Brooklyn advocates aim to weed out bad seeds at construction sites

In response to a building boom that left Brooklyn with hundreds of stalled construction sites, the borough’s Community Board 6 has unanimously approved a new development policy aimed at increasing safety at construction sites by weeding out contractors with a tendency to overlook violations. Now, new construction, renovation or addition projects of 10,000 square feet or more will be subject to a special board review process, in which applicants will be asked to commit to following a series of responsible development standards, including maintaining a safe work site and having a history of good behavior. While the board, which represents Gowanus, Red Hook, Park Slope, Cobble Hill, the Columbia Street Waterfront District and Carroll Gardens, cannot force a contractor or developer out of a project, it hopes the new policy will encourage higher standards. “Too often, our community has seen developers, contractors and subcontractors who violate the health, safety, buildings, noise, and workplace laws and standards of New York City, jeopardize the health and lives of their workers, and permit dangerous and severe nuisances for adjacent property owners,” the board said in its decision. [Post]