Chair Sherman responds to Carr on ELARP and infrastructure

Thank you, Councilmember.

So, you know, I would note that we, as projects are potentially proposed in the fast track districts, we will treat them the same way we do projects today, where we are,

if an environmental review is, they are subject to one, right, we are ensuring that happens.

If there's a need for mitigation, we're making sure that that's happening.

There is still community board review, borough president review, as well as public testimony at the city planning commission.

There's also department level work that happens during the pre-certification process as well, which leads to lots of proposal refinement.

And developers typically are refining proposals long before they reach the city planning commission.

With respect to capital planning and capital needs, as I shared before, that really is an ongoing process, right?

There is the overarching need for the city to ensure that we are strategically planning our capital resources.

One priority that I've had since being in this role is ensuring that DCP has even a stronger role in the capital planning process so that we're aligning our resources along with where we see growth opportunity happening, and that's certainly in these fast-track districts.

But there's also capital investment that can be tied to certain city-led actions, larger-scale planning initiatives to the extent that those would be pursued in your district.

And so I want to ensure you that as these projects move through, there is close attention to community feedback, to capital needs, to infrastructure needs, and certainly ongoing conversation with the council so that we can make sure we understand your priorities.

The last point that I would flag is, as I shared earlier,

At the City Planning Commission, we do have the ability to certainly recommend modifications to applications before we approve them, such as changes to the MIH levels, for instance.

And typically, when we receive changes back at the City Planning Commission, right, for final scope approval from the City Council, we see those changes as well, too.

We often are not getting infrastructure changes back necessarily, but certainly changes around land use, affordability levels.

And those are all things that the City Planning Commission can consider as well, too.

And so I want to assure you.

you that we will give the time, the attention, and the thought that is necessary to ensure that these projects are a net benefit to the community.