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LES Community Board Votes Down City's Rezoning Proposal

By Lisha Arino | November 25, 2015 12:47pm
 Community Board 3 voted down zoning changes that are part of the Mayor Bill de Blasio's affordable housing plan.
Community Board 3 voted down zoning changes that are part of the Mayor Bill de Blasio's affordable housing plan.
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DNAinfo/Patrick Hedlund

LOWER EAST SIDE — Community Board 3 joined dozens of other boards citywide in opposition to the mayor’s rezoning plan Tuesday night.

Virtually all members in attendance voted to reject the two proposed zoning changes that aim to create and preserve 200,000 units of affordable housing at its full board meting at P.S. 20 Anna Silver School.

Specifically, the members voted in support of a resolution that rejected the Zoning for Quality and Affordability text amendment outright, a change that aimed to create more affordable and senior housing by changing building requirements.

Board members also supported a resolution that denied the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing amendment — which would require future developments to build affordable units — unless the city agreed to a set of stipulations, including setting aside 50 percent of units as permanently affordable at an average of 40 percent of the area median income.

Both resolutions were hashed out after a three-hour discussion during the Land Use, Zoning, Public and Private Housing Committee on Nov. 18.

So far, the majority of community boards citywide have voted against the changes, criticizing the plan for not being affordable enough for local neighborhood residents and for being too broad.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has said the boards' opinions are merely advisory and that elected officials would decide on the plan, upsetting some community board leaders and borough presidents.

Next up, the borough presidents must weigh in on the amendments before the end of the year. The City Planning Commission will review the plan before the City Council considers the changes in early 2016.