TESTIMONY
Kevin Garcia, Senior Transportation Planner with the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, on the Impact of Last Mile Warehouses on Communities of Color and the Need for Zoning Reform
4:29:58
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122 sec
Kevin Garcia expresses concerns about the Department of City Planning's zoning proposal not adequately addressing the impacts of last mile warehouses on communities of color.
- Appreciates the efforts to reform zoning regulations to align with the evolving economic landscape driven by the rise of e-commerce
- Believes the current proposal falls short in addressing the land use conflicts and adverse impacts stemming from the clustering of last mile warehouses in low-income communities
- Urges the City Council committee to require the Department of City Planning to take a comprehensive approach
- Advocates for expanding the proposal to define last mile warehouses as a distinct category and establish a special permit process to allow for community review of these facilities
Kevin Garcia
4:29:58
Good afternoon, Chair Riley.
4:30:00
My name is Kevin Garcia.
4:30:01
I'm the senior transportation planner with the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance.
4:30:06
Thank you for the opportunity to be today and for all the support of you and the other council members.
4:30:11
Nijo is a nonprofit city wide membership network of Lincoln Grassroots Organizations from low income communities of color in their struggle for environmental justice.
4:30:20
We appreciate DCP's efforts in recognizing the needs of day regulations to align with the evolving economic landscape.
4:30:28
However, we are concerned about the oversight in the current proposal particularly in the context of last mile warehouses and their impact on communities of color.
4:30:38
We believe that addressing the challenges posed by the rapid rise of ecommerce, particularly through the impact of last mile warehouses, is crucial for fostering vibrant neighborhoods and supporting the economic recovery of New York city.
4:30:52
The rise of e commerce is identified as a key macroeconomic trend necessitating reform, and the city of yes aims to support emerging industries while minimizing the adverse effects on other land uses in the city.
4:31:05
Although, the city of yes proposal introduces an initiative in the form of micro distribution facilities that falls short of addressing the significant land use conflict stemming from the clustering of last mile warehouses.
4:31:19
The proposals focus on smaller facilities is crucial, but it misses the larger facilities that operate around the clock and contribute substantially to congestion, safety risks, and environmental concerns.
4:31:31
To rectify this, we urge this committee to require DCP to take a comprehensive approach and propose an expansion of the city of yes proposal to incorporate a specific text amendment defining last mile warehouses as a distinct category to complement the micro distribution facilities for also and establish a special permit process for last mile warehouses so communities can participate in reviewing the sighting of these facilities.
4:31:58
Thank you so much for the opportunity.