City Planning Commission Votes to Approve City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality

  

The Commission voted overwhelmingly for this citywide proposal to remove barriers to greener energy, buildings, transportation, and water and waste systems 

Plan to support NYC’s environmental goals now goes to the City Council for a hearing and vote 

Department of City Planning (DCP) Director and City Planning Commission (CPC) Chair Dan Garodnick today celebrated the City Planning Commission’s vote in favor of City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality, a set of 17 citywide zoning changes that would modernize the city’s Zoning Resolution to facilitate climate action, clean energy, and resiliency by removing barriers to greener energy, buildings, transportation, and water and waste systems. This initiative is the first of Mayor Eric Adams’ thre “City of Yes” zoning proposals to create a more sustainable, prosperous, and equitable New York to pass the Planning Commission.  

“In the midst of a climate emergency, the City Planning Commission’s vote represents a bold step towards tackling our city’s carbon emissions. City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality will create a more energy-efficient city, one where the sun powers our homes, where cars on our roads are low- or zero-emission, where our air is cleaner, and where composting puts our garbage to work rather than in a landfill,” said Dan Garodnick, Chair of the City Planning Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning. “Thanks to the City Planning Commissioners for their support of this important, necessary proposal that will set us on the path to a greener, healthier New York.” 

“The overwhelming affirmative vote for City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality will help the City advance some of its most important climate policies: achieving Local Law 97 mobilization; helping low-income communities build wealth with community solar; creating more green infrastructure to mitigate the impacts of flooding; and creating thousands of local jobs and training opportunities in building decarbonization, solar, clean energy, and more,” said Victoria Cerullo, Acting Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Climate & Environmental Justice. “It also allows us to check off one of our ambitious 72 PlaNYC initiatives, demonstrating that the Adams Administration is truly getting sustainability done.”  

“Climate change affects all of us in New York City, including our first responders,” said Fire Commissioner Laura Kavangah. “We have seen the increasingly destructive impact of natural disasters during the last decade, and we must take action to protect our communities throughout the five boroughs. The approval of City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality will help create a healthier, safer, and more sustainable City for all of us.” 

“By relaxing overly stringent zoning rules with common sense updates, the City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality plan is going to make it easier for building owners to execute green retrofit projects,” said Department of Buildings Deputy Commissioner for Sustainability Laura Popa. “These building projects are critical to increasing energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and reaching the City and State’s ambitious climate goals.” 

City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality will update outdated regulations that currently create roadblocks for New Yorkers to retrofit their homes for energy efficiency or resiliency, install heat pumps or solar panels, switch to electric vehicles, or compost and recycle — all critical steps for New York City to reach its ambitious environmental goals. Its 17 policy proposals include: 

Facilitate a Renewable Energy Grid – This initiative would remove existing zoning obstacles that severely limit how much space on a rooftop can be covered by solar panels, unnecessarily slowing the city’s shift towards renewable energy sources. It would also make it easier to install energy storage infrastructure needed for solar energy and facilitate standalone, grid-supporting solar and community microgrids — particularly in low-income communities — that are currently banned in residential areas. 

These changes would open up over 8,500 acres of parking lots across the city for potential use of solar panels. If fully built out, these solar panels could power more than 130,000 homes. 

Create Cleaner Buildings –

This initiative would lighten onerous restrictions on the height and thickness of walls that restrict building electrification and retrofits for greater efficiency. It would add flexibility, making these modifications possible while maintaining the look and feel of the city’s neighborhoods.  

These changes would facilitate environmentally friendly retrofits for over 50,000 buildings, including more than 1 million homes where retrofits are currently infeasible and restricted by city zoning. 

Support Electric Vehicles and Micromobility – This initiative would more than double the commercially zoned land where electric vehicle charging facilities can be located. It would also clarify regulations and facilitate safe bicycle and e-mobility parking. These changes would make electric vehicle charging possible in more than 400 million additional square feet. 

Modernize Water, Compost, and Recycling Regulations – This initiative would expand the use of permeable paving and rain gardens, cut red tape and eliminate uncertainty for recycling and composting, and encourage rooftop food production.  

These changes would help divert the 34 percent of New York City’s residential waste — and as much as 45 percent of all solid waste — that is organic material from landfills to beneficial use.  

In the lead-up to the Commission’s favorable vote, City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality received positive recommendations from 25 Community Boards, as well as from the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens Borough Presidents, and the Bronx and Manhattan Borough Boards. It will now go to the New York City Council for a public hearing and final vote this fall.  

City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality is the first of three “City of Yes” initiatives to update New York’s zoning for a more inclusive and equitable city. The other two proposals are: 

·        

City of Yes for Economic

Opportunity, which would support New York’s economic recovery by allowing more types of businesses to locate in more places, support growing industries, and foster vibrant neighborhoods. The Department of City Planning has held two public info sessions on City of Yes for Economic Opportunity and will formally refer it for public review this fall. 

·        

City of Yes for Housing

Opportunity, an inclusive, citywide approach to our City’s housing crisis that would expand and diversify the housing supply, and ensure that every neighborhood contributes to New York City’s growth and provide equitable access to housing for all New Yorkers. It will enter public review in early 2024.  

Department of City Planning 

The Department of City Planning (DCP) plans for the strategic growth and development of the City through ground-up planning with communities, the development of land use policies and zoning regulations applicable citywide, and its contribution to the preparation of the City’s 10-year Capital Strategy. DCP promotes housing production and affordability, fosters economic development and coordinated investments in infrastructure and services, and supports resilient, sustainable communities across the five boroughs for a more equitable New York City. 

In addition, DCP supports the City Planning Commission in its annual review of approximately 450 land use applications for a variety of discretionary approvals. The Department also assists both government agencies and the public by advising on strategic and capital planning and providing policy analysis, technical assistance and data relating to housing, transportation, community facilities, demography, zoning, urban design, waterfront areas and public open space.