By Bobby Ciafardini
The Brush Avenue rezoning is one step closer to final approval this week following a thumbs-up from the City Planning Commission.
Now, all that stands in the way of final approval for the plan, which would rezone a three-block area between Ferry Point Park and the Hutchinson River Parkway from R4 to R4A, is endorsement from the City Council and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who would likely approve the proposal since he has been a proponent of residential downzoning throughout his time in office.
R4 districts permit all types of housing, including multifamily attached buildings, with a maximum floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.9, while an R4A district limits development to one- and two-family detached housing with the same maximum FAR of 0.9.
As one step in the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), the City Planning Commission, after examining the plan, approved the rezoning on Wednesday, January 11. On September 12, the Department of City Planning certified the ULURP application for the proposed zoning map amendment, beginning the formal public review process. The application was sent to Community Board 10 for a 60-day review period and October 11, CB 10 voted in favor of the application. Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr. held a public hearing on October 27 and recommended approval of the application on November 2. The commission held its public hearing on December 7, and after making its recommendations last week, the application will now go before the City Council for review and approval. The mayor doesn
