Councilman Paul Vallone held a rally with civic and community leaders on Wednesday in Bayside to oppose a Department of City Planning amendment which may result in larger building construction during a planned increase in affordable housing.
The Zoning for Quality and Affordability text amendment aims to address ways in which outdated zoning regulations discourage the affordability and quality of recent buildings. In some cases it will change the allowable height of new developments meeting certain criteria, and the amount of parking which must be included.
The amendment directly followed the announcement of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s five-borough, ten-year plan to build and preserve affordable housing throughout New York City. Both Community Board 11 and the zoning subcommittee of Community Board 7 have voted against the amendment proposal.
Vallone was concerned that the changes to zoning regulations would erase many of the protections that civic organizations and community boards have fought for years to obtain.
“This plan will undoubtedly result in taller, larger and bulkier buildings that are out of character with our neighborhoods and many others throughout the city,” Vallone said. “Also, the proposed changes to parking requirements will further burden our community and increase congestion.”
Members of several local civic organizations came out to support Vallone’s cause, including the Auburndale Improvement Association, the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners Association, the Bayside Hills Civic Association, the North Flushing Civic Association, the Bayside Historical Society, the Greater Whitestone Taxpayers Civic Association and the 28th Avenue Homeowners Association.
Bayside Historical Society President Paul DiBenedetto said the community must see to it that the zoning proposal does not get passed because it is unfair and unnecessary.
“We fought very hard in this community to get the zoning changes that we have gotten over the last 10 years. This proposal will only turn back and get rid of those changes,” he said.
