City Landmarks Commission To Reopen, Hold Virtual Meetings

NEW YORK, NY — The city Landmarks Preservation Commission is planning to resume its normal business in the coming weeks after shutting down meetings due to the outbreak of coronavirus in New York City, the board announced.

The first virtual LPC meeting will be held April 21 using the video conferencing service Zoom, a spokesperson for the commission said. The meetings will also be streamed live on the commission's Youtube channel.

Items that will be heard by the board on April 21 were originally scheduled to be heard on March 17, a meeting that was canceled as the city's number confirmed coronavirus cases increased at a rapid pace, a spokesperson for the commission said. An additional meeting will be scheduled for May to accommodate the overflow.

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Like many public agencies, the city Landmarks Preservation Commission is required to follow New York open meetings laws. These laws typically require meetings to be held in-person, but New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo passed executive orders allowing meetings to be held remotely until at least May 7.

The city Landmarks Preservation Commission is also taking steps to protect its staff and applicants from the spread of coronavirus by eliminating many in-person requirements for submissions, a commission spokesperson said. The LPC has been accepting electronic permit applications since March 17.

"While we will be using a new platform for our hearings, we will ensure our hearings are fair, transparent and accessible to the public," Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Sarah Carroll said in a statement.

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