NYC Council Passes City of Yes for Economic Opportunity
The NYC City Council passed the City of Yes for Economic Opportunity (COYEO) legislation, with several modifications negotiated with the Department of City Planning (DCP). We are excited to see this pass because not only does it provide a largely welcome update to outdated policies, but also because it represents a culmination of all the work we have done along with many of you for roughly ten years now.
Nearly ten years ago we kicked off our Brownfield Opportunity Area planning process, which allowed us to do an in-depth study of the North Brooklyn Industrial Zone with an eye towards improving conditions for the many industrial and manufacturing businesses that call it home. Unexpectedly, DCP also was conducting a similar study called the North Brooklyn Industry and Innovation Plan, and we ended up leading public outreach while producing two different documents. Many of you attended the large public meetings, small focus groups, and/or did individual interviews.
The input you provided was critical for us as we developed and advocated for our plan, and we have used it as a baseline to inform our thinking on multiple development issues in the years since. When the City of Yes initiative was launched last summer we were very well-prepared to enter discussions with NYC Department of City Planning knowing what you all would want to see. We were also able to use your feedback to collaborate with our network of allies, amplifying the voice of those who knew what it meant to protect and promote industrial businesses and their high-quality jobs.
COYEO is more than just manufacturing updates, but the plan does emphasize manufacturing. In particular, we will now have three new zoning districts: M1-A “Growth”, M2-A “Transition,” and M3-A “Core.” We are proud that our desire to have a Core District that limits non-industrial uses to 10,000 square feet and allows existing businesses additional FAR to grow in place has passed. We also were able to get a Transition District that offers a stronger incentive to provide industrial space for mixed-use projects. The only issue that we advocated for that we did not get was an industrial incentive in Growth Districts–we tried but we couldn’t win them all.
Additionally, the entire zoning code will be updated, condensing 18 use groups down to 10 and modernizing many of the individual business types that go in them. There will be revised parking, loading, and bulking requirements that better reflect present-day needs, and a variety of other measures that will expand some production uses and also commercial uses to potentially alleviate the pressure on M-zones from non-industrial uses.
It is important to note that this legislation does not map any new districts and so we will stay vigilant as private rezoning applications and broader neighborhood plans develop. But we wanted to take a moment to bask in the glow of a pretty big advocacy win, acknowledge these important changes and thank you all for the role you all played in shaping the vision of what a modern industrial area can look like for the entire city. We are grateful as always to work with such thoughtful and engaged businesses. We also want to extend a hearty thank you to the NYC City Council (especially the leadership of our own Councilmember Guitierrez and the M-Zone Coalition) and its Land Use Division, the Community Boards, Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso, DCP, and of course all of our colleagues in the Industrial Jobs Coalition.
If you want to discuss this in more detail or if you have any further questions contact Stephen Fabian at sfabian@evergreenexchange.org.