The SCF is happy to report that after an almost 9-year lobbying campaign, meaningful sections of the recently enacted City of Yes rezoning program included many special considerations for new and remodeled houses in our neighborhoods.
As a founding member of the Flatbush Neighborhood Improvement Coalition (FNIC), the SCF worked together with the FJCC and others to bring this major accomplishment to fruition.
The new regulations provide (among others):
(In our neighborhoods only – Southern Brooklyn–not City-wide)
- Enhanced Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of 1.0
- Rear Yard depths reduced from 30 feet to 20 feet.
- Increases in Lot Coverage
- Reduction of certain Side Yard requirements
- Increase in the perimeter side wall height that allows for a 3-4 step-up front porch/entry level vs.
the previous 1-2 step-up front porch/entry level.
These enhancements were designed to eliminate the long paperwork delays of a year or more and expenditures of up to $100,000 for legal and filing fees for Special Permits and Variances.
The SCF wishes to extend its deep gratitude to Mayor Eric Adams, his administration, and the Dept. of City Planning Commissioner, Dan Garodnik.
Their combined efforts via more than a dozen meetings, whether they were at City Hall, at the Dept. of City Planning or on Zoom or by phone went way above and beyond our expectations.
We are also grateful to Joey Shamie for his untiring efforts re: this initiative and for his involvement in so many other Community-wide initiatives.
This historic accomplishment is but one of many successes that the SCF has achieved in its 15-plus years of advocating for the needs of our Community. q
