Tuesday, October 6, 2026, 11 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 3
Committee: Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises
The Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, chaired by Council Member Farah N. Louis, voted on five rezoning proposals and held three public hearings. It approved the Fort Hamilton Mews rezoning in Bay Ridge (LU 131-132) with modifications limiting it to an R7D district and adding MIH Option 1, the Park Avenue rezoning (LU 133-134) and 289 Kent Avenue rezoning (LU 139-140) in Brooklyn with MIH modifications, the 69th Avenue/108th Street rezoning in Forest Hills (LU 137-138), and the 100% affordable Sojourner Truth Mews rezoning in Crotona, Bronx (LU 135-136, 457 income-restricted apartments); the final announced tallies were nine in favor for all items except Sojourner Truth Mews, which was eight in favor and one opposed, and the items were referred to the Land Use Committee. Several members explained votes, with Council Members Farías, Schulman and Chair Louis noting community board and union concerns about the Sojourner Truth Mews project and Minority Leader Carr criticizing limits on local members' land use authority. Hearings were held and closed, with items laid over, on a 108-05 68th Road rezoning for a day care and youth center with 33 apartments, a Queens Boulevard rezoning in Forest Hills with about 389 apartments that drew testimony from Fontaine co-op residents, 32BJ, carpenters and residents, and a Department of City Planning text amendment correcting designated open space boundaries at three sites in the Special South Richmond Development District.
11:30 Webinar started ladies and
11:30 gentlemen once again we will
11:32 be starting very shortly thank
11:33 for your patience good morning
15:21 and welcome today's today's
15:22 New York City Council hearing
15:23 for the committee on zoning in
15:26 franchises ladies and
15:26 gentlemen at this time we
15:27 please ask that you silence or
15:29 lead tronic devices if you
15:30 would like to fill out a test
15:31 when you slipped and please
15:32 see one of the sergeant at
15:34 arms approaching the front day
15:36 is a strictly prohibited
15:37 please do not approach the
15:38 front desk chair you begin
15:41 . Good morning and welcome t
15:43 oa meeting of the subcommittee
15:45 on zoning and franchises I
15:47 council Farah lewis chair of
15:50 the subcommittee this morning
15:50 we are joined by council
15:52 members Farías Schulman salam
15:55 Felder minority leader Carr
15:57 and j Sanchez today we are
16:00 voting on five proposals and
16:02 holding three hearings the
16:03 five proposals that will that
16:04 we will vote on are fort
16:07 hamilton mews makes use
16:09 residential rezoning and
16:11 council members santoso sos
16:13 district park brooklyn mixed
16:14 use residential rezoning and
16:15 council wrestlers district 2
16:18 89 can't have mixed use
16:20 residential rezoning and
16:22 councilmember wrestlers
16:22 wrestler's district and
16:24 sojourner truth mapes makes
16:26 use presidential rezoning and
16:27 Council Member felices
16:28 district and 69 2 67 1 o
16:33 eighth street rezoning mixed
16:34 use residential rezoning and
16:37 council shulman's district we
16:38 will then hold the hearings on
16:40 the following proposals
16:43 hundred 8- o 5 8 68 road
16:45 residential rezoning and
16:47 councilmember shulman's
16:48 district a hundred 12 queens
16:51 boulevard makes use
16:51 residential rezoning and
16:53 council shulman district and
16:56 south richmond designated open
16:57 space amendment and council
16:58 member murano district.
