Public review begins for Queens rezoning

City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden began a public review this week for a proposed rezoning of 300 blocks in the Middle Village, Glendale and Maspeth neighborhoods of Queens. The rezoning area is bounded by the Queens-Midtown Expressway, Woodhaven Boulevard, Forest Park, Mount Carmel Cemetery, Cypress Hills Cemetery, Fresh Pond Road and 59th Street. The proposed rezoning would require new developments to match the scale and density of surrounding houses and would prevent commercial development on residential blocks, among other changes. Burden said 4,000 blocks in Queens have been rezoned since 2002. Community Board 5 has 60 days to review the current rezoning proposal, which was developed at the request of elected officials, the community board and local civic associations. TRD