COY Putting Commercial into All Residential Blocks/Neighborhoods!

Do you live on a nice quiet block with no stores, or in a corner residential building that has no stores!  Well that is all about to change!

Under Mayor Adams City of Yes “COY” communities all over NYC will be getting a store on every corner and even inside residential buildings that exist on corners!  Read below for more information.

MTOPP is doing a series on the Mayor Adams’ City of Yes, “COY” Business Text Amendments, that will change where, how and what types of businesses will be allowed to exist in the City.

The Business Text Amendments are currently being reviewed by all 59 Community Boards who have up until December 30th 2023, to comment on them! 

After reviewing over 700 pages of these amendments we found at least 7 major changes that have a serious impact upon the community, and its residents.

1. 1. Allowing Commercial Businesses into all Residential Areas.
   2. Allowing “Small Businesses” to exist in people’s apartments and homes.
   3. Eliminating restrictive business within Residential buildings.
   4. Allowing manufacturing businesses to exist in commercial zones
   5. Allowing all businesses to exist in all commercial zones.
   6. Allowing businesses to exists on residential floors and on rooftops.
   7. Allowing cabaret/dancing to exist on all commercial zones.

Allowing Commercial, Offices and Laboratories Businesses into Residential Areas.

Currently, commercial businesses are not allowed in all residential zones, such as R1 through R10 districts. For example, if you walk down Ocean Ave, in Brooklyn you will not find any stores on this strip.  This is because this block is classified as a strictly residential block with no commercial businesses allowed. That is being changed.

The new text amendments will allow a property owner to convert their home, and or apartment into a business in any residential neighborhood and or residential building as long as it exists on a corner and they get approval from the Department of City Planning “DCP”. https://www.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/plans-studies/city-of-yes/economic-opportunity/economic-opportunity-draft-annotated-zoning-text.pdf, go to 22-16 and 22-17 for the exact text amendment proposed changes.

Just to note, applications that are approved by DCP, have a 99% chance of passing, making the application merely a formality. Thus, one can expect these applications to be approved, even in the more powerful communities.

Types of Business Being Allowed

The types of businesses that can exist include: grocery, and liquor stores, automobile supplies i.e. tire stores, boating, laundromats, eating and drinking establishments etc.

The below images contain more businesses that can exist and is taken from the tables on Section 32-16 of the proposed text amendments -go to 22-16.

Please note that next to these items are a series of numbers.  These are the codes that come from the North American Industry Classification System, where they give a detailed description of exactly what type of enterprise/business it is.

Types of Business That Will Now Be Allowed on Residential Streets and inside Buildings

Laboratories Allowed in Residential Neighborhoods Items in Group 7 will also be allowed to be in residential neighborhoods. These are laboratories, offices, business, professional including ambulatory diagnostic or treatment health care, or governmental. https://www.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/plans-studies/city-of-yes/economic-opportunity/economic-opportunity-draft-annotated-zoning-text.pdf go to 32-17 Please note that in this section of the text amendments they denote that these types of businesses in Group 7 can have adverse effects upon the environment and yet they are now being allowed to exist right within residential buildings and residential communities on residential blocks. What Types of Laboratories? Please note: The new proposals do not indicate what types of laboratories will be allowed, nor do they give the North American Industry Classification “NAIC” codes.  However if you click on this link you will find an extensive list under the NAICS that includes very hazardous laboratories that can  have an adverse effect on the people and the environment.  For example, radiation testing, vibration testing, Nanobiotechnology research etc. Who Will Regulate These Businesses? The question is who will regulate these businesses and laboratories? Especially in light of the fact that there are over 2 Billion dollars in fines that have not been paid by businesses who don’t adhere to the current environmental and protection standards.  Also note when it says “Treatment Health Care“, this means all types of treatment facilities run by the government, including drug addition etc. Environmental Dangers Despite the major changes of the zoning laws and the how the changes may negatively affect the residents and the environment, DCP has refused to conduct an Environmental Impact Statement “EIS” making the claim that because DCP will have to approve these businesses, there is no need to consider the drastic cumulative impact (combining all potential applications that will come over the years) this will have on all residential neighborhoods in NYC. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of apartments and private homes conversions over years turning residential neighborhoods and buildings into commercial ones.