

Chair, we are ready to begin.

Good morning and welcome to a meeting of the committee on land use.

I'm Councilmember Kevin Riley, Chair of this committee.

I want to welcome my esteemed colleagues joining me today, which includes Chair Lewis, remotely, Councilmember Caban, Majority Leader Brayu, Councilmember Ose, Salam Banks, and Carnacion, Justin Sanchez, Thomas Henry, Minority Leader Carr, and Councilmember Nurse and Mealy.

At today's meeting, we will hold a hearing on proposed legislation, intro number 833, a bill sponsored by Councilmember Sandy Nurse to address a potential amendment to the city's administrative code to addressing existing restrictions on building locations along portions of Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.

But before we get to that hearing, in approximately 15 minutes or so, the committee will first vote on a number of items voted out of our two subcommittees.

As always, I want to thank Chair Lewis and Chair Marte for their work as our zoning and landmarks chairs.

Today we will vote to approve three separate LPC designations for individual landmarks, including LU 91 for the PS 15 Annex, LU 92 for the Church of St.

Mary and LU 93 for the Linthuanian Alliance Building in the District of Councilmember Wrestler in Brooklyn.

Chair Marte in Mahattan and Councilmember Wilson in Mahattan.

We will also vote, excuse me, we will also vote to approve LUs 94 and 95 related to the 164 street rezoning proposal in Councilmember Gennaro's district in Queens.

For a zoning map and zone and text amendment to facilitate the development of a new mixed use development with approximately 80 units, including up to 24 affordable units through MIH.

We'll vote to approve with modification LU's 96 and 97 related to the 50-20th 108th Street rezoning proposal in Councilmember Thomas Henry District in Queens for voting for zoning tax amendment and a zoning map amendment, which together will facilitate the development of two new mixed-use developments with approximately 196 units total, including up to 49 affordable units through MIH.

Our modification will be to remove MIH option two as well as to reduce the rezoning area to address concerns of residential displacement.

As noted by Chair Lewis earlier, removing existing residential buildings from the proposed upzoning will relive developments pressured in an area of the city that faces high displacement pressure based on the city's equitable development data explorer.

We will also vote to approve LU's ninety-eight and ninety-nine related to the 1980 208 Richmond Territory Zone proposal in Councilmember Hanks District in Staten Island for a zone and map and zone and text amendment to facilitate the development of a new mixed use development with approximately 118 units, including up to 35 affordable units through MIH.

We will vote to approve LUs 100 through 103 related to the 2950 West 24th Street rezoning proposal in Councilmember Santos Woso District in Brooklyn for a zone and map amendment zone and text amendment and two zoning special permits, which together will facilitate the development of a mixed use affordable housing project with approximately 408 apartments, of which up to 122 will be permanently affordable.

We will vote to approve with modification LUs 104 and 105 related to the 6302 Fresh Pond Road Zone rezoning proposal and Councilmember Wong's district in Queens for a zoning map and zone and text amendment to facilitate the development of a new excuse me of a mixed use residential project including approximately 54 apartments, of which up to 14 will be permanently affordable through MIH.

Our modification will be to remove MIH option two.

We will also vote to approve LU's 106 and 107 related to 1160 Pugsley Avenue rezoning proposal and council member Farrius District and the Bronx for a zoning map and zone and text amendment, which together will facilitate a mixed-use affordable housing project with approximately 104 units, including up to 37 permanently affordable units.

We will vote to approve LUs 108 and 109 related to the 1166 Bedford Avenue rezoning proposal and Council Member Ose's district in Brooklyn for zoning map and zone and text amendment, which will facilitate the development of a mixed-use affordable senior housing project with approximately a hundred and forty-four units, up to 43 of which will be permanently affordable.

Today we will also vote to approve a pre-considered LU related to a proposal school site and submitted by SCA for 801 seated high school facility in Councilmember Hanks District and Staten Island.

We will also vote to approve a pre-considered LU related to 511 West 171st Street ANCP cluster and application by HPD for the designation of an urban development action area project and their approval of a 40-year Article 11 tax exemption to facilitate the rehabilitation of three buildings with approximately 50 units total in Councilmember Della Rosa's district in Manhattan.

Finally, we will vote to approve the preconsidered LU related to the East Harlem El Barrio Article 11 amendment in Councilmember and Cardinal Sion's and Salam's district in Manhattan.

I would now like to recognize any of my colleagues for any comments or questions.

Okay, so yeah, yeah.

So I'll start with Councilmember Salam and then we'll go to Councilmember Osa.

Good morning, everyone.

Today I rise in support of application number G26005 0005 XAM concerning the portfolio of 53 East 110th Street 201 East 120th Street and particularly 204 West 121st Street, which is which is in my district.

While this portfolio spans both my district and the district represented by my colleague, Councilmember Incanacion, the residents who call these buildings home share the same expectation that they have access to stable, well-maintained, affordable housing, and community resources that strengthen the neighborhood, their neighborhoods.

