Boerum Hill Rezoning Clears Another Hurdle

It was smooth sailing yet again for the rezoning of Boerum Hill.

On Wednesday, Community Board 2 voted unanimously to endorse the plan, which was by the land use committee of CB 2.

"We're very happy," said Howard Kolins, President of the Boerum Hill Association, a group that worked hard with the Department of City Planning to create the rezoning plan for the neighborhood. "It's good this is moving through."

On Tuesday, May 17 at 6 p.m. the proposal will go before Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz at Borough Hall. Pending approval, it then moves to the City Planning Commission and finally the City Council, with a minimum of 140 days before the final approval.

The community has been very supportive of the rezoning, said Land Use Committee Chairperson Lawrence Whiteside, which is likely why the plans have received little to no resistance.

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.

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

The current zoning allows for taller buildings and more density, which, according to the Department of City Planning, “is inconsistent with the typical character of the Boerum Hill neighborhood.”

Kolins said the proposal just makes sense.

"The results speak for themselves," he said.