Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
Community board opposition and the need for compromise in development
1:01:35
·
146 sec
Commissioner Diane Savino questions Council Member Gale A. Brewer about Community Boards often opposing development and how empowering them further (as Brewer suggested) would resolve conflicts when they vote no.
Brewer emphasizes the need for council members to show leadership ("guts") and acknowledges the lack of land use expertise on boards.
She advocates for compromise and finding acceptable solutions (like lower density or different housing types) rather than years of fighting, citing Manhattan CB4's proactive planning as a model.
Diane Savino
1:01:35
I have a question.
1:01:36
So so thank first of all, thank you.
1:01:38
You know, knew you would know the answer to any and all questions.
1:01:41
On the the one of the recommendations you have about the community boards, and I don't necessarily disagree with you.
1:01:47
Eight years is not enough time to learn.
1:01:48
It's not enough time to learn how land use in in a community board level or eight years is not enough time to learn how to become a council member.
1:01:54
Correct.
1:01:54
But but that being said, count community boards are oftentimes more opposed to development than anybody.
1:02:03
So how do you how do we resolve that?
1:02:05
So, again, I I actually know some council members and other elected officials who say they would never ever take a position in opposition to what their community board recommended, even though it's a nonbinding vote.
1:02:15
So if we were to go through this to reform this process and and inform the community board and they said no, how does that council member then move forward?
Gale A. Brewer
1:02:23
Well, the council member needs to have a little guts, first of all.
1:02:26
Well
Diane Savino
1:02:27
Guts is in short supply these days.
1:02:28
No.
Gale A. Brewer
1:02:28
I understand that.
1:02:29
I have a lot of guts.
1:02:30
So but the issue is the lack of understanding of land use at the community board level is intense.
1:02:39
There's I'm I was borough president.
1:02:41
I had to appoint people.
1:02:43
We did trainings constantly, and it still isn't enough.
1:02:47
So I would say, also, if you are in an area I don't know anything besides Manhattan.
1:02:52
I know there are five boroughs, but I never go to the other ones.
1:02:54
And so I am not familiar with, you know, suburban Queens or suburban Staten Island.
1:03:00
I know they're beautiful, but I don't go there.
Diane Savino
1:03:02
We're going to bring you out there.
Dr. Lisette Nieves
1:03:03
I know.
Gale A. Brewer
1:03:04
But you pointed out in your area, in Staten Island, that people are opposed.
1:03:08
So the issue for me would be like what Community Board four did in Manhattan.
1:03:12
They went to every single lot in that community, and they have actually superb land use experts on the board.
1:03:20
And they have a report.
1:03:21
You should read it.
1:03:22
And it lists every single way that affordable housing could be built on every single lot, the way they want to do it.
1:03:27
And they're building it.
1:03:29
So that's if somebody doesn't want a 30 story building in an area that has, I don't know, 10 story buildingsI don't even know what a 10 story building looks like in Manhattanthen go with a low rise, affordable, maybe homeownership.
1:03:44
Instead of spending years fighting this stuff, for God's sake, go with something that is acceptable and compromise in that area.
1:03:52
That's what I would do.
1:03:54
You know what?
1:03:55
I would make it happen.
Diane Savino
1:03:56
Alright.
1:03:57
You you would.
Gale A. Brewer
1:03:58
How many how many how many is this for you?