Help Stop Commercial Overdevelopment of the Far West Village!

Did you know that the heart of the Far West Village is still zoned to encourage large commercial buildings? This means that a 10 storey Hotel could pop up at any minute along our beautiful residential streets, bringing with it noise, traffic and garbage! Please work with us to stop this madness and help get this precious area re-zoned. Your support matters greatly.

On April 6th, more than 150 people tuned out for a community meeting on a much-needed rezoning in the Far West Village sponsored by the Far West Rezoning coalition. At the meeting, members of the coalition, GVSHP and community leaders presented the case that:

• The C6-1 district is unique in the Far West Village in encouraging oversized commercial development (as evidenced by a recent as-of-right plan for a nearly 100 ft. tall hotel)
• There are more than a dozen potential development sites in this C6-1 district that could be similarly developed in the future (in spite of landmark protections), thus making a rezoning absolutely essential
• A rezoning like the one GVSHP helped secure nearby in 2005 would much better protect the character of the neighborhood (GVSHP and other community groups have been calling for such a change for over a year)

To see the complete summary of the presentation, CLICK HERE.

There was also progress to report. After a year of non-responsiveness from City Planning (which must approve or initiate any rezoning), the city agency is now finally reviewing and considering this rezoning request. Community Board #2 agreed to consider a resolution in support of the proposed changes in its Zoning Committee on April 16th. And all local elected officials sent representatives to listen to the concerns and opinions presented at the meeting, as they follow up on a recent meeting with City Planning on this issue.

GVSHP and community groups also mapped out a plan of action to keep the pressure on to help secure this needed zoning change, including possible future public demonstrations, if the City does not agree to move a rezoning forward.

HOW TO HELP:

• Sign the on-line petition in support of the much-needed rezoning of the C6-1 zone in the Far West Village, and forward it to your friends, family, and neighbors and ask them to do the same.

• If you were not able to attend last night's community meeting and fill out a letter to City Planning in support of rezoning, do so on-line; CLICK HERE.

For more information on the effort to rezone the Far West Village, CLICK HERE.

SEND US YOUR LETTERS, WE'LL POST THEM -

(farwestrezoning@gmail.com or click below and post yourself.)

LETTER FROM THE WEST 12th STREET BLOCK ASSOCIATION:

Hon. Amanda Burden

Chair, NYC Planning Commission

22 Reade St.

NYC 10007

3/30/09

Re: C6-1 Zone in the Far West Village

Dear Chair Burden:

Although the West 12^th Street Block Association covers the blocks between Fifth and Seventh Avenues, we are nevertheless concerned about what goes on beyond our boundaries. Inappropriate zoning that allows overly large buildings in the far west Village, between Tenth and Twelfth Streets, is damaging to the historical district and, indeed, to the entire Village.

Accordingly, we are supporting the request of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and other groups to rezone these blocks so as to make them compatible with the surrounding areas.

We urge you to consider this change. Many thanks.

Sincerely,

Carol Greitzer and Marguerite Martin, Co-Chairs