The rezoning proposal seeks to:

• Preserve neighborhood scale and character by rezoning to lower density and contextual districts and further fine-tuning those districts to reflect the context of midblocks with a detached character, those with both detached and semi-detached building types, and the blocks lined predominantly with limestone rowhouses;
  
  
• Reinforce several of the avenues as corridors for mid-rise mixed retail and residential buildings by mapping appropriate moderate-density contextual zoning districts;
  
  
• Preserve the central commercial district through contextual rezoning and increase permitted density in the auto district to provide for the expansion of commercial and community facility uses; and
  
  
• Retain the SBRD and a limited number of its protective regulations to work in concert with the contextual districts.

Proposed Zoning Proposed Zoning March 2005

Of the 249 blocks in the district, currently 15 are zoned for detached and 17 are zoned for semi-detached homes. Under the proposal, 42 blocks would be zoned for detached homes and 59 for semi-detached. In total, 101 blocks would be zoned for one and two-family homes, as compared to the current 32 blocks.

The proposed zoning map changes for each subarea within the district, as well as proposed changes to the SBRD zoning text, are as follows:

Midblocks east of Third Avenue and blocks southwest and northwest of Third Avenue (former Area A) - Proposed R3X, R4A, R4-1, R4B, R5B and R6A

Existing - R6 /subarea A Proposed - R4A 93rd St between Marine Ave and Shore Rd	Existing – R6/ subarea A with commercial. overlay Proposed – R5B remove commercial overlay Bay Ridge and Narrows Aves

The underlying zoning in this portion of the SBRD is currently R6, which would be replaced by a series of contextual districts matching the prevailing housing types. The R3X and R4A districts permit one- and two-family detached residences, the R4-1 permits one- and two-family detached and semi-detached houses, and the R4B and R5B districts are designed for rowhouses and permit all building types (R4B permits attached one- and two-family homes and R5B permits multi-family housing). The blockfronts on Marine Avenue with six-story apartment houses would be zoned R6A.

The permitted FAR would be reduced from the 1.65 maximum to a range between 0.5 (plus a 0.1 attic allowance) and 1.35. The current height limit of 32 feet would be replaced by a maximum perimeter wall height of 21 feet in R3X, R4A districts and 25 feet in R4-1 with an overall maximum height of 35 feet. The R4B district permits a maximum building height of 24 feet. The R5B regulations permit a 30-foot perimeter wall with a maximum building height of 33 feet.

The parking requirement for R3 and R4 districts is 100% (one space for each unit) and 85% for R5 districts. Parking would be permitted in side lot ribbons, within buildings or in rear yards. Front yard parking would be prohibited in most cases. In R3X, R4A and R4-1, there must be 16 feet of uninterrupted curb space between curb cuts, and 34 feet between curb cuts in R4B and R5B districts.


Westside Blocks (former Area E) - Proposed R2, R3-1, R3-2 and R4A

Existing – R2 / subarea E Proposed – R2 82nd St between Colonial Rd and Narrows Ave	Existing – R2 / subarea E Proposed – R2 80th St and Narrows Ave
Existing – R3-2 to remain 72nd St between Colonial Rd and Narrows Ave	Existing – R3-2 / subarea E Proposed – R4A 74th St between Colonial Rd and Narrows Ave

Northern Third and Fifth Avenues (former Area B) - Proposed R6B

Existing – R6 / subarea B Proposed –R6B Third Ave between 88th and 89th Sts

Existing – R6 / subarea C Proposed – R6A 75th St and Shore Rd

Existing – R7-1 / subarea E Proposed – R7A 99th St and Shore Rd

Development in R6B districts is required to line up with adjacent structures to maintain a uniform streetwall. New multi-family residences must provide one off-street parking space for 50 percent of the dwelling units. A minimum of 34 feet between curb cuts for existing buildings is required and curb cuts for new residential developments on lots less than 40 feet wide are prohibited, minimizing the potential for front yard parking.

Southern Third & Fourth Avenues, northern Shore Road and Ridge Boulevard (former Areas B and C) and Marine Avenue (former Area A) - Proposed R6A

Southern Shore Road; 87th Street to Third Avenue (former Area E) - Proposed R7A

The existing R7-1 district is predominantly residential with six-story apartment buildings and some three- and four-story mixed residential and commercial buildings on the blocks with commercial overlays (between Ovington Avenue and 67th Street). The proposed R7B district would allow a maximum FAR of 3.0 for all permitted uses with a maximum base height of up to 60 feet and a building height limit of 75 feet. Like other contextual districts, new development in R7B districts must line up with adjacent buildings to maintain the existing streetwall and must provide one off-street parking space for 50 percent of the dwelling units.

