Background
On November 2, 2009 the City Planning Commission (CPC) referred text amendments (N 100134 ZRX) to require adequate off-street parking for multi-family residential developments in R6 and R7-1 zoning districts in Community Board 10, Borough of the Bronx. The amendments expand the definition of
Lower Density Growth Management Area (LDGMA) and make minor revisions to the underlying parking provisions for these districts.
When the LDGMA was created it was intended to address problems experienced in certain low-density districts that are not well-served by mass transit, have high car ownership rates and are far from the City’s central business core. In August 2004, R2, R3, R4A and R4-1 zoning districts in Community Board 10 in the Bronx were included in the LDGMA to provide better site design options while balancing the need for providing adequate parking and maintaining yards and open space.
Summary of New Rules
Bronx Community Board 10 was established as a Lower Density Growth Management Area as part of the
Throgs Neck Area Rezoning in 2004. Since that time the community has found that mid-density zoning districts experience the same issues related to off-street parking as low-density districts. To address these issues, the following regulations are proposed and would apply only to LDGMA, Community Board 10 in the Bronx:
- Expand the definition of LDGMA to include R6 and R7-1 zoning districts in Community Board 10 in the Bronx for the purposes of applying the parking provisions of Article II, Chapter 5 and Article III, Chapter 6. The existing LDGMA definition includes only R2, R3, R4A and R4-1 zoning districts.
- Require 50% parking for residential development in R7-1 zoning districts on lots less than 10,000 square feet. Under the current rules (Reduced Requirements ZR 25-241) 30% parking is required for lots less than 10,000 square feet in R7-1 zoning districts and 50% parking is required in R6 zoning districts. This would make the requirements equal for both zoning districts.
- Apply the Waiver of Requirements for Small Number of Spaces (ZR 25-26) only to existing zoning lots in R6 and R7-1 zoning districts. Under the current rules new developments or enlargements that require fewer than 5 spaces may waive the required parking altogether. This allows zoning lots to be subdivided and subsequently apply the waiver and provide no off-street parking.
View the proposed zoning text.
Public Review
On November 2, 2009, the Lower Density Growth Management text amendments (N 100134 ZRX) were referred to Community Board 10 and the Bronx Borough President for a 30-day review period. The Community Board issued a recommendation to approve the text amendments on November 19, 2009. The City Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve the text amendments on February 10, 2010 (
Read the CPC Report). The City Council will hold a hearing on this item on March 9, 2010.
