ELMHURST COME OUT AND TESTIFY! TOMORROW AT BOROUGH HALL!
PLEASE READ BELOW TO TESTIFY - There are 3 OPTIONS:
1. IN-PERSON
2. VIRTUALLY
3. WRITTEN
Some reasons to testify:
1. This rezoning is for Luxury Developments, the developer is requesting a high density rezoning of R7X/C2-4. The developer is proposing one large development but also for future high density unaffordable luxury developments in the future. This will lead to residents being pushed/priced out and gentrification. The MIH % offered is not affordable to our community. The Developers development will only offer 6 apartments that will actually be affordable to residents in our community.
2. These properties are Brownfield sites with minimal clean up regulation placed by the developers, which is an E-designation, these sites require more than that. The proposal includes Properties not belonging to the developer and they were not even tested. This area is historically and still is a Manufacturing district, M1-1 zone. Example: High levels of cancer cases/lawsuits from neighboring P.S.7
3. With increased development projected from the City of Yes, we need our manufacturing zones to accommodate business, industrial jobs, and economic development. We need to preserve our manufacturing areas; this is where battery farms can go instead of in residential areas.
4. The Developer is trying to rezone other people's properties without their input. Which is illegal.
5. The Developer is only interested in high density 13 story - 173 foot building for luxury development for ultimate profits.
6. The Developer and City Planning are proposing "spot zoning" in our community with these 8 parcels of land.
7. Elmhurst is one of the most overcrowded communities with a very dense population already, this will lead to stress on our infrastructure and more overcrowding in our schools. We can not accommodate another 16,000 plus residents in a small radius.
8. This area is surrounded by four schools and the traffic is already very congested and safety is already an issue. We can not put more stress leading to more congestion and safety issues with these high-rise, dense developments and we must protect all the children in this area of close knit schools.
9. These very large high-rise developments will cast extreme shadows on our community of low rise apartment buildings and residential areas.
10. This is not a win for Elmhurst - this is a land grab and only benefits a private developer!
You can list your many reasons or concerns as well!
See Below From Queens BP on How to Testify!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
LAND USE PUBLIC HEARING
Thursday, June 12 at 9:30 AM
QUEENS, NY — Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. will hold a hybrid Public Hearing on Land Use. The hearing will be held in person in the Borough President’s Conference Room on the second floor of Queens Borough Hall (120-55 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens), with members of the public also able to testify virtually. In addition, the hearing will be streamed live on the Borough President’s Office’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/@queensbp
Items 1, 2 and 3 are related and involve the proposed Ikos Senior Living project in Astoria.
1. An application submitted by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development for an amendment of the Zoning Map a.) eliminating from within an existing R5 District a C1-2 District bounded by a line midway between 30th Street and 31st Street, a line 100 feet southwesterly of Broadway, a line midway between 31st Street and 32nd Street, and a line 400 feet southwesterly of Broadway; b.) changing from an R5 District to a C4-2A District property bounded by a line midway between 31st Street and 32nd Street, a line 100 feet southwesterly of Broadway, 32nd Street, and a line 150 feet southwesterly of Broadway; and c.) changing from an R5 District to a C4-5 District property bounded by a line midway between 30th Street and 31st Street, a line 100 feet southwesterly of Broadway, a line midway between 31st Street and 32nd Street, and a line 400 feet southwesterly of Broadway. (ULURP #250208 ZMQ)
2. An application submitted by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development for a zoning text amendment to designate the Project Area as a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (“MIH”) area. (ULURP #N250209 ZRQ)
3. An application submitted by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) 1.) pursuant to Article 16 of the General Municipal Law of New York State for a). the designation of property located at 31-07 31st Street (Block 611, Lot 25) as an Urban Development Action Area; and b.) an Urban Development Action Area Project for such area; and 2. pursuant to Section 197-c of the New York City Charter for the disposition of such property to a developer to be selected by HPD; to facilitate the development of a 13-story building containing approximately 167 affordable independent residences for seniors (AIRS) and a community facility. (ULURP # 250207 HAQ)
Location is in Astoria within Queens Community Board District 1.
Items 4 and 5 are related.
4. An application submitted by 7801 Queens Holding LLC for an amendment of the Zoning Map a.) changing from an M1-1 District to an R7X District property bounded by Albion Avenue, a line perpendicular to the southeasterly street line of Albion Avenue and passing through a point on the northwesterly street line of Barnwell Avenue distant 150 feet northeasterly (as measured along the street line) from the point of intersection of the northwesterly street line of Barnwell Avenue and the northerly street line of Queens Boulevard, Barnwell Avenue, a line 115 feet northerly of Queens Boulevard, a line midway between Barnwell Avenue and Cornish Avenue, a line perpendicular to the northwesterly street line of Cornish Avenue distant 135 feet northeasterly (as measured along the street line) from the point of intersection of the northwesterly street line of Cornish Avenue and the northerly street line of Queens Boulevard, Cornish Avenue, and Queens Boulevard and b) stablishing within the proposed R7X District a C2-4 District bounded by Albion Avenue, a line perpendicular to the southeasterly street line of Albion Avenue and passing through a point on the northwesterly street line of Barnwell Avenue distant 150 feet northeasterly (as measured along the street line) from the point of intersection of the northwesterly street line of Barnwell Avenue and the northerly street line of Queens Boulevard, Barnwell Avenue, a line 115 feet northerly of Queens Boulevard, a line midway between Barnwell Avenue and Cornish Avenue, a line perpendicular to the northwesterly street line of Cornish Avenue. (ULURP #250044 ZMQ)
5. An application submitted by 7801 Queens Holding LLC for zoning text amendment to designate the Project Area as a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (“MIH”) area. (ULURP #N250045 ZRQ)
Location is in Elmhurst within Queens Community Board District 4.
Borough President Richards will issue his official recommendations on these applications in the weeks following the June 12 public hearing. These applications will also be reviewed by the City Planning Commission before they get a final vote from the City Council.
Those interested in attending and testifying in person at the June 12 hearing do not need to pre-register. However, those who wish to testify virtually must register in advance by clicking here and submitting their contact information. Each registrant will receive a confirmation e-mail with instructions on how to participate in the virtual public hearing. Speaking time can also be arranged by calling (718) 286-2860 between 9am and 5pm prior to Thursday, June 12.
If you are testifying virtually, you must identify yourself before you speak, keep your camera on during your testimony, display your name accurately on Zoom and state your name for the record; otherwise, you might not be permitted to testify absent prior approval from the Queens Borough President’s Office. For those planning to dial into the public hearing, please inform the Planning and Development staff in advance by calling 718-286-2860 or e-mailing planning2@queensbp.nyc.gov.
Written testimony is welcome from those unable to testify live. All written testimony must be received by 5pm on Thursday, June 12, 2025 and may be submitted by e-mail to planning2@queensbp.nyc.gov or by conventional mail sent to the Office of the Queens Borough President at 120-55 Queens Boulevard - Room 226, Kew Gardens, NY 114244.
Individuals requesting Sign Language Interpreters and/or ADA Accessibility Accommodations should contact the Borough President’s Office at (718) 286-2860 or email planning2@queensbp.nyc.gov.
WHAT: Borough President Richards Holds Public Hearing on Land Use
WHEN: Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 9:30am
WHERE: In person at Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens
Public live stream at www.youtube.com/@queensbp
Follow the Office of the Queens Borough President via @QnsBPRichards on X (formerly Twitter) and @QueensBPRichards on Facebook and Instagram