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Q&A
Ericka Keller calls for better inter-agency coordination in planning and development
2:51:17
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133 sec
Responding to Commissioner Shams DaBaron's question about potential charter solutions, developer Ericka Keller emphasizes the critical need for better coordination and shared purpose among city agencies involved in development.
She cites the Far Rockaway rezoning as an example where lack of upfront planning between housing agencies and infrastructure agencies (like DEP) created significant downstream problems and delays for individual projects trying to build approved density. Keller advocates for integrated planning involving all relevant agencies from the outset of major initiatives.
- Lack of coordination between city agencies (e.g., housing vs. infrastructure like DEP) creates major development hurdles.
- Cites Far Rockaway rezoning where infrastructure didn't keep pace with planned density, causing delays for individual projects.
- Advocates for mandatory, integrated planning involving all relevant city agencies before major rezonings or development initiatives are launched.
Shams DaBaron
2:51:17
Sorry.
2:51:17
I know we got
Richard R. Buery Jr.
2:51:18
mhmm.
2:51:19
Go ahead.
Adolfo Carrión Jr.
2:51:19
Go ahead.
Shams DaBaron
2:51:20
Okay.
2:51:21
That last statement almost brought me to tears, so sorry about that.
2:51:30
Is there anything specifically like, with the charter and stuff that we could address that could sort of, like, mediate that that could address those things and make it easier for us to bypass that?
Ericka Keller
2:51:44
I mean, I think that there are so many things.
2:51:47
Like, I think that the city needs to really think long and hard and deep and to say that if there are goals that are stated by each one of the agencies, then every process needs to support that.
2:52:04
There needs to be conversation amongst the agencies and the partners that they have to make processes easier and not a fight.
2:52:14
Like, we're developing a project in Cornega or Cornega in Far Rockaway.
2:52:21
And Far Rockaway is saddled with structural issues, right, because the downtown rezone did not have any conversation with DEP.
2:52:32
And so you have developments going up left and right, but there isn't the infrastructure to support all of the new developments that are happening in Downtown Far Rockaway.
2:52:42
And so each developer is now fighting with DEP who's trying to figure out how do we get some other agency to pay for the infrastructure that's needed to support these developments that are going.
2:52:56
That could have been eliminated when, through the EULA process that was originated by the city itself, that they had all of the commissioners sit down at the table and say, this is the ten year plan for downtown for Rockaway.
2:53:13
What do you need to do, DEP, in order to facilitate this?
2:53:17
What do the roads need to look like in order to facilitate this?
2:53:20
What do the schools need to look like?
2:53:23
Like, how do we all plan so that we're not fighting each other as this is being unfolded for our constituents?