This application makes a targeted amendment to a project that the council originally approved in 2019.

It maintains the commitment to approximately 36 rental units while updating the project to include three community facility spaces instead of two commercial spaces and one community facility space.

That is a thoughtful adjustment that better reflects the needs of the surrounding community and creates additional opportunities for services that residents can access close to their homes.

For the families living at these addresses, this is about more than a technical amendment.

It's about preserving affordable housing, supporting the continued rehabilitation and stewardship of these buildings, and ensuring that residents have access to spaces that can provide meaningful community benefits.

I appreciate appreciate the collaborations between our council districts, the applicants, and all of the stakeholders who have worked to move this project forward.

When we invest in preserving affordable homes and strengthening the services available to residents, we are investing in the long-term stability of our neighborhoods.

For these reasons, I respectfully urge my colleagues on this committee to support this application.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Councilmember Salam.

Councilmember Osay.

Thank you, Chair Riley and members of the committee for allowing me to speak about the 1166 Bedford Avenue rezoning.

The Khalifa Residences project will bring much-needed senior affordable housing, 144 units, ground floor commercial space, a new mosque, and a new school to the site of the existing mosque, school, and retail space at 1166 Bedford Avenue.

Mashallah.

Masjid Abdul Musi Khalifa has been a pillar in the neighborhood since its establishment in 1962.

And this project ensures that it will continue to provide much needed services for many years to come.

They are leaving a powerful legacy, ensuring that our seniors can age in place and that our neighborhood retains a house of worship with a rich history.

I want to thank Imam Rodney Rashid for his leadership and the entire applicant team for creating a great project.

I also want to thank my constituents who came out to support this project every single step of the way.

And finally, I want to again thank members of the committee for giving me this time, and I urge my colleagues to approve this application.

Thank you very much, Chair.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Just want to stay for the record.

We've been joined remotely by Councilmember Brooks Powers.

I will now call for a vote with the support of the local members to approve LU's 91, 9293, 94, 95, 98 and 99, 100, 101, 102, and 103, 106 and 107, 108 and 109, as well as the preconsidered LU items related to 511 West 171st Street, ANCP cluster, the East Harlem El Barrio, Article 11 amendment, and proposed SCA school siting at 25 Wall Street and Stan Island.

Answer approved with modifications, LU's ninety-six and ninety-seven and 104 and 105.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Thank you.

Good morning.

William Martin Committee Clerk, roll call vote committee on land use.

All items are coupled.

Chair Riley.

Aye.

Lewis.

Aye on all.

Congratulations.

Brooks Powers.

I vote aye.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Kaban.

Aye on all.

Thank you.

Abrayu.

I vote aye.

Oh say.

I vote aye.

Salam.

I vote aye.

Banks.

I don't know.

Zhuang.

Aye.

And Connacion.

I vote aye.

Sanchez.

Aye.

Thomas Henry.

Aye.

Carr.

Aye.

Thank you.

With a vote of 13 in the affirmative, zero in the negative, and no abstentions.

All items have been approved by the committee as described by the chair.

Mr.

Chair, that is a full committee.

Thank you.

Now we will move on to our hearing regarding intro number 833, which, as I mentioned, is sponsored by Councilmember Sandy Nurse and seeks to address outdated restrictions on building locations along portions of Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.

Today, along portions of Eastern Parkway and Eastern Parkway extension in Brooklyn between Ralph Avenue to the west and Bushwick Avenue to the east.

Certain development restrictions resides in the city's administrative code, such that buildings and structures must be set back from the street line at a distance of 30 feet.

The origins of these restrictions date from the 19th century when parkway planners envision deep greenway along either side of the right-of-way.

However, in the decades since its enactment, now compliant development and shifting attitudes and priorities have diluted the rationale for these rules along much of the roadway's length.

Intro 833 proposes a target amendment of the city's administrative code to remove these restrictions, except along limited portions of the street where established development patterns reflect the original intent.

I would like to note that the committee has received written testimony on behalf of the administration from the Department of City Planning that it supports this bill, and we will enter that testimony into record.

At today's hearing, the council looks forward to hearing feedback from the public relating to the existing restrictions and the proposed amendment.

At this time, before we open it up for the public testimony, I would like to now recognize my colleague, Councilmember Sandy Nurks, for her remarks.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you for hearing this.

Um, just want to express my full support for this and just give uh just a minute of context.

This proposal came about because of a BSA variance, the a property on the corner of Bushwick and Eastern Parkway is being turned into hundreds of units of affordable housing.

Um, and it didn't go through a ULERP, but the developer and the DOE Fund have agreed to build a community recreation center for the community as part of this, and we really need to amend this uh do the zoning text amendment so that we can move forward with the project.

Um, I understand that there might, you know, this the way this is written includes other council districts.

That's fine.

Um, however, if there is opposition, you know, I would love to remove those uh districts from this so we can make this happen.

Um, you know, this should have really been passed last year.

