| Update February 27, 2008: |
| On February 27, 2008 the City Council adopted the Briarwood Rezoning changes as proposed. The zoning changes are now in effect. |
The Department of City Planning proposes to amend the zoning map on all or portions of 39 blocks in the central Queens neighborhood of Briarwood, Community District 8 from existing R3A, R4, R4-1, and R6A zones to lower-density or contextual zones that more closely reflect existing building types and occupancy. The rezoning area is generally bounded by Parsons Boulevard to the east, Queens Boulevard and the Van Wyck Expressway to the west, Grand Central Parkway to the north and Hillside Avenue to the south.
The proposed rezoning aims to preserve the established character of Briarwood and to ensure that future residential development will reinforce the existing development patterns.
Background
Briarwood is located in central Queens between Jamaica to the southeast and the Queens Borough Hall civic campus to the northwest. The neighborhood is predominantly residential with a variety of building types including many detached one- and two-family houses.
Much of the current zoning dates from 1996, when Briarwood was rezoned with various contextual districts. This rezoning study was initiated by the Department of City Planning following community concerns that the 1996 rezoning did not fully recognize the fine-grained differences in the built character of the neighborhood. The Briarwood rezoning is the result of close consultation with the Briarwood Civic Association.
The Briarwood rezoning follows two recent rezonings in the immediate vicinity. Jamaica Hill, the adjacent neighborhood to the east of Briarwood, was contextually rezoned in 2006. A rezoning of 368 blocks encompassing Downtown Jamaica and its adjacent neighborhoods was adopted in September 2007, and is located south and east of the Briarwood rezoning area.
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