The Midtown Community Board unanimously voted down the proposal that would skip New York city’s traditional review process. One board member shamed the city officials for abdicating everything to the state.
Mayor Eric Adams wants to clear bureaucratic hurdles for those looking to set up casinos in New York City. In line with this, the locals aren’t having it and voted against the idea. Moreover, this idea was called undemocratic.
This proposal would allow casinos to set up in certain commercial and industrial zoning districts. This includes CB4, and encompasses Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea. It also permits proposals to bypass the city’s zoning process called the ULURP or the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.
Meanwhile, the city hall plans to cut out the public review process, hence go through its own public review process.
In connection to this, the board members denounced the zoning workaround, saying that it would take community boards out of the equation. Under ULURP or the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, community boards are typically tasked with voting on an advisory opinion on land use plans.
Delores Rubin, a board member states shame on city planning to abdicate everything to the state. She also said that any opportunity is literally being given away for what has been fought for by city planning. Aside from this, and more importantly, has been fought for by each community.
Meanwhile, David Korman is a Hell’s Kitchen resident. He railed against the idea via video conference an stated that ULURP was created to democratize the planning process.
Korman also added that the community is not at the table and the proposed amendment would leave our the professionals at city planning too.
CAC or the Community Advisory Committees will be created for each casino proposal with The Planning Department’s case for doing away with ULURP. Apparently, this is for casino proposals that could duplicate the state’s review process.
