Council OKs Laurelton rezoning
220-block plan would maintain neighborhood character: City
By Ivan Pereira
Comment
After nearly six years of calls for help by residents and community leaders , the City Council unanimously approved a plan to save the neighborhood character of Laurelton last week.
The Council gave thumbs up to the Department of City Planning's massive rezoning project for the area during its session last Thursday. City Planning Commissioner Amanda M. Burden said the change was necessary because residents, civic groups and leaders had been worried that their streets would be overridden with large, out-of-character buildings.
"Mayor [Michael] Bloomberg recognizes that New York's lower density neighborhoods are vital to the city's health as we work to balance population growth with overdevelopment concerns," she said in a statement.
The 220-block rezoning plan, which was first requested by Community Board 13 in 2002, according to Chairman Richard Hellenbrecht, makes changes to certain areas of the neighborhood bounded on the north by 121st Avenue, south by the Belt Parkway, west by Springfield Boulevard and east by the Laurelton Parkway.
The majority of land located north of Merrick Boulevard will change from R2, which mandates one-family housing with an unfixed maximum building height, to an R2-A zoning, which is similar to R2 except the maximum building height is 35 feet.
A portion of land between 130th and 133rd avenues and 224th and 226th streets that was zoned R3-2 will now be designated as R4B. Developers could build any type of housing under R3-2, but with the new rules, they can only construct one- or two-family homes.
Under the old zoning regulations, the majority of land south of Merrick Boulevard was also an R3-2 designation. The new plan will change homes west of Francis Lewis Boulevard to R3A, which mandates detached one- and two-family houses with a maximum lot width of 25 feet.
Buildings closer to Springfield Boulevard will also be designated R3A, but some buildings between 135th Avenue and the Belt will become R3X, which also mandates detached one- and two-family homes but has a maximum lot width of 35 feet.
An area enclosed by 136th and 137th avenues and 228th Street and Francis Lewis Boulevard will also change from R2 to R2A.
The rezoning is not only limited to the residential parts of Laurelton. The plan calls for the business area of Merrick Boulevard between Springfield Boulevard and 226th Street to change from C8-1, which permitted automotive uses, to R5D, which permits all housing types.
City Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton), who hired a consultant to listen to residents' requests for the rezoning plan, said he was thrilled that the years of hard work had come together. He said the rezoning would help the neighborhood to retain its quiet atmosphere and to welcome new families.
"No longer can developers tear down stately mansions and put up horrific junk. We have made sure that [the community] maintains its historical flavor," he said.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
The Council gave thumbs up to the Department of City Planning's massive rezoning project for the area during its session last Thursday. City Planning Commissioner Amanda M. Burden said the change was necessary because residents, civic groups and leaders had been worried that their streets would be overridden with large, out-of-character buildings.
"Mayor [Michael] Bloomberg recognizes that New York's lower density neighborhoods are vital to the city's health as we work to balance population growth with overdevelopment concerns," she said in a statement.
The 220-block rezoning plan, which was first requested by Community Board 13 in 2002, according to Chairman Richard Hellenbrecht, makes changes to certain areas of the neighborhood bounded on the north by 121st Avenue, south by the Belt Parkway, west by Springfield Boulevard and east by the Laurelton Parkway.
The majority of land located north of Merrick Boulevard will change from R2, which mandates one-family housing with an unfixed maximum building height, to an R2-A zoning, which is similar to R2 except the maximum building height is 35 feet.
A portion of land between 130th and 133rd avenues and 224th and 226th streets that was zoned R3-2 will now be designated as R4B. Developers could build any type of housing under R3-2, but with the new rules, they can only construct one- or two-family homes.
Under the old zoning regulations, the majority of land south of Merrick Boulevard was also an R3-2 designation. The new plan will change homes west of Francis Lewis Boulevard to R3A, which mandates detached one- and two-family houses with a maximum lot width of 25 feet.
Buildings closer to Springfield Boulevard will also be designated R3A, but some buildings between 135th Avenue and the Belt will become R3X, which also mandates detached one- and two-family homes but has a maximum lot width of 35 feet.
An area enclosed by 136th and 137th avenues and 228th Street and Francis Lewis Boulevard will also change from R2 to R2A.
The rezoning is not only limited to the residential parts of Laurelton. The plan calls for the business area of Merrick Boulevard between Springfield Boulevard and 226th Street to change from C8-1, which permitted automotive uses, to R5D, which permits all housing types.
ADVERTISEMENT
"No longer can developers tear down stately mansions and put up horrific junk. We have made sure that [the community] maintains its historical flavor," he said.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
 |
 |
|
| Bloomberg backs Maltese after courting Addabbo in '06 | Flushing blast tenants take woes to law firm |
Reader Comments
Submit a Comment
We encourage your feedback and dialog, all comments will be reviewed by our Web staff after appearing on the Web site.
|
