PRESENTATION
Simplifying processes for certain developments
1:01:34
·
5 min
Garodnick outlines several proposals to simplify and streamline processes for certain types of developments as part of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity initiative. These changes aim to remove barriers to housing production.
- The proposal would streamline the railroad right-of-way special permit process, making it more efficient and less costly
- Changes would make it easier for landmark buildings to sell their development rights, potentially benefiting more landmarks across the city
- The process for creating supportive housing would be simplified, changing from a special permit to an authorization in R6 and R7 districts
- Garodnick emphasizes that these changes would not significantly impact the public review process, with 99% of projects that went through ULURP in the last decade still requiring it
- These simplifications are presented as ways to facilitate housing development while maintaining appropriate oversight
Daniel Garodnick
1:01:34
We also want to simplify a few areas which have impeded housing production over time.
1:01:39
One of them is a right of railroad, right of way special permit.
1:01:43
This was created in the 19 sixties to support new housing while protecting railroad operations.
1:01:50
The process is a full special permit via Ulerp, which has become confusing, inefficient, and costly.
1:01:58
We would streamline this process while protecting our planning goals.
1:02:02
I will note that it is a special permit on top of what other whatever other land use changes you might need.
1:02:08
This is an additional special permit.
1:02:11
So we propose For larger sites, you get an authorization requiring environmental review review by community boards and the planning commission.
1:02:19
Smaller sites would just get a certification via chair of city planning.
1:02:23
We think that this deals with the issue of is there a railroad use present here in a way that protects the city's interests and also deals with a special permit that has gotten very inefficient and cumbersome.
1:02:36
Next slide.
1:02:39
Similarly, we want to make it easier for landmark buildings to sell their development rights.
1:02:43
As you all know, we have a lot of landmark buildings out there that financially struggle due to their high maintenance costs.
1:02:50
But the process for them to sell the development rights that they are stuck with through Landmarking is very complicated.
1:02:57
And it's not at all allowed in lower density and historic districts.
1:03:01
As a result, we've seen 15 15 landmarks that have sold their development rights in the last 50 years.
1:03:09
So we have stranded everybody else, and almost all of the 15 were in central areas of Manhattan.
1:03:16
Next slide.
1:03:19
So we want to update and simplify the transfer process, so landmark buildings can raise money that they need and also for us to enable a little more housing to be built.
1:03:27
So we would allow for landmarks to transfer their development rights to any lots on the same block or across the street or at the next intersection.
1:03:38
K?
1:03:39
You can see right now, the the dark green is where you can transfer.
1:03:44
If you're a landmark building, we're on that.
1:03:47
Let's call it the northeast corner of that block with the star.
1:03:50
You could transfer today only within the green.
1:03:53
We propose to allow you to transfer by way of illustration anywhere in the light green.
1:03:59
So same block across the street or next intersection.
1:04:03
We would permit transfers in lower density neighborhoods and historic districts.
1:04:08
We would simplify the transfer approval process.
1:04:11
If you require bulk bulk modifications on the receiving side, we would have an authorization certification.
1:04:17
If there is no bulk modification, we would cap the increased amount of density on the receiving side to 20%.
1:04:24
So we'd make sure that it is reasonably scaled with one exception here in commercial districts, which already have 15 plus f a r.
1:04:33
We would not create that 20% cap.
1:04:36
We would maintain all landmark and historic district protections.
1:04:40
So Landmark's Commission would still have their critical role in evaluating anything touching a historic district.
1:04:46
Next slide.
1:04:49
And the third area where we propose some process changes is to make it easier to create supportive housing.
1:04:55
Today, supportive housing developments, whoops, there we go, that want to access higher community facility FARs, in our R6 and R7 districts, they have to apply for a full special permit.
1:05:08
We simplify that.
1:05:08
We make it boldly and authorization.
1:05:12
We want to make this less burdensome and costly.
1:05:14
We want to help spark the creation of these urgently needed supportive homes.
1:05:18
So this is take a special permit to access the higher densities for R6 and R7 District.
1:05:25
Make it into a sort of an authorization.
1:05:26
Make it a little easier.
1:05:27
Next slide.
1:05:30
Okay.
1:05:31
We also and I know this is important.
1:05:33
Mister chairman, I know this is important to you, so I put you on this slide.
1:05:36
This is important to the council to protect council prerogatives and also community board prerogatives.
1:05:42
As I noted, commissioner Carrie on and I in your seats once upon a time, and we know that it is important to protect the interests of the council here.
1:05:49
We reviewed what kinds of projects actually go through Ulerp.
1:05:56
And of note, the kinds of large scale projects that go through public review today would continue to go through public review even if city of yes is passed without a single line edit.
1:06:09
In fact, we looked at this over the last 10 years and found that 99% of projects that went through Eulerve in the last decade would still have to go through Eulerve here.
1:06:23
This is an important point because I think there's been concerns from community boards and from council members about whether we're somehow taking power away from the council, 99% would continue to have to go through Europe.
1:06:35
Why is that?
1:06:35
Well, it's because We're only slightly expanding any development rights, and they're beyond what any developer would ever request through the formality, complexity, and cost of Euler.
1:06:50
Okay.
