Citywide

The Department of City Planning is working with coastal communities to update the special zoning regulations that apply in FEMA’s “special flood hazard area”. Learn more.

In November 2015, Mayor de Blasio announced a 10-point Industrial Action Plan, which aims to strengthen NYC’s most active industrial areas, invest in industrial and manufacturing businesses, and advance workforce development opportunities for New Yorkers. In this context, self-storage facilities are seen as a low job-generating use that occupies sites, which could provide future siting opportunities for industrial, more job-intensive businesses. As a result, the NYC Department of City Planning proposes a zoning text amendment to require a CPC Special Permit for new self-storage facilities within NYC’s most active industrial areas. Learn more.

The Department of City Planning’s Urban Design Principles are intended to be an internal resource for department staff as well as the general public. These will serve those working to improve the livability of New York City’s neighborhoods and those who share our commitment to expand, protect and promote our public realm. The principles provide a foundation for understanding neighborhood livability and the public realm as well as a set of core ideals to aspire to in the land use planning and development process. Learn more.

PLACES: Neighborhood Planning Studies are comprehensive studies that examine and address key land use and zoning issues in a variety of neighborhoods, but also take a broader look at current and future community needs to identify a wide range of strategies and investments that accompany the land use and zoning changes and support neighborhood-specific growth and vitality. Learn more.

The New York City Waterfront Revitalization Program (WRP) establishes the City’s policies for development and use of the waterfront. The recent revision to this program, adopted by the City Council in 2013 and approved by the State and Federal governments in 2016, will require the consideration of climate change in project planning and design, among other updates. Learn more.

DCP, in collaboration with other agencies, has undertaken a number of initiatives to build the city’s resilience. These studies are focused on land use and zoning changes as well as other actions needed to support the short-term recovery and long-term vitality of communities affected by Hurricane Sandy and other areas at risk of coastal flooding. Learn more.

Following Hurricane Sandy, the City developed a detailed action plan for storm recovery and the long-term resiliency of NYC’s coastal communities, buildings and infrastructure. As part of this, DCP is leading place-based initiatives called Resilient Neighborhoods where DCP works with communities in the flood zone to identify strategies most suitable for their neighborhood context. Learn more.

The 2010 award-winning Active Design Guidelines provides architects and urban designers with a manual of strategies for creating healthier buildings, streets, and urban spaces. Bringing active design to planning projects and neighborhoods encourages more active lifestyles, which ultimately helps improve the health of neighborhoods and residents. Learn more.

The Active Design: Shaping the Sidewalk Experience, study builds on the Active Design Guidelines to focus in on the point of view of the pedestrian – not those who drive past or construct sidewalks, but those who actually use them – and provide a methodology that can help designers grapple with the complexities involved in shaping that space. Learn more.

Resilient Retail is a planning initiative to strengthen commercial retail corridors within NYC’s floodplain, as part of NYC’s effort since Hurricane Sandy to promote long-term resiliency. The goal will be to develop land use recommendations to help businesses and the neighborhoods they serve withstand and recover quickly from future storms and floods. Learn more.

Transferable Development Rights as outlined in the Mayor's housing plan, reviews the role of Transferable Development Rights (TDR) mechanisms among the range of zoning and planning tools available in NYC. Learn more.

The Retrofitting Buildings for Flood Risk report is the most comprehensive analysis to-date of retrofit options for NYC’s wide variety of building types in the floodplain, or the land areas adjacent to rivers and streams subject to recurring inundation. The complex interaction between new Federal, State, and City codes has changed the regulatory landscape and made it all the more important to offer guidance on how owners can best retrofit Learn more.

The New York – Connecticut Sustainable Communities Consortium is an unprecedented bi-state sustainability initiative for coordinated regional and local planning. The group has, for example, looked at ways to develop growth centers around the region’s commuter rail network to connect more residents to jobs. This initiative prompted several DCP-led studies, in East New York, the Bronx Metro North Corridor, and citywide-level efforts. Learn more.

Inner Ring Residential Parking Study examines the relationship between the cost of providing parking, residents’ vehicle choices and zoning requirements for parking within a geography referred to as “the Inner Ring”, or neighborhoods in Upper Manhattan, the South Bronx, Western Queens, and Northern and Central Brooklyn where there may be the greatest potential to reduce parking requirements and improve other transportation options. Learn more.

Open Industrial Uses Study is an outgrowth of various prior initiatives and designed to help industrial areas be greener, stronger, safer and more resilient to climate change. This study assesses cost-effective pollution prevention controls and stronger safeguards for industrial operations in open spaces and will generate recommendations for zoning text amendments and other legislation. Learn more.

Vision 2020: The NYC Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, the culmination of a year-long, participatory planning process, sets the stage for expanded use of our waterfront for parks, housing and economic development, and of our waterways for transportation, recreation and natural habitats. The 10-year plan lays out a vision for the future with new citywide policies and site-specific recommendations. Learn more.

POPS are an amenity provided and maintained by a developer for public use, in exchange for additional floor area. In 2007, the NY City Council adopted revised standards to facilitate the design and construction of unique and exciting outdoor spaces that are truly public. A follow-up text amendment was adopted in 2009 to clarify certain provisions. Learn more.

The FRESH program was developed in response to a DCP citywide study, Going to Market, which highlighted the widespread shortage of neighborhood grocery stores that provide fresh food options in several communities. The Program offers zoning incentives and financial benefits in these underserved areas. The City Council adopted a text amendment in 2011 to expand the program to Queens Community District 12. Learn more.