How Do I Get A Public Hearing ?
Landmarks has rejected a design (twice) for the new iron handrails we propose for the front of our house. The current iron handrails are illegal as the previous owner never sought Landmarks approval. Nice, right? Despite best efforts at being historically accurate and matching the existing already-approved ironwork, we cannot seem to get approved and…
Landmarks has rejected a design (twice) for the new iron handrails we propose for the front of our house. The current iron handrails are illegal as the previous owner never sought Landmarks approval. Nice, right? Despite best efforts at being historically accurate and matching the existing already-approved ironwork, we cannot seem to get approved and must now go the way of a public hearing. But how do we do this? I see on the LPC site that hearings are scheduled, but how do I get my case on the agenda?
Thanks for any guidance!
Thanks all!
All of the above is spot on. Generally, when LPC staff tell an applicant that they must present to the commission, they tell you why. You need to know that. You also need to know what the objection is to your design.
Also, as a general rule, when LPC staff tell an applicant that they must present to the commission, they give the applicant the hearing date and tell them to contact the local community board. You and staff are not communicating well, and I cannot tell from here why that is.
hakonechloa’s advice is probably sound: call the community board for assistance. After all, you’re gonna have to call them at some point anyway.
To reinforce what #2 and #3 said – if you are just trying to install new handrails to match, you should call the staff person to find out what is not matching. If you WANT TO install handrails that don’t match (for whatever reason), and have already filed an application, you should ask the staff person to put you on the next public hearing. You will then need to put together presentation material (which may be as simple as mounting your current drawings and photos), go to the Community Board for a public hearing there, and THEN go to the LPC hearing.
Unless there is a compelling reason to go to a public hearing, this is something that should be done with staff permits. If you really do want to go to a public hearing, you may not be able to get on to the calendar until September.
Call LPC and consult with a staff member to review, why, why not and what they would approve.
If you submitted an application then you would have received a Materials Checklist in return in which it was indicated that a public hearing would be required. Your case will be scheduled for a hearing without further action from you. The name and tel. number of the staff person who is handling your case should be on the Materials Checklist. Contact that person to confirm the date. And good luck. You are going to need it.
For information and assistance contact your local Community Board, and also call the Landmarks Preservation Commission Public Information Officer – 212-669-7817