QUESTION
Why is the Department of City Planning (DCP) proposing authorizations instead of special permits for certain new approvals?
3:16:54
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85 sec
The DCP is proposing authorizations instead of special permits for certain minor developments to strike a balance between enabling projects and streamlining the approval process.
- Authorizations are deemed appropriate for projects like small campus commercial spaces or film studio waivers that don't require a full council-level review.
- Using authorizations bypasses the lengthy Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) involving multiple levels of government scrutiny.
- Public review is still required for authorizations, including environmental assessments and consideration by community boards, borough presidents, and the City Planning Commission.
- The goal is to enable certain developments to proceed without being subject to the full special permit process.
Kevin C. Riley
3:16:54
My last questions are about proposal 15, 16, and 17, which create new CPC authorizations that do not involve city council's review.
3:17:04
Why has DCP proposed these new approvals as authorizations instead of special permits that will include the complete steps of Euler with community board, borough presidents, and city council review.
Dan Garodnick
3:17:17
The short answer is that we are trying to strike a balance here between enabling a thing to happen and not have it be quite as onerous as a full review.
3:17:28
Because the things that we are proposing, things like a small amount of commercial space on a campus or a corner store or a waiver to enable a film studio to not have to deal with setback or rear yard requirements.
3:17:43
These were things that we did not think needed to rise to a full special permit at the council level, and that's why we proposed them as something less.
3:17:51
As an authorization.
Kevin C. Riley
3:17:54
We'll file a full public review, Hakan will be sure that residents of campus developments like Nitro, will be able to weigh in on any proposed commercial development.
Dan Garodnick
3:18:03
Well, it would have to be Nitro that would propose it in the first instance.
3:18:07
Because they would come to us with an application to consider, and then it would go through environmental review, community board, borough president, and City Planning Commission for consideration of an authorization.