86th St between Fourth and Fifth Aves

The C4-2 area surrounding 86th Street, with its large retail stores, is the commercial core of Bay Ridge. It would be replaced by a C4-2A contextual district with a maximum FAR of 3.0 for commercial, residential and community facility uses, with a maximum base height of 60 feet and a maximum building height of 70 feet. The new C4-2A district would extend one block farther east than the existing commercial district, to include the blockfronts between Fort Hamilton Parkway and the Gowanus Expressway where there are retail stores and a six-story apartment building. There would be no change in the range of permitted uses and second story retail use would continue to be permitted in mixed residential/commercial buildings. Parking requirements would be reduced from the current requirement of one off-street parking space per 300 square feet of commercial space for most commercial uses to one per 400 square feet (with a waiver for developments requiring fewer than 25 off-street parking spaces).

Fourth Ave between 89th and 90th Streets

The existing C8-1 area has mostly auto-related uses (e.g., car dealerships with service facilities, automobile repair shops, car washes) with some recent office and medical office construction. The proposed C8-2 would increase the permitted commercial FAR from 1.0 to 2.0. An amendment to the SBRD would impose a height limit of 70 feet for all uses and limit community facility FAR to 3.0. This would allow for medical office development and for expansion of auto-related and other permitted commercial uses. As in the adjacent proposed C4-2A district, parking requirements in this area would be reduced from one space per 300 square feet to one per 400 square feet.

Light Manufacturing District: 65th Street to the Gowanus Expressway, Fourth Avenue to Seventh Avenue (former Area E) - Proposed M1-1 and R5B

While most of the land uses within this small M1-1 area are auto-related or light manufacturing, there is a group of non-conforming rowhouses on 66th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues. The proposal would map an R5B district in this area to bring these two-to three story, attached residential structures into conformance with the zoning regulations.

Proposed Changes to Commercial Overlays

Throughout the SBRD, all existing C1-2 overlays would be changed to C1-3, and all C2-2 overlays to C2-3 to provide for more liberal parking requirements. Parking for most retail uses would be reduced from one space per 300 square feet of floor area to one per 400 square feet. The existing 100-foot depth of the overlays is not large enough to accommodate the current higher parking regulations without several floors of costly underground parking.

Commercial Overlays Commercial Overlays March 2005

In addition, new commercial overlays are established and existing commercial overlays are changed to accurately reflect existing land uses. These areas include:

• Fifth Avenue, adding a C2-3 overlay for a half-blockfront (at 92nd Street) and changing an existing C1-2 to C2-3 for two blockfronts (92nd - 95th Streets);
  
  
• Fourth Avenue, changing an existing C1-2 to C2-3 for one blockfront (95th - 96th Streets) and modifying a C1-3 to a C2-3 for seven blockfronts (67th Street to Ovington Avenue);
  
  
• Third Avenue, adding a C1-3 overlay for a three blockfronts (78th - 81st Streets) and a C2-3 for one blockfront (81st - 82nd Streets); and
  
  
• Bay Ridge Avenue, adding a C1-4 overlay for approximately two blockfronts (3rd Avenue - Bay Ridge Place).

Changes to the Special Bay Ridge District Text

The proposed lower density contextual zoning districts diminish the need for most of the existing SBRD provisions, which were created to modify higher density underlying zoning districts. The proposal would eliminate the SBRD's five preservation subareas but retain a limited number of SBRD regulations to provide additional protections. View the proposed zoning text amendment to the special Bay Ridge district.

These protections include maintaining the 32 foot height limit for community facility development in R3X, R3-2, R4A, R4-1, R4B and R5B zoning districts, and continuing to limit permitted FARs for community facility uses to 1.65 in R4A, R4-1, R4B and R5B districts. Under the underlying zoning regulations for these districts, the height and bulk regulations for community facility developments, including churches, schools, hospitals and medical offices, are less restrictive than those for residential construction, with no height limits and higher permitted FARs. In the proposed amended SBRD, community facilities on the midblocks would continue to be restricted to a maximum FAR of 1.65 (1.0 in R3X) and a height limit of 32 feet. The maximum permitted FAR for these uses in R2 and R3 districts is 1.0 (which would not be modified by the SBRD); in R4 and R5 districts it is 2.0.

The proposed changes to the SBRD would also limit community facility FAR in the proposed C8-2 district, to 3.0, equal to that permitted in the adjacent proposed C4-2A district surrounding 86th Street to the north. The SBRD would also impose a height limit in the proposed C8-2 district to a total building height of 70 feet after a setback at 60 feet, similar to that in the proposed, adjacent C4-2A district.

The street tree planting provision of the SBRD would also be retained, though amended to require street tree planting for all developments and enlargements only in districts that permit residential development, including commercial overlay districts and the C4-2A district on 86th Street. The current SBRD regulations mandate street tree planting for all developments within the Special District, including those within the M1-1 and C8-1 districts.

The proposed SBRD would also modify the regulations of Section 33-42, Permitted Obstructions, to allow elevators, stair bulkheads, roof water tanks, cooling towers and other mechanical equipment to exceed the maximum height limit in R7A, R7B, R6A, R6B, C4-2A and C8-2 districts. This change recognizes the tighter envelopes of the contextual districts, and the practical necessity for sufficient flexibility to allow new buildings to be constructed in these districts.

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