Q&A
Council Member Dinowitz questions panelists on parking mandates and development
3:25:59
·
169 sec
Council Member Eric Dinowitz engages with panelists, particularly Derek Marcus, on the topic of parking mandates and development in different areas of New York City. He challenges the idea that parking is unnecessary in certain areas and questions who determines parking needs.
- Dinowitz emphasizes that good jobs exist in the Bronx and that cross-Bronx travel can be difficult
- He questions the reliance on free market arguments by housing advocates
- Dinowitz argues that community needs should determine parking requirements, not just developer assessments
Eric Dinowitz
3:25:59
You know, there are good jobs in the Bronx too.
Jackson Chabot
3:26:01
By the way, that's why I said that's the first question.
Eric Dinowitz
3:26:03
Thank you so much.
3:26:05
I I just I I I find it interesting that the the parking mandate question is one that that comes up, the evidence in my district is that when there's as of right development, when a developer can have provide 0 parking.
3:26:19
They do.
3:26:20
And and I I don't blame them.
3:26:21
They they they're there to make money, and but but that's not the needs in our district.
3:26:25
I I mentioned yesterday.
3:26:27
I am interested to hear some of your thoughts, Mister Mister Marcus.
3:26:31
For example, in my district, we have a number of R6 R6 areas where it's zoned for R6 where there are single family homes under current zoning.
3:26:40
What is preventing a developer from developing Apartment buildings there now under current zoning where single family homes exist.
Derek Marcus
3:26:50
I I can't speak to that specific district, but what I can say is that we have a development site where parking is required for 50% of the units.
3:26:58
It's transportation rich area.
3:27:00
It's completely unnecessary.
3:27:02
We will build parking there, but that is excessive.
Eric Dinowitz
3:27:06
Who who so this is one of the, I think, a fundamental question.
3:27:09
Who believes that parking is unnecessary?
3:27:13
Who do who's determining that?
Derek Marcus
3:27:14
I think we're assessing the market because this is what we do as developers.
3:27:18
We look at what the demand is, and we'll decide how much parking is right for the site.
3:27:22
So we'll have the option to decide, okay.
3:27:24
We could go, you know, we could do 0, but we're not gonna do 0.
3:27:28
We know some residents will demand it because they have cars.
3:27:31
They rely on cars for lots of reasons.
3:27:33
So instead of doing 50%, which is mandated
Kevin C. Riley
3:27:36
Right.
Derek Marcus
3:27:36
We would have the option of
Charles Ny
3:27:37
doing I
Eric Dinowitz
3:27:37
just wanna point out only because I have I I think it is an interesting question of who makes that ultimate determination.
3:27:43
I think I heard the the phrase thread the needle.
3:27:46
I think that's really important because our jobs are not Manhattan centric.
3:27:51
A lot of people in the Bronx, the number one player is Montefiertes.
3:27:54
Office employs a lot of people.
3:27:56
That's across the Bronx.
3:27:57
And Cross Bronx travel is awful.
3:27:59
If I wanna get to my buddy's house, it's an hour a half for my house, it's quicker for me to get to city hall.
3:28:03
It's quicker for me to get to New Jersey.
3:28:07
So I I just I I think it's important to point out if I may just finish chair
Kevin C. Riley
3:28:11
real quick.
3:28:12
Fair enough.
3:28:12
Announcement.
Eric Dinowitz
3:28:13
That, you know, parking isn't about, you know, what you determine.
3:28:16
It's what the what the community needs, and I do find it rather surprising that housing advocates are relying on unfettered free market arguments to make their arguments about when we don't believe in unfettered free markets, if we did, we would do away with rent stabilization, we would do away with tenant protections.
3:28:34
But we do realize in this city that there is some need to to have us say, in in these things that it's not unfettered capitalism that is keeping our neighborhoods and our tenants safe and protected and keep and supporting the type of neighborhoods that we like to live in.
UNKNOWN
3:28:48
Thank you.
