TESTIMONY
Elizabeth Rose, Member of Community Board 8, on Concerns About a Development Proposal's Impact on the Upper East Side
1:13:50
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174 sec
Elizabeth Rose, speaking as a member of Community Board 8, expresses conditional approval for a development proposal emphasizing zoning concerns and the proposal's incompatibility with the Upper East Side's character.
- Rose endorses rezoning for residential use and highlights her role in evaluating manufacturing and commercial lots for potential residential conversion.
- She supports the inclusion of mandatory inclusionary housing in the rezoning but criticizes the proposed building's height as disproportionate for a side street location.
- Rose points out that other tall buildings cited as precedents are situated on avenues, suggesting the proposed height is inappropriate for a narrow, mid-block site.
- She raises concerns about the lack of a rear yard setback and the inclusion of commercial space, which she argues deviates from the Upper East Side's character.
- Rose concludes by advocating for revisions to the development proposal, particularly its height, to better align with the community's standards.
Elizabeth Rose
1:13:50
Thank you very much, Chair.
1:13:52
I'm Elizabeth Rose.
1:13:53
I am a member of Community Board 8.
1:13:57
Although I'm speaking on my in my personal capacity.
1:14:00
I'd like to first say that I am listed on of the The form only allowed us a binary choice of in favor or opposed to this proposal, I would like to say, I agree with Community Board 8's resolution, which is yes with conditions.
1:14:23
There's a lot that we do agree with.
1:14:25
In we completely agree that this parcel should be rezoned for residential use.
1:14:30
And in fact, I happen to co chair, and I have the honor of co chairing a task force for the community board in which we are looking at all of the remaining manufacturing string in commercial only lots and blocks that remain on the upper east side in order to propose zoning to residential use.
1:14:50
We see that as an incredibly important way to help build and address the the housing units that we need by rezoning all of these lots for that would in a way that would include mandatory inclusionary housing.
1:15:04
So we agree with many of the things that are being proposed.
1:15:08
Where I disagree and where I think the community board's conditions are important.
1:15:14
Is this applicant has continuously cited all of the other towers on the upper east side as justification for the height of this building.
1:15:22
As was mentioned by the previous applicant, and I still believe this.
1:15:29
Every building that the applicant has cited for you is, in fact, on an avenue or on a wide street.
1:15:37
The Avalon Bay site and proposal that they specifically cited for you today in their presentation, France First Avenue.
1:15:46
It is an avenue fronting building.
1:15:48
What they are literally talked about doing is bending the avenue around the corner to build an avenue to style building on a side street mid block.
1:15:59
And I think small council members know what a side street mid block narrow block looks like.
1:16:05
And they are different than avenues.
1:16:08
So the height is an enormous issue here.
1:16:10
The lack of a rear yard setback is an issue here.
1:16:14
The use of commercial space on the ground floor is not characteristic of this of the upper east side on the mid block on an Arrow Street.
1:16:22
So they're doing a lot of things here, claiming in his character Did
Kevin C. Riley
1:16:27
you start wrapping up his roast?
Elizabeth Rose
1:16:28
And it is not.
1:16:29
So, again, I support rezoning this for residential.
1:16:34
We are delighted for mandatory inclusionary housing.
1:16:38
The height here is a problem, and we would like to see modifications from the applicant.
1:16:43
Thank you.