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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Michael Kaess on ULURP reform and limiting member deference
2:57:43
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122 sec
Michael Kaess, a Morris Park resident, corroborates former Council Member Marjorie Velasquez's account of the vitriol surrounding the Throgs Neck rezoning, which he supported.
Based on his experience with ULURP, he finds the process overly long and repetitive and suggests merging community board and borough president reviews under the BP for efficiency.
Kaess also strongly advocates for limiting the City Council's ability to block or modify projects approved through the process, especially during a housing emergency, in order to counteract member deference which he believes often prioritizes politics over sound planning.
- Kaess supports the need for more housing in the East Bronx.
- Suggests consolidating community board and borough president reviews under the BP's office.
- Cites the Bronx Metro North rezoning as an example where BP review was more productive than CB reviews.
- Calls for limiting the City Council's power to alter or reject projects, particularly to curb member deference.
Michael Kaess
2:57:43
Hi.
2:57:44
My name is Michael Kass, and I'm a resident in Morris Park.
2:57:47
First, as someone who was a constituent of former council member Marjorie Velasquez, I must thank her for her powerful testimony earlier.
2:57:54
I supported the rezoning in Throgsnik, and I can vouch for the vitriol she and others experienced.
2:58:00
It wasn't easy, but she did the right thing for our district, because we desperately need more housing in the East Bronx.
2:58:07
I've participated in a few ULURP's, and it's clear the process could be improved.
2:58:12
ULURP is a very long and repetitive process, with a the same small group of folks testifying at each stage.
2:58:20
One idea worth exploring is merging the community board and borough president reviews into a single review under the borough president.
2:58:28
The borough president already oversees the community boards to begin with, and the borough president would still be able to consider local input while balancing borough wide needs.
2:58:38
Using the Bronx Metro North Station area rezoning as an example, we had three separate community board reviews of varying quality, to say the least, while the borough president hearing and review was productive, informative, and far less adversarial.
2:58:54
Streamline their process and let the borough president's office guide local community review with their professional land use staff.
2:59:02
On the other end of the EULA process, I'd like to see limits on the city council's ability to modify or disapprove land use applications during a housing emergency.
2:59:13
Ultimately, the aim should be to limit the unwritten practice of member deference.
2:59:18
We can streamline the rest of the process and still have this major roadblock.
2:59:23
Too often, city council members will put politics ahead of good planning, ultimately leading to fewer units of housing being approved.
2:59:32
We saw that with the Bronx Metro North rezoning, and we saw that with City of Yes with some of the modifications.
2:59:38
I understand that an informal practice like member deference is difficult to address, but the commission must try.
2:59:44
Thank you.