It's this is very long delayed, so I would like to see this move forward.

I'm glad the administrative is supportive.

Um, and thank you, Chair, for moving this forward.

Um, this is not going to impact uh property taxes.

This has been confirmed by other agencies, and so we want to see the housing get built.

This is affordable housing for folks in our community, and it will lead to a community center that is much needed in that area, and they've already started putting resources towards developing it and having community visioning sessions with people from our neighborhood and our um uh surrounding community board.

So we really really hope that we can move this along quickly.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Councilmember Nurse.

I will now like to open up to my colleagues if anyone wants to uh testify, councilmember Melee.

Yes, I would just like to um let my colleagues know.

Um, yes, this is an outdated text amendment, but if my colleague would like that to happen in her district, that would be fine.

I just asked in which I I'm asking this body could they um relinquish my part of the district?

Um, if you want to see uh center, that is good for your district.

And it should be that each elected official have some kind of say on what's going on or what's rezoning.

And this text amendment, anyone in their right mind, if you give someone 30 feet extra feet on your property.

If you think your taxes will not go up later on when it's reassessed, something is wrong with you.

But I'm just I would like to get an opportunity to speak to my constituents first to let them know what is coming down the pike.

Just because it worked for one elected official district, it may not work for another elected official district.

I just ask my colleagues to keep that in mind.

I would do the same for anyone else in their district, and I would love for this partial of my district to be pulled out of this um rezoning.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Murley.

Um, and before I open up to the public, just want to clarify this is not a text amendment, this is just an amendment to the administrative code.

Okay, all right.

So before we begin hearing testimony, I will remind everyone that this meeting is being held in hybrid format, and members of the public may view this live stream broadcast of this meeting at the council's website.

Members of the public who wish to testify may do so either in person or through Zoom.

Those wishing to testify by Zoom must register online at the New York City Council's website at www.council.nyc.gov slash land use to sign up.

For those of you here with us in person, please be sure to see one of the sergeants at arms to prepare and submit a speaker's card.

We will limit public testimony to two minutes per witness.

If you have additional testimony, or if you have written testimony you would like to submit, we ask that you please email it to land use testimony at council.nyc.gov.

And please include the phrase intro 833 in the subject line of your email.

Lastly, I would like to remind everyone that this is a government proceeding and the quorum must be observed at all times.

Members of the public are asked not to speak during the meeting unless you are testifying.

The witness table is reserved for people who are called to testify, and no video recording or photography is allowed from the witness table.

Members of the public may not present audio or video recordings as testimony, but you may submit transcripts of such recording to the sergeant at arms for inclusion in the public hearing.

We have one person that came and signed up to testify.

Christopher Leon Johnson.

Ready?

Ready?

Yeah, uh hello.

My name is Christopher Leon Johnson.

I support this provision 100%.

Let me be on the record that I live at 273 Buffalo Avenue in the 41st Councilman District, which covers Ralph Avenue all the way to Rockway Parkway.

I think the N that's the end of my district for Eastern Parkway.

But I'm gonna say this right now that look, um, I think that we need more housing around there.

But the thing that the council member doesn't uh doesn't want to address is that the transportation over there is a is a is abysmal.

Uh where is uh her saying about that we need a bus line on Eastern Parkway?

Uh where I'm talking about Sandy Nurse, if she really cares about this so much.

Um look, I'll say this right now that if the council member, my council member want to carve it, uh want to carve it out.

I'm not gonna be opposed to it.

Um I think one of the big issues with that area alone on Ralph Eastern Parkway is that shelter, which is called a renaissance shelter, which is like a full-blown men's shelter.

Um look, if this bill goes through, um, if they want to do re rezoning on Ralph Avenue with Eastern Parkway, I I think they need to start doing a uh find a way to get rid of that shelter on Ralph and Easton Park, which is called a Renaissance shelter.

Uh going forward, um, I hope that Sandy Nurse and my council member Darley Mealy gets to resolution uh with this um bill at hand.

Um, if like I said before, if Mealy wanted carved out, I have no problem getting carved out.

Uh, but Sandy has to find a way to um really put upgrades in her district because going to her area, it's like a disaster.

It's a disaster walking down over there.

Um, it's really dangerous over there to really walk over there.

Uh my area um is way more safer than her area on Eastern Parkway.

Um, but if she want to push us forward, she need to push more traffic calming on Eastern Parkway on her dist her our side of the district.

That's what could we have the we are have no traffic calming in my district, so uh my area, including Mealy's part.

So that's okay.

Thank you so much for your testimony.

Thank you.

We're going to stand at ease to see if there's anyone else that's willing to testify on this proposal.

Okay.

There being no one else uh willing to testify.

I will now close the public hearing on intro number 833, and this will conclude the committee's business for today.

I would like to thank the members of the public, my colleagues, land use and other council staff, and the sergeant at arms for attending today's meeting.

This meeting is here by adjourned.

Thank you.