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DEVELOPMENT


‘IRRESPONSIBLE AND UNACCEPTABLE’: BAY RIDGE DENOUNCES ‘CITY OF YES’ ZONING
PROPOSAL

By Jada Camille Posted on December 6, 2023
Bay Ridgeites expressed skepticism and concern regarding a citywide zoning
proposal at a Nov. 29 meeting of Community Board 10.
Photo via Community Board 10/Youtube

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The Adams administration’s citywide, business-focused zoning proposal was met
with skepticism at a Nov. 29 meeting of Community Board 10.

“City of Yes for Economic Opportunity,” one of three parts of the massive “City
of Yes” project, proposes changes to zoning regulations and restrictions — which
the Adams Administration says would foster economic growth by making it easier
for different kinds of businesses to open and expand. 


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But Brooklynites largely opposed the plans, which would modify both commercial
and residential corridors in Bay Ridge and Fort Hamilton including Third,
Fourth, and Fifth avenues and Fort Hamilton Parkway. 


Large parts of Bay Ridge are quiet, residential-only streets – something City of
Yes seeks to change. Photo courtesy of GK tramrunner RU/Wikimedia Commons

Josephine Beckmann, district manager for CB10, explained that Bay Ridge and Fort
Hamilton are currently largely residential – with some areas zoned for
commercial and manufacturing uses. Existing zoning regulations restrict certain
kinds of businesses from opening in commercial or residential districts,
something City of Yes seeks to change.



One of the biggest concerns attendees mentioned was the allowance of commercial
and retail stores in largely-residential neighborhoods. Steve Harrison, former
chair of Community Board 10, said the proposal is too big of a step, and doesn’t
consider potential quality of life issues.

“Over the years, zoning has changed, but it has never been changed on the scale
that is being changed right now,” Harrison said at the meeting. “Previously, if
zoning was changed and it didn’t work out, you could always work back. If you
change this, this is a permanent change, from my perspective.”

The proposal also seeks to change the definition of “home occupation businesses”
and will allow retail use in certain buildings zoned as residential.



City of Yes Economic Opportunity was created to promote economic growth by
removing outdated restrictions, and boost growing industries by loosening laws
on previous prohibited businesses including urban agriculture, licensed labs,
nightclubs, and amusement centers.  The initiative also allows for
business-friendly streetscapes and the creation of new job opportunities.

Carolyn Grossman, director of economic development and regional planning for the
Department of City Planning, said the lack of zoning law upgrades has stunted
economic growth in certain neighborhoods. 

“City of Yes” seeks to ease regulations to allow more types of businesses to
open and operate more easily. Image courtesy of Brooklyn Community Board
10/YouTube

“We lose businesses, we create vacancy, we create costs that are not necessary
by having these rules that really haven’t been updated in a long time,” she
said.



According to Grossman, a many of the negative reactions DCP has heard from the
community are simply misunderstandings that can be cleared up with time.

“Our real intent coming here and coming out of the pandemic and seeing the
economic challenges that the city has gone through is to take feedback and try
and make our rules more simple, more modern, more flexible,” Grossman said.

Board member Lori Willis called the design “rushed,” and critiqued its lack of
consideration toward locals. 

Though the plan was made to aid small business owners, Willis believes it was
drafted too broadly and will only cause a negative impact to the overall state
of Bay Ridge and the surrounding neighborhoods. Along with the loss of
exclusively-residential streets, Willis said the redesign raises concern of
public safety, security, quality of life, streetscapes and congestion.



“They pointed out that zoning hasn’t changed since 1961 and it was their opinion
that the zoning was antiquated,” Willis said. “Just because something is old,
it’s not necessarily antiquated because humans are still humans and we still
kind of do the same things in a lot of ways. We still want to be able to sleep
at night and enjoy our homes with a degree of reasonable peace and quiet.”

A couple of local pols publicly decried the plan, calling it “radical” and
“irresponsible.”

“I’m pro-business. I love to have businesses. Businesses drive the engine of
opportunities and wealth,” said Assembly Member Lester Chang who represents
parts of Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights. “But I see here that this may be way too
much of giving businesses a free hand and driving into our residential
neighborhood.”

Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny, who represents parts of Bay Ridge and Bath
Beach, said it’s up to the community to push back on the city’s proposed plan
and share what improvements they do or don’t want in Southern Brooklyn.

Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny agreed with local concerns regarding new
zoning regulations. Photo courtesy of Community Board 10/YouTube

“This is absolutely irresponsible and unacceptable,” he said. “We have to help
community board to defend out neighborhoods and to defend our communities.”

According to Grossman, DCP has not scheduled a date to vote on the initiative,
and recently granted a request from the city’s community boards for more time to
look over the redesign. They do not anticipate a voting date being set any
earlier than February of 2024.

Community Board 10 will hold another Zoning and Land Use public hearing on Dec.
11 at 6:30 p.m. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JADA CAMILLE

Jada Camille is a Nashville native with a deep passion for story-telling. When
she isn’t writing you can find her wandering the streets of the city, being a
self-professed coffee snob or watching her favorite comfort shows.

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