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MANHATTAN โ The NYC Department of City Planning will hold a public meeting on Aug. 7ย about a controversial rezoning that would allow a development to throw Brooklyn Botanic Gardenโs greenhouses into partial shadow, affecting rare orchids, tropical and desert plants and bonsai. The site is currently zoned for up to seven stories (R6A). The developer Continuum, headed by Bruce Eichner, seeks a rezoning to R8A, which would allow up to 14 stories plus bulkheads at 962-972 Franklin Avenue, just east of BBG in Crown Heights. Community Board 9 voted to disapprove the rezoning. Councilmember Crystal Hudson and Borough President Antonio Reynoso have stated they will not approve any project that harms the Garden. At a July 16 ULURP hearing, dozens ofย BBG supporters, volunteers and botanists spoke passionately against the proposal, while several union members in the construction trades spoke in favor of it.
Meeting details: The meeting can be attended in person at the CPC Hearing Room, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271, or remotely by viewing on YouTube on Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. Draft materials and participation links will be posted online.
