Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
Discussing City Planning Commission's role, community board composition, and term limits
0:49:15
·
5 min
Commissioner Shams DaBaron asks for specific charter proposals to mitigate the negative impacts of member deference.
Developer Kirk Goodrich again suggests an expedited process centered on City Planning Commission (CPC) approval, finding CPC hearings fairer than community board or council interactions.
DaBaron then asks former Council Member Marjorie Velasquez about improving community board representativeness; she emphasizes education, outreach for diverse applicants (including youth), and ensuring appointments reflect community demographics. Velasquez also expresses support for shortening community board term limits (currently eight years).
- Goodrich suggests strengthening the City Planning Commission's role, potentially making it the final arbiter for affordable housing projects.
- Velasquez advocates for improving community board representativeness through education, outreach, and attention to demographics in appointments.
- Velasquez supports shortening the current eight-year term limits for community board members.
Shams DaBaron
0:49:15
Good to see both of you and and all of you that are here.
0:49:19
So it's a lot of things, but keep it simple.
0:49:26
The member deference, clearly, you're indicating that it is a hindrance to development in certain areas where we would like to have fair share or whatever.
0:49:40
And I would assume that it makes it where certain communities are a force, so to speak, to bear the burden of building housing.
0:49:58
Specifically, what are your specific suggestions in terms of what we can do with the charter to sort of like change that or amend that?
Kirk Goodrich
0:50:14
So first of all, it's good to see you.
0:50:17
I would answer it similar to the way I answered Kathy's question.
0:50:21
And just generally speaking, there's a platform of things that revisit that CHPC is putting forward that I support.
0:50:30
But I
Kathryn Wylde
0:50:31
think
Kirk Goodrich
0:50:31
fundamentally, having a expedited process for affordable housing projects where the focal point is City Planning Commission approval.
0:50:45
And maybe there is a reconstituted city planning where there is more representation.
0:50:51
But I see member deference as being something that would be hard to avoid because it's such an informal thing.
0:51:02
If city council is the final destination for land use approvals, I just think once that's the case, I just think it's really hard to avoid this.
0:51:16
Now you could have a situation where they could be overridden by City Planning Commission or where City Planning Commission is the final destination for approval.
0:51:26
But I think any of those would work better than what we have now.
0:51:29
And honestly, in all the EULERP processes I've been through and there have been really very many I've always found my experience at City Planning Commission the most satisfying.
0:51:44
Because I just feel that it's a the hearing I've gotten there on different things through time, whether it's micro units or disposition or a variety of other things, has been fair.
0:52:00
I've rarely felt that way about community boards.
0:52:07
Certain community boards are worse than others, clearly.
0:52:12
And that with council members, it's completely hit or miss.
0:52:16
And the truth of the matter is, if you've gone through the years of conversations with a council member and you get their support, by the time you go through this process and get to city council, normally you're in a good enough place.
0:52:33
But without exception, I've always had the best experience and experiences before City Planning Commission.
0:52:43
And I just feel that should really be the place that's the final arbiter of these sorts of things, in my opinion.
Shams DaBaron
0:52:50
If I could just ask a question to the councilwoman as well.
0:52:55
So We've heard that perhaps there's a thing about how community board members are chosen.
0:53:12
And I don't know all the particulars, but is there something to be said about that in terms of what shapes communities?
0:53:20
Because we all wanna have the voices of the actual community members represented.
0:53:25
But I have seen in certain community board situations that they're not reflective of the overall community.
0:53:32
So do you have anything to say about that or suggestions of what we can do to look at that?
Marjorie Velasquez
0:53:41
Sure thing.
0:53:42
When I was a council member, oftentimes folks did not even know what a community board were.
0:53:49
And so it is, once again, raising awareness and education within the community and saying, hey, you can apply.
0:53:57
Even you can have the youth apply because you can go and be as young as 16.
0:54:01
And so it's encouraging awareness and education first within the community.
0:54:06
And what is a community board?
0:54:07
What can you do with this?
0:54:09
And more importantly, how important it is to participate in such a crucial level of government.
0:54:17
Right?
0:54:18
And it is something that beyond awareness now, the council member and certainly the borough president should really emphasize within their communities.
0:54:28
And when they're looking to appoint people, there is to look at the local demographics, look at where the voices are needed, and certainly make sure that it is representative of the district itself.
Kathryn Wylde
0:54:41
How about term limits?
Marjorie Velasquez
0:54:43
Term limits right now, it's eight years.
0:54:46
I'd like to see them shorter.
0:54:50
You said shorter?
0:54:51
Shorter, yes.