UPDATE 1/7/2008: Councilwoman Dickens form e-mail response (see below) is that, at her request, the City Planning Commission has extended the official comment period on these amendments to 2/6/2008, the day after the next CB7 hearing. While she has not taken a position yet on the amendments, the community feedback seems to be making a difference and your continued attention to this matter will be helpful.

Despite new neighborhood zoning rules having just gone into effect, Mayor Bloomberg's Planning Commission is proposing a backdoor citywide redefinition of the zoning law written by the New York City chapter of the American Institute of Architects that will allow developers to circumvent existing building "limit definitions" and permit more building on side streets and major avenues than the newly-adopted code currently allows.

Community Boards and organizations throughout the city were notified about these changes the week before Christmas and given only until January 7th to comment on the changes. A prompt and strong response is in order.

Some of the AIA's proposed changes (which you can read HERE), are rather technical and may arguably be beneficial to community residents and developers alike. The AIA insists vehemently that the changes will not add floor area to buildings. However, there are numerous problems with a number of the provisions, including a potential "Domino Effect" (described HERE) where a new, taller building on a block could provide a legal precedent for even more new, tall buildings on the block.

Regardless, the fact that these proposals are being rammed through during the holidays with little opportunity for community feedback should raise red flags. And a Community Board 7 meeting last month with a pair of totally unprepared AIA reps (described HERE) only underscores the point.

Write and call your Council Members and tell them to vote NO on the American Institute of Architects Zoning Text Amendments. Upper Westsiders should contact Councilpersons Inez Dickens and Melissa Mark Viverito:

Inez Dickens
250 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
212-788-7397
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Melissa Mark Viverito
250 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
212-788-6960
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UPDATE (cont'd): Councilwoman Dickens' response to my e-mail:

Dear Neighbor:

I received your email about the proposed citywide zoning text amendment proposed by the American Institute of Architects. Thank you for contacting me to make your opinion known.

First, it is important for you to know that this proposal is currently NOT before the City Council. This proposal may be before the City Council sometime in March or early April. Prior to its arrival for Council consideration, the proposal can be reviewed and commented upon by New York City's Community Boards, the Borough Board, then formally passed by the City Planning Commission.

However, in spite of this extended schedule, one of the main concerns I received via email and phone on this issue concerned the lack of time to comprehensively review the proposal at the Community Board level. There is a strong concern that this proposal is being pushed through unjustly and that its passage is inevitable. In order to ensure that these concerns were addressed, I called the City Planning Commission and asked that they extend the official comment period from a due date of January 7 for one additional month to February 6, the day after the next full CB7 hearing, for the Community Board. The City Planning Commission granted my request. At last night's CB7 meeting, the Community Board voted to table the resolution they had prepared in opposition to revisit it in their Land Use Committee in January for a Full Board vote in February. This will allow an opportunity for your Community Board to have a more detailed, focused discussion of this matter.

In emails and phone calls, I have received comments both in favor and against the AIA zoning text amendments. Since we are at an early stage in the review process on these proposed changes and much can change as the proposal moves through the City review process on its way to the City Council, I am not stating an official position on the AIA's amendment at this time. I have heard your comments and will take them under consideration. I also plan to reach out to AIA to express your reservations about their proposed amendment. Be assured that any zoning text changes that adversely affect rezoning projects along with the character of neighborhoods in my district and throughout our city will be viewed with a critical eye and due diligence at the City Council.

Please accept my wishes for a happy, safe and prosperous New Year!

Inez E. Dickens
New York City Council
9th District, Manhattan