A new rezoning plan backed by Mayor Eric Adams drew sharp criticism from Brooklyn residents at a public meeting on Thursday.
The ‘City of Yes for Economic Opportunity’ proposal is the second phase of a three-part plan by the city to promote sustainability, support small businesses and expand the development of housing through rezoning. The Department of City Planning (DCP) began the public review process for the economic development portion of the plan in October with presentations to local community boards across the city.
Thursday’s public hearing on the proposal took place during the Brooklyn Borough Board’s regular monthly meeting. A representative from DCP presented details of the plan, which aims to remove zoning restrictions on the location of businesses.
“The (current) zoning is fundamentally unclear on where businesses can locate and what they can do,” says Matt Waskiewicz, lead planner with DCP on the project. “That's a problem not just for us, a city agency, but also for community members trying to understand where a business can go.”
The mayor previously said the plan will stimulate economic growth by expanding where businesses can operate and removing outdated zoning restrictions, which have gone largely unchanged since the 60s.
But critics of the plan have said the removal of the restrictions will allow businesses to encroach upon residential buildings and neighborhoods. This may increase noise levels and allow developers to exploit the looser restrictions by expanding their property that's harmful to residents.
At Thursday’s public hearing, nearly 30 members of the public spoke, with only one person in favor of the plan.
“With all of the vacant commercial space that we currently have, how is mixing commercial space and residential space going to be beneficial?” said Angus Fisher, a Brooklyn resident.
Adrienne Walsh, a recently retired Fire Department lieutenant, said he was concerned about fire safety of a mixed-use building with commercial spaces on the upper floors, which is not allowed under current zoning laws.
“If I respond to a multiple dwelling and there’s a cafe on the third floor, I have no idea what I'm walking into,” said Walsh. “You will not have the boots on the ground to regulate this. And money trumps regulation. You are putting people's lives in danger with this."
One resident expressed content.
“Our zoning laws were put in place with concern and protection for residential neighborhoods and economic stability and opportunity," said Maxine Barnes, a borough resident. "It is not outdated. It is does not need to be modernized.”
The City Planning Commission will hold their own public hearing on the proposal next month. Last year, the first phase of the City of Yes plan, called ‘The City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality’ focused on sustainability and was approved by City council. The plan aims to reduce to city’s carbon emissions 80% by 2050.
The third phase of the plan, ‘The City of Yes for Housing Opportunity’ will be discussed through public hearings in the spring.
