New York City Council Would Change Zoning Code to Support Industrial Uses

"While the de Blasio administration focuses on affordable housing, the City Council on Wednesday proposed new zoning to spur the city's manufacturing and 'creative' economies," reports Andrew J. Hawkins from New York City.

"The 40-page report represents the council's attempt to reverse the six-decade decline in the city's manufacturing sector," and also represents a City Council at odds with the mayor's proposal to add apartments to the city's industrial business zones (IBZs). According to Hawkins, Mayor de Blasio's first budget "slashed funding for the IBZ program and whose aides talk of putting 'workforce housing' in industrial areas to advance the administration's goal of creating 80,000 affordable units."

To counter mayor de Blasio's policy recommendations for industrial zoning, "the council wants to create three new kinds of zoning districts to help grow manufacturing and industrial businesses: an "industrial employment district," a "creative economy district" and a "real mixed-use district."

A press release announcing the report provides additional details about the council's recommendations, and the full report is also available online [pdf].