16:59 This meeting is being held
17:01 in hybrid format members of
17:02 the public who wish to testify
17:04 and testify in person or via
17:06 zone members of the public
17:07 wishing to testify remotely
17:09 register by visiting the
17:11 counsel's web at at www that
17:13 counsel that the dot backslash
17:15 land to sign up or for those
17:17 that are in person please use
17:18 one of the sort please see one
17:20 of the sergeants at arms to
17:22 prepare his and submit a
17:23 speaker card members of the
17:25 public also view livestream
17:27 stream broadcast of the
17:29 meeting at the council's
17:30 website when you are called t
17:31 otestify before the
17:32 subcommittee if you are
17:34 recognized by myself to speak
17:39 when you recognize your your
17:40 microphone will be unm we will
17:42 limit public testimony to tw
17:44 ominutes per witness if you
17:46 have additional testimony that
17:47 you would like to that you
17:49 would like the subcommittee t
17:51 oconsider or if you have
17:52 written testimony please email
17:54 it to land use at testimony
17:57 land use testimony I counsel
17:58 dot dot gov written testimony
18:01 must be submitted three days
18:02 up to three days after the
18:04 hearing is closed please
18:06 indicate indicate the l you
18:07 number and r project in the
18:09 the subject line of your email s
18:13 joining us remotely remain in
18:14 the meeting until excused by
18:16 the chair as council members
18:18 have questions lassie for
18:20 everyone attending today's
18:20 meeting this is a government
18:22 proceeding and decorum must be
18:23 observed at all times members
18:24 of the public are acts not t
18:27 ospeak during the meeting
18:28 unless you are testifying the
18:29 witness table is reserved for
18:31 people who are called t
18:34 otestify and and no video
18:36 recording or photography is
18:37 allowed at the witness table
18:38 further members of the public
18:39 I mean not present audio or
18:42 video recordings as testimony
18:43 but submit transcripts of such
18:45 recordings to the sergeant at
18:47 arms for inclusion into the
18:49 record we will now proceed
18:51 with the five volts the first
18:54 vote concerns l use 1 1 31 an
18:58 d1 32 regarding the fort
18:59 hamilton mews proposal and
19:00 council members santos cosco's
19:02 district applicant is seeking
19:04 to develop a mixed use
19:05 residential project in bay
19:07 ridge brooklyn that would have
19:08 approximately 292 apartments
19:10 of which up to 88 apartments
19:12 would be permanently
19:15 affordable the proposal
19:16 involves two actions the first
19:17 is the zoning zoning map map
19:19 to to change the existing
19:21 residential are five b and our
19:24 six b district with a c 2-
19:27 3commercial overlay to a
19:29 residential r seven x district
19:30 with a c 2- 4 overlay the
19:33 second action is the zoning
19:34 tax amendment to map a
19:36 mandatory inclusionary housing
19:37 area we are recommending t
19:39 omodifications to this proposaln
19:43 x district does not provide a
19:45 sufficient transaction from
19:46 the lower 1 2 3 family homes
19:49 and the four story building be.
19:51 Behind the proposed
19:53 development site along glasson
19:55 avenue therefore we recommend
19:57 that the proposed rezoning be
19:58 limited to a r seven d
20:02 district to the second is to
20:04 add at my option one which
20:06 will provide the ability t
20:09 oinclude more deep deeply
20:11 affordable apartments counter
20:12 members santos also supports
20:13 this project as modified and
20:15 we've been joined by council
20:19 members a Council Member in
20:19 carnation the second concerns
20:21 concerns l use hundred 33 an
20:24 d134 regarding the park avenue
20:25 rezoning proposal and council
20:26 member wrestlers district
20:29 applicant consists applicants
20:30 consist of multiple private
20:31 property owners seeking t
20:33 ofacilitate the development of
20:36 391 apartments community
20:37 facilities space and fou
20:40 rprivate schools across 1
20:42 0development sites among the
20:43 New housing to be built up t
20:46 o101 of the apartments will be
20:48 permanently affordable the
20:50 proposal involves two actions
20:51 the first is a zoning ma
20:52 pamendment to change the
20:54 existing manufacturing m 1- 1
20:56 an m 1- 2 district two a New
20:59 mixed use district consisting
21:01 of a pair of m 1- 4 district
21:02 with a residential r six dash
21:05 one district the second action
21:06 is a zoning text amendment to
21:09 map a mandatory inclusionary
21:11 housing area.
