TESTIMONY
Richard Moses on the City of Yes Special District Zoning Provision
6:54:39
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119 sec
Richard Moses, president of the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative, opposes the City of Yes' special district zoning provision proposal, arguing it threatens the uniqueness of New York's neighborhoods.
- Moses testifies against replacing individualized ground floor design with consistent requirements, fearing it will erase the distinctive qualities of special districts.
- He emphasizes that special districts in areas like Park Tester, Arland's 125th Street Corridor, and Sunnyside Gardens are crucial for maintaining urban diversity.
- Argues that uniform design requirements would result in blander neighborhoods, contrary to what New Yorkers want.
- Advocates for adding staff to the Department of City Planning to handle reviews instead of streamlining processes at the expense of diversity.
- Despite some support for aspects of the proposal, Moses calls for preserving the purpose of special district zoning to sustain the city's urban environment.
Richard Moses
6:54:39
Good evening, and thank you for allowing me to testify.
6:54:43
I'm testifying on the city of Yes' special district zoning provision specifically, and I am the president of the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative.
6:54:57
My name is Richard Moses.
6:54:58
Lower east side preservation initiative opposes the current CVS for economic opportunity proposal to quote create consistent ground floor design requirements, unquote, to replace an individualized design treatment currently stipulated by New York city's special district zoning.
6:55:16
Special districts are created to reinforce, quote, distinctive qualities that may not lend themselves to generalize zoning and standard development, unquote, within special areas or neighborhoods, in such diverse areas as park tester, Arland's 125th Street Corridor and Sunnyside Gardens name a few.
6:55:36
Most pedestrians experience New York Street at the ground floor level.
6:55:40
Therefore, the proposed ground floor unified design requirements will in effect nullify a major aspect of the intent of the special district zoning.
6:55:50
Passing this provision will lead to a blander, more uniform, lead to blander, more uniform neighborhoods.
6:55:57
Something that New Yorkers definitely do not want.
6:56:00
We believe that it is the responsibility of city government to help sustain the diversity and richness of our urban environment.
6:56:08
If the motivation for this change is to streamline the Department of City Planning's review process, that we recommend instead adding appropriate staffing to the department to ensure proper and timely review of proposed work within the districts.
6:56:22
Although there are some aspects of the city of E.
6:56:25
S.
6:56:26
Proposal that we support, we believe that undermining the purpose of the much valued special district zoning provision in the name of efficiency is not the right way to govern the city's growth.
6:56:36
Thank you very much for your consideration.