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Step 2: Begin the Application Process
The goals of the early process steps are to gather key basic information about the site and the proposed development so that City Planning can advise the applicant on the 
type of land use application and the level of environmental analysis that will be necessary as part of the review. To begin the review process, you should follow the below steps:
Schedule an Informational Interest Meeting with the relevant Borough Office
As a first step in the application process, prior to the submission of the PAS, you should contact the appropriate Borough Office to discuss your property and proposal at a brief Informational Meeting. You will be asked to submit a few basic materials in advance to inform the discussion. At the Informational Meeting, DCP and the applicant will discuss zoning, the neighborhood, and any plans affecting property in the project area.
At your Informational Interest Meeting, you should inquire with your Department Planner if you’re eligible for Green Fast Track, an expedited review process for certain, qualifying applications. Learn more about Green Fast Track.
Borough Offices
Bronx Office
1775 Grand Concourse,
Suite 503
Bronx NY 10453
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T. 718-220-8500
F. 718-584-8628
BX_DL@planning.nyc.gov
Brooklyn Office
16 Court Street, 7th Fl.
Brooklyn, NY 11241-0103
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T. 718-780-8280
F. 718-596-2609
BK_DL@planning.nyc.gov
Manhattan Office
120 Broadway
31st Floor
New York, NY 10271
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Tel. 212-720-3480
FAX 212-720-3488
MN_DL@planning.nyc.gov
Queens Office
120-55 Queens Blvd.,
Room 201
Kew Gardens, NY 11424
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T. 718-520-2100
F. 718-520-2096
QN_DL@planning.nyc.gov
Staten Island Office
60 Bay Street, 4th Floor
Staten Island NY 10301
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T. 718-556-7240
F. 718-556-7305
SI_DL@planning.nyc.gov
When to Submit a Pre-Applicant Statement
The Borough Office will provide preliminary guidance and feedback at the Informational Interest Meeting, after which applicant teams may submit a Pre-Application Statement (PAS) on NYC Planning Applicants. DCP will provide you with a Project ID number at this time. If you do not receive one at the Informational Interest Meeting, you may request one.
If DCP has not scheduled an Informational Meeting in 30 days of a request, applicants may request a project ID and submit a PAS without participating in an Informational Meeting.
What is the purpose of a PAS?
The Pre-Application Statement (PAS) requests basic pertinent information about a proposed project. The PAS serves multiple goals:
- To help DCP advise applicants early in the process about their project and to better serve applicants throughout the review process. The PAS is not designed to assess the merits of the proposal.
- TTo allow DCP to assign appropriate staff at the beginning of the review process and coordinate review across multiple divisions.
- To provide a formal starting point for the application review process and allows DCP to start tracking progress of a project.
If DCP has not scheduled an Informational Meeting in 30 days, applicants may request a project ID and submit a PAS without participating in an Informational Meeting. If significant policy issues remain, applicants should understand that these projects may not be ready for an Interdivisional meeting within 30 days of receipt of the completed PAS. In these cases, DCP will contact the applicant or their representative to provide clear guidance on the next steps in the process.
What applications do not need to file the PAS?
- UDAAPs (stand alone only – HA)
- Office Space Leases by the City (PX)
- Business Improvement Districts (BD)
- Enclosed Sidewalk Cafes (EC)
- De Minimus City Map Changes (contact TRD for guidance)
- South Richmond Subdivisions
- South Richmond School Seats
- Easements
- Landmarks and Historic Districts (HK)
- Amended Drainage Plans (MD)
- UWS Certifications (ZR 132‐51)
- Continued Uses – (Previously approved Acquisitions – PQ)
- 105-90 Future subdivision Certification, Special Natural Area District
- 119-04 Future subdivision Certification, Special Hillsides Preservation District
However, if these actions are coupled with any other application type, the applicant should submit a PAS.
How to submit the PAS
The Pre-Application Statement is now online! To submit the Pre-Application Statement, please visit the NYC Planning Applicants.
The basic information provided in the PAS will help DCP identify the appropriate planners and specialists to assign to the project. A Lead Planner from the relevant Borough or Division Office will be assigned to manage the proposed project; this planner will be the main contact for you throughout the review process. Planners from Technical Review, Environmental Assessment and Review, and other specialty divisions will also be assigned at this time on an as needed basis. The Lead Planner will contact you if the PAS needs clarification or is missing any of the required attachments or critical information.
After the receipt of the PAS, the Lead Planner will contact you to confirm the receipt of your PAS. At this time, they may ask you to clarify material that you submitted, or to schedule an Interdivisional Meeting. The Interdivisional Meeting is an opportunity for you and any representatives you have retained to present the proposed project and site conditions to the assigned DCP team who will identify necessary actions, guide you in the preparation of application materials, and conduct environmental and technical analyses of the applications to ensure completeness. Following the Interdivisional Meeting, you will receive a summary of the discussion, decisions, and next steps necessary to continue the application process.
If a project is complex, more than one Interdivisional Meeting may be needed to determine the final actions. Each meeting will advance the goal of finalizing land use actions and moving the application process forward.
Some projects may require detailed environmental analysis that will entail a Reasonable Worst Case Development Scenario (RWCDS). Once actions are finalized, at or soon after the Interdivisional Meeting, you will receive guidance from your Lead Planner on next steps for environmental review. If a RWCDS is required, you will receive access to the RWCDS package in the online portal, NYC Planning Applicants. This package will help explain the applicant’s proposed assumptions for the RWCDS. DCP will review it the RWCDS package and issue comments via email, or if necessary, set up a meeting with the Lead Planner and the Environmental Assessment and Review Division to discuss further. Once DCP has agreed to the assumptions, DCP will issue a sign-off on the RWCDS and ask the applicant to begin to prepare the required City Environmental Quality Review application, which is required for many actions. See the Environmental Review Process page for more information.
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