By Ivan Pereira
The City Council Thursday unanimously approved the rezoning of 220 blocks in Laurelton.
The vote came after nearly two years of study and work by the city’s Department of City Planning, residents, civic organizations and leaders such as City Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton). Under new regulations, developers will be prohibited from building out-of-character buildings that conflict with the look of the small homes that make up the area, according to City Planing Commissioner Amanda Burden.
“Old zoning threatened the low-scale, one- and two-family character of Laurelton, one of the city’s most beautiful and verdant neighborhoods,” she said in a statement.
The new zoning affects the area bounded to the north by 121st Avenue, south by the Belt Parkway, west by Springfield Boulevard and east by Laurelton Parkway.
Under the new zoning standards, many parts of the neighborhood will change from an R2 designation, which does not set a maximum height for buildings, to a R2A designation, which sets the maximum height at 35 feet. Other parts of the area will change from R3-2, which allowed all types of houses, to either R3A or R3X, which allow only detached one- and two-family houses.
In addition to the residential changes, the rezoning plan has redesignated land on Merrick Boulevard between 226th Street and Springfield Boulevard. The area was formally a C8-1 designation, which permitted automotive commercial uses, but now be a R5D zone, which permits all housing types.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
