Council also approved legislation to make New York City the largest U.S. municipality to require its fleet be made up of zero emissions vehicles
City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council voted to pass legislation that would allow a one-time exception to the maximum age requirement for employees of the FDNY’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services seeking to take the next civil service promotion examination to become firefighters. FDNY hiring cycles were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing civil service examinations from being offered at their usual frequency. This legislation creates a one-time waiver to the maximum age requirement for these EMS workers who missed their opportunity in 2020 to take the next exam in 2024.
In addition, the Council passed legislation to make New York City the largest U.S. municipality to require its vehicle fleet consist of zero emissions vehicles. It would require the City to only purchase zero emissions light- and medium-duty vehicles after 2025, and zero emissions heavy-duty vehicles after 2028. It would also require the City to ensure that its entire fleet of municipal vehicles is converted to zero emissions vehicles by 2035 with earlier goals for some vehicle types, the training of city workers on the repair and maintenance of these new vehicles, and reporting on workforce development.
The Council also approved bills to require the creation of off-street parking for commercial trucks and tractor trailers, screen incarcerated New Yorkers for dyslexia and offer interventions when necessary, and mandate that City employees provide identification when issuing violations.
“Our city’s Emergency Medical Services staff are essential to the health and safety of all New Yorkers, and we should support their efforts to serve our communities,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “We are proud to pass a one-time waiver to the maximum age requirement for EMS workers so those whose promotional exams were delayed because of the pandemic can have a fair shot at securing an opportunity to serve our city as firefighters.
“Today, the Council made history in becoming the largest U.S. city to require our vehicle fleet be made up of zero emissions vehicles, setting a standard towards addressing the environmental and health impacts of vehicle pollution,” continued Speaker Adams. “I’m also proud that the Council is passing legislation to create off-street parking for tractor trailers and commercial trucks, so that they have designated spaces to park other than residential streets. Illegal truck parking has been a persistent issue in Southeast Queens and communities across the city, which impacts public health and safety. This important bill advances solutions that deliver relief for both residents and truck drivers, and I thank my Council colleagues for their partnership in passing today’s critical legislation.”
Creating One-Time Exception to Maximum Age Requirement for FDNY Promotion Exam
Preconsidered Introduction, sponsored by Council Member Gale Brewer, would create a one-time exception to the maximum age requirement for employees of the FDNY’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) seeking to take the next civil service promotion examination to become firefighters. Under existing local law, in order to become a firefighter for the FDNY, an individual may not have passed their 29th birthday on the date of filing their application for the requisite civil service examination. However, FDNY hiring cycles were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and civil service examinations were not offered at their usual frequency. As a result, a group of nearly 300 FDNY-EMS who would have otherwise been eligible to take a promotion exam in 2020 will now be ineligible to take the next one offered in 2024. This legislation creates a one-time waiver to the maximum age requirement for these EMS workers who missed their opportunity in 2020, to take the next exam in 2024.
“Young people who have the skills, experience, and dedication to be New York City firefighters deserve a fair chance,” said Council Member Gale A. Brewer. “Being shut out because of interruptions to the civil service exam schedule during the worst of the pandemic is far from fair. I am so impressed by the EMTs and other advocates who fought for this legislation. They deserve credit and, more importantly, the opportunity to serve the city.”
Requiring NYC to Purchase and Convert Vehicle Fleet to Zero Emissions
Introduction 279-A, sponsored by Majority Leader Keith Powers, would require the City to only purchase zero emissions light- and medium-duty vehicles after 2025, and zero emissions heavy-duty vehicles after 2028. It would also require the City to ensure that its entire fleet of municipal vehicles is converted to zero emissions vehicles by 2035 with earlier goals for some vehicle types. Introduction 279-A also requires the training of city workers on the repair and maintenance of these new vehicles and reporting on workforce development.
Preconsidered Resolution, sponsored by Majority Leader Keith Powers, calls on the Mayor to procure on the basis of best value when contracting for the purchase, operation, and maintenance of zero emission vehicles.
“Today, New York City is taking a major step forward in reducing our carbon footprint and advancing environmental justice with the passage of Intro. 279,” said Majority Leader Keith Powers. “The new law codifies an ambitious new timeline to transition the city’s municipal fleet of over 30,000 vehicles – the largest in the nation – to being made up of zero emissions vehicles. New York City continues to lead the country in creating a greener, more sustainable world.”
Creating Off-Street Parking for Tractor Trailers
Introduction 906-A, sponsored by Council Member Justin Brannan, requires an agency or office designated by the Mayor to offer off-street parking for tractor trailers and commercial trucks at three or more locations citywide by 2025. City data from 2021 shows that 80 percent of package deliveries are to residential customers, partly due to a rapid expansion of e-commerce. As a result, deliveries have increased, taking up curbside space that often block car traffic, bus lanes, or bike lanes, and have exacerbated the problem of overnight truck parking in residential neighborhoods, which is illegal in New York City.
“In districts like mine all across the outer boroughs, tractor-trailers and commercial trucks illegally parking overnight on residential streets has long been an unsolved and intractable problem. Every day, 3.6 million packages are delivered within the five boroughs. Each year, some 365 million tons of cargo passes through the City of New York and nearly 90% of that cargo is still carried by truck,” said Council Member Justin Brannan. “This commerce and these workers are absolutely crucial to our city’s economy. We have an insufficient number of designated areas for truck parking in this city, and my bill would fix that. Our residential streets shouldn’t look like a Flying J truck stop and our cops shouldn’t be forced to play Whac-A-Mole towing these vehicles every night. Just as truck drivers shouldn’t be forced to roll the dice parking their rigs on residential streets overnight and risk getting a ticket because the City of New York hasn’t established locations for them to park legally. Solutions for both truck drivers and our constituents that have been dealing with illegal truck parking are long overdue.”
