Council Speaker To Hold East Harlem Rezoning Forum

EAST HARLEM, NY — City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito's office will hold a community forum on Thursday, Nov. 2 to discuss a controversial city proposal to rezone East Harlem, the speaker's office announced Friday.

During the forum, Mark-Viverito will listen to residents' questions and concerns regarding the proposal. The Council Speaker will also share how the City Council can act to change the currently submitted plan to more closely resemble the East Harlem Neighborhood Plan that was spearheaded by Mark-Viverito's office prior to the city's rezoning plan.

Thursday night's forum will begin with a presentation and then Mark-Viverito will conduct a town hall-style question and answer session. The forum will be held at the Taino Towers gymnasium on East 123rd Street and Second Avenue. The forum is set to begin at 6 p.m. and Spanish translation will be offered.

The city's rezoning plan is currently in the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). The plan was voted down by both Community Board 11 and the Borough President Gale Brewer because of differences between the city's plan and the East Harlem Neighborhood Plan. Both bodies were worried that the plan's proposal to increase density in the neighborhood and allow 30-story developments would drastically alter the neighborhood's character and force the displacement of existing residents.

The City Planning Commission voted to approve the plan in October by a vote of 10 in favor, one opposed and one abstaining. The CPC's vote holds more weight than the community board and borough president votes, which are both considered advisory.

The plan has inspired strong opposition from many East Harlem activist groups. During a June Community Board 11 vote on the proposal neighborhood activists slammed the rezoning plan as a "scam" promoting gentrification and displacement in East Harlem. The meeting ended with activists rushing the stage to effectively shut down the community board vote.

Photo by Patch