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Council Member Joseph raises concerns about flooding and environmental impact studies

4:30:15

·

164 sec

Council Member Joseph expresses concerns about the environmental impact of proposed zoning changes, particularly focusing on flooding issues in parts of her district. She questions the lack of district-level environmental impact studies for the 'district fixes' proposal.

Joseph mentions specific areas in her district prone to flooding, such as Ditmas Park and Kensington
She highlights ongoing efforts to mitigate flooding issues, including work with Prospect Park
The council member asks about the administration's plans to address both housing and environmental crises
Chair Garodnick responds by explaining the purpose and scope of the 'district fixes' proposal

Rita Joseph

4:30:15

And part of my district, and when I came in, I told you that Kony Island Avenue, for example, was one of the places that I called for a comprehensive rezoning because it hasn't been touched for a very long time, and it it's time for it to be rebuilt, and there's an opportunity there to build housing.

4:30:32

And as you said, it is close to transportation in terms of transportation buses.

4:30:36

So I would really be and I'd be calling for a comprehensive rezoning on Kony Allen since I got here.

4:30:42

So constituents also concerned about what you have is called district fixes proposal, which would allow for an increase in floor area ratios in low density district.

4:30:52

That has been done without a district level environmental impact studies.

4:30:55

So they're also looking for environmental impact studies.

4:30:58

Some so lie lying parts of our district already subject to flooding.

4:31:01

In Dittmann Park, I have a lot of flooding.

4:31:03

Kensington.

4:31:04

We have a lot of flooding when it rains.

4:31:06

They've been dealing with that issue for the past 13 years.

4:31:09

We recently have a town hall on how do we mitigate it.

4:31:12

We're working with Prospect Park because it also needed a park where the late goes up.

4:31:16

So what we've been doing is reducing the amount of water that send the late to make sure that when it rains, it doesn't overflow.

4:31:22

So what does the administration propose to ensure that we're making false choices between addressing our housing crisis in our already existing crisis, environmental crisis in that part of the district.

Daniel Garodnick

4:31:32

Right.

4:31:32

Well, I think it's important to note what the district fixes piece of this proposal does and it does not do.

4:31:41

We looked at low density neighborhoods around the city and saw that there was such significant nonconformity with existing rules that it was creating real problems for homeowners.

4:31:57

Whether they wanted to make small changes to their own building, their own home.

4:32:02

They found themselves in traps of noncompliance with insurance, with the Department of Buildings, with whoever they might be seeking some approval.

4:32:11

From, and we wanted to give them some relief.

4:32:16

So this is not one which I think would be relevant for a district level environmental review.

4:32:25

In fact, That's not something that we would do here.

4:32:29

We looked at our environmental review pursuant to city and state and city and state law as it relates to this proposal at large.

4:32:37

But the district fixes are really about those small changes to enable existing buildings to no longer be out of compliance with our existing rules.

Rita Joseph

4:32:46

And what about the floodings that happened in those areas that miss Park Kensington, those huge floodings happen?

4:32:51

And as my colleagues have said all across the board.

4:32:53

We're all facing flooding whether we live in Brooklyn or not.

4:32:56

It's across the city due to environment.

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Discussion on zoning changes, community impact, and housing needs in Flatbush

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Chair Garodnick addresses balancing flooding concerns with housing needs