Also will vote on package of bills, from the Green Codes Task Force, that will revolutionize the regulations governing existing building codes<\/p>\n
City Hall \u2013 At today\u2019s Stated meeting, the Council will modernize City parking by voting on a zoning amendment that will allow car sharing vehicles, such as Zip cars, to park in off-street parking facilities.
\nIn addition, the Council will vote on a set of groundbreaking bills that will \u201cgreen\u201d city buildings codes. These five bills, which were derived from the Green Codes Task Force\u2019s report at the beginning of this year, will conserve energy usage and improve lighting efficiency in buildings. The Council will also be voting on a resolution that calls on the U.S. Congress to pass the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2009) and another resolution that would protect the Delaware River Basin from gas production through hydraulic fracking.<\/p>\n
CREATING PARKING ZONES FOR CAR-SHARES
\nThe Council will vote on a zoning amendment that will allow car sharing vehicles, such as Zip cars, to park in off-street parking facilities. Currently, no clear rules exist on where car-share vehicles should or should not park.<\/p>\n
This is in response to the popularity of car-sharing \u2013 especially here, where New York City accounts for approximately a third of national car-sharing membership. In 2008, membership for car-sharing services increased by more than 50 percent compared to the year before with 279,174 members, according to NYC Planning.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis parking amendment is another clear sign that New York City continues to be forward thinking and will adapt to the needs of every New Yorker,\u201d said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. \u201cCar-share vehicles and services are becoming widely popular across the City, and by amending these parking zones, we\u2019re able to give clear guidance to the thousands of New Yorkers who use these car-shares everyday.\u201d<\/p>\n
By allowing car-sharing vehicles to park in off-street parking facilities, it will reduce parking demand, traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n
The amendment would allow car-share vehicles to park in:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Up to 40 percent of total spaces in public parking lots and garages;
\n\u2022 Up to 20 percent (or five spaces in the lot), whichever is more, in a medium to high density residential facility (one that has 30 spaces);
\n\u2022 Up to 10 percent of spaces in a lower density multi-family residential district, which has at least 20 spaces; and
\n\u2022 Up to 10 percent of spaces in a commercial, community or manufacturing facility, which has at least 20 parking spaces.<\/p>\n
The new zoning amendment will not allow car-share vehicles to park in low-density one-and-two-family residential buildings, although accessory parking for colleges and universities is allowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to thank Speaker Quinn and my colleagues for their leadership on this issue,\u201d said Deputy Majority Leader Leroy Comrie. \u201cAs chairperson of Land Use, it has been my intention to use this committee to help spur growth in our City\u2019s economy and advocate for responsible city planning. This legislation will not only allow for the expansion of a growing industry but also address environmental concerns as well. In a city that becomes increasingly more congested each year, car-sharing is a great idea and I\u2019m hopeful that more New Yorkers will utilize it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCar sharing will make New York City cleaner, greener, and more convenient,\u201d said Council Member Mark S. Weprin, Chair of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises.<\/p>\n
GREENING BUILDINGS
\nEarlier this year, the Green Codes Task Force, a group convened by the Speaker and the Mayor, submitted its report outlining a comprehensive series of recommendations on how to make buildings more energy efficient. The report contains many firsts in the nation \u2013 a few of which will be voted on today.<\/p>\n
These five bills will transform how buildings are designed, constructed and maintained, and will be enacted as follows:<\/p>\n
Intro 267-A
\n\u2022 BEFORE: Currently, environmental concerns are not expressly recognized within the intent provisions of the construction codes although environmental risks are frequently likely to affect New York City buildings and their occupants.
\n\u2022 AFTER: Explicitly recognizing environmental concerns as a guiding principle of building, plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas codes. Effective immediately.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis bill codifies what all progressive policymakers already know \u2013 that the city\u2019s building and construction codes must make the interest of the environment a fundamental, guiding purpose of the codes. This bill sets the conceptual framework for the city to align building and construction codes with sustainability goals. New York City\u2019s quest for long-term environmental sustainability is inextricably linked to its built environment and, by extension, to the building and construction codes that govern the built environment,\u201d said Councilman James F. Gennaro, chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection.<\/p>\n
Intro 262-A
\n\u2022 BEFORE: The law requires that exits and public corridors be illuminated at all times by electrical lighting fixtures even when the space is lit by daylight or is unoccupied.
\n\u2022 AFTER: This bill would allow such spaces to be lit by automatic, occupant sensor or photosensor lighting controls provided a minimum level of illumination is maintained, and would lower the level of lighting illumination for exits, exit discharges and public corridors from \u201cnot less than 2 foot-candles (a measure of luminosity) at the floor level\u201d to not less than \u201c1 foot-candle at the walking surface level.\u201d Effective on January 1, 2011.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe use of incandescent bulbs and other energy consuming light fixtures account for 20 percent of energy consumption in the United States,\u201d said Council Member Fernando Cabrera, sponsor of the bill. \u201cIn our city any reduction of energy costs can potentially free up resources for city services like our police officers, sanitation department, and education system. The Light Efficiency Bill is an attempt to save energy through light efficiency in buildings and I\u2019m glad to be a part of the \u201cgreening\u201d of our city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Int. No. 266-A
\n\u2022 BEFORE: Lights would remain on in commercial buildings, even if a room were unoccupied, wasting unnecessary energy.
