Boerum Hill rezoning enters public review

The city has launched its public review process for a preservationist-friendly rezoning of a 31-block swath of Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill that would discourage out-of-scale building and prevent commercial development from intruding onto residential blocks in the neighborhood, City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden announced today. The proposal covers the mostly rowhouse-filled blocks bounded by Atlantic Avenue to the north, Fourth Avenue to the east, Warren and Wyckoff streets to the south and Court Street to the west, Burden said. New apartment towers are permitted under current zoning laws in the area, and this rezoning — which was pushed by community groups — is intended to prevent those types of projects in the future with new height limits, while promoting commercial development on the Smith Street and Court Street retail corridors. Burden said the intent is to “give residents and business owners predictability about what can be built in their neighborhood.” The proposal begins the approvals process at Community Board 2, which has 60 days to review the plans before making a recommendation. The proposal will then head to Borough President Marty Markowitz’s office, the City Planning Commission and finally, to the City Council for a final decision. TRD