Tuesday, July 14, 2026, 11 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises
0:05 You. Speech. Good morning an
0:05 dwelcome to today's vote from
0:06 New York City Council sub on
0:09 sony and franchises at this
0:10 point, I'd like your remind
0:11 everyone to please sounds
0:13 there. Electronic devices and
0:14 at no point is anyone to
0:16 approach the dais chair. We
0:17 are ready to begin. Good
0:20 morning and welcome to a
0:21 meeting of the sub on zoning
0:24 and franchises I'm council far
0:25 lewis, chair of the
0:26 subcommittee this morning. We
0:27 are joined by the council
0:30 members Farías, salam Felder
0:32 incarnation Thomas Henry and
0:33 mine ready? Lead a car today
0:36 we are scheduled to vote on
0:38 seven proposals. The first
0:39 vote concerns 98 and 99
0:42 related to the 198 dash tool
0:45 richmond terrorists rezoning
0:46 proposal in the Council Member
0:49 hanks's district the applicant
0:50 is seeking to develop a mix
0:52 ,use residential project in st
0:54 george on the north shore of
0:56 staten island that would have
0:58 approximately a hundred 18
0:59 apartments and up to 35 of the
1:02 apartments would be
1:05 permanently affordable. This
1:06 proposal involves two actions
1:07 .the first is a map amendment
1:10 to change the existing
1:12 residential are sixth distric
1:13 tand see too it residential 7
1:20 -3 with dash three distric
1:21 twith a c to- four commercial
1:24 overly.
1:24 A second action is a zoning
1:26 texan men to map a mandatory
1:29 inclusion inclusionary housing
1:31 area Council Member hank
1:33 supports this proposal. This.
1:36 Oh, she's here. Council Hanks.
1:40 Ah, thank you. Chair. Good
1:42 morning again, the north shore
1:44 is changing, and with that
1:45 comes responsibility to make
1:46 sure people who have invested
1:47 their lives here are not left
1:49 behind because this is not
1:53 simply about approving another
1:54 building is about creating the
1:55 kinds of housing opportunities
1:57 that allow working families,
1:59 young professionals and
2:00 longtime step now and just
2:01 continue to build their
2:05 futures here. This proposal
2:05 will bring 118 New apartment
2:07 to st george, including
2:08 permanently affordable
2:09 workforce housing, along with
2:11 community facilities space
2:12 that will serve the
2:15 surrounding neighborhood
2:15 located near the ferry public
2:17 transportation, jobs and local
2:18 businesses. This is the type
2:20 of location where housing New
2:23 housing makes sense throughou
2:24 tthis process. My my office has
2:26 worked to ensure the project
2:27 was strengthened with the
2:28 final proposal that includes
2:31 enhanced storm water
2:32 management, a rooftop green
2:33 space and a better response t
2:35 othe site's conditions and
2:38 surrounding community. We
2:39 often talk about keeping
2:41 staten islanders here, but
2:42 that conversation has t
2:43 oinclude where they are going
2:46 to live free one. Our teacher
2:46 s, health care professionals,
2:50 first responders and young
2:51 professionals remain on staten
2:51 island. We have to create
2:53 yof our housing challenges, but
3:01 this project moves us in the
3:02 right direction by creating
3:04 New rental opportunities,
3:06 expanding workforce
3:08 availability and affordability
3:09 and investing in continued
3:11 growth of the north shore. I
3:12 look forward to my colleagues
3:15 supporting this project and
3:16 thank you so much.
3:19 Thank you, councilmember.
3:20 We've also been joined by
3:21 council Nurse. The second vote
3:22 concerns. L use 94 and 95
3:24 related to the 160 fourth
3:27 street with his own proposal,
3:30 the applicant is seeking to
3:31 develop a mixed use
3:33 residential project in
3:35 hillcrest, queens, that would
3:36 have approximately 8
3:38 0apartments and up to 24 of the
3:40 apartments would be
3:42 permanently affordable the
3:43 proposal involves two actions.
