A proposed State bill seeks to give City broad flexibility to increase floor area ratio in residential developments. The New York Senate has introduced bill S6760 by including language in their budget resolution that will amend the State’s Multiple Dwelling Law to provide an exception for the floor area ratio (FAR) cap. Currently, the law provides for a floor area ratio not to exceed 12.0 in New York City. The amendment will introduce language to … <Read More>
Search Results for: Proposed Rule Changes
CityLand’s Top Ten Stories of 2017
Welcome to CityLand‘s sixth annual top ten stories of the year! We have selected a range of our most popular and prominent stories, and guest commentaries concerning New York City land use in 2017. Our 2017 coverage was highlighted by articles concerning the approval of construction safety training for construction workers, proposals for the creation of more affordable housing, neighborhood rezonings, the protection of landmarks, and a guide on tort liability for injuries involving … <Read More>
New Local Law creates uncertainty for “as-of-right” development
Central to the concept of zoning is that a developer may rely on the text and build to the limits written into the zoning resolution. The council has now tinkered with that expectation. Under a new local law, the council can potentially overcome the “as-of-right” option by adopting a text change on an expedited basis.
The local law was a response to the controversial Two Bridges project, a proposal consisting of three residential towers … <Read More>
Three-Quarter Housing: Council Seeks to Address Blight [UPDATE: City Council Approves Legislation]
UPDATE: On February 1, 2017, the City Council voted 47-0 to approve four bills that would help protect tenants of three-quarter houses in New York City. During the vote, Council Member Donovan Richards called three-quarter houses a wide spread problem that would not be cured by the bills and that the City would need to track progress on the issue to determine future responses. Council Member Ritchie Torres called predatory operators of three-quarter houses the … <Read More>
Administrative Justice Coordinator David Goldin: A Life in Public Service
The 2005 City Charter Revision Commission proposed a Charter amendment to require the Mayor and the Chief Judge of the Office of the Administrative Trials and Hearings to create a code of ethics for the over 500 administrative law judges and hearing officers in the City’s administrative tribunals. At the time it was unclear to what extent the State Code of Judicial Conduct applied to and could be enforced against ALJs. The proposition passed, and … <Read More>
City’s Failure to Preserve Deed Restrictions on the Rivington House Explored [City Council Passes Tougher Oversight]
UPDATE: On December 6, 2016, the New York City Council voted 42-0 to approve Introduction 1182-2016 which requires the Department for Citywide Administrative Services to conduct an extensive review of a request to remove a deed restriction on a property managed by DCAS, including a public hearing, to determine whether the request removal furthers the best interests of the City.
The legislation is a response the controversial sale of the Rivington House to a luxury … <Read More>