Marty Markowitz to City plan commish

anonymous

Amanda M. Burden
Chair
City Planning Commission
22 Reade Street
New York, New York 10007
Dear Commissioner Burden:
Thank you for your response, dated October 25, 2007, to my letter dated September 26, 2007. As we are about to embrace the new year I thought that it would be appropriate for you to share your expectations of your agency’s ongoing efforts in addressing out-of-context construction while redirecting development to appropriate corridors. In addition, I would like to know whether it might be feasible to embrace new zoning initiatives that have been requested for Bedford-Stuyvesant North in Community District 3, Carroll Gardens in Community District 6 and Crown Heights in both Community Districts 8 and 9.
As for Carroll Gardens, the residents have been quite vocal in their disappointment in the lack of action to stop out-of-context development. In addition to seeking a rezoning, they requested a moratorium and began consideration for becoming designated as an historic district. Some have even questioned the century-old legislation that resulted in the “Place” streets meeting the definition of a wide street for zoning purposes.
In my September letter, I noted that the 11-story building at 378-282 Baltic Street is nearing completion. Plans are also under review for a large site at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place; and, the one plus acre site know as 340 Court Street is being developed by the Clarett Group with seven- and four story buildings. A few smaller sites are being constructed in proximity to Hamilton Avenue and scores of building alterations are in progress.
The “Place” streets in Carroll Gardens, while physically narrow, actually have an official city mapped width of 116’-10 ½” and include the front gardens of the buildings along the blocks. The city’s Zoning Resolution allows buildings on defined wide streets to be bigger and taller than on narrow streets such as Carroll and President Streets. The premium right to develop properties fronting First, Second, Third and Fourth Places between Henry and Smith Streets has not only resulted in the proposal at Smith and Second, but also led to a substantial number of building enlargement applications for more than 600 properties along physically narrow streets that are defined as wide streets.
Amanda M. Burden, Chair
January 2, 2008
Page- 2 -
As you and your staff continue to perform admirably in pursuit of land use matters, I look forward to being advised of when analysis might begin for those neighborhoods seeking zoning modifications respectful of neighborhood context.
If your staff has any questions, please have them contact Mr. Richard Bearak, my deputy director for Planning and Development, at (718) 802-4057.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Marty Markowitz
cc: Honorable Bill de Blasio, City Council Member
Honorable Joan Millman, Member of Assembly
Richard Bashner, Chair, Community Board 6
Purnima Kapur, Director, Brooklyn Office
Department of City Planning
BBPO#2007-1119-010 & 1217-004
MM/rb