3:45 The first is the zoning map
3:46 amendment to change the
3:48 existing residential 3- t
3:51 odistrict to a residential are
3:52 six aid district with a c to
3:57 -for commercial overlay. His
3:57 second action is the zoning
3:58 text amendment to map a
3:59 mandatory inclusionary housing
4:01 area counter member supports
4:03 this proposal, the third vote
4:05 concerns. L use 96 and 97
4:08 related to the 50 2108 stree
4:11 trezoning proposal and council
4:14 member Thomas henry's district
4:14 , the applicant is seeking t
4:16 odevelop a two mixed use
4:18 residential project in south
4:21 corona, queens, that together
4:22 would have a problem
4:23 approximately a hundred 96
4:25 apartments, of which 49 would
4:28 be permanently affordable
4:29 under me h option one. The
4:32 sites are located across the
4:33 street from each other along
4:37 fiftieth avenue. The proposal
4:38 involves two actions. The
4:39 first is a zoning map
4:40 amendment to change the
4:43 existing residential b
4:44 district with a c to- three
4:46 commercial overlay to a
4:48 residential 78 district with a
4:51 c 2- 4 commercial overly the
4:54 second action is a zoning text
4:55 amendment to map a mandatory
4:58 inclusionary housing area. We
4:59 are recommending to
5:01 modifications. The first is t
5:02 oreduce the residential
5:04 resigning area that the
5:05 apicanplt is requesting t
5:07 oaddress concerns of
5:09 residential displacement,
5:10 removing existing residential
5:11 buildings from the proposed
5:13 absorbing will decrease
5:14 development pressure in the
5:15 area of the City that faces a
5:17 high displacement pressure
5:18 based on this cities equitable
5:22 development data explora the
5:23 second modification is to
5:25 remove me. Option two, which
5:27 will ensure that the
5:28 affordable housing to will
5:30 ensure that the affordable
5:31 housing to be provided as
5:33 actually affordable council
5:34 member Thomas Henry support
5:35 sthis proposal as modified.
5:37 We've been joined by a council
5:40 member Council Member Thomas
5:40 Henry four statement. Thank
5:44 you, chair. I want to first
5:45 thank the entire land you
5:46 staff for your in bringing
5:48 this to the finish line. I
5:50 want to thank the community
5:53 members, neighbors, community
5:54 board four members who spoke
5:55 up about what they wanted to
5:57 see in this neighborhood and
5:58 helped guide these
6:00 modifications. I want to thank
6:01 the applicant who has long
6:04 standing roots in the
6:04 community, which made this. Um
6:08 , first you alert in m
6:08 ydistrict and quite some time
6:09 in my first you look, um,
6:11 quite a process of real
6:14 development with community in
6:16 mind. Um, so I'm happy that we
6:17 reached an agreement where we
6:19 will have more affordable
6:20 units that actually our units
6:22 that members of the current
6:24 community can actually afford
6:26 that those units will reflect
6:27 what is in the community
6:29 ,which is more families instead
6:33 of smaller units working with
6:35 our neighborhood partners to
6:36 make sure that families within
6:38 district 21 are able to gain
6:40 access to these New New unit e
6:46 inclusion on building this New
6:49 development working with 32
6:52 for more local union
6:54 opportunities for local
6:55 residents and continuing t
6:57 ostore it the local park that
6:58 has been a part of the
7:00 community for so long, so very
7:02 excited we are landing on this
7:05 in looking forward to voting
7:08 . Thank you, councilmember the
7:10 fourth fourth vote concerns l
7:11 u s hundred 809 related to the
7:15 11 66 bedford avenue rezoning
7:16 proposal and Council Member
7:19 district. The applicant is
7:20 seeking to develop a mixed use
7:21 affordable senior housing
7:22 project in bed stuy, brooklyn,
7:23 that would have approximately
7:25 a hundred 44 apartments, of
7:27 which 43 would be permanently
7:30 affordable
7:30 . The proposal involves two
7:32 actions. The first is the
7:32 zoning map of change the
7:36 existing residential eight
7:37 district too, eh? C t
7:39 odashboard with a c dash fou
7:41 roverly district to a
7:43 residential are seven. Ex
7:43 district with to- for
7:49 commercial overly. The second
7:49 action is a zoning text
7:50 amendment to map a mandatory
7:53 inclusionary housing area
7:54 Council Member. Oh, say
7:55 . Supports this proposal, the
7:58 fifth vote concerns 100 to 10
8:00 3related to the 2950 west 24
8:03 street rezoning proposal and
8:05 Council Member santos also is
8:06 district the applicant is
8:08 seeking to develop a mixed use
8:10 affordable housing project in
8:11 coney island, brooklyn, that
8:14 would have approximately 408
8:15 apartments, of which 122 would
8:18 be permanently affordable.
8:20 The proposed development
8:21 would be an infill proje onct
8:24 a large site that presently
8:25 has one building and an
8:28 underused surface parking lot.
8:30 The proposal involves for
8:31 actions. The first is the
8:33 zoning map amendment to change
8:34 the existing residential are
8:39 six district with
8:40 . With two had two a
8:42 residential 7- 3 district with
8:44 c 2- 4 commercial overlay. The
8:46 second action is the zoning
8:48 text amendment to map and
8:49 mandatory inclusionary housing
8:52 area that the other actions
8:53 are for two special permit
8:55 that would provide bach
8:57 weaver's flexibility and the
8:59 distribution of the bulk and
9:00 reduce the minimum required
9:02 distance between buildings
9:03 .the second special permit is
9:05 to reduce the required parking
9:07 councilmember santos also
9:08 supports his proposal is she
9:13 only
9:13 . The six vote concerns 405
9:15 related to the 63- zero too
9:17 fresh pond road rezoning
9:19 proposal and Council Member
9:21 wang's district, the applicant
9:21 is seeking to develop a mix
9:23 use residential project in
9:27 ridgewood, queens, that
9:28 together would have
9:28 approximately 54 apartment, of
9:31 which 14 would be permanently
9:32 affordable under me.
