Q&A
Discussion on bike storage requirements in city buildings
1:31:08
·
4 min
Council Member Eric Dinowitz questions DCAS representatives about Intro 162, which requires bicycle storage in certain city-owned buildings. The discussion covers DCAS's existing bike policy, the scope of buildings under DCAS management, and potential challenges in implementing the legislation across all city properties.
- DCAS currently has a bike policy for tenants who wish to explore bike storage
- DCAS manages 55 buildings, mostly courthouses and multi-tenanted office buildings
- Concerns raised about enforcing compliance in buildings not under DCAS jurisdiction
Eric Dinowitz
1:31:08
And I I wanna just quickly ask about introduction 162 about city bicycle storage.
1:31:16
You said your testimony, decast currently has an existing bike policy available to any tenant that wishes to explore bike storage.
1:31:24
Can you talk a little more about that?
Laura Ringelheim
1:31:28
Absolutely.
1:31:28
So in in compliance with the Department of Transportation's bike plan, Decast has adopted that plan as its own.
1:31:35
So If there is a request from a tenant to add internal bike storage, there is a process that is controlled by the Adcode, Title 28504, or rules of the state of New York, Title 34, to Dash 19.
1:31:53
And that provides for a a tenant who wishes to have bike storage in the building to make that request and go through that process.
1:31:59
And generally, the process is not so different from this current legislation.
1:32:05
It's it's really just asking the commissioner of Decast to do that in the buildings instead of having each tenant do it.
1:32:11
Now to that end, we do have some internal building bike storage, and we mostly have external bike storage where we have you know, I'm not sure that we've gone through what what this legislation is asking for the commissioner to weigh in on all 55 buildings, but certainly, we have done it for buildings that we know that we can do it.
Eric Dinowitz
1:32:30
Well, tell I I I very simply, more systemically, to say we're feasible.
1:32:36
The the city will find bike storage or have in their buildings already existing bike storage so that employees, students, and visitors can can go in and know prearranged.
1:32:50
The system needs to need to be in place because we've done it with this legislation.
Laura Ringelheim
1:32:54
Sure.
1:32:55
So just to note that that that we don't oversee the DOE building.
1:32:59
So for schools, we wouldn't have jurisdiction or authority.
1:33:03
And similarly, you know, and I think it's kind of an these bills.
1:33:11
We really we oversee our 55 buildings, so there are obviously a lot more city properties where, you know, you would want this to apply.
1:33:18
And we can only really speak for our 55 and for what our commissioner you know, could do to take this effort on for those buildings.
1:33:26
And then the rest is, you know, city owned, so under city's jurisdiction, but that's
Eric Dinowitz
1:33:30
I wouldn't know if the legislation does say schools, although I recognize that it's not you, but it's It's in the legislation, so I do wanna note that.
1:33:38
Right.
1:33:39
And you said managing city owned properties and some of the limitations that can potentially impede ability to enforce compliance.
1:33:47
Can you talk about some of those limitations?
Laura Ringelheim
1:33:49
So it's really just what I was saying that we have the 55 buildings.
1:33:53
So we don't our 55 buildings, which are mostly approximately half court houses and half multi tenanted office buildings.
1:34:00
But it doesn't include pre syncs or one police plaza or libraries or or other city buildings that this might apply to, it really is those 55.
1:34:09
So though, you know, there can this legislation would apply to all, it's difficult for Decast to wrangle the, you know, many, many, many hundreds of buildings that this would apply to to enforce and to do that assessment or make other commissioners do that assessment for their sites.
Eric Dinowitz
1:34:28
I know it'd be difficult.
1:34:30
Yeah.
1:34:30
But that's why we we do this work because it's It's something difficult, but it but important.
Laura Ringelheim
1:34:35
Not saying any kids.
Eric Dinowitz
1:34:36
Bike access and ability for people to use their bicycles in New York City.
Laura Ringelheim
1:34:41
It's just that there might be and and I think we could discuss this, you know, going further and and offline that the goals can be achieved, and Decast should be responsible for its own buildings, but probably a different entity within the city to to kind of make sure that everyone is doing what is required by the bill and reporting on that.
Eric Dinowitz
1:35:02
Okay.
1:35:03
And would love to talk further.
1:35:04
And for no other reason that I'm trying to get counsel chair wrestler to get a bicycle, his own bicycle, not just rely on city bike.
1:35:11
It's a great thing.
1:35:13
And I just I I clearly wanna ask for for Introduction 587, w commissioner, you had I know when we discussed this at Cher Gutierrez' previous hearing about feedback, each time a case is marked as closed, providing a feedback system.
