REMARKS
962 Pacific Street Rezoning: Presentation Intro
0:09:19
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138 sec
In Richard Lobel's intro to the presentation on the 962 Pacific Street Rezoning, he notes that their Land Use Application began not in 2022 when the neighborhood rezoning was announced, but in 2020.
He stresses that though area wide rezoning reflects the goals of the community, they are not necessarily timely in producing housing.
Speaker 4
0:09:19
Good morning.
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My name is Richard Lobel of Sheldon Lobel, PC.
0:09:22
I'm represent 962 Pacific Street in this matter, joined by Nikola Barrett, the project contact with me as well are Nadine and Bill Osner, who are the applicants here as well as Kevin Williams, the environmental consultant.
0:09:34
So we're going to run through the presentation and are happy to answer specific questions of the committee.
0:09:41
As we look at the potential rezoning here at 962 Pacific.
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We note that this process did not begin for us in 2022.
0:09:50
When the neighborhood rezoning was was announced.
0:09:52
And it did not begin in 2021, but actually dated back to 2020.
0:09:56
So in September of 2020, this applicant submitted a pre application statement for this rezoning.
0:10:03
And while other applications went forward and ahead, in the ensuing over 2 years, this applicant was asked to wait several times.
0:10:12
And so by the time that announcement was made in April 2022, this application had already been in process for close to two and a half years.
0:10:20
And so the issue now with asking the applicant to wait as we again are about to go through the materials, is that we know, because we've seen before, through area wide rezoning, that while they do reflect the goals of the community, they're not necessarily timely in producing housing.
0:10:37
We look at the Guanace rezoning right now, which was approved in 2021.
0:10:41
And there has not been a unit that has been produced pursuant to that rezoning.
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There are there is excavation more than half of those sites being built pursuant to that rezoning or being gave it, but there's no units that are online right now, and we're in 2024, and those units won't be online probably until 2026.
0:10:56
So that's a 5 year gap.
0:10:58
And during that 5 year gap, there's a housing crisis and we all know it because we all see it and we see people every day when we pass on the streets of New York City that don't have housing and that there is the demand that's created from this lack of supply is directing them.
0:11:13
So while we understand and are respectful of the goals of the community and the stated goals of the council member.
0:11:18
Indeed, we could not be more respectful having attended every meeting with regards to AMAP as well as of community board 8 Slanties Committee.
0:11:25
We do feel very strongly about this, about the opportunity to proceed forward, not jumping ahead of the line, but after having been patient and waiting our turn to allow our application to proceed.
0:11:36
Next slide, please.