\n\u2022 AFTER: This bill would require that certain commercial spaces install sensors and controls including an occupant sensor that requires lights be turned on manually, but turns off lights automatically when these spaces are vacated. Effective on January 1, 2011.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all know we should be saving energy, but too often, we fail to do it. The lights are on, but nobody\u2019s home,\u201d said Council Member Garodnick, sponsor of the bill. \u201cBy requiring auto-off lighting, our actions will match our intentions when it comes to energy use.\u201d<\/p>\n
Int. No. 273-A
\n\u2022 BEFORE: The NYC Building Code currently requires that all temporary walkways and foot bridges, as well as the underside of sidewalk sheds, be illuminated at all times by natural or electric light.
\n\u2022 AFTER: This bill would amend the Building Code to replace watts, which is a measure of how much electricity is used with foot-candles (a measure of luminosity). This would set a more efficient minimum lighting standard for temporary walkways, foot bridges and sidewalk sheds, and would allow photosensors to be used to control electric lighting in such areas according to the amount of daylight available. Effective on July 1, 2011.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs an advocate for work place safety and an activist for environmental protection, I am proud to sponsor Intro 273,\u201d said Council Member Steve Levin, sponsor of the bill. \u201cThe bill is part of an intensive effort to increase the sustainability and environmental efficiency of construction sites in New York City, while maintaining a very important strict safety standard for all work sites.\u201d<\/p>\n
Int. No. 277-A
\n\u2022 BEFORE: The Housing Maintenance Code requires the use of incandescent lights of certain wattage in some common areas of multiple dwellings buildings, implying that these lights should always be left fully on.
\n\u2022 AFTER: This bill will amend the Housing Maintenance Code to require that, for certain public parts (such as hallways and stairs) of multiple dwellings and tenant-occupied 2-family dwellings, electric lighting fixtures and daylight be provided. This would allow the use of automatic, occupant sensors or photosensors lighting controls in laundry rooms if safety conditions are met. Effective on January 1, 2011.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe city\u2019s multi-family buildings will now become more energy efficient while still providing residents with safety and peace of mind,\u201d said Council Member Eric Ulrich, sponsor of the bill. \u201cThis is a minor change that will have a major impact on energy costs and our efforts to become more environmentally friendly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe five bills we are passing today uses a common sense approach to help increase the energy efficiency of buildings in the city,\u201d stated Council Member Erik Martin Dilan, Chair of the Housing & Buildings Committee. \u201cThey allow buildings to incorporate the use of some of the latest greening efficiency technology and standards without compromising safety.\u201d <\/p>\n
In July 2008, the Mayor and the Speaker requested the Urban Green Council convene a panel of experts to help green the laws and regulations that govern existing city construction codes.<\/p>\n
The Task Force Steering Committee is comprised of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, high level New York City officials and the Chairs of the Task Force Technical Committees. It is chaired by Russell Unger, the executive director of the Urban Green Council. A statement from Unger is attached.<\/p>\n
THE DREAM ACT
\nThe Council will vote on a resolution for Congress to pass, and calls on President Obama to sign the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2009).<\/p>\n
The DREAM Act would grant eligible undocumented persons, particularly children who are pursuing higher education, conditional permanent resident status. Additionally, immigrant students would be allowed to work legally and then be eligible for certain types of financial aid while pursuing higher education.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmerica has in the past always allowed immigrants to come to this country to give their children opportunities for a better education and a brighter future,\u201d said New York City Council Member and Chair of the Immigration Committee Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights). \u201cToday, we will pass a resolution calling on Congress to pass, and for President Obama to sign, the Dream Act to grant our immigrant youth the opportunity to give back to our great nation and strengthen our communities across America. The Dream Act not only benefits immigrant students, but by encouraging higher education, it will benefit our country as a whole. This resolution is so important because passing the Dream Act is socially, economically and morally the right thing to do. These students are woven into the very fabric of America and it is time we allow them to fully participate in our society and pursue the American dream.\u201d<\/p>\n
HYDROFRACKING
\nThe Council will also vote on a resolution that calls on the Delaware River Basin Commission to halt the issuance of regulations for gas production using hydraulic fracturing. The resolution also calls for a cumulative impact study on the Delaware River Basin before any water withdrawal for hydrofracking occurs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Council is calling upon the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) to put science and careful study ahead of rulemaking when it comes to hydraulic fracturing. It is wrong, I believe, for the DRBC to think that it can develop and issue regulations relating to hydraulic fracturing in the absence of a cumulative impact study that would be essential to guide and inform the development of rules for hydraulic fracturing,\u201d said Councilman James F. Gennaro, chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Also will vote on package of bills, from the Green Codes Task Force, that will revolutionize the regulations governing existing building codes<\/p>\n
City Hall \u2013 At today\u2019s Stated meeting, the Council will modernize City parking by voting on a zoning amendment that will allow car sharing vehicles, such as Zip cars, to park in off-street parking facilities.
\nIn addition, the Council will vote on a set of groundbreaking bills that will \u201cgreen\u201d city buildings codes.<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n