DCP Announces New Zoning Relief Proposal for South Richmond Homeowners

On April 3, 2023, the New York City Department of City Planning announced its South Richmond Zoning Relief proposal after years of planning with Staten Island communities in the Special South Richmond Development District of the South Shore. The proposal will simplify the approval process for simple home projects that require zoning clearances, such as pool installations or other home improvements. The proposal will also enhance preservation efforts on larger land spaces and allow the … <Read More>

City Agencies Announce Water Supply Improvements and Traffic Redesigns Along Ninth Avenue in Midtown

On March 21, 2023, elected officials and agency officials from the Department of Design and Construction, Transportation, and Environmental Protection announced the completion of a $231 million upgrade in the water distribution system and road reconstruction along Ninth Avenue, one of Midtown’s major corridors. The investment also included safety improvements and street redesign enhancements to reclaim more space for pedestrians and decrease congestion.

Department of Transportation to Double On-Street Carshare Program

On March 29, 2023, New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced a major expansion on the citywide curbside carshare program. The expansion will add 270 new parking spaces to the already-existing 230-space pilot. The program, which began in 2018, is part of an effort by the city to cut greenhouse gas emissions by reducing car ownership and vehicle miles traveled.

Landmarks Calendars Three Buildings Connected to Jazz Legends to Designate as Individual Landmarks

On April 4, 2023, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to calendar three buildings connected to the growth of jazz music; 105-19 37th Avenue in Corona, Queens, which served as the home for famous trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie; the Hotel Cecil & Minton’s Playhouse Building in Harlem; and 935 St. Nicholas Avenue in Hamilton Heights, which was the home of jazz legends Duke Ellington and Noble Sissle.

Council Passes Bill to Amend Property Tax Interest Rates to Help Eligible Homeowners

On March 14, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams signed Local Law 36 of 2023. The new law was originally introduced as Int. No. 524 on June 6, 2022, by Council Member David M. Carr. Local Law 36 aims to ensure that eligible homeowners with a total income of $250,000 or less receive relief on property tax debts by authorizing the New York City Banking Commission to recommend an interest rate applicable to such debts.

GUEST COMMENTARY: The City of Yes – NYC is Taking Leadership on Energy Storage System Siting

 

by Caroline G. Harris, Esq. Goldman Harris LLC and Eric Vath, Esq. Goldman Harris LLC

To meet the climate goals of the 2016 Paris Agreement, New York State and New York City have adopted aggressive energy efficiency goals.  The Mayor’s 2022 City of Yes program announced numerous initiatives to make the city sustainable, resilient and equitable.  One of them, the City of Yes: Carbon Neutrality, aims to reduce our reliance on carbon-based fuels by … <Read More>