Land Use, Zoning, and CEQR
Land use refers to the management and utilization of land to produce, change or maintain its natural state and includes aspects such as zoning, city planning, agricultural development, and public regulation (Burke, 2009). On the other hand, zoning refers to the process of determining how land is utilized by determining the size and use of buildings, location, the density of neighborhoods, and the purpose for which land is developed (Burke, 2009). City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) refers to a process of determining the environmental effects of undertaking a project, their significance, and recommendations that could be implemented to reduce the impacts of the project on the environment.
Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP)
ULURP is an acronym for the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. Its stages include certification, Community Board, Borough President, Planning Commission, and City Council (Rohan, 2004). After an application is filed and certified, it is first reviewed by the Community Board that conducts a hearing and gives a written recommendation (Burke, 2009). The application is then forwarded to the Borough President for review.
The President reviews the application and gives a written recommendation of the City Planning Commission for review. The commission holds a public hearing that either approves or disapproves the application. Besides, the review can modify the application to fit certain standards. Finally, the application is forwarded to the City council for review. This review is considered final unless the Mayor decides not to
endorse the decision of the City Council. In such a situation, the City Council has the power to override the decision only if there is a 2/3 majority vote on the issue (Rohan, 2004). In each of the aforementioned stages, public hearings are held and a written commentary is provided to be forwarded to the next reviewer.
References
Burke, B. D. (2009). Understanding the Law of Zoning and Land Use Controls. New York, NY: LexisNexis Matthew Bender.
Rohan, P. J. (2004). Zoning and Land Use Controls. New York, NY: Mathew Bender.