Zoning can be used in many ways by owners, investors and developers to add value to their properties. First, as we have previously discussed, there are discretionary approvals available through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). One type of discretionary approval through ULURP is a rezoning, which would change the property's zoning district designation. A rezoning could increase the amount of buildable square footage a property is allowed, and/or change the allowed use altogether, for example, from commercial or industrial to residential.
City staff recommended against the zoning change, arguing that the proposed LI-PDA zoning wasn't merited by the site's needs and would be inappropriate. They suggested using the controversial DB90 district instead.
This isn't a zoning decision, it's a decision about who gets to live in the city and who gets pushed out. Without space for new students, the whole system starts to break down.
The Transit Residential land use designation should only be applied to areas adjacent to regional transit stations, identified Urban Villages or in other areas of the city that have existing residential development built at this density. The subject site does not meet any of those qualifications.