Screening for Dyslexia and Offering Interventions to Incarcerated New Yorkers
Introduction 349, sponsored by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, wouldrequire the Department of Correction to screen all individuals in custody who self-report lack of a high school diploma or its equivalent for dyslexia, and offer evidence-based interventions. Upon passage, the department must immediately provide screening and interventions to individuals in custody between the ages of 18-21 years old, and subsequently to sentenced individuals, regardless of their age, culminating with the Department offering to screen and provide interventions to all individuals in custody. The Department also must issue quarterly public reports on how many individuals are being screened for dyslexia and enrolling in available programming.
“Rikers remains in crisis, and the foundations on which the system was built were not designed to truly support the needs or well-being of people on the inside,” said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. “Dyslexia is already under-discussed- and likely under-diagnosed- in our city, and evidence suggests that this problem is exponentially worse among incarcerated people. By screening and servicing affected individuals, we can help correct an educational services gap that should have been addressed long ago, providing new opportunities for people on the inside and helping to prevent them from re-entering the criminal justice system in the future. Identifying and addressing dyslexia and illiteracy through trained educators will make time while incarcerated more positive, and employment after incarceration more accessible. If we had done a better job as a city of meeting this need early in New Yorkers’ education, we may have prevented many people from contact with the system in the first place. I thank the Speaker and my colleagues on the Council for voting to enact this key legislation.”
Requiring City Employees to Provide Identification When Issuing Violations
Introduction 743, sponsored by Council Member Rafael Salamanca, would require that City employees who issue summonses or notices of violation provide a pre-printed, handwritten, or electronic business card including the employee’s name and agency, a telephone number and e-mail address as well as the relevant 3-1-1 customer service number, and an indication that this contact information may be used to submit comments about the encounter with the city employee. If a business card is not available, employees could instead provide the identifying information verbally. Employees who are engaged in agency-approved undercover activities are exempt from the requirements of this bill. This would improve accountability by ensuring that when the public is engaging with a city employee, they can clearly identify that employee and provide valuable feedback about the encounter to that employee’s agency.
“I am grateful to Speaker Adams and to my City Council Colleagues for adopting my bill, Intro 743” said Council Member Rafael Salamanca. “This bill will require City employees who can issue summons or notices of violation when questioning people to provide a pre-printed, handwritten or electronic business card with identifying information upon request. No different than our city’s police officers providing their name and badge numbers, this will allow for New Yorkers to have a greater sense of security and transparency when dealing with City agencies, while ensuring that they are protected from any potential scams or fraudulent behavior.”
Land Use
1460-1480 Sheridan Boulevard – 1480 Sheridan Realty LLC and West Farms Realty LLC, collectively Simone Companies, seek a zoning map and text amendments from M1-1 to R7-3/C2-4 with MIH. This action will facilitatethree new mixed-used buildings with 100% affordable housing. It will include approximately 970 housing units, 139,300 sq. ft. of commercial space and 465 bicycle parking spaces and 100 accessory automobile parking spaces, in Council Member Rafael Salamanca’s district.
244 East 106th Street Article XI Disposition – The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (NYC HPD) requests approval for the disposition of city-owned property to a developer selected by HPD to facilitate the development of a 10-storyshared supportive Housing building under the Share NYC pilot program, creating approximately 32 affordable rooming units, in Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala’s district.
2761 Plumb 2nd Street Rezoning – Zaliv LLC seeks a Zoning Map Amendment from a C3 district to an R3-2/C2-3 district.This actionwill allow an existing restaurant to continue operating without renewing the BSA Special Permit every five years, in Minority Whip Inna Vernikov’s district.
125 Greaves Lane – 125 Greaves Lane LLC/ NBM Development LLC seeks a Zoning Map Amendment from an R3-2 district to an R3-2/C2-1 district. This action will facilitate the conversionof anexisting community facility into a commercial use to complement and reinforce the commercial use of the existing adjacent Evergreen Shopping Center, in Minority Leader Joseph Borelli’s district.
Finance
A pre-considered resolution to authorize an Article Eleven exemption for two new buildings in Council Member Farias’ district. A full 40-year Article XI exemption for new construction of all-affordable cooperative homeownership project in CM Farias’ district. The project will be two 4-story buildings of 58 units total, 11 1-bedroom, 31 2-bedroom, 16 3-bedroom. Units are to be priced for households between 65-90% AMI.
A pre-considered resolution to renew an Article Five exemption for one building in Council Member Abreu’s district. The exemption expired March 8, 2022, and HPD is asking for an additional 40-year exemption period retroactive to the March 2022 expiration date. The building is a HUD-assisted multifamily rental building for low-income senior households at 50% AMI. As a condition for the extension, the sponsor West Side Federation for Senior & Supportive Housing will implement energy efficiency measures, begin necessary capital repairs, and set aside 30% of turnover units for homeless senior households, and provide supportive services to these new homeless households.
Four pre-considered resolutions to act on recently granted State authorization allowing the Council to amend the required formula for calculating the Fiscal 2024 property tax rates. Passing this package of resolutions will result in lower Fiscal 2024 tax rates for Class 1 and Class 2 residential properties as compared to what the Council adopted with the budget in June.
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