Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, and many others, have
always understood that an arena smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood
is inappropriate. It's common sense that any expert, layperson or YIMBY can understand.
But its not just DDDB and the community that feels this way.The New York
City Department of City Planning (NYCDCP) agrees and created a zoning law that...
"prohibits arenas within 200 feet of residential districts as some
of the opperations could be incopmpatible with districts limited primarily to
residential use."
This is stated on page
14 (paragraph 3) of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Ratner's
plan, issued by the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC). The only
way around that zoning regulation is through a special permit from the City.
Perhaps this is why Forest
City Enterprises (NYSE:FCEA) (NYSE:FCEB) bypassed New York's Department
of City Planning and the City Council.
So NYCDCP understands the severe inappropriateness of an arena in a residential
district, while the ESDC is willfully ignoring the wisdom behind that understanding
and overriding the zoning regulation.
We agree with NYCDCP. But why is ESDC flouting City Planning's regulations to
such a degree?
Why is ESDC acting so radically on Forest
City Enterprises'(NYSE:FCEA) (NYSE:FCEB) behalf?
