New York is constantly changing and evolving but as we grow we can’t lose those qualities that make our neighborhoods such an important part of our identity. The Council’s work in land use strikes this balance between recognizing our City’s need to adapt and our desire to protect its diversity and energy.

Building on our Engines of Opportunity report on strengthening the manufacturing and industrial sector in 2015, the Speaker and Council unveiled with the Administration an Industrial Action Plan, a critical investment that will boost our local economy and provide jobs for thousands of New Yorkers. The plan protects our core industrial areas by strengthening restrictions in our Industrial Business Zones, among other support.

The Council’s work in negotiating developments over the last two years resulted in significant outcomes such as Astoria Cove, the first project in our City that integrated a mandatory inclusionary housing component, and the Vanderbilt Corridor, which includes over $200 million of transit investment and a new generation of office buildings for Midtown.

Through the use of our zoning powers and our ability to grant tax exemptions, the Council has advocated for and approved applications which will facilitate the development of thousands of new units of affordable housing and preserved the affordability of thousands of units of existing affordable housing for another generation of New Yorkers.

Ground-up planning is critical for ensuring that communities are shaping development. When the Administration decided that East Harlem and other communities would be targeted for a rezoning as part of an affordable housing plan, the Speaker launched a ground-up planning process that prioritizes community needs and that serves as a model for other districts. This process included a series of public meetings that engaged hundreds of community members in the development of the East Harlem Neighborhood Plan.

During 2014–15, we also designated individual landmarks and new historic districts across the boroughs, including buildings such as the Stonewall Inn, for their architectural merit and cultural and historic importance.