Next Step for Boerum Hill Rezoning: Public Comment Session

After months of planning, walking the neighborhood and working with the Department of City Planning, the is finally on the books.

Nothing has been approved yet, but City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden announced yesterday the start of a 60-day public comment period. Community Board 2 will hold a public hearing on April 20. Once Community Board 2 approves the proposal, it will go to the Borough President's office, followed by the City Planning Commission and finally to the City Council.

The rezoning area includes all or portions of the blocks bounded by Atlantic Avenue, Fourth Avenue, Warren and Wyckoff streets and Court Street.

Under the rezoning, much of the neighborhood will be changed from zoning code R6 to R6B or R6A, which will limit the height that new developments can be built to as well as how far they are setback from the street.

When the rezoning of the neighborhood was first discussed, in question was whether residential blocks between Third and Fourth avenues would be downzoned to R6 or kept at R7, as they are currently zoned. The proposal has St. Marks Place and parts of Dean and Pacific streets downzoned to R6B.

"We think [this proposal] is really good, it makes sense," Howard Kolins, President of the Boerum Hill Association, said recently.

Councilmember Steve Levin, a long supporter of the rezoning, said the change will help to preserve the character of the neighborhood, calling it "a wonderful brownstone neighborhood in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn."