Q&A
Council Member Hanif questions Queens Community Board 11 chair on community engagement
1:06:12
·
99 sec
Council Member Shahana Hanif questions Paul DiBenedetto about the ULURP process and community engagement for the City of Yes proposal.
Paul clarifies that ULURP wasn't removed but could be endangered, and describes meaningful community engagement as a partnership where voices are heard, contrasting it with the current top-down approach.
- He emphasizes the importance of back-and-forth dialogue in community planning
- He cites a previous rezoning effort under the Bloomberg administration as an example of better engagement
- He expresses concern about the current proposal's approach, likening it to Robert Moses-style top-down planning
Shahana Hanif
1:06:12
Thank you, Chair Riley, and thank you to all of you for joining us and testifying.
1:06:18
I have a question or a few questions for Community Board 11 chair.
Mark Levine
1:06:22
Yes.
Shahana Hanif
1:06:23
So I think I heard you say that there's no you look for this.
1:06:27
The u loop clock on this proposal began last year in 2023.
1:06:31
And I'd like to understand from you what DCP's engagement was like.
Paul DiBenedetto
1:06:37
Yes.
Shahana Hanif
1:06:37
And if you could share what meaningful community input or engagement looks like to you?
Paul DiBenedetto
1:06:44
Thank you.
1:06:44
Yes.
1:06:45
Well, I didn't say that the EULIP process was taken away.
1:06:48
I said that it CityBS will endanger the EULIP process.
1:06:51
So, yes, of course, CityBS has gone through the EULIP process.
1:06:55
That's why the community boards and and bird presidents, etcetera, are now here.
1:06:59
That's why we're all hearing it.
1:07:01
Your second question was about engagement.
Shahana Hanif
1:07:04
What does community input look like?
Paul DiBenedetto
1:07:06
Right.
1:07:06
Well, John Young was was the was the Queen's director of city planning.
1:07:12
And during the the Bloomberg administration, he literally came to the community boards and to the community and to the the council members and said, we wanna rezone, you know, and and from my neighborhood, for Bayside and Northeast Queens.
1:07:26
And he he came to us and said what he wanted to do, and and we said that, well, that works and that doesn't work.
1:07:33
And it was a meaningful Yeah.
1:07:35
To and fro.
1:07:36
I was actually unhappy with it was mostly an up zoning.
1:07:39
But at least it was done in partnership, and it made us feel that as if that our voices were being heard as opposed to this, which is entirely a top down, like I mentioned, Robert Moses, way of of approaching zoning.