21:11 We were recommending one
21:13 modification to remove option
21:15 two which will ensure the
21:16 affordable apartments are
21:18 provided at lower rents
21:19 affordable to families with
21:20 household incomes at an
21:21 average of either 40% or 60%
21:25 am I Council Member supports
21:26 this application as as
21:28 modified the third vote
21:29 concerns l use hundred 394
21:33 0regarding 2 and 82 89 kent
21:35 avenue rezoning proposal and
21:37 councilmember member
21:38 wrestler's district applicant
21:39 is seeking to develop a mixed
21:41 use residential project in
21:42 williamsburg brooklyn that
21:44 would have approximately 270
21:45 apartments of which up to 83
21:47 units would be permanently
21:49 affordable the proposal
21:50 involves two actions the first
21:51 is the zoning map amendment t
21:53 ochange the existing
21:55 manufacturing m 3- 1 distric
21:59 tpartially to a mixed use
22:01 district consisting of a
22:02 paired m 1 2 3 a district with
22:04 a residential r seven x
22:06 district and a remainder and
22:08 remainder to an m one to a
22:11 district the second action is
22:12 the zoning tax amendment t
22:14 omap a mandatory inclusionary
22:15 housing area we are
22:17 recommending one modification
22:19 to remove option 2 to add
22:22 option three which will ensure
22:24 the affordable apartments are
22:25 provided at lower rents
22:28 affordable to families with
22:28 household incomes at an
22:29 average of either 40 or 60%
22:33 ami councilman burress
22:34 supports his application has
22:36 modified the third vote
22:37 concerns l use 1 35 and 1 36
22:39 regarding the sojourner truth
22:41 maps it mixed use rezoning
22:44 proposal in councilman
22:45 felicia's district applicant
22:46 is seeking to develop two
22:47 affordable housing buildings
22:48 and the crotona neighborhood
22:49 of the bronx the development
22:51 is proposed to be a hundred
22:53 affordable and would have a
22:54 total of 457 income restricted
22:58 apartments the proposal
22:59 involves two actions the first
23:01 is a zoning map amendment t
23:02 ochange the residential 7 2 1
23:04 district and see 1- for a
23:07 commercial overlay to a
23:09 residential r eight district
23:10 and c 2- 4 commercial overlay
23:13 the second action is a zoning
23:14 text amendment to map a
23:16 mandatory inclusionary housing
23:18 area councilmember for lease
23:19 this project the fifth and
23:22 final vote concerns l use
23:24 hundred 37 and 1 38 regarding
23:25 the 69 67 208 8 street
23:28 rezoning proposal in
23:29 councilmember shulman's
23:30 district applicant is seeking
23:31 to develop a mixed use
23:33 residential project and forest
23:35 hills quaint that would have
23:38 approximately 59 apartments
23:39 with up to 18 permanently
23:41 affordable apartments.
23:42 The proposal involves two
23:43 actions the first is a zoning
23:45 map amendment to change the
23:46 existing residential are one
23:49 to a district to a residential
23:50 r seven d district with a c 2
23:54 -4 commercial overlay the
23:55 second action is a zoning text
23:56 amendment to map a mandatory
23:58 inclusionary housing area
24:00 where recommending
24:01 recommending one modification
24:03 to remove me and my h option
24:05 two to add option three which
24:07 will ensure the affordable
24:09 apartments are provided at a
24:11 lower rents affordable t
24:13 ofamilies with household
24:14 incomes at an average of
24:17 either 40 or 60% ami
24:19 . Councilmember shulman
24:20 supports this application as
24:22 modified counsel are there any
24:24 members with questions or
24:25 remarks at this time no chair
24:28 . I now call for a volt t
24:30 oapprove alya hundred 353
24:32 6related to the sojourner truth
24:35 hundred 31 and 1 32 related to
24:41 the fort hamilton mews
24:43 rezoning proposal l use
24:45 hundred 33 and 134 related t
24:46 othe park avenue rezoning
24:48 proposal l use hundred 37 an
24:51 d138 related to the 69 dash 6 6
24:55 7 tenth avenue rezoning
24:56 proposal and l use 1 39 and
24:58 140 related to the 289 kent
25:00 avenue rezoning proposal
25:02 council please call the roll
25:04 chair lewis I don't know
25:07 Council Member furious
25:08 . Permission to explain my
25:11 vote permission.
