At Wednesday evening's Community Board 6's general meeting, the board adopted a supplemental position on the ULURP application for the Toll Brothers' proposed Gowanus development at 363-365 Bond Street.
Chairperson Richard Bashner drafted a letter to City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden to address the possibility of Toll Brothers' weaseling out of building the affordable housing component of the project.
I applaud CB6 for this action.
Below is said letter.
Amanda Burden
Chairperson
City Planning Commission
22 Reade Street
New York, New York 10007
Dear Chairperson Burden:
I am writing to advise you that at its February 11, 2009 general meeting, Brooklyn Community Board 6 resolved, by a vote of 31 in favor, 2 against, with 1 abstention for cause, to supplement our previous position on the above-referenced applications for the Toll Brothers, L.P. development in the Gowanus Neighborhood of our district.
Brooklyn Community Board 6 (CB6) has not changed its position on the Toll Brothers application; we remain conditionally supportive, subject to the conditions expressed in our November 17, 2008 correspondence to you (copy enclosed). However, we want to emphasize how important it is to make sure that the affordable housing component of this project actually is built, in return for giving the applicant permission to build higher and with more bulk than otherwise would be acceptable to this community.
CB6’s approval of the expanded height and bulk limits for the Toll Brothers project was based largely on representations made by the developer promising the creation of substantial affordable housing as an integral component of the project, including the following statements from its “Frequently Asked Questions about the Proposed Gowanus Mixed-Use Development”:
• “Toll Brothers is committed to providing affordable housing as part of the proposed zoning.”
• “The affordable housing units ... [will be] in attractive buildings that will be constructed at the
same time as the market-rate units.”
• “Approximately 140 apartments will be provided, as permanently affordable on-site housing.
This number represents 30% of the total number of residential units – well above the standard
affordability ratio in 80/20 developments.”
• “Our affordable housing program will offer varying levels of affordability, with some units designated for those marking not more than 80% of the HUD Income Limit for New York City ($61,440 for a family of four) and some units targeted to those making not more than 60% of the HUD Income Limit for New York City ($46,080 for a family of four).”
When we voted in favor of such application, we were under the impression that the affordable housing component would be required by the deed restrictions that the applicant had agreed to place on the property.
Instead, we recently learned that Toll Brothers has not agreed to place the affordable housing requirement in deed restrictions; and that, therefore, there is a possibility that they (or a future owner of the property) could build the full height and bulk allowed by the proposed rezoning without including ANY affordable housing.
This is unacceptable. If it turns out that the affordable housing component will not be built as promised, then Toll Brothers should be required to seek fresh zoning approval for the project, especially its height and bulk.
Accordingly, we respectfully ask that either the affordable housing requirements be confirmed in the deed restrictions, or in the rezoning (by conditioning the relaxed height and bulk limits upon the inclusion of the promised affordable housing, similar to the Department of City Planning’s upcoming Gowanus Rezoning and Related Actions, CEQR # 09DCP015K), or in some other suitable mechanism for ensuring that tall or bulky buildings not be built without the promised affordable housing.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Richard S. Bashner
Chairperson
Related Reading:
Last Day To Comment On Toll Brothers' ULURP Application
Toll Brothers Show Up With Usual Crew At City Planning HearingWill City Planning Actually Hear Community At Today's Toll Brothers' Gowanus Development Hearing?
Marty Markowitz Hears From Both Toll Brothers And From Residents
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
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4 comments:
pardonmeforasking, but if you didn't burden these guys with your legal beagle smeagle, i'm sure the gowanus would have been another briar creek if you have given them a chance, but, then noone would have a chance to object at a community event and have a few free donuts
This is an important and good postion for CB6 to take and a well presented letter. I think the community needs to support it, if they are going to get the height then they need to give back on affarability. That was the deal as I understood it. I would think our local officals all agree as well?
It's a good letter. it's the very least the community should be getting and Toll has to be held to it. What a scam if not, they are so misleading and sneaky. I'm happy to see CB6 be so proactive. I hope all our local officals support this postion as well.
Toll itself was never going to build the affordable housing. The plan was that another developer (one that has experience building affordable housing) would be brought in for that phase.
If they renege on the affordable housing it is probably just a matter of time before Toll decides not to hire union labor.
Does our councilmember have anything to say about this?
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