Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.,
City Comptroller John Liu and City Council Transportation Committee
Chairman James Vacca, together with the City Island Civic Association,
are calling on the City’s Department of Transportation to begin the
formal public input process regarding the scheduled construction of the
new City Island Bridge, slated for next year, through ULURP as soon as
possible.
Specifically,
they noted that the bridge construction is required to undergo a ULURP
review through the Department of City Planning, as stated in the DOT’s
own document released in March 2007.
Borough
President Diaz, Comptroller Liu and Council Member Vacca demanded that
the DOT begin the ULURP process as soon as possible—prior to the
construction of the new bridge. The ULURP process requires public
hearings by both the local Community Board and the Borough President’s
Office, offering the people of City Island and, in fact, the entire
Bronx, a chance to weigh in on this proposed construction project.
“The
people of City Island have the right to voice their concerns or support
for the construction of a new City Island Bridge through the ULURP
process. This is a requirement of this project, and the DOT admits just
that in its own document, which my office confirmed last week. The DOT
should begin the ULURP process immediately, so that City Island
residents have their chance to speak out on this proposal prior to the
construction of the bridge next year,” said Bronx Borough President
Ruben Diaz Jr.
“The
Mayor has long taken a ‘my way or the highway’ approach to governing,
which now seems to have extended to bridges,” said City Comptroller John
Liu. “By circumventing the formal public review process, the Mayor has
once again demonstrated his complete disregard for the City Charter
which requires that the City provide community members and elected
officials an opportunity to comment on land use matters. The City should
not only hold public hearings on the City Island bridge proposal but
also explain to taxpayers why the cost of this capital project has
ballooned by more than $100 million.”
“If
the Department of Transportation’s own documents show the need for a
ULURP action in order to replace the City Island Bridge, that process
must begin before construction starts on the bridge, not after,” said
Council Member James Vacca, who represents City Island and is also Chair
of the Council Transportation Committee. “DOT should not treat the
ULURP process as a foregone conclusion, when City Islanders and myself
have expressed real concerns with the design and cost of this bridge.
The ULURP process should begin immediately, with transparency and
collaboration with the residents and businesses of City Island, before a
single shovel hits the ground.”
“The
fusion of the City Island community and our Bronx Borough President
shows how local government can serve its purpose by actually helping the
people. Hopefully, the people that sit in their ivory towers will hear
this, and we will have our chance to be heard,” said Bill Stanton,
president of the City Island Civic Association.
BACKGROUND ON ULURP PROCESS:
The
overall intent of New York City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure
(ULURP) is to provide citizens and elected officials an opportunity to
comment on pending land use matters. In 1975 and again in 1989, the
City Charter was amended and Section 197-c established ULURP. It is
administered by the Department of City Planning (DCP) and the City
Planning Commission (CPC). ULURP is also one of the specifically noted
Charter mandated responsibilities of the Borough President, who under
the City Charter must maintain a Bureau of Planning.
In the context of ULURP the Borough President offers recommendations and commentary
pursuant to the specific application only after the Community Board in
which the matter is located has taken action on the proposal. The
Borough President may recommend approving the application, approve it
with modifications, or disapprove the application. Like the Community
Board, the Borough President tenders a recommendation to the City
Planning Commission which may concur with the Community Board or may
not. Likewise, the City Planning Commission may concur or not with
either the Community Board or the Borough President.
