Tuesday, July 14, 2026, 11 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises
The Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, chaired by Council Member Farah N. Louis, met to vote on seven land use applications, all rezoning proposals paired with mandatory inclusionary housing text amendments. The projects spanned Staten Island (St. George), Queens (Hillcrest, South Corona, Ridgewood), and the Bronx (Coney Island item was in Brooklyn, plus Bed-Stuy and Unionport). Council Members Hanks, Thomas-Henry, and Farías each spoke in support of the projects in their districts, and Council Member Felder praised the Bedford Avenue senior housing project. All seven items were approved by a vote of 9-0, as announced by the chair, and referred to the full Land Use Committee.
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