Proposed bill seeks greater power for pols in stopping large development

Two Bridges residents and area elected officials are not backing down from demanding a full land use review for three proposed skyscraper developments on the neighborhood’s waterfront.

Following a rally last week during which the community and officials reinforced their demand for a uniform land use review procedure (ULURP) of the waterfront site, Council Member Margaret Chin has introduced a bill that if approved would require City Planning to consider land use applications in a more timely manner. The bill includes a Text Amendment that would force a ULURP for the towers, Crain’s first reported.

If the bill is passed, the preapplication period during which developers or city officials work privately with city planning would be significantly condensed. The rezoning applications the developers are seeking to submit would jump ahead to public review, giving politicians an edge over developers.

The towers Chin’s seeking to curb are a 1,008-foot rental at 247 Cherry Street by JDS Development Company, dual 798- and 728-foot towers at 260 South Street by L+M and CIM, and a 724-foot building at 259 Clinton Street by Starrett. Together the buildings will add about 3,000 apartments to the area, 25 percent of which will be set aside as affordable housing.

“To be clear, our fight to save Two Bridges was not deterred last year, even when the Department of City Planning rejected my demand to subject these proposals to a ULURP,” said Chin in a statement announcing the bill. “The tools I announced today are critical to fulfilling the commitment I have made to residents to stop these proposed mega towers, and give them a real opportunity to shape the future of their neighborhood.”

Read the full press release below.

• Pol pushes for more power to block big developments [Crain’s]
• Two Bridges residents rally for full review of waterfront skyscrapers [Curbed]