Res. No. 421

Resolution authorizing a change in the name of the Queens Plaza/Court Square business improvement district, an increase in the amount to be expended annually in such district, an extension of the boundaries of such district, a change in the method of assessment upon which the district charge in such district is based, and an increase in the maximum total amount to be expended for improvements in such district.

By Council Member Won

                     WHEREAS, pursuant to the authority granted by chapter 4 of title 25 of the Administrative Code of the City of New York (“the Law”), the Mayor, by authorization dated December 12, 2023, provided for the preparation of a district plan (“the Plan”) for the Queens Plaza/Court Square Business Improvement District (to be renamed the Long Island City Business Improvement District, or the “District”) in the Borough of Queens; and

                           WHEREAS, pursuant to Local Law No. 82 for the year 1990, the City Council assumed responsibility for adopting legislation establishing Business Improvement Districts; and

                     WHEREAS, pursuant to authority granted by the Law, the District was established by Local Law No. 62 for the year 2004; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 25-410(b) of the Law, an amendment to the District Plan that provides for additional improvements or services or any change in the method of assessment upon which the district charge is based, or an increase in the amount to be expended annually, may be adopted by local law, provided that the City Council determines, after a public hearing, that it is in the public interest to authorize such changes and that the tax and debt limits prescribed in Section 25-412 of the Law will not be exceeded by such changes; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 25-410(c) of the Law, an amendment to the District Plan that provides for an increase in the total maximum amount to be expended for improvements in the District may be adopted by local law, provided that the City Council determines, after a public hearing, that it is in the public interest to authorize such increase and that the tax and debt limits prescribed in Section 25-412 of the Law will not be exceeded by such increase; and 

                      WHEREAS, the district wishes to increase the amount to be expended annually in the District to $2,058,978, to extend the District’s boundaries, to amend the district plan to change the method of assessment upon which the district charge is based and to increase the maximum total amount to be expended for improvements in the District; and

                           WHEREAS, pursuant to section 25-405(c) of the Law, the New York City Department of Small Business Services (“SBS”) submitted the Plan to the City Planning Commission (“the CPC”) on February 2, 2024; and

                          WHEREAS, pursuant to section 25-405(c) of the Law, the CPC submitted the Plan to the City Council on February 14, 2024; and

                               WHEREAS, pursuant to section 25-405(c) of the Law, the CPC submitted the Plan to the Council Members representing the council districts in which the proposed District is located on February 14, 2024; and

                         WHEREAS, pursuant to section 25-405(c) of the Law, the CPC submitted the Plan to the community boards for the community districts in which the proposed District is located (Queens Community Boards Number 1 and Number 2) on February 14, 2024; and

                                          WHEREAS, the CPC submitted the Plan to the Queens Borough President on February 14, 2024; and

                          WHEREAS, pursuant to section 25-405(c) of the Law, Queens Community Board Number 1 and Queens Community Board Number 2 notified the public of the Plan in accordance with the requirements established by the CPC; and

                          WHEREAS, pursuant to section 25-405(c) of the Law, the CPC reviewed the Plan, held a public hearing and prepared a report certifying its unqualified approval of the Plan; and

                          WHEREAS, pursuant to section 25-405(c) of the Law, the CPC submitted its report to the Mayor, to the Queens Borough President, to the City Council, and to the Council Members representing the council districts in which the District is located; and

                          WHEREAS, pursuant to section 25-405(c) of the Law, a copy of the CPC’s report, together with the amended Plan, was transmitted for filing with the City Clerk on April 3, 2024; and

                          WHEREAS, pursuant to section 25-406(a) of the Law, a copy of the Plan and the CPC’s report are annexed hereto and are made part of this Resolution; and

                          WHEREAS, pursuant to section 25-406(a) of the Law, the Plan is on file for public inspection in the Office of the City Clerk, 141 Worth Street, New York, New York; and

                          WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 25-406(b) of the Law, any owner of real property, deemed benefited and therefore within the District, objecting to the plan must file an objection at the Office of the City Clerk within thirty days of the conclusion of the hearing held by the City Council, notice of which is provided by this Resolution, on forms made available by the City Clerk; and

                             WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 25-406(b) of the Law, if owners of at least fifty-one percent of the assessed valuation of all the benefited real property situated within the boundaries of the District proposed for establishment, as shown upon the latest completed assessment roll of the City, or at least fifty-one- percent of the owners of benefited real property within the area included in the District proposed for establishment, file objections to the Plan with the City Clerk within the thirty-day objection period, the District will not be established; now, therefore, be it

                     RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of New York, pursuant to Section 25-406 of the Law, hereby directs that:

(i)                        June 20, 2024 is the date and 10:00AM is the time and the City Council Committee Room, City Hall, 2^nd Floor, is the place for a public hearing (“the Public Hearing”) to hear all persons interested in the extension of the District;

(ii)                       the Long Island City District Management Association shall, not less than ten (10) nor more than thirty (30) days before the date of the Public Hearing, mail a copy of this Resolution or a summary thereof to each owner of real property within the proposed extended  district at the address shown on the latest City assessment roll, to such other persons as are registered with the City to receive tax bills concerning real property within the proposed extended district, and to the tenants of each building within the proposed extended district;

 (iii)     SBS shall arrange for the publication of a copy of this Resolution or a summary thereof at least once in the City Record or a newspaper in general circulation in the City, the first publication to be not less than ten (10) nor more than thirty (30) days before the date of the Public Hearing;

             (iv)       in the event that the Long Island City District Management Association mails, or SBS arranges for the publication of, a summary of this Resolution, such summary shall include the information required by section 25-406(c) of the Law; and                     

                     (v)     on behalf of the City Council and pursuant to Section 25-410(b) of the Law, the Long Island City District Management Association is hereby authorized to publish in a newspaper having general circulation in the District, not less than ten (10) days prior to the Public Hearing, a notice stating the time and place of the Public Hearing and stating the increase in the amount to be expended annually in the District.