By Anna Gustafson
The City Council has approved the Cord Meyer rezoning plan for Forest Hills, a move some say will help to curb overdevelopment. But a lawyer representing Bukharian homeowners said the blueprint marks an assault on new immigrants.
Many of the individuals who live in the larger, newer homes in Cord Meyer are Bukharian Jews, a growing population in Forest Hills.
The Council approved the plan July 7 to rezone the 32-block Cord Meyer area.
“It’s a good compromise,” Councilwoman Melinda Katz (D-Forest Hills) said. “The rezoning probably didn’t go far enough for some people and too far for others. You know you’ve probably done the right thing when both sides aren’t happy. This rezoning is a good thing. Rebuildings will still be allowed, but it won’t allow huge, overbuilt homes.”
The plan rezones the upper-middle-class neighborhood from the current R1-2, or zoning for single family detached residences, to R1-2A, a new residential zoning that was developed in conjunction with the North Flushing rezoning and which includes height limits and front yard regulations.
The new zoning, which would pertain to the area bounded by 66th Avenue to the north, Grand Central Parkway to the east, 72nd Road to the south and 108th Street to the west, would mandate buildings be no taller than 35 feet.
Cord Meyer, once known for its Tudor-, Georgian- and Cape Cod-style homes, has seen a lot of change in recent years, with newer residents tearing down the old homes and frequently replacing them with larger houses and little or no lawns.
Albert Dayan, a lawyer representing Bukharian homeowners, said new immigrant families typically built the larger homes in order to accommodate the extended families that usually live under one roof. Dayan railed against the approved rezoning, saying it sends a message that new immigrants in Forest Hills are unwanted.
“It’s this wave against new immigrants to not change the old and established way,” Dayan said. “I’m not saying they’re discriminating against Bukharian Jews, but it’s the spirit of change they are discriminating against.”
But residents have said the newer, larger homes strain infrastructure, such as the sewer system, in the area and are inconsistent with the neighborhood’s character.
“We welcome people into our neighborhood, but we’re asking them to maintain or keep the overall feel of the neighborhood,” Steve Goodman, a member of the Association of Old Forest Hills, said at a previous Community Board 6 meeting.
CB 6 in March voted to approve the rezoning plan.
“This means we can move forward while maintaining the character of the neighborhood to the letter of the law,” CB 6 District Manager Frank Gulluscio said.
Reach reporter Anna Gustafson by e-mail at agustafson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 174.
