QUEENS, NY – Queens Borough President Melinda Katz stated the following in response to questions about the preliminary proposal to eliminate or reduce parking spot requirements for any affordable and/or senior housing, as presented by the Department of City Planning to the Borough Board last night:
“Serious concerns were raised by the Queens Borough Board. In a transit desert like the borough of Queens, the reality for many families is having to rely on cars to get to work. For our seniors, we want them to maintain an independent, active quality of living for as long as possible. Our current mass transit system – including subways, buses and Access-A-Ride – is simply insufficient in reliability, frequency and reach to warrant stripping parking requirements. We share the goal of creating more affordable units, however, and we’re glad the city is coming up with outside-the-box ideas to reach this goal. We look forward to continuing discussions with the agency about alternative solutions for fair and smart growth.”
The preliminary proposal was one part of the Department of City Planning’s overall presentation about “Zoning for Quality and Affordability”.
About the Borough Board
The Borough Board is chaired by the Borough President under the New York City Charter and comprised of the borough’s City Council members and the chairperson of each Community Board in the borough. The Board focuses on issues dealing with land use, development, public policy, budget, and other important matters with potential borough-wide implications. The Board hears presentations from City officials and others and, as part of the land use review process, is sometimes called upon to vote on land use questions that impact more than one Community Board District.
Follow Borough President Katz via @melindakatz or www.facebook.com/queensbpkatz