Community Board Passes Inwood Rezoning Resolution

INWOOD, NY — Community Board 12, which represents the Washington Heights and Inwood neighborhoods, voted overwhelmingly Tuesday night to pass a detailed resolution that supports aspects of the city's proposal to rezone Inwood and opposes other aspects.

The Community Board took a nuanced approach toward the city's rezoning proposal because it is more like five proposals in one, the board's land use committee chair Wayne Benjamin said Tuesday night. Benjamin crafted the board's 11-page proposal with the help of other committee chair heads.

The board's resolution separately addresses the five main proposals within the city's plan, including:

• Zoning map amendments to establish new zoning in several parts of Inwood;
• Zoning text amendments to establish a special Inwood zoning district, a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing area and a Waterfront Access Plan;
• Site disposition proposals to turn over city-owned lots for development;
• Site acquisition proposals for the city to take over certain lots in Inwood;
• Designation of what is currently the Inwood Library as an Urban Development Action Area/Urban Development Action Area Project as part of a city plan to redevelop the library.

Most notably, Community Board 12's resolution opposes the zoning map amendments proposed by the city Economic Development Corporation which would upzone many areas of Inwood for greater residential and commercial density. The board also opposed the designations for the Inwood library redevelopment, insisting that the plan should go through its own, separate public approval process.

The resolution also placed conditions on city zoning actions that it supported, such as the establishment of a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing area. The board's resolution states that new affordable housing built in rezoned areas should reflect income levels in Inwood, which are lower than Manhattan as a whole and lower than the "area median income" metric that the city uses to determine affordability.

Other highlights of the resolution include:

• Requests to scale back the proposed zoning map to limit future building heights;
• Support for a special waterfront district;
• Preserving neighborhood character through landmarking significant buildings;
• Preserving and memorializing areas of significance to native-American and African-American peoples;
• A cap on size for types of future commercial establishments (not supermarkets);
• Requests for a state-of-the-art economic development facility in the neighborhood with resources such as job training and support for entrepreneurs;

"There are five specific zoning actions that are on the table that we need to respond to," Benjamin said Tuesday. "I think we've done so in a thoughtful, detailed way. And we have also responded to the challenge of outlining our vision for commitments over the next decade."

Community Board 12 was the first body to weigh in on the city's proposal in the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. The board's vote is considered advisory and is not legally binding.

The city Economic Development Corporation, which developed the Inwood rezoning plan, commended the board for its "valuable input and commitment" in a statement.

"Over the last three years, we've engaged the Inwood community to protect and create affordable housing, deliver waterfront open space, and provide new opportunities for residents and small businesses. We sincerely appreciate the Board's valuable input and commitment, and we will carefully review their recommendations as we continue to advance our number one priority: Ensuring that Inwood remains an affordable and attractive neighborhood for working families," Stephanie Báez, a spokeswoman for the city agency, said in a statement.

The board's resolution received the support of community members who backed a coalition of neighborhood groups called Uptown United. The coalition developed its own rezoning proposals in response to the plan submitted by the EDC.

But many community members were unable to share their opinions. The venue for Tuesday night's meeting was held in a space with a capacity of just 100 members of the public, which left a number of community members locked out of the building. Even people who showed up well before the meeting's start time of 6:30 found that there were no available seats.

Of the members of the public who were allowed entry into the meeting, only 16 signed up to speak during the public session, a low number for meetings related to the rezoning.

Borough President Gale Brewer will vote next on the city's rezoning proposal. Like the community board, the borough president's vote is advisory. The City Planning Commission and City Council hold binding votes and have the power to amend the city's rezoning proposal.

Photo by Brendan Krisel/Patch