THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

RESOLUTION NO. 1690

Resolution approving the designation of the Willets Point Urban Renewal Area (N 080383 HGQ; L.U. No. 782).

By Council Members Katz and Garodnick

WHEREAS, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development ("HPD") submitted to the Council its request dated September 25, 2008, pursuant to Section 504 of Article 15 of the General Municipal Law that the Council designate the following properties: 

as described in the Willets Point Urban Renewal Plan, dated April, 2008,  as the Willets Point Urban Renewal Area (the "Area");

WHEREAS, the City Planning Commission filed with the Council on September 29, 2008, its decision dated September 24, 2008 (the “Decision”), on the application submitted by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (“HPD”), pursuant to Section 504 of the General Municipal Law regarding the proposed Willets Point Urban Renewal Area (the “Area”);

                     WHEREAS, the Application is related to Applications Nos. C 080221 MMQ (L.U. No. 779), an amendment to the City Map for the elimination, discontinuance and closing of all streets within the Willets Point Urban Renewal Area including Willets Point Boulevard; 34th Avenue; 35th Avenue; 36th Avenue; 37th Avenue; 38th Avenue; 39th Avenue; 126th Place; 127th Street and 127th Place; C 080381 ZMQ (L.U. No. 780), an amendment to the Zoning Map; N 080382 ZRQ (L.U. No. 781), an amendment to the text of the Zoning Resolution;  C 080384 HUQ (L.U. No. 783), the Willets Point Urban Renewal Plan; and C 080385 HDQ (L.U. No. 784), disposition of city-owned property;

WHEREAS, upon due notice, the Council held a public hearing on the designation of the Area on October 17, 2008;

WHEREAS, the Council has considered the land use implications and other policy issues relating to the Area; and

                     WHEREAS, the Council has considered the relevant environmental issues and the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS), for which a Notice of Completion was issued on September 12, 2008, the Technical Memorandum dated September 23, 2008 with respect to further modifications adopted by the City Planning Commission, and the Technical Memorandum dated November 12, 2008 (CEQR No. 07DME014Q);

RESOLVED:

Having considered the FGEIS and the Technical Memoranda, with respect to the Application, the Council finds that:

(1)                                          The requirements of 6 N.Y.C.R.R. Part 617 have been met;

(2)                                          Consistent with social, economic and other essential considerations, from among the reasonable alternatives thereto, the action is one which minimizes or avoids adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practicable; and

(3)                                          The adverse environmental impacts disclosed in the FGEIS will be minimized or avoided to the maximum extent practicable by incorporating as conditions to the approval, those mitigative measures that were identified as practicable; and

(4)                                          The Decision and the FGEIS constitute the written statement of facts, and of social, economic and other factors and standards, that form the basis of this determination, pursuant to 6 N.Y.C.R.R. §617.11(d).

The Council finds that the Area is appropriate for urban renewal.

Pursuant to Section 504 of the General Municipal Law, the Council designates the Area as the Willets Point Harlem Urban Renewal Area.

The Council approves the Decision of the City Planning Commission.

Adopted.

Office of the City Clerk,  }

The City of New York,   } ss:

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of a Resolution passed by The Council of The City of New York on November 13, 2008, on file in this office.

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City Clerk, Clerk of The Council