Avella Disses DOB’s New Development Process

tony-avella-0209.jpgNot everyone’s digging the new development process that DOB announced this week. While perennial DOB critic Council Member Tony Avella likes the idea of posting drawings online, the feedback process is flawed, he thinks. “Despite being touted by Mayor Mike Bloomberg and DOB Commissioner LiMandri as empowering the public with greater oversight over new developments, it is actually diminishing the ability of residents to contest new construction by creating a defacto statute of limitations through the implementation of the 30-day comment period,” Avella said in a press release yesterday. “This procedure will in effect actually benefit unscrupulous developers who will simply wait out the clock to avoid community challenges. He also doesn’t like the idea of the Board of Standards and Appeals having the final say in the public appeal process. Why’s that? “Throughout its existence [the BSA] has essentially been a rubber stamp for developers.” He’s got a point there.

By Brownstoner |