Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
Paula Z. Segal's concerns about zoning resolution changes
5:53:33
·
163 sec
Paula Z. Segal raises concerns about recent changes to the zoning resolution numbering system and its unintended consequences on building code interpretation. Council Member Pierina Sanchez acknowledges the issue and promises to follow up.
- Paula explains how the renumbering affects conversions between retail and office spaces
- She highlights potential increased costs for businesses and city agencies
- Council member commits to following up with relevant departments on this issue
Pierina Sanchez
5:53:33
Awesome, thank you.
5:53:35
Great.
5:53:36
Paula, just an opportunity to wrap
Paula Z. Segal
5:53:37
your thoughts.
5:53:38
Alright.
5:53:39
So this is a little this might feel a little bit out of left field, but DOB was here and I wanna just put this on the record and draw your attention.
5:53:48
This is super technical, but it's having very real world impact.
5:53:52
As part of City of Yes, this council approved a change that renumbered everything in the zoning resolution.
5:53:59
Mhmm.
5:54:00
And I want everybody to feel the chill in that.
5:54:03
Because it seemed like oh we're gonna make the numbers all nice.
5:54:06
Nobody checked the building code to see what impacts that was going to have.
5:54:10
Nice.
5:54:11
Yeah.
5:54:12
Good job somebody.
5:54:13
So the building code explicitly says that if you wanna make a conversion of a space that was formerly retailer mercantile into an office or an office into a retail store.
5:54:27
So imagine all those dentist offices in your neighborhood, the one where I go to clean my teeth.
5:54:32
Imagine all of our storefront constituent services provision offices, maybe your office, that's what we're talking about.
5:54:41
Building code says the code shall not be interpreted to require an issuance of a new or amended certificate of occupancy for a change from mercantile establishment to a business establishment or from a business establishment to a mercantile establishment provided that the changes within the same zoning use group.
5:54:59
From 1961 to 2024 the zoning resolution called retail uses six a and office uses six b.
5:55:12
Same zoning use group.
5:55:14
City of Yes says, oh, retail is Roman numeral six and office is Roman numeral seven.
5:55:19
And a client of mine has been denied a letter of no objection from DOB because they went and read the zoning resolution and they were like, sorry guys, it's not the same u script.
5:55:29
And I am sure my client is not alone and forcing your office, the dentist, my client, and their constituent services office to go get an amended certificate of incorporation so they can use a little store as their office.
5:55:46
That's gonna be expensive for the agency, that's gonna be expensive for all of us, please make them stop.
Alexa Áviles
5:55:50
Okay, got it.
Pierina Sanchez
5:55:52
Thank you and sorry I didn't get a chance to ask them that question earlier, but I it was on my list of 60,000,000 questions.
5:55:59
So we will follow-up with them just to make sure we get a response to that, but thank you, thank you to this panel And yeah, we'll be following up.
Pilar de Jesus
5:56:09
Thank you and shout out to all the women and moms and it's rough job, childcare is expensive.