The New York City Charter is the municipal charter of New York City. As of January 2018, it includes a non-numbered introductory chapter, plus chapters identified by a number (1 through 75) or a number plus a letter suffix. of the Charter. The process allows the affected the opportunity to stop a development, or find common-ground and come to a compromise with the developer, wherein the negative effects are acknowledged but allowed upon some quid-pro-quo concessional proposal change that allows the affected to accept the negative impacts in light of the positive concessions.
Background
Prior to the creation of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), the development and infrastructure decision making process was concentrated in the hands of bureaucrats such as Robert Moses
Robert Moses (December 18, 1888 – July 29, 1981) was an American urban planner and public official who worked in the New York metropolitan area during the early to mid 20th century. Despite never being elected to any office, Moses is regarded ...
, who made decisions with limited or no local input. ULURP specifies six phases in the procedure - each of which brings an additional local stakeholder into the development and infrastructure decision making process.
Developments that fall within current zoning rules are referred to as "As of right" developments, and do not go through the ULURP process. ULURP is only initiated when a change in zoning is required for the development.
Phases of the ULURP process
The Uniform Land Use Review Procedure is made up of six phases, which can take up to 205 days to complete. The phases are:
NYC Department of City Planning certification
Application must be submitted and certified by the New York City Department of City Planning
The Department of City Planning (DCP) is the department of the government of New York City responsible for setting the framework of city's physical and socioeconomic planning. The department is responsible for land use and environmental review, p ...
. Part of the submission includes a draft environmental impact statement.
Local Community board advisory review
The application is then submitted to the local community board, which must provide a non-binding review of the application within a 60 day period. Approval by the community board is not necessary for the application to proceed.
Borough president advisory review
The application is then brought to the local Borough president for advisory review within a 30 day period. Approval by the borough president is not necessary for the application to proceed.
New York City Planning Commission review
The application is then brought to the New York City Planning Commission
The Department of City Planning (DCP) is the department of the government of New York City responsible for setting the framework of city's physical and socioeconomic planning. The department is responsible for land use and environmental review, p ...
(CPC) for review within a 60 day period. If the commission disapproves the application, then the process is effectively over, unless the city council decides to review the disapproved application.
New York City Council review
The application is then brought to the New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of New York City. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five Borough (New York City), boroughs.
The council serves as a check against the Mayor of New York City, mayor in a may ...
for review within a 50 day period.
New York City Mayoral veto and review
The application is then brought to the New York City Mayor for review within a 5 day period. The mayor's approval is not necessary for the application to go forward, but a mayoral veto ends the process unless the city council decides to override the veto with a ⅔ vote.
See also
* City Environmental Quality Review
City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) is a process New York City agencies must undergo to determine if any discretionary action they approved has any deteriorating impact on the environment. Projects that have to be reviewed by CEQR are either ...
* Community benefits agreement
A community benefits agreement (CBA) in the United States is a contract signed by community groups and a real estate developer that requires the developer to provide specific amenities and/or mitigations to the local community or neighborhood. In e ...
* Land use
Land use involves the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as settlements and semi-natural habitats such as arable fields, pastures, and managed woods. Land use by humans has a long h ...
* PlaNYC PlaNYC was a strategic plan released by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2007 to prepare the city for one million more residents, strengthen the economy, combat climate change, and enhance the quality of life for all New Yorkers. The plan ...
* Urban planning
Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, ...
* Urban renewal
Urban renewal (also called urban regeneration in the United Kingdom and urban redevelopment in the United States) is a program of land redevelopment often used to address urban decay in cities. Urban renewal involves the clearing out of blighte ...
* Variance (land use)
A variance is a deviation from the set of rules a municipality applies to land use and land development, typically a zoning ordinance, building code or municipal code. The manner in which variances are employed can differ greatly depending on the ...
* Zoning in the United States
Zoning in the United States includes various land use laws falling under the police power rights of state governments and local governments to exercise authority over privately owned real property. Zoning laws in major cities originated with the ...
References
1975 in New York City
New York City law
Community development
Environmental justice in New York City
Urban planning in New York City
Housing in New York City
Zoning in the United States
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