In preparation for a multi-month shutdown of New York City’s Delaware Aqueduct planned for later this year, the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has begun slowly introducing water from the Croton system into the city’s supply of tap water. Water sourced from each system, and each reservoir within each system (our water in New York City comes from three supply systems), may taste slightly different to some people. However, DEP scientists test the City’s tap water approximately 2,000 times every single day of the year to ensure it remains safe and of the highest quality. Any New Yorkers with concerns about their tap water should report it to 311 so DEP water quality scientists can investigate. More information on the City’s water distribution system and source water can be found here. Additional information on the complex repair of the City’s Delaware Aqueduct, which conveys approximately half of the water consumed in the city each day, can be found here.

The New York State Independent Redistricting Commission (NYS IRC) released its proposed map for the New York State Assembly. In that map, most of our constituents north of East 42nd Street are proposed to be redistricted to a majority-Queens New York State Assembly District.

At its January 9th meeting, the Budget & Governmental Affairs Committee passed a resolution opposing the attempt to place parts of our East Side community within a Queens Assembly District. The resolution was ratified by our Full Board two days later, and we sent the resolution as testimony to the NYS IRC. You can find the resolution here.

Even with CB6’s opposition of the plan, the redistricting proposal is far from final, as it will face a series of public hearings before a final version is submitted next April — including the recent February 7 hearing at Hunter College’s Kaye Playhouse. We hope that, when the dust settles on redistricting, that all of Manhattan Community District 6 will be in an all-Manhattan Assembly District.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York District is announcing a series of virtual and in-person public meetings for the New York New Jersey Harbor and Tributaries (NYNJHAT) Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Feasibility Study.  The purpose of the meetings is to inform the public of the NYNJHAT Study Draft Integrated Feasibility Report (FR) and Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the Tentatively Selected Plan (TSP), and to solicit public feedback on this tentative plan selection to manage coastal storm risk in the Study Area, which includes Manhattan Community District 6. For information on upcoming virtual meetings and about the study, please click here. You can submit comments until March 31, 2023 (the deadline was extended).

The Mayor has a City of Yes initiative. The initiative will seek to modernize and rationalize zoning rules to help the City recover more quickly from the pandemic, to create a greener city, to support small business growth, and to incentivize the creation of housing, at all levels, in all New York City neighborhoods.

There are three proposed zoning text amendments that would be part of this initiative. Here are the details on those text amendments:

• Zoning for Carbon Neutrality aims to modernize the zoning regulations in support of the City’s climate goals. The changes would focus on supporting a renewable energy grid, making our buildings clean and efficient, support for electric vehicle charging and micro-mobility options, and reducing waste and stormwater.
• Zoning for Economic Opportunity is focused on providing small businesses with the flexibility needed to for them to change and grow, especially as the city recovers from COVID-19. The proposals would remove unnecessary and outdated limitations on small businesses and ensure that our storefronts are occupied, and our neighborhoods remain lively spaces.
• Zoning for Housing Opportunity is a direct response to our City’s housing crisis. This seeks to ensure that every neighborhood does its part to help meet housing needs and provide equitable access to housing for all New Yorkers.

To learn more about City of Yes, visit DCP’s website here.

Flyers describing the proposals are directly available here.

You can watch footage from the first City of Yes Public Information Session here. You can also watch footage from the second City of Yes Public Information Session here.

CB6 also passed a resolution at its February 8, 2023 Full Board meeting on the proposed Text Amendments. You can find that resolution here.

There will be information sessions on the the City of Yes proposals on March 20th and 28th. You can register for the March 20th session here, and for the March 28th session here. Both sessions will go from 7-9pm. These information sessions will focus on the Zoning for Carbon Neutrality text amendment, the first of the text amendments expected to begin the formal public review period.