A group of Southeast Queens residents and civic leaders rallied together with a clear message for their elected officials: vote no on the City of Yes rezoning proposal.
The homeowners and community organizers gathered at the corner of Sutphin Boulevard and 112 Avenue on Saturday, Nov. 2. Many locals held placards that said, “Just Say ‘No’ to the City of Yes” and “We Need Better Infrastructure Say No to the City of Yes.”
Key speakers included Paul Graziano, an urban planner and outspoken opponent of the City of Yes proposal, Reverend Carlene Thorbs, chairperson of Community Board 12, and members of the 149th St. South Ozone Park Civic Association.
Much of the rally centered on the homeowners reiterating their opposition to the rezoning plan. Many attendees called on their elected officials to stop the plan’s progression and vocalize their support for the local community.
The City of Yes encompasses a vast rezoning plan aimed at adding a little more housing in every neighborhood. It includes legalizing modified garage living spaces, allowing apartments to be built on top of ground-floor commercial buildings, and removing parking mandates for new housing developments. In April, the DCP drafted an annotated proposal zoning text and released an illustrated guide of its major components.
For months, Southeast Queens residents have voiced concerns that the City of Yes would change the makeup of their primarily one- and two-family home neighborhoods if high-density apartment buildings are introduced. Additionally, homeowners feel that an influx of more residents will put a strain on Southeast Queens’ infrastructure and exacerbate ongoing quality-of-life issues.
The City Council held a two-day hearing on Oct. 21 and 22, during which Department of City Planning Commissioner Dan Garodnick and Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Adolfo Carrión fielded questions from council members. During the public hearing portion…
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