Gowanus Rezoning Opponents To Take Legal Action Against The City

BROOKLYN, NY — City officials planning a controversial rezoning of Gowanus will soon face the same legal wrath that brought a months-long court battle to the Upper West Side.

Voice of Gowanus — the coalition against the impending city plan to transform a section of the neighborhood — announced Tuesday that they have hired a lawyer to explore legal options for stopping the rezoning plan, which is set to start the city's land use review process next week.

"We are proud to announce that Voice of Gowanus has lawyered up — we intend to fight this proposal tooth and nail to make sure that the very serious health and safety concerns [and] the economic and social justice concerns we have are heard, and that the city cannot move forward with this immensely misguided plan," Jack Riccobono, a member of the group said at a press conference.

Voice of Gowanus' new lawyer, Jason Zakai, was most recently involved in a fight to block the city from moving homeless residents out of the The Lucerne hotel in Manhattan. The legal battle is ongoing, thanks to further challenges from groups where the residents were most recently set to move.

The announcement comes just a week before the Department of City Planning aims to certify its Gowanus Neighborhood Plan, meaning the clock will start on the Uniform Land Use Review Process for the proposal. The city plans to certify the proposal, which has been in the works for a decade, on Jan. 19.

The Gowanus Rezoning proposes a series of city-led zoning changes to a portion of the neighborhood surrounding the Gowanus Canal that officials hope will bring more affordable housing, climate-change protections and varied development to the once-industrial neighborhood.

But opponents say the plan will exacerbate environmental issues already facing land surrounding the polluted waterway, which is undergoing a federal clean-up, and have spoken out against the city's plan to put it through the ULURP process during the coronavirus crisis, which bars in-person meetings.

Activists have also called for a racial impact study and — in what is a sticking point for key supporter Council Member Brad Lander — have pushed the plan to include investments in local New York City Housing Authority buildings.

Voice of Gowanus members said they can not yet reveal the timeline or approach the legal action will take, but that they are exploring all options.

“There are serious problems both with the massive rezoning proposal itself, and with the lack of transparency concerning the proposal, and we are looking into all legal options on behalf of our client,” Zakai said in a release. “Rather than move forward with such a problematic plan, the City should go back to the drawing board and shelve it for another day.”

Tuesday's announcement comes after a Gowanus Legal Defense Fund raised money for the legal help. Voice of Gowanus said they have also brought environmental administrative law expert Maureen Koetz on board.

When asked for comment on the announcement from Voice of Gowanus, the Department of City Planning said they look forward to advancing their plan "to increase equity and opportunity for all New Yorkers, keeping Gowanus creative and eclectic while also making it more affordable, greener and more vibrant.”

“The Gowanus Neighborhood Plan will bring permanently affordable housing, a cleaner Canal, infrastructure investments, new jobs, open space and more," a spokesperson told Patch.

Read More:

• Here's The City's Infrastructure Plan For The Gowanus Rezoning
• Gowanus Rezoning Process Resumes This Week: What To Expect
• City Commits To 100-Percent Affordable 'Gowanus Green' Project
• Gowanus Pushes For More Details As Rezoning Process Resumes
• Gowanus Rezoning Opponents Gear Up For End Of Coronavirus Delay