REMARKS
962 Pacific Street Rezoning: Council Member Hudson's Opening Remarks
0:05:14
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3 min
Council Member Hudson delivers her opening remarks for the 962 Pacific Street Rezoning hearing before Richard Lobel's presentation on the rezoning.
She addresses the subcommittee, detailing concerns over the piecemeal rezoning approach and stressing the need for a comprehensive plan for the Atlantic Avenue area.
She advocates for finalizing the comprehensive plan before approving individual projects.
Speaker 2
0:05:14
Thank you so much, Chair Riley, for the opportunity to comment on this application, which as you noted is quite unusual.
0:05:20
Between 20182022, at least 8 individual development projects have sought rezoning between Vanderbilt And Notion Avenue's along Atlantic Avenue and the Corridor surrounding streets.
0:05:32
Combined, these projects are projected to create over 2000 residential units.
0:05:36
However, this is a completely untenable way to plan for a neighborhood.
0:05:40
This type of uncoordinated development in such a concentrated area means there's no comprehensive plan to ensure that the needs of long standing residents are met.
0:05:49
Everything from infrastructure, open space, safe pedestrian circulation, an economic development plan, and in most importantly, a thorough anti displacement strategy that will allow us to build necessary housing without pricing out our most vulnerable neighbors.
0:06:03
I'll remind this committee that this is part of that this part of my district has been has seen significant decreases in black households, a trend that is true across the city but acutely exacerbated a long list corridor.
0:06:14
Over the past 2 years, and during my campaign, I've stated clearly that this neighborhood needs a comprehensive development plan.
0:06:21
It must not be rezoned in a piecemeal approach, project by project.
0:06:25
And a comprehensive plan is exactly what I've been leading in partnership with the local community and the Department of City Planning.
0:06:31
The effort to create a comprehensive neighborhood plan was officially announced in April of 2022 under the name of Atlantic Avenue mixed use plan or AMUP.
0:06:39
And in January of 2023, my office kicked off an extensive community engagement process.
0:06:44
We held 12 public meetings with over 1000 individuals in attendance including issue area focus groups.
0:06:51
The planned steering committee continues to meet regularly as the project moves forward.
0:06:55
Based on this extensive community engagement process, the Department of City Planning, put forth a comprehensive draft rezoning proposal this past December, and the formal public review of the city's proposal will start the spring.
0:07:06
As you can see, a tremendous amount of work of community planning has gone into preparing a thoughtful thorough plan for this section of Atlantic Avenue where the applicant is proposing its development project.
0:07:17
AMUP has made significant progress and should have a final plan in place by the end of this year or early next year.
0:07:23
This process will yield a comprehensive rezoning, capital economic and residential plan, which is what this neighborhood needs.
0:07:30
Despite the immense progress we've made over the last year toward establishing a comprehensive neighborhood plan, the process is not over.
0:07:36
This spring, the administration will present its final proposal to the community and city council, triggering the elite Euler.
0:07:43
This is a vital part of this process.
0:07:45
And it should not be shortchanged.
0:07:47
The current application is seeking to get ahead of the final comprehensive plan.
0:07:51
The applicant team has stated that it's project is consistent with the administration's draft rezoning proposal, but this draft rezoning proposal is just that a draft.
0:08:00
The community and council may very well approve a final plan differs from this draft resulting proposal.
0:08:05
I do not see why this applicant should be able to cut my community's review of the comprehensive plan.
0:08:11
The piecemeal redevelopment of this of this neighborhood needs to stop, and a final comprehensive plan will shortly be in place.
0:08:18
I ask that the applicants support me and the community in completing the comprehensive and thoughtful planning of this neighborhood, which will ensure that proposed development projects are consistent with the final plan.
0:08:28
Thank you.
Speaker 1
0:08:29
Thank you, Council member Hudson.
