New York City will have five city-based ballot questions for voters in the boroughs to decide on this November.
Priya Shahi
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York City will have five city-related ballot questions for voters in the boroughs to decide on this November.
The five ballot questions are from Mayor Eric Adams’ Charter Revision Commission, one of which would create a new Expedited Land Use Review Procedure as a complement to the existing Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.
Traditionally, projects that need land use permissions, like zoning map changes or non-city public improvements, go through the Uniform Land Use Review process or ULURP, which can be a months-long process requiring input from the mayor, City Council, borough presidents and community boards.
Ballot Proposal #2: Fast Track Affordable Housing to Build More Affordable Housing Across the City
Ballot proposal #2 calls for a Fast Track Zoning Action, which would allow publicly-financed affordable housing developments to seek zoning relief through the Board of Standards and Appeals as opposed to going through the traditional ULURP process.
A “yes” vote would fast track applications at the Board of Standards and Appeals or City Planning Commission, while a “no” vote would leave affordable housing subject to longer review and final decision at the City Council. Essentially this vote eliminates the City Council as a deciding vote.
Ballot Proposal #3: Simplify Review of Modest Housing and Infrastructure Projects
A second housing-related proposal would simplify review of modest amounts of additional housing and minor infrastructure projects, significantly reducing review time while maintaining Community Board review.
If approved, the ballot proposal would create a new expedited system for certain proposals that currently need ULURP approvals, including smaller housing proposals, city map changes and resiliency projects.
Borough presidents’ and community boards’ review periods would run concurrently under the expedited process instead of one after the other, as they do currently. The Charter Revision Commission estimates that the ELURP would cut the time it takes to complete the public review process in half.
The final decision would rest with the City Planning Commission under this proposal, rather than requiring City Council approval.
Ballot Proposal #4: Establish an Affordable Housing Appeals Board with Council, Borough, and Citywide Representation
The third housing proposal would establish an Affordable Housing Appeals Board comprising the Council speaker, local borough president and mayor to review Council actions that reject or change applications creating affordable housing.
If approved, the new appeals board would take over the mayor’s existing ULURP veto power, and would be able to overturn a Council land use decision if two members of the board agreed to do so.
A “yes” vote would create this three-member board to reflect Council, borough and citywide perspectives, while a “no” vote would leave affordable housing subject to the Mayor’s veto and final decision by the City Council.
Ballot Proposal #5: Create a Digital City Map to Modernize City Operations
The next proposal addresses city mapping functions by consolidating borough map offices and addressing assignment functions into one digital City Map at the Department of City Planning. Currently, the City Map consists of 8,000 paper maps across all five borough offices.
A “yes” vote would create a consolidated, digital City Map, while a “no” vote would leave in place five separate maps and address assignment functions administered by borough president offices.
Ballot Proposal #6: Move Local Elections to Presidential Election Years to Increase Voter Participation
The final city-related proposal would move the city’s primary and general election dates so that city elections are held in the same year as federal presidential elections, when permitted by state law.
The change aims to increase voter participation by aligning local elections with higher-turnout presidential election years.
Even if city voters approve the change, the state would need to take action before the change in election years could take effect.
Ballot Proposal #1, the Amendment to Allow Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County on State Forest Preserve Land
Ballot proposal #1 is a New York state proposal. Its passing would allow the expansion of new ski trails in the Olympic Sports Complex in Essex County, New York, which is two hours south of the Canadian border, near Vermont. The Olympic Sport Complex is in state forest preserve land. This proposal would also require New York state to add 2,500 acres of protected forest land to Adirondack Park.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.