City Hall, NY – Today, the Council voted on legislation requiring inspections for self-closing doors in residential buildings. It is an additional fire safety measure to prevent fire tragedies, complementing the recent legislative package passed at the May 19 Stated Meeting and signed into law yesterday. In total, the bills passed by the Council are intended to strengthen fire safety in residences throughout New York City, in the aftermath of the January 9 Twin Parks tragic fire in the Bronx.

“Following the tragedy at the Twin Parks North West residential building in the Bronx, it is imperative that we continue to take meaningful and impactful actions to safeguard the lives of all New Yorkers,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “Strengthening inspection processes for self-closing doors will ultimately save lives, especially in higher risk buildings. I thank Council Member Williams for shepherding this legislation forward and Chairs Feliz, Sanchez, and Ariola for their leadership on fire safety.”

Introduction 208-A, sponsored by Council Member Nantasha Williams, seeks to improve the inspection processes for self-closing doors, and to increase the instances where self-closing doors and noncompliance with other fire safety laws might be identified, by requiring Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) to share data regarding fire safety violations, and for each agency to use that data to better inform their building inspection protocols. This bill also requires HPD to take a more proactive role in inspecting for self-closing door compliance. Each year, HPD would have to select 300 buildings to inspect, with the aim of targeting higher risk buildings, like Twin Parks.

“Residents deserve to live in buildings that take steps toward security and safety,” said Council Member Nantasha Williams. “I’m proud to be the bill sponsor of Int 208-A, which will require landlords to maintain self-closing doors on all residential floors and to post-fire safety notices in residential buildings. This bill will provide families reassurance and ensure that landlords are held accountable for the safety of their tenants. I want to thank Speaker Adams for her leadership and my City Council colleagues, those who have signed on to sponsor this bill.”

LAND USE

1930 Adee Avenue – Centerland Realty LLC requests a zoning map amendment to rezone 1930, 1946, 1948 and 1950 Adee Avenue from an R4 zoning district to an R6B zoning district, as well as a zoning text amendment to amend Zoning Resolution Appendix F: Inclusionary Housing Designated Areas and Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Areas, for Bronx Community District 12, to establish the Proposed Project Area as a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing area utilizing Option 1 and Option 2. These actions will facilitate the alteration and use of the existing building located at 1930 Adee Avenue, as a Use Group 3 community facility as a pre-school/daycare, in Council Member Kevin Riley’s district.

840 Lorimer Street Rezoning – Zucker Enterprises LLC seeks a proposed zoning map amendment to rezone the southern portion of the block between Nassau Avenue, Manhattan Avenue, Driggs Avenue, and Lorimer Street from M1-2/R6 and R6A/C2-4 to C4-5D, and related zoning text amendments to designate a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Area, Options 1 and 2, in Appendix F of the Zoning Resolution. These actions would facilitate the proposed redevelopment of 840 Lorimer Street as a ten-story, mixed-use building with 74 housing units, 26 of which would be affordable, in Council Member Lincoln Restler’s district.

103 Lee Avenue Rezoning – Sbeny Holdings LLC, seeks a proposed zoning map amendment to rezone the area at the intersection of Lee Avenue, Keap Street, and Williamsburg Street East from R6 and R6/C1-3 to R7X/C2-4, and related zoning text amendments to designate a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Area, Options 1 and 2, in Appendix F of the Zoning Resolution. These actions would facilitate the development of an eight-story, mixed-use residential and commercial building. It will include 52 housing units, 16 affordable units and 15 below grade parking spaces. The Council is modifying the proposal to remove the 100 Lee Avenue site from the rezoning area in order to avoid incentivizing the direct displacement of the numerous small retail and neighborhood service businesses currently located on that site, in Council Member Lincoln Restler’s district.

146-93 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard Rezoning – Ranbir LLC, proposes a zoning map amendment to rezone the Proposed Project Area from an R3-2 zoning district to an R6A/C2-2 zoning district. The applicant also seeks a zoning text map amendment to amend ZR Appendix F: Inclusionary Housing Designated Areas for Queens Community District 13, to establish the Proposed Project Area as an MIH Designated Area. The proposal would facilitate the construction of a new eight-story building with local commercial retail space on the first floor. The Council is modifying the zoning map amendment from an R6A to an R5B district and reducing the proposed rezoning area to better reflect the surrounding community character of small one- and two-family homes. The proposed C2-2 commercial overlay will remain in place over the full block to bring existing businesses into conformance with zoning, in Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers’ district. 

One45/Museum of Civil Rights – These applications, relating to property in Council Member Kristin Richardson Jordan’s district, were withdrawn.

FINANCE

Introduction 103, sponsored by Council Member Brannan, authorizes an increase in the amount to be expended annually in the Sutphin Boulevard business improvement district, an extension of the boundaries of such district, a change in the method of assessment upon which the district charge in such district is based, and an increase in the maximum total amount to be expended for improvements in such district. This bill would also provide for the dissolution of the one hundred sixty-fifth street mall special assessment district, and the dissolution of the Jamaica Center mall special assessment district, which would merge into the Sutphin Blvd BID.

Resolution 191 establishes the discount rate for the early payment of property taxes. The Council voted on setting the discount rate for early payment of property taxes as recommended by the Banking Commissioner at one-half of one percent per annum for FY2023.

RULES, PRIVILEGES & ELECTIONS

Resolution 204-2022 permits the Council and its committees to use videoconferencing to conduct public meetings, provided that a quorum is physically present in the same location open to the public. It ensures the Council’s compliance with changes made by the State to the Open Meetings Law in April of this year. This will practically require the Council’s meetings to be attended in-person, unless a member must join virtually for a permitted reason, and open to be attended in-person by the public. Meetings will permit hybrid participation for the public, allowing videoconference use. The resolution also enables the Speaker to make determinations pursuant to the State Open Meetings Law during a state disaster emergency declared by the governor or local emergency declared by the mayor to suspend any and all in-person participation requirements.

###