25:12 Thank you chair I just
25:14 wanted to stay in terms of the
25:17 year sojourner truth mapes
25:20 rezoning a hundred 353
25:23 6application today just in
25:24 recognition of member
25:25 difference in the prerogative
25:26 of the Council Member who's
25:27 district the project is
25:29 located in I want to recognize
25:31 that the community board and
25:32 local union have deep concerns
25:35 about the negotiation and deal
25:36 made those perspectives
25:37 deserve to be heard and
25:39 respected and I hope
25:41 conversations continue as the
25:42 council moves towards a larger
25:43 vote in the land use committee
25:44 and to the stated meeting my
25:46 role in this committee is t
25:48 oconsider the full land use
25:49 record before us including the
25:51 proposed use that broader
25:52 needs of the community and the
25:53 position of the member
25:56 representing the district so
25:56 in this case I'll be voting
25:58 aye and supporting the request
26:00 coming from councilman fillies
26:03 and a larger vote aye on all
26:05 thank you Council Member
26:11 Council Member shaman
26:15 permission to explain my vote.
26:16 So I on the hundred eight
26:19 hstreet project I support it
26:20 and I also the applicant has
26:22 made promises to work with me
26:24 and the community board around
26:26 issues of community space and
26:27 all of that and which I which
26:29 we very much appreciate and
26:32 with that I vote aye and all
26:36 Council Member salam would
26:42 unknown Council Member Felder
26:46 I
26:47 . Council Member incarnation I
26:52 councilmember Sanchez
26:53 . I on all with the exceptions
26:55 of the 13536 for which I am a
27:05 no minority leader car a
27:07 permission to explain my vote
27:09 sure thank you excuse me thank
27:15 you chair um I I just want t
27:18 osay a few words about the fort
27:21 hamilton mews project you know t
27:24 ocouncil member santa swallow
27:25 so she spoke at the the last
27:27 hearing about how hamstrung
27:30 she felt given the council's
27:31 increasingly limited options
27:31 when it comes to negotiating a
27:35 land use decisions you know I
27:37 represent a portion of
27:38 brooklyn just on the other
27:39 side of the verrazano bridge
27:40 from this project you know I
27:42 hear from many constituents
27:44 who have concerns about it and
27:46 I think that you know the this
27:49 is just the sad place that
27:50 where we've come to where a
27:52 local member doesn't have the
27:54 institutional authority that
27:54 they once had to negotiate
27:56 projects on behalf of their
27:58 communities in particular at a
27:59 time when council members will r
28:04 community about the larger
28:05 zoning and planning issues
28:07 facing bear ej and this
28:09 project preempts that as she
28:10 articulated at the last
28:12 hearing and I think now that
28:13 we've had you know the
28:15 publication officially of the
28:16 so called bottom 12 which is
28:18 going to result in a fast
28:20 tracking as they call it and a
28:23 number of community districts
28:24 which is really just another
28:25 way of saying selective
28:27 disenfranchisement where some
28:28 members some communities are
28:29 no longer going to have the
28:30 voice that they once had and
28:34 that others retain and I think
28:36 it really shows that there's a
28:37 clear a legal issue that I
28:40 fervently hope and believe
28:41 will be explored moving
28:42 forward but that being said
28:44 this is the choice that we
28:45 have before us and I respect
28:47 the Council Member in having a
28:49 clear view with respect t
28:51 oreally what what is possible
28:53 at this given time.
28:54 So with that said with great
28:55 frustration I vote yes on the
28:57 fort hamilton mews project and
28:59 I vote yes on the others thank
29:02 you minority leader so at this
29:05 time for all items announce
29:07 except for sojourner truth
29:09 which are blues hundred 35 an
29:12 d136 we have eight votes in the
29:14 affirmative zero position and
29:17 you're abstentions regarding
29:19 regarding so generative maps a
29:23 135 and 136.
29:23 We have seven votes
29:25 affirmative one opposing in
29:26 their abstentions we're going
29:27 to keep the vote open and