City Charter Revision: Where Land Use Fits In
Mayor Bloomberg has announced the appointment of a City Charter revision commission. While its review of term limits may initially grab the most attention, the commission will be looking at something else just as vital to the city’s future: land use and the process through which property owners, residents and the government decide what gets built in New York City.
The new Pratt Center issue brief "City Charter Revision: Where Land Use Fits In" outlines the major land use challenges the new commission must confront:
- The City Planning Commission has ceased to plan
- The City Charter's aspiration to community-based planning has not been fulfilled
- Attempts to promote "fair share" of burdens have fallen short
- Side agreements to land use decisions have proliferated without disclosure or enforcement
A renewed and independent role for the City Planning Commission, substantive support for community-based planning, an updating of fair-share to meet current realities, and disclosure and enforcement for side agreements are all essential measures for the new City Charter commission to implement.
