Int. No. 1620-A

By Council Members Brannan, Koo, Levin, Gibson, Grodenchik, Rivera, Kallos, Vallone, Powers, Reynoso, Koslowitz, Lander, Chin, Rodriguez, Dromm, Holden, Cornegy, Levine, Van Bramer, Rosenthal, Yeger, Gjonaj, Perkins, Treyger, Salamanca, Eugene, Ayala, Barron, Maisel, Cumbo, Moya, Rose, Adams, Ampry-Samuel, Menchaca, Cabrera, Louis, Brooks-Powers, Dinowitz, Gennaro and Ulrich

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the creation of a citywide climate adaptation plan

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Chapter 24 of the New York city administrative code is amended by adding a new section 24-808 to read as follows:

§ 24-808 Citywide climate adaptation plan. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Climate hazard. The term “climate hazard” means a physical process or event related to the climate that can harm human health, livelihoods, property or natural resources, including but not limited to:

1. an extreme storm, such as a hurricane, nor’easter, or blizzard;

2. sea level rise;

3. tidal flooding;

4. extreme heat;

5. extreme precipitation;

6. extreme wind;

7. a wild fire; or

8. a flooding surge event that may be associated with a storm.

Director. The term “director” means the director of long-term planning and sustainability.

Environmental justice area. The term “environmental justice area” has the same meaning as such term is defined in section 3-1001.

Non-structural risk reduction approach. The term “non-structural risk reduction approach” means a program, policy, process or incentive to safeguard communities from climate hazards or to remove a structure from a location at risk of a climate hazard, including wetlands preservation, creation and restoration, densification in areas that are not prone to flooding, or other similar concepts.

Office. The term “office” means the office of long term planning and sustainability.

Resiliency and adaptation measure. The term “resiliency and adaptation measure” means a measure to enable a community or structure to withstand or avoid a climate hazard, including but not limited to a rip rap, groin, breakwater, levee, floodwall, marsh, wetland, erosion control method, natural resource beach nourishment and restoration, floodproofing, weatherization, cooling measures, rain garden, drainage improvement, water detention structure, permeable pavement, tree planting, reflective roof, shade structure, building retrofits, or green roof.

b. Not later than September 30, 2022, and every 10 years thereafter, the office, or another agency or office designated by the director, in consultation with the department of city planning, the department of environmental protection, the department of transportation, the department of housing preservation and development, the department of education, the department of citywide administrative services, the department of buildings, and the department of parks and recreation, shall develop and post on the office’s website a climate adaptation plan that considers and evaluates a range of climate hazards impacting the city, including its shoreline, and identifies and recommends resiliency and adaptation measures and non-structural risk reduction approaches to protect and prepare the city’s residents, property and infrastructure.

c. Such climate adaptation plan shall identify areas of the city that the director determines are highly vulnerable to climate hazards and evaluate whether such areas should be prioritized for resiliency and adaptation measures and non-structural risk reduction approaches.

d. Such climate adaptation plan shall consider the potential impact of identified resiliency and adaptation measures and non-structural risk reduction approaches on environmental justice areas.

e. Such climate adaptation plan shall take into account recommendations contained in assessment reports, technical reports and working group reports issued by the intergovernmental panel on climate change and the New York city panel on climate change or any successor entities and recommendations included in the comprehensive waterfront plan, prepared pursuant to section 205 of the charter.

f. Such climate adaptation plan shall propose additional strategies to address climate hazards.

g. Such climate adaptation plan shall not be a long-term sustainability plan for the purpose of subdivision e of section 20 of the charter, a plan for the purposes of section 197-a of the charter, or a comprehensive waterfront plan for the purposes of section 205 of the charter.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.

SS/JSA LS #10364

9/29/2021 6:25 PM.