City and State Continue to Combat Illegal Smoke Shops, Reform Cannabis Sales in New York

Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams made announcements furthering New York’s fight against illegal smoke shops and reforming cannabis sales. The legalization of cannabis has forced the city and state to navigate the development of a new economy with the implementation of strict regulations; the state rollout of licenses and process for siting new dispensaries have limited the number of legal dispensaries that have opened statewide. While the state continues to navigate <Read More>


LPC Approves Outdoor Dining Program Permit Rules

On May 9, 2024, the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved rule amendments dealing with sidewalk and roadway cafes. The changes follow the creation of the Dining Out NYC Program, the city’s permanent outdoor dining program, which allows for permanent removable sidewalk cafes year round and removable roadway cafes from April through November. While the outdoor dining program is operated by the city’s Department of Transportation, other city agencies like the Landmarks Preservation Commission have had to <Read More>



DOT Discusses Bike, Bus Priority Lane Future Projects as Congestion Pricing Begins Next Month

On May 2, 2024, Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydonis Rodriguez announced proposed bus priority and bicycle lanes and discussed existing projects as part of efforts to prepare for the start of congestion pricing, set to launch on June 30th. Under the newly approved congestion pricing plan, drivers will be charged a toll to go south of 60th Street; the toll aims to encourage people to use alternative means of transportation to alleviate what is currently <Read More>


City of Yes for Housing Opportunity Overview: City Celebrates Start of Public Review Process

On April 29, 2024, the City Planning Commission launched the public review process for the proposed City of Yes for Housing Opportunity text amendment. The text amendment is one of three City of Yes amendments aiming to remove or modify outdated provisions within the zoning text that inhibit economic growth, the ability for developers to build, and the implementation of green technology and infrastructure. 


DEP Announces Drainage and Green Infrastructure for Five City Playgrounds

On April 17, 2024, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced that construction has commenced on the five new Green Infrastructure playgrounds at schools in Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. The playgrounds are designed to absorb more than 3.5 million gallons of stormwater every year to curb runoff that floods nearby streets and overwhelms local sewer systems in addition to polluting the East River.