Community Board 5 will be hosting a virtual general meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 18, and will be discussing the new Zoning for Coastal Flood Resiliency proposal from the Department of City Planning (DCP).
DCP states the proposed amendment would result in buildings that are better able to withstand and recover from major disasters and sea level rise as well as translate to lower flood insurance costs. They also state it would would improve homeowners’ and business owners’ ability to withstand and recover from future storms and other disaster events.
Specifically, the proposed zoning text amendment would make permanent and improve upon the Special Regulations Applying in Flood Hazard Areas (Article VI, Chapter 4) of the New York City Zoning Resolution, to remove zoning barriers that hinder the reconstruction and retrofitting of buildings to resiliency standards.
“We had some flooding around Newtown Creek during Hurricane Sandy. That’s our waterfront,” said Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano, adding that the Grand Street Bridge also had some damage after the superstorm.
Giordano emphasized the importance of tuning into the meeting to listen to the overview by a city official and then providing the Community Board with a comment during the public hearing portion in order for the advisory body to keep in mind when creating their recommendation.
The meeting will also include a public forum, a review of applications for the sale of alcoholic beverages, a review of building demolition notices and committee reports. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be livestreamed via YouTube as well as on Community Board 5’s website at nyc.gov/qnscb5.
Members of the public are asked to submit any statements or announcements that are addressed to the board via email at qn05@cb.nyc.gov before 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
Individuals who want to submit testimony — which must be three minutes or less — for the public forum are asked to submit them via email at qn05@cb.nyc.gov before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Testimony will be read into the record by the district manager or chairperson.