9:35 The proposal involves two
9:37 actions. The first is a zoning
9:39 map amendment to change the
9:40 existing residential or five b
9:44 district with a c 1- for
9:46 commercial ovulate late to a
9:47 residential
9:47 . Are six aid district with a
9:50 c to- four commercial overlay.
9:52 The second action is a zoning
9:53 text amendment to map a
9:55 mandatory inclusionary housing
9:58 two, which will ensure the
10:03 affordable apartments are
10:04 provided at an average of 60%
10:08 council wang supports this
10:09 proposal as modified, the
10:12 sixth and final vote concerns
10:14 607 related to the eleventh
10:16 pugsley avenue rezoning
10:20 proposal, but sorry. Yeah.
10:20 Proposal and Council Member
10:22 five district the applicant is
10:23 seeking to develop a mix use
10:25 affordable housing project in
10:27 the union port neighborhood of
10:30 the bronx that would have
10:31 approximately 104 apartments,
10:33 of which 37 would be
10:36 permanently affordable.
10:36 The proposal involves two
10:37 actions. The first is zoning
10:39 map amendment to change the
10:41 existing residential are fiv
10:42 edistrict to a residential are
10:44 7 8 district what they see too
10:48 - four commercial overlay. The
10:49 second action is a zoning text
10:49 amendment to map a mandatory
10:51 inclusionary housing area
10:52 Council Member fight against
10:53 supports this project. I now
10:54 recognize her for her
10:56 statement. Good morning. Thank
10:57 you, chair lewis the members
10:58 of the subcommittee on zoning
11:00 in franchises. I'm excited t
11:01 ospeak today in support of the
11:04 11 60 pugsley avenue rezoning
11:05 a project, I'm proud t
11:06 oadvance in vote? Yes on
11:08 because it delivers 104
11:09 affordable homes, including
11:11 family sized apartments,
11:12 neighborhoods serving retail,
11:14 outdoor recreation space 32
11:16 parking spaces and a fresh
11:18 green market that strengthens
11:19 food access for our
11:21 communities with rents
11:22 outpacing what working
11:23 families can afford and the
11:25 bronx, continuing to carry
11:26 some of the city's heaviest
11:27 rent burdens in tens of
11:29 thousands of New yorkers still
11:29 sleeping in shelters each
11:31 night we have to be critical
11:33 about how we get to the
11:33 solution we need to build more
11:36 housing, make sure that
11:37 housing is connected t
11:40 oaffordability, support family
11:40 stability and meet the
11:41 everyday needs of New.
11:43 Yorkers a lot of thought,
11:45 intention and discourse went
11:46 into getting us to this point
11:47 I have had ongoing
11:49 conversations with this
11:50 developer about what this
11:51 project needs to deliver
11:52 because anyone who knows me
11:53 knows that if a proposal is
11:57 not taking a multifaceted
11:57 approach to solving some of
11:59 the greatest overarching
11:59 problems in my district. I
12:01 will always have some feedback
12:02 and.
12:03 In this case the developer
12:04 took all of those
12:07 recommendations seriously
12:08 . Affordability has to be
12:09 measured by the full reality
12:10 families are carrying every
12:12 day rents, groceries,
12:13 transportation, access to
12:14 healthier options and the
12:15 ability to remain in the
12:17 neighborhoods where New
12:18 development helps meet real
12:21 community needs the housing
12:22 model for this project
12:23 includes much needed
12:24 flexibility within term sheets
12:25 with options one or two, which
12:28 are competitive ranges for
12:29 residents and our area, which
12:32 helps contribute to a stronger
12:33 rent, affordability ecosystem
12:34 for the residents were trying
12:36 to reach when housing is
12:38 paired with family sized units
12:38 , neighborhood, retail and
12:40 access to fresh food. We are
12:41 creating a project that
12:43 supports more than one part of
12:44 the family's budget and daily
12:46 life as I've said before
12:47 district 18 has every reason
12:49 to be excited as I am about
12:51 the proposed fresh green
12:52 market included in this
12:53 project with roughly 10900
12:56 square feet reserved for
12:58 grocery use. This is a serious
12:59 investment in food access for
13:01 a district where food deserts
13:03 remain a serious issue for too
13:07 long the options for food and
13:08 groceries and our community
13:08 have been too limited
13:10 . Not always the healthiest
13:11 and not always the most
13:13 affordable families should not
13:14 have to travelutsi ode of
13:15 their neighborhood to find
13:16 fresh food seniors should not
13:18 have to struggle to access
13:19 basic groceries close to home
13:21 or even take multiple forms of
13:23 transportation to access that
13:25 working people should not be
13:26 left with fewer options and
13:29 higher prices because their
13:30 community has been underserved
13:31 